Day #30 - 30 Days of Thanksgiving

During this month we've looked at 29 different things for which we can and should give thanks. But when its all said and done, we should be thankful in every circumstance.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (ESV)  Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

How can we rejoice and give thanks in all circumstances? We can have a thankful heart only through unceasing prayer. We can trust God through every circumstance of life if we walk in fellowhsip with Him each day. As we do so, we come to know God's heart. As we know His heart, we know that He takes the circumstances of our lives and uses them for His glory and for our good.

Give Him thanks today for the fact that His will is  good and you can rejoice in the work He is doing in your life each day as you choose to rejoice and give Him thanks.

After today, I will return to publishing a blog on a weekly basis. If you have not subscribed to my blog at google+ or at rodminor@blogspot.com, I encourage you to do so. You will automatically be notified hen a blog is posted. I will use these posts to communicate , not just thoughts I have at times to share, but information regarding issues in the life of the church.

Blessings!

Pastor Rod

Day #29 - 30 Days of Thanksgiving

We give thanks for the reign of Christ. He is eternal in His existence and power. Though He reigns today in power, we can look forward with thanksgiving to the time when He will bring this world to an end and begin to reign over a new heaven for all of eternity.

Revelation 11:17  We thank You, Lord God, the Almighty, who is and who was, because You have taken Your great power and have begun to reign. 


I'm thankful that the day is coming when the authority of Jesus Christ and His rightful position as ruler of all creation will no longer be challenged. We will live in His presence and under His reign for all of eternity.

Pastor Rod

Day #28 - 30 Day of Thanksgiving

Rick Warren wrote a seasonal article for Time magazine. This is the first Thanksgiving for his family since their son took his life earlier this year. I want to share part of his article with you this morning. It's a great word on giving thanks, whatever your circumstances today.

In a seasonal article he wrote for Time magazine, Rick Warren says: "Thanksgiving is a difficult holiday for many. How can you be thankful when your doctor says it's cancer? How can you feel grateful when the one you love just walked out of your life? Or when you've been fired…or your dream has collapsed…or an economic tsunami has wiped out all you've worked for?

"This year became the worst year of my life when my youngest son, who'd struggled since childhood with mental illness, took his own life. How am I supposed be thankful this Thanksgiving? When your heart's been ripped apart, you feel numb, not grateful.

"And yet the Bible tells us. 'Give thanks IN ALL circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.'

"The key is the word in. God doesn't expect me to be thankful FOR all circumstances, but IN all circumstances. There's a huge difference. The first attitude is masochism. The second shows maturity. We're not supposed to be thankful for evil or sin, or the innocent suffering caused by these things. But even in heartache and grief and disappointment, there are still good things that I can be thankful for."

Happy Thanksgiving!
Pastor Rod

Day #27 - 30 Days of Thanksgiving

Give thanks today for your work and unique place in this world. Your life is not a a random occurrence or an accident.

Psalm 139:13-16 (NLT)  ¹³ You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. ¹⁴ Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. ¹⁵ You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. ¹⁶ You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

Since your life was so intricately prescribed and your days planned with such detail, you have a unique place in the world. The work you do, by vocation as well as in service and ministry, is valuable. It deserves our best.

Psalm 104:23 (NLT)  Man goes out to his work and to his labor until the evening.


Sometimes in the rhythm of life and demands of our work, our thankfulness diminishes regarding the work we do. You may not be working at your dream job today, but you can thank God that He has provided work and wants use you where you are as you recognize every moment was laid out for you by the One who has so wonderfully made you.

Pastor Rod

Day #26 - 30 Days of Thanksgiving

Take time today to give God thanks for the good health you enjoy and the healing He has given in the past.

Psalm 41:2a; 3 (ESV)  The LORD sustains him and keeps him alive ... The LORD sustains him on his sickbed; in his illness you restore him to full health.

I'm sure there have been times in all of our lives where God has kept us from illness when we were not aware of it. But there have also been times for all of us where God has sustained us while we were sick and restored us to full health.

I'm always reminded when I pray for people who are facing surgery, treatments, or questions regarding health issues, that we should be thankful for the doctors and medical personnel who care for us. But we should also be thankful that, ultimately as believers, our lives and our health are in the hands of God and He is able to do far more than all of medical science is capable of doing.

Are you healthy? Thank God. Are you facing health issues? Thank God for His ability to restore you.

Pastor Rod

Day #25 - 30 Days of Thanksgiving

Thank God, on this Monday, for the church and the opportunity you had to worship with your church family yesterday.

