November 27, 2024 – Thanksgiving Eve Text: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Dear Friends in Christ,
The idea of giving thanks has been around for years. Who doesn’t know the story of the Pilgrims. President Washington had issued a proclamation in 1789 that had its origins in religious proclamations by bishops. President Lincoln had made a few Thanksgiving proclamations, but it wasn’t until 1863 that anything became official in the United States. That year the Union won Civil War battles in Gettysburg and Vicksburg. The harvest of 1863 was also a good one. So, it was made official that the country would celebrate on the last Thursday of the month of November. Dr. Cullom Davis, a nationally recognized Lincoln scholar said this, “Lincoln saw the day as an appropriate time to give national gratitude for God’s plan and goodness. It was yet another reason to be thankful.”
This won’t surprise us, but the proclamation makes repeated religious references such as “watchful providence of Almighty God,” “the gracious gifts of the Most High God.” We know that all of our gifts come from the Lord Almighty. All of our thanks and praise go to Him. This holiday we pray He might create within our hearts . . .
“AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE”
This comes through beautifully within our text, it really could not be any clearer. “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
These powerful words from the Lord through the Apostle Paul were not only meant for the Christians of Thessalonica, but they were also meant for you and me. The basis for our rejoicing and thankfulness is Jesus Christ. An attitude of gratitude is showered upon us by the grace of God. We have come to know and trust in the forgiveness that has been earned for us through the cross and empty tomb. How can we not give thanks unto the Lord?
Except some find it a struggle. Are you one of them? Never quite happy with where you are in life. When you were young you wanted to be old. If you are now older, you want to be younger. Things just haven’t always gone your way, and God has to take some of the blame for that. There are those who struggle with this sad existence. It is hard to be around that negativity. It can take you down.
Prayerfully the Lord puts people in your life that lift you up with their gratitude. Or are you the gratitude lifter? Always appreciative of what you have. Giving God the thanks for your life and all the good that is a part of your daily existence. People notice. That is the kind of attitude they want to be around. The Lord does the lifting by using you and the words you use, the actions you do, the smiling disposition and the God Blessed way you show gratitude daily.
It should be easy, right? This attitude of gratitude. God gives it to us through His Son Jesus Christ. By being in God’s Word, we can grow in our thankfulness. By partaking of the Sacraments our gratitude will strengthen. God has placed the gift of salvation within our hearts. He has placed a song of praise within our mouths. As King David reminds us, “He has brought us out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay…and He has put a new song in our mouths, even a praise unto God.”
In 1941, Congress authorized a resolution that switched Thanksgiving from the last Thursday in November to the fourth Thursday of the month. No matter where it is, it is still a good day to thank the Lord our Creator, Redeemer, Sanctifier. His Almighty hand is upon us. Let’s live it every day . . . an attitude of gratitude.
Amen.

November 24, 2024 Text: Jude 20-25

Dear Friends in Christ,

Wondering why that steak you enjoy continues to be expensive? It is because of all the Texas beef cattle destroyed in the fires earlier this year. The fires raged in the Panhandle during the end of February into March.
RFD-TV had a story about a month ago about how one rancher saved his property. He did it by burning all of the land around his property before the fires got to him. This charred land would not burn again, and he was kept safe. This tough West Texan did not vacate his home, and he was smart enough to know what to do to be . . .
“SAFE FROM THE FIRES”
What about us? How can we be kept safe from the fires? And what fires are we talking about? The fires of hell. The demonic powers are active and angry. Their hatred rages at the church. Then we live in a world that has bitterness and evil. Parts of society would like to burn our faith to a crisp. We can’t outrun these wicked powers. We can’t put them out and we can’t get away from them.
Someone knows the way of escape. His name would be Jesus. He is not a tough West Texan, but He is a Galilean, Middle Eastern descent. He took on the fires of hell. On a cross. On a Good Friday. The fires of hatred and evil raged . . . and Jesus suffered. Th fury of hell attacked, and Jesus died. The world did its worst to Him, and Jesus gave His life for us.
Now we have a safe spot where we can stand. The ground we walk on is protected by the Savior. The gates of hell cannot prevail against Him. Entrusting our lives to Jesus, the fires of Satan cannot touch us. The evil of the world cannot destroy us.
Like the wildfires, they may dissipate in one state, but they pop up in another. In our lives they are controlled, but we still need to get away from the smoke and flames. Get down on your hands and knees, crawl with me and listen up.
False teachers still blow a bunch of smoke. “Who needs Jesus, there are other ways to salvation.” “Look to yourself. Your strong, bright, articulate. All you need is you. You can do it.” The problem is they leave Jesus out. When you leave Jesus out, you get burned.
Pontificators continue to breath in the smoke and it’s fogging their brains. We can have abortion on demand, and nobody gets hurt. We can have biological males in the locker rooms and in the sports and it’s still fair. You want to cry about an election, because you are so fragile that you need a safe space. It is all a smoke screen perpetuated by those who have their trust in a god apart from the one true God.
The devil tries to burn you with discontent. He adds the accelerant that has you questioning about where your life is. Selfishness flares up. Anger boils up.
Enough. Enough. The flames deceive us. The flames want us. It is dangerous and we can easily get burned. Like the fire investigator who has to think like the fire, we have to use our wisdom to know where to turn.
The Holy Spirit reminds us of the ground we stand on. It is not blackened, burnt grass. It’s not a scorched earth. Just the opposite. It’s teeming with life, new life.
You see, Jesus rose from the dead. He is alive. He is with us. He looks with mercy upon His church. This safe haven in the midst of the fires give us blessings beyond compare. Truth. Faith. Prayer. Love. Protection. Glory. Power. Joy. And the most joyful, we are seen by God as those without fault because of Jesus.
Here in the safety of the church, He gives us each other. Together, we are better. He tells us to be merciful to those who doubt, to those who are being pulled toward the fire He tells us to reach out and snatch anyone who is getting close to those deadly flames.
How can we do this? Our text says, “build yourselves up in your most holy faith.” (v. 20). A kind word. Encouragement when life is difficult. Help in time of need. Stop looking at the fires out there so much and look at each other. What can be done to help someone in their faith walk?
Pray. Pray for yourself and for others. Pray we all stay close to Jesus. We have seen people drift from our safe haven and at some point, you get singed and maybe engulfed with flames that at one point in your life you were protected from. Pray we stay fixed on the truth of the Bible.
Stand up and hate evil and corrupting influences. It is hard to do the right thing when it seems as if the rest of the world doesn’t care. This is what I love. It is an opportunity to be a shining light. Be counted.
You can play with fire. But as Holden knows all too well, it can bite back and fire is as hot as . . . well you know. The Lord is our protection. Step into the gear of His grace and mercy and love. He died. He rose. The church is on the way to the Promised Land and isn’t it nice to know . . . we are safe from the fires.
Amen.