While facing tremendous national and personal distress over the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln had learned how important it is to stop and thank God. On October 3, 1863 he established the national celebration of Thanksgiving.
“It has seemed to me fit and proper that [the gifts of God] should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged with one heart and one voice by the whole American people. I do, therefore, invite my fellow citizens . . . to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.” ~ Abraham Lincoln
As good as it is to stop and thank God once a year, we know that thanks and gratitude should be something that characterizes EVERY DAY of our lives!
I will give to the LORD the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the LORD, the Most High. Psalm 7:17
I will give thanks to the LORD with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds. Psalm 9:1
“…in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thess. 5:18
I like what Francis Schaeffer said, “A quiet disposition and a heart giving thanks at any given moment is the real test of the extent to which we love God at that moment.”
This Sunday we will review Hebrews 12:28, 29, “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” We’re also very excited to share with you several testimonies of how God has been at work in the lives of his people over this last year!
See you Sunday,
Kurt
P.S. Don’t forget, we’ll be having a huddle (lunch provided) after the second service in the campus center for all who’d like to hear more about our church vision. If you missed last Sunday’s message about the vision, you can hear it on our website at https://valleychurch.org/v/sermons/the-joy-and-grief-of-leadership/