Psalm 111:1 (ESV)  Praise the LORD! I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.

I am thankful for the church universal - for believers all over the world. But I'm particularly thankful for my church family at Anderson Mill. We had a great time yesterday, as a congregation, giving thanks to the Lord. Gathering with others in God's family is an uplifting experience. We are able to pray for one another, sing songs of praise, and hear God speak to each of us from His Word and through His Spirit. Such an experience requires my whole heart. And, the Lord I worship, is certainly worthy of nothing less.

Pastor Rod

Day #20 - 30 Days of Thanksgiving

In Romans 16, Paul gives thanks for some who "risked their necks for his life." He is thankful and realizes that others share his appreciation as well.

Romans 16:3-4 (ESV)  Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well.

These friends had stepped up to put their lives on the line in defending and supporting Paul. We have those who do the same for us every day. They may not be friends that we know by name or fellow workers in the church, but they leave home and go to work knowing that they put their lives on the line - "risk their necks" - for us. They wear the uniforms of our military, police, and firefighters.

As a chaplain with our police department, I was recently in a debriefing with officers who had just dealt with a crisis. A shooter had wounded a neighbor, threatened a friend, and began shooting as they arrived. Within seconds, they had to make a decision on the action they would take, knowing that they might not go home to their families at the end of their shift. But they did what was necessary, risking their lives for the safety of others.

That happens with police, firefighters and, of course, our military. We may not often stop to think about what they face each day and the sacrifice that day might bring. Take time today to give thanks to God for those who serve us and are willing to risk their necks for us. And when you see one of those individuals somewhere, take a moment to say "Thanks".

Pastor Rod

Day #24 - #30 Days of Thanksgiving

Today is Sunday. In our worship today, we will share together in the Lord's Supper. Doing so is an act of worship, examination, and thanksgiving. The greatest gift we have ever been offered is the forgiveness and salvation that come through the body and blood of Jesus, broken and poured out on the cross for our sin.

1 Corinthians 10:16 (NLT)  When we bless the cup at the Lord’s Table, aren’t we sharing in the blood of Christ? And when we break the bread, aren’t we sharing in the body of Christ? 


We are usually thankful for any of the gifts we are given. But we are most thankful for those gifts that provide for us something we have no possibility of attaining on our own. You, like I, could identify some wonderful gifts that you have received. There have been scholarships awarded to our children for various reasons, to help with college expenses. What a difference those gifts have made in helping three children with undergraduate and graduate degrees. Early in our marriage, a home builder provided a gift that enabled us to purchase a house that we could not have purchased otherwise, placing us in the community where God had called us to plant a church. And the list could continue, just like your list.

But the greatest gift I've received has been the life of Jesus, given for me. The words to an old chorus go like this: "He paid a debt He did not owe; I owed a debt I could not pay." And that's the profound truth of God's gift. Would you take some time today to think about what that means? Give Him thanks for the gift that you have no hope of gaining on your on ability.

Pastor Rod

Day #23 - 30 Days of Thanksgiving

We will never know, this side of heaven, how God has used the prayers of others in our lives. Would you take time today to thank Him for putting people in your life who would love you enough to pray for you, not just in tough times, but for all the times of your life?

2 Corinthians 1:11 (ESV)  You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many. 


Paul was aware that God uses the prayers of others in our lives. He was thankful for those who prayed for him, knowing that safety and success in his ministry had some very direct ties to those prayers. He refers to "the prayers of many." He didn't know, it seems, the names of all who prayed, but he knew that God had honored those prayers and blessed him as a result.

You could list some who have been faithful to pray for you throughout your life or at times of need. Would you thank God for them? Maybe you should tell some of them personally just how grateful you are for their prayers. And thank God as well for those who have prayed but of whom we are not even aware. Only eternity will reveal the people and the prayers behind many of the blessings we have received in life.

Pastor Rod

Day #22 - 30 Days of Thanksgiving

Thank God, today, for your ability to give. He has blessed us with the resources to honor Him by giving in obedience to Him.

Psalm 54:6  (ESV)  With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you; I will give thanks to your name, O LORD, for it is good.


We give as an act of worship and gratitude that is born out of our love for God. It has been said that you can give without loving but you can't love without giving. We want to give to those we love. When our love is what it should be for Christ, we find it a joy, not a burden to be faithful in tithing and in generous giving.

Deuteronomy 14:23 (NLT)  Bring this tithe to the place the LORD your God chooses for his name to be honored ... The purpose of tithing is to teach you always to fear the LORD your God.

