MAKE FEBRUARY THANKSGIVING HISTORY MONTH

Sometimes when I get sloppy regarding the day at hand, I resign myself to doing before me, as a substitute for genuine desire.’ But nothing brings the revival like the stir of a good question, such as Isn’t God good? and Hasn’t God been good to me? The ‘Amen!,’ and the ‘Yes!’ to follow those question-types is a blessing to realize. Nothing reroutes one from drifting like a good question. Every now and then, and sometimes daily, the wilderness of my flesh requires such a spiritual tweaking. Thank You, Holy Spirit! You know how complex life can be, has been, and is, and while the devil is in the details, even more so is the delight!

It doesn’t matter what shade or hue you have, what language-community you hail from, what politics, philosophy, or religion you favor, or what pronouns you believe are applicable, life offers complexity to us all, and truth be told, we add to it unnecessarily. As was told Nicodemus, ‘You must be born again.’ That said, my preferred verb is believe. Our contemporary complexity [though there is nothing new under the sun] demands one thing of us all to thrive - truth. And the big truth for these complex times is that there is a gift by which-- despite the lure of radicalizing complexity-- we have the victory, and, hence, the reasonable opportunity for responding to life with gratitude, knowing the life we have is because of His mercy and grace, shown and known through an utterly, divinely, merciful, and gracious act, wholly creditable to GOD alone.

So, when you stumble... take it to the Lord in prayer. When your hiccups become habits... take it to the Lord in prayer. If you’ve confessed the Lord, as the song goes, call Him up and tell Him what you want [knowing your wants; have been made redeemed by the prerequisite, sincerely put confession first] yes, let your requests be made known to God. Let the light of truth order your steps, knowing God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5

Brothers and sisters, let us be cross-eyed together! Jesus paid it all! If death is the ultimate oppressor, and all else short of death-- a lesser oppressor--how can we not abound in thanksgiving? How can we not be steadfast, given His faithfulness toward us? How shall we not praise Him with this unearned breath? “But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written; Death is swallowed up in victory. O death where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?... but thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:54,55,57) “This is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.”
Let us rejoice in truth. In letting our light shine, pray let there be exceeding thanksgiving. In truth, it is reasonable to do so.

PRAYER: Abba, Father God, it is in Your name we give thanks. Jesus, Lord, Savior, and Son
of God, we are grateful. For Your ministry, Holy Spirit of God, we bless You with the fruit of
gratitude. You are worthy of all of our praise! Amen. Amen. And Amen!
By Bro. McNeal Brockington