Whining or Dining this Thanksgiving?

Whining or Dining this Thanksgiving?

Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thess 5:16-18.

Trying to decide whether you'll be whining or dining this Thanksgiving? Paul wrote the above scripture before he was jailed for his faith. Did his attitude change when he encountered "all circumstances" in life... like jail? The letters commonly known as Paul's Prison Epistles; (Ephesians, Colossians, Philippians, and Philemon) were all written while the author was in chains, in unspeakable conditions for his faith. Let"s hear from him...

"Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."(Eph 5:19-20) Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves." (Col 1:11-13) "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." (Phil 4:6-7) "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful." (Col 3:15) "I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers," (Philem 4) "And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." (Col 3:16-17) "I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers." (Eph 1:16-17)

And these are just a few of his "give thanks" directions from prison. However this doesn't mean Paul was in denial about his needs. He wrote: "I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you." (Col 4:18) and "May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains." (2 Tim 1:16-17) Paul is telling us that thanks and trouble dine at the table together. Chains and cheers can eat together, love together, refresh each other. Paul is teaching us to be thankful, to ask for help and to remember those who need us. Who needs you to be Onesiphorus and remember them and refresh them this Thanksgiving? Who needs you to remember their chains?

Giving Thanks and Remembering,

Join us this week for Thanks but no Thanks: Whining or Dining this Thanksgiving?

In Conclusion

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In Conclusion You're blessed when your commitment to God provokes persecution. The persecution drives you even deeper into God's kingdom." Not only that-count yourselves blessed every time people put you down or throw you out or speak lies about you to discredit me. What it means is that the truth is too close for comfort and they are uncomfortable. You can be glad when that happens-give a cheer, even!-for though they don't like it, I do! And all heaven applauds. And know that you are in good company. My prophets and witnesses have always gotten into this kind of trouble. "Matthew 5:10-12 Message Well there you have it - the final blessing in our series on the Beatitudes. Jesus ends the whole list letting us know that as we take on the life of the beatitudes the final result is ... some people will hate you and heaven will applaud you! You will begin to care more about people's souls than people's opinions. You will begin to live like you are committed to the one who is committed to you ...and you know what they did to Jesus. You are in good company. The purpose of all children of God, whether prophets or witnesses, is to point to the promise of eternal life with God; to show the way of salvation. People's eternal destination will change because of it. Some people will thank you for saving their lives, others will put you down, throw you out and speak lies about you. No worries... remember you are living for an audience of One! The stakes are high. We believe God has given us the ministry of teaching people who are dying how to live life fully... and by the way, we are all dying. We don't know the day or the hour for anyone but we do know the end result. So live a sermon of God's love today. Share the truth of Jesus Christ through your deeds and your words. Find someone who needs the hope within you. Live the blessings of the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart and the peacemakers. And if you are persecuted because of it, you're in good company. Don't count on having tomorrow to live the beatitudes... the blessings. You don't know who has tomorrow. Today is the day. Love God ~ love people, share the way of salvation. Leave the results up to God. I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes... Rom 1:16

Ways to grow... · Memorize the Beatitudes Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. · Sunday You're Invited · Wednesday Join the Case for Christ 5 week class · Purchase the series in the Word of Life Bookstore

Blessed are the Peacemakers

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Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God. Sometimes peace making seems impossible. Nations, ethnicities, families, and friends are at odds with each other... so many people are at war with themselves in their own souls. So, how do we make peace with ourselves and others in the battle zone of life? Do we deal with conflict through "an eye for an eye," settle accounts, take medication to bring peace? We may be peace lovers or peace keepers but we must learn to be peace makers... and peace makers - make war. The Apostle Paul gives us a clue in 2 Cor 10:3-5. "The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." Paul is saying that the way to win a war is in our thoughts. Making thoughts obedient to Christ, declaring war on darkness through light... destroying evil with God's goodness. Don't resist war like a "peace lover" or a "peace keeper" who merely doesn't "rock the boat". They believe through passivity they win a war. That wasn't Jesus' style at all. So what does peace making look like? The way Jesus dealt with conflict was to take it on... even take it in to himself. The chastisement of our peace was upon Him. Scripture teaches us to bear one another's burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ. The way we can bring peace is to make it; make it through being an instrument of peace. If someone is harassing you, take in their pain, put yourself in their shoes, pray for them, bear it for them and give them peace in return. Be an instrument for God's peace. Breathe in someone's pain - breathe out relief to them. Absorb someone's anger - offer consolation. Listen to someone's rantings - extend an olive branch. Hold reverently someone's despair and impart the hope of Christ. As you bring peace to others (like Jesus did), you'll experience His peace in your own soul. You are His instrument! We pray this prayer with you, Lord, make me an instrument of your peace; where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy. O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love; for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to Eternal Life. Amen. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:26-27