One of my favorite quotes regarding our faithfulness in this area is from Dr. John MacArthur, who said, "Tithing is not God's way of raising money; it is God's way of raising children." Recognizing our ability to give, whether our capacity is large of small, is cause for thanksgiving. It is God who has enabled us to do so. God is a giver and we are never more like Him than when we give.

Have you been faithful in demonstrating your thankfulness to God through your giving? Thank Him for enabling you to give and for teaching you to hold Him in respectful awe as you do so.

Pastor Rod

Day #21 - 30 Days of Thanksgiving

The Bible makes clear the fact that, when we give our lives to Christ, He gifts us with spiritual abilities and will also use our experiences for ministry. All of us are ministers, not just those on our church staff. Have you thanked God lately for the ministry He has given you?

1 Timothy 1:12 (ESV)  I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service.

We are appointed to His service. I'm thankful for that privilege. God doesn't have to allow me to share in His work, but He has chosen to do so. What a joy it is to have a part in life-change that takes place in others as we are faithful in our walk with Christ and used by Him in serving others and sharing the gospel in a variety of ways.

Have you discovered your ministry area of strength? If not, would you thank God that He has given you the necessary gifts and passion for some ministry? Then outline the steps you will take to find that place of ministry. And, thank Him for the strength His gives  to help you in faithfulness, and for His willingness to use you in ministry to others.

Pastor Rod

Day #19 - 30 Days of Thanksgiving

Today, I'm giving thanks for music. The gift of song and music plays a large role of influence in our lives and is mentioned often throughout scripture. We have songs recorded in the Bible as individuals, awed by God's presence or His word of promise or blessing, break out in songs of praise. In scripture you will find all kinds of songs referred to. There are songs of mourning, praise, joy, worship, thanksgiving, victory, and wedding songs as well. Paul and Silas were in a Philippian jail when, as they prayed in the midnight darkness, they began to sing hymns, leading to an earthquake opening cell doors, and ultimately to the salvation of the jailer and his family. Job, a man who certainly knew something about dark nights in life, referred to God as the One "who gives songs in the night." As we look with John into the realm of heaven, there is singing before the throne of God and through the halls of heaven. We are told to sing and that the earth itself is to sing of the Lord.

Psalm 96:1-2 (ESV)  Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the LORD, all the earth! Sing to the LORD, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.

As we give thanks for God's goodness to us, I hope your heart will be filled with songs of thanksgiving.

Psalm 28:7 (ESV)  The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.

What song are you singing today?

Pastor Rod

Day #18 - 30 Days of Thanksgiving

Have you thanked God for the gift of laughter? Aren't you glad that He has created us with a sense of humor and the ability to laugh?  Medical research tells us that laughter releases endorphins that are good for us, with healing properties. The scriptures revealed that truth long before researchers discovered it.

Proverbs 17:22  A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. 


Without joy and laughter life becomes broken and dry. I'm grateful that God wants more for us and has given us the cure. Find an opportunity to laugh today. Make it a habit. You will be healthier for it and life will be a lot more fun!

Pastor Rod

Day #17 - 30 Days of Thanksgiving

Did you see the sunset last night (Saturday evening)? Now, this was sunset in Austin, Texas. And if you don't live in Texas, I'm sorry. I've lived in five different states and have traveled and spent time in 25 additional states and multiple foreign countries on three continents. There is some incredible beauty in those places, but the most beautiful sunsets I've ever seen are those in Texas. Yesterday's sunset was another that gave evidence of God's creative work of beauty that inspires awe and thanksgiving.

Psalm 8:1 (ESV) O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.

David continues in that Psalm to express his amazement, when he looks at the heavens, the work of God's fingers, the moon and the stars which God has put in place. As he takes in the display of God's beautiful work it causes him to marvel and give thanks for God's care for us.

Give God thanks for the beauty you find around you today. It's a reminder that He cares for you and is capable of beautiful work in the world and in you.

Pastor Rod

Day #16 - 30 Days of Thanksgiving

Give thanks to God for the guidance He promises to give in the decisions we face. Whether we believe them to be large or small, every decision has consequences and we need God's wisdom in making wise decisions. And God promises the direction we need.

Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)   ⁵ Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. ⁶ In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

We can thank God for His promise for direction for every turn in life.

Isaiah 30:21 (ESV) And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left. 


As you consider the decisions you have made this year, thank God for the evidence of His clear guidance as you trusted Him for wisdom.

