Pastor’s Blog 10.30.18
One of the hardest things to do is remain thankful. Each year our culture in America becomes more entitled, and people as a whole, become less thankful.
Daily, I try to remember to thank the Lord for the wonderful things He has provided. What do I deserve? Nothing. Why? To deserve something means that you earned it. To earn something you would have to be morally righteous according to the perfect law of God. Herein lies the problem. The scripture says:
Romans 3:9-26 All Have Sinned
9 What then? Are we better than they? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin.
10 As it is written: “There is none righteous , no, not one;
11 There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God.
12 They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.”
13 “Their throat is an open tomb; With their tongues they have practiced deceit”; “The poison of asps is under their lips”;
14 “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.”
15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 Destruction and misery are in their ways;
17 And the way of peace they have not known.”
18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”
19 Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
20 Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
21 God’s Righteousness Through Faith But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,
22 even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
25 whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,
26 to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. NKJV
Also see Psalms 14:1-3; 53:1-4
The way to remain thankful is to stay out of the attitude of self-righteousness, and stay in the attitude of gratitude, as thankful children to a loving Father who has bestowed upon us a gift of righteousness!
When I think I have done my best and am deserving of a rest, I need only remember the Sabbaths I have broken and thank the Lord! When I have really believed, and not allowed myself to be deceived, I need only to remember, how many times I did doubt,and gave cause to do without and thank the Lord!
Let us not forget to do our very best to remain a thankful people as we daily live in the benefits He has so freely given us by His Grace!
Be Blessed indeed!
- Date - October 30, 2018
- Author - David Chisholm
