Thanksgiving - More Than a Holiday

This coming Thursday the nation will celebrate together a time of "Thanksgiving" for this country that we live in. The word "thanksgiving" is mentioned several times in the New Testament. We would not get a chance to celebrate the upcoming "Thanksgiving" holiday if God had not created earth and man to begin with. Paul writes to the Corinthians and says "you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God" (1 Corinthians 9:11). Paul was stressing to the Corinthians that the true reason why wealth was bestowed was not for self gratification but in such a way as to cause thanksgiving to God. Yes, we should always want to have a spirit of thankfulness in our hearts to our God. We are told in Philippians that we are to be "anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God" (Philippians 4:6). We are also told to have "...an attitude of thanksgiving;" (Colossians 4:2). The true attitude of thanksgiving is an attitude from our heart that says "I am truly thankful to God for everything that He has given me to enjoy and use while on this earth". Yes, "Thanksgiving" is more than just a holiday, it's an attitude. An attitude Christians should always have on their heart year round, realizing that all that one has is from God. We can truly be thankful for that!

Religious Books for Sale

If anyone is interested, I am selling several books in my personal library that I no longer need. These include commentary sets, Bibles, and individual religious books. If you are interested in seeing the items that are being sold, go to the following link: www.thetfordcountry.com/librarybooksale.html. These are available on a first come, first serve basis. If you know of others who may be interested, please let them know. NOTE: This book sale closed out on December 2, 2013. 

Walking in the Counsel of God

 Do you want to be happy? Do you want a peaceable, stress free life? Do you want to be free of worry? Surely every single one of us would answer a resounding “YES” to everyone of these questions. Believe it or not, this is possible. When we are determined to walk in the counsel of God then we will become happy, peaceable, living a stress free, worry free life! The counsel of God was given to man for the very purpose of making our life easier, not more complicated while we live here on earth. When we allow God’s counsel to guide our life, then we will understand peace. The Psalmist wrote: “You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory” (Psalms 73:24). It is only when we let God’s counsel guide us that we can gain true happiness because only God can provide this avenue for us. After all, He created us didn’t He? Therefore, He should know what we (His creation) need to sustain our life and to live it more abundantly (John 10:10). In addition, the counsel of God encourages us. The Hebrew writer says: “Thus God, determining to show more abundantly to the heirs of promise the immutability of His counsel, confirmed it by an oath, that by two immutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us” (Hebrews 6:17-18). God wants each one of us to be with Him in glory forever. In order for us to obtain this glory we must want to do only those things that God’s counsel directs of us. If we have the right heart, truly seeking to be pleasing to God, then we will WANT TO follow God’s counsel. Do you really want peace, happiness, and a stress free, worry free life? If so, then listen to God.

What Should We Do With God’s Counsel?

Don’t reject the counsel of God. We’ll never be any better off than we are today when we continue to reject God’s message to us. To reject God’s counsel is to be no better than the Pharisees and lawyers of Jesus’ day. “And when all the people heard Him, even the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the will of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him” (Luke 7:30). Instead of rejecting God’s counsel and continuing in our stress and worry of life, why not try to understand the message? Micah 4:12 says: “But they do not know the thoughts of the LORD, nor do they understand His counsel; for He will gather them like sheaves to the threshing floor.” When we fail to try to understand God’s message to us then we can know our eternal fate. Understand now before it is everlastingly too late! When we open our hearts to learn and understand God’s will for us then we can declare the whole counsel of God to all as the apostle Paul did (Acts 20:27).

God’s Counsel to Us

God simply asks us to BELIEVE Him and OBEY Him (Luke 7:30; Acts 20:20-21, 27)! Listening to God’s counsel is likened to the buying of fine gold. Jesus said: “I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent” (Revelation 3:18-19). What does this mean? This passage means that we should invest in those things that will store up treasure for us in heaven, not on earth. It means that we should strive to be pure in every area of our life! It means that we should keep our eyes constantly looking, aware of the evil one, lest we be consumed. It means that each day of our life we should be determined to allow God’s law to counsel us and be willing to repent of any wrong that we are guilty of.

Why Follow God’s Counsel?

The only way we can stand guiltless before God’s judgment seat is to follow His will. Jesus said: “Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). To be God’s people, we must follow His commands (Acts 13:22, 26). Of course the only way to enter into heaven is to be well pleasing to God, and that only occurs when we obey God, listening to His counsel. Are you happy? Are you at peace? Are you free of stress and worry? If not, you are not letting God truly guide your life. Jesus said: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).