Pastor Rod

Day #15 - 30 Days of Thanksgiving

Today I am thankful for the gift of prayer. The fact that God wants to hear from me - wants to know what is on my heart - is an amazing thought. And, even more amazing is the fact that God wants to speak personally to me, every day and throughout the day.

Psalm 121:4 says that God neither slumbers or sleeps! You never have to be concerned that you are waking God from a "power nap" or that you will have to wait for "business hours" to speak with Him. He is always waiting, ready to to hear.

Jeremiah 33:3 has been referred to as "God's phone number." God says...
"Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known."

Wherever you are today, and every moment, both day and night, He will answer and show you what you do not know!

You will best show your thankfulness for the privilege of prayer by praying throughout the day. Just have a running conversation with God. He has invited you to call.

Pastor Rod

Day #14 - 30 Days of Thanksgiving

Give thanks today for the fact that God has blessed you with safety, shelter, and resources that much of the world cannot imagine. And, He has blessed you with the opportunity to share those gifts and provisions with others.

As I watched the latest account of the devastation in the Philippines, my heart broke as I saw adults and children of all ages crying out for help. They have been days without shelter or food. Thousands have died and multiple thousands have lost everything material as they desperately cling to life. And as I watched, I thanked God that, as a Southern Baptist, I knew we have volunteers, missionaries, and relief workers on the ground and many more waiting for a clear pathway into the area for them and for the food and supplies they bring. Jesus said...

Matthew 25:35-40 (ESV)  ³⁵  "For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶  I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me." ³⁷  Then the righteous will answer him, saying, "Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? ³⁸  And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? ³⁹  And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?" ⁴⁰  And the King will answer them, "Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me."

The Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Agency is the 3rd largest relief agency in the world, just behind the Red Cross and Salvation Army. You won't hear much about that on the news, but we respond because we love those in distress and the One who has told us to give, go and serve. Every time you place your tithe or gift in the offering, a portion of that goes to support our work around the world in disaster and hunger relief. You can also give additional support for crucial needs such as the one
faced in the Philippines. You may donate in one of several ways...

Give through AMBC and mark your gift as "disaster relief". We will send the total amount to the North American Mission Board Disaster Relief office.
You may also give online at: www.namb.net/disaster-relief-donations/ 
Or, call 1-866-407-6262 (Our North American Mission Board)
You may also mail a contribution to:
     NAMB, P.O. Box 116543, Atlanta, GA. 30368-6543 and mark your check as "Disaster Relief"
100% of all gifts go directly to relief needs. No administrative fees or staff support is ever taken from gifts for our missions or relief ministry agencies.

Would you pause today to thank God for the home and bed you slept in last night, the food and clothing you have today, and the resources you have to share with those in need? And as you do so, ask Him if you should give something today for those who are in such crisis.

Pastor Rod

Day #11 - 30 Days of Thanksgiving

Today is Veterans Day. Thank God, today, for the veterans who have served us, often at great sacrifice, through the years. We will soon lose the WWII veterans, that group that has come to be known as "The Greatest Generation." Their ranks have been greatly thinned as they are our oldest living veterans. Korean vets are following suit. But we still have Vietnam vets, as well as many from the Gulf Wars and Middle East wars in recent years. I thank God for these men and women who have stepped up in defense of our nation.

Jesus said...
John 15:13 (ESV)  "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends."

He was referring to His impending death for us, but He was stating a principle as well. When we love, we serve others. But by far, the greatest act of love is serving at the risk of our own lives. The veterans of our nation deserve our honor and our thanks because they have done just that.

If you know a veteran, today would be a good time to call or to see them personally just to say, "Thank you." You may see someone this week in uniform. Even though they are not veterans in the strict definition of the word, they will be one day. Thank them for their service. And give thanks to God today for a nation and way of life worth defending.

Pastor Rod

Day #13 - 30 Days of Thanksgiving

John 14: 1-3 (ESV)  "Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also."

As I watched a "Texas-beautiful" sunrise last Friday (the start of an incredibly beautiful day in central Texas) I thanked God for this world, filled with beauty and enjoyment. But for those of us who know Christ, the best is yet to come. If this world, marred by the results of the fall, holds such beauty and enjoyment, how much better is heaven, the home of perfection God prepares for us?

Thank God, today, for the countless aspects of beauty in creation. Then, give Him thanks for the home He has for you, filled with beauty and eternal joys beyond our imagination. Enjoy today while anticipating the tomorrow God has for you.

Pastor Rod

Day #12 - 30 Days of Thanksgiving

Philippians 3:20 (ESV)  But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

I had a New Testament professor in college who, in speaking of the promised return of Christ, jokingly said, "The Bible tells us that Jesus will return when we do not think or expect. That's why I believe He will return at nine o'clock on a Monday morning, because nobody is thinking on Monday at 9 a.m.!"

As we set off on another morning, thank Jesus for the fact that He will return, and it could be today at 9 a.m., or at any time on any day this week!

How does the expectation of the return of Christ make a difference in the way you live? Thank God for the hope you have in the certainty that Jesus will come again.

Pastor Rod

Day #10 - 30 Days of Thanksgiving

Give thanks today for the salvation of others and for the opportunity God gives us in helping others to discover His offer of grace.

Romans 6:17-18 (ESV)  But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness.

Who do you know who has come to know Christ in the past year? Take time to thank God for them and for God's gift. Can you give thanks for someones salvation for whom God allowed you to play a part this past year? Who are you praying will come to Christ in the days ahead - for whom you will be able to give thanks in the year to come?

Pastor Rod

Day #9 - 30 Days of Thanksgiving

Thank God that you are loved. Of course, we know God loves us. But I'm thankful for people He has put in my life who love me. A few days ago we gave thanks for friends that God has placed in our lives. Today we can pause to give thanks for those who are more than caring friends. We give thanks for those who have loved us deeply. These are people have shown us unmerited love that gives us hope and a sense of worth. Some of those, such as my wife, have loved me when I have been at my worst as well as at my best. My children, other family members and a few enduring friends have done so as well. We have been created with a psychological and emotional need to be loved. We don't live well if we don't know that there is someone who cares and loves us - some others to whom we matter.

Who loves you? A spouse? Children? Other family members? Church family? Long-time friends?
Maybe you would choose to make a list today of people in your life who have loved you, making your life richer in so many ways. Then, do what Paul did...

Philemon 4 and 7 (ESV)  "I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers... For I have derived much joy and comfort from your love..."

Pastor Rod

Day #8 - 30 Days of Thanksgiving

Psalm 119:89; 103-105 (ESV)  Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens... How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.

Today we can give special thanks to God for His Word. It is firmly fixed, unchanging, trustworthy in every detail. The scriptures become sweeter to us through time as we read and apply God's truth to our lives. Understanding is found in the Word.

The lamps of the Old Testament period varied in size and style, but all were pottery with a a bowl for oil and a narrow spout where a wick was inserted. One thing the lamps had in common was the fact that, though they gave needed light, that light was not cast for great lengths ahead of it. The psalmist reminds us that God's Word is a lamp, giving light for each step on the path. We have all the light we need for the next step or the next few steps to come. We may not know clearly what lies in the distance to come, but if we trust God's Word and walk in His truth, we will have all the light we need to keep us on the path of understanding and godly living. It's a sweet way to live!

Thank God today that He has preserved His fixed and trustworthy Word for you. Thank Him for the guidance He has shown you in recent days from the scripture. How are you and the life you live different today because of the blessing of God's Word?

Day #7 - 30 Days of Thanksgiving

Today, give thanks for the fact that God gives us His presence each day and we can look back to see the evidence of that in so many ways. When the earth is shaking and unstable because of events, whether the result of men or of conditions beyond our control, God is never shaken. When you lose your balance as your world shakes around you, He remains steady and His presence certain.

Psalm 75:1-3 (ESV)  We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, for your name is near. We recount your wondrous deeds. "At the set time that I appoint, I will judge with equity. When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants, it is I who keep steady its pillars."

We will never know, this side of heaven, of all the times and ways in which God has kept the pillars of our lives steady. But we can see, as we look back, some of those times and ways and recognize the wondrous work of God in our lives.

You might want to take some time to think back through this past year and make a list of the evidences you have seen of God's nearness in your life and times when He has brought stability to your heart, mind and circumstances. Maybe it was during a time of illness; a time when someone disappointed or hurt you; a time of financial instability; a time when you could see no way out of what seemed an impossible situation; a time when you needed clear direction regarding God's will in your life; and God stepped in to bring stability and solutions only He could bring. Or it may have been an unexpected blessing God brought to you, just to remind you that He is near and blesses you even when you are not asking or anticipating it.

Give Him thanks. You may find that the list is far longer than you would have thought. He is always near working wondrously in the lives of those who know and love Him.

Day #6 - 30 Days of Thanksgiving

Yesterday was an election day across the nation. I hope you made it to the polls to cast your vote and are grateful for the freedom we have to do so. We enjoy a level of freedom in America that doesn't exist elsewhere in our world. Take time today to thank God for the freedom we have. This nation was founded by people seeking freedom in worship and in their form of government. They believed that the very idea of freedom was God's plan. And real freedom comes for each of us as we walk under the control of God's Spirit in our lives.

2 Corinthians 3:17 (ESV)  Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.

The death and resurrection of Jesus has broken the power of sin's bondage for each of us. But we will not live in that freedom unless we receive the gift of freedom that comes through repentance and complete trust in Jesus. And we must be careful to walk daily in submission to the Lord in order to walk in spiritual freedom. If we become careless or complacent, we will find the grip of old habits and sin taking control and robbing us of our freedom to live for Christ.

We can also lose our political freedoms in the same way - through carelessness and complacency. It's the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics at work. That law essentially states that things, left to themselves, do not become stronger and improve, but they deteriorate or break apart. Political freedom can be a fragile thing if left unattended or complacently surrendered to those who would govern at the expense of our freedom.

Take time today to thank God for the freedom we have because of Christ. Thank Him also for our freedom as a nation. Where would you be without either of those freedoms? How do you need to express your thanks and to be vigilant to guard against the slide in either away from freedom?

Day #5 - 30 Days of Thanksgiving

The Apostle Paul was a man with a thankful heart. Enduring more hardship than most of us - certainly more than I have ever encountered - he exuded thankfulness in every situation. One of the things for which he consistently expressed thanks was for the people in his life. He loved others, prayed for them, and told them of his thankfulness that God had allowed them to be a part of his life.

1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 (ESV)  "We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ."

Colossians 1:3-4 (ESV)  "We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints."

I'm thankful for the people God has placed in my life, especially for other believers. I look across the faces of those gathered for worship on Sundays and am deeply grateful for individuals who encourage me by the lives of faithfulness they live and the love they express. From the east coast to the west, north and south, and in countries around the world, there are people God has brought into my life through the years to love me and to have an impact on my life. You can say the same, whether your relationships are local or span the world. They are wonderful gifts from God.

Who are the people you need to pause and give thanks for? Today, I am making a list of some for whom I will pray specifically this month. And there are some phone calls I will make today. What about you?

Pastor Rod

Day #4 - 30 Days of Thanksgiving

It's Monday! And as you begin a new week of work or study, no matter what you face, you can know that the Lord is your shield, your glory, and He is the one who lifts your head to walk confidently into each day. We do not have to slump into the day with heads hung low. He will protect us, sustain us with peaceful rest, and remove any fear of those who might set themselves against us.

Psalm 3:3-6 (ESV)  "But you, O LORD, are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head. I cried aloud to the LORD, and he answered me from his holy hill. I lay down and slept; I woke again, for the LORD sustained me. I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around."

What or who has been set against you? Give thanks today that the Lord is your shield and glory in life. He will sustain you.

Where do you need His sustaining presence today? How will you choose to rest in Him?

Pastor Rod

Day #3 - 30 Days of Thanksgiving

Thank God for the victory you have over death and the power of sin in your life. Find yourself struggling with an area of temptation or habit in your life? Victory can be yours in Jesus Christ. He has promised victory over our struggles and over our greatest enemy - death.

1 Corinthians 15:57 (ESV)  "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

Pastor Rod

Day #2 - 30 Days of Thanksgiving

Give thanks to God today for His enduring love.

Psalm 118:1 (ESV)  "Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!"

God is good. He is steadfast - unwavering in His love for you. And that love never wanes and is never withdrawn. His love endures forever.

No one else loves you like that. No one can. Thank God for the fact that He has chosen to lavish His love on you!

Pastor Rod

Day #1 - 30 Days of Thanksgiving

This is the first of 30 daily blog posts that will help give some direction for one new thing each day for which we can give thanks. You may have a different one that God impresses on your mind and heart each day, but these will be daily suggestions that can give you some help as we allow God to continue to cultivate in each of us a heart of gratefulness. If you missed the blog yesterday, I encourage you to take a moment to read it as an introduction to the daily messages to come. Each day will be short, but will give you a start in reflection, encouragement to express your thanks to God, as well as looking for ways in which you can express your gratitude that day. So, let's begin with God's greatest gift!

2 Corinthians 9:15 (ESV)  "Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!"

God's inexpressible gift is His gift of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

Reflect on that gift for your life, what it means, and where you would be without it. Give Him thanks. How can you live today in gratitude for God's inexpressible gift?

Pastor Rod