Because Everyday is Thanksgiving

My dad preached a sermon similar to this on Sunday, and I wanted to share this with everyone in hopes that someone will receive a blessing from it. 

We hear all the time about how we should be thankful for the things that we have, and for what God has provided us with. But do we really consider the sacrifices that God and Jesus made for us so that we can have the things that are taken for granted everyday? Here are just a few of those great blessings that we could never be thankful enough for. 

God sent His Son: John 3:16- "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

I couldn't imagine how hard it was for God to give His own son to die. Thinking about it, it hurts to know that God had to watch Jesus die. It's hard to imagine the selflessness that God had when He did this, and that He still has. God loves Jesus more than we can imagine, though, He was willing to give the one He loves so dear for us to be able to have salvation. We could never fully understand this great sacrifice. 

Jesus freely gave His life: 1 John 3:16 - "Hereby perceive we the love [of God], because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down [our] lives for the brethren."

Although God gave Jesus to die on the cross, Jesus had to be willing, which He was. I don't know many people that would be willing to give up their own life for others. I know that it would be very hard for me to do so. Our flesh is so protective of our life that we hate the thought of dying, while Jesus did the ultimate selfless action, which was giving up His life so that others could live. The love that Jesus felt for us led Him to have no hesitation to die for us, and it could never be compared to anything else in the universe. 

Jesus provides salvation: Mark 16:16 - "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned."

Because Jesus died on the cross, we have the choice of salvation. Jesus allows us to choose whether to accept Him or not. Because of His sacrifice, the world has a new hope. If we only ask, Jesus will come into our hearts, make us new, and give us eternity in Heaven. 
While on Earth, God is with us: Joshua 1:9 - "Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God [is] with thee whithersoever thou goest."

It is impossible to get away from God. Even if we wanted to get away from Him, we can't. He follows us everywhere we go, and keeps us safe. He sees us everywhere we go, and provides us with safety and a friendship above all others. Whether we are in a room with a hundred people or we are in a room with no one else, we are never alone. No matter how many people we are surrounded by, God will be the most important. 

God guides us: Psalms 32:8 - "I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye."

We would all be so lost today without God's guidance. God knows all about our futures, therefore, He knows exactly what paths that we need to take. Alone, we would make awful mistakes concerning our presents and futures, but because God is all knowing, we have the opportunity to choose the right path. 

God provides: Philippians 4:19 - "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

While on this Earth, God said that He would provide for us. This means that He will provide us with our needs; food, water, shelter, and so on. God cares for us, and if we live by Him, we will never truly be poor. 

God gives hope: Psalms 39:7 - "And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope [is] in thee."

In the world, there is a lot of troubles and tragedies that occur. It's easy to get down about the things that are going on, but we have a hope for the future that is greater than anything that this world could give us. Because this world is full of sin, it will never be home for a truly saved person. Those that are saved has a home where God is number one, where there is no sickness, sin, death, or sadness. 

Jesus is coming back: 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 - "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first."

What joy we should have as we anticipate the coming back of our Savior. Sin continues on Earth, but it's soon going to end. No longer will God's children have to endure the hardships of the world. Soon, we will see Jesus appearing in the sky, and He will take us to where there are no hardships. 

God gives us eternal life: John 17:3 - "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."

Not only does God allow us to be saved from Hell, but He gives us a life in Heaven forever and ever. It's very hard for me think about something never ending. Everything that we have ever known has an end; football season, church service, seasons, vacations to Disney World, etc. Heaven is one thing that will never change, and it is the greatest place that could ever exist. 

Today, with Thanksgiving Day in the past, remember the entire reason that we have the opportunity to be thankful. Without God, our lives would be doomed, and we wouldn't have the hope of a better day. There would be no happiness with our families, or a meal on our table. Remember the real reason that we are on this Earth and who has given us the blessings that we have been graciously given. Remember that everyday is a day to give thanks, for God is good every day of every year.

In the Twinkling of an Eye

1 Corinthians 15:52-"In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed."

Last night, I texted my best friend at maybe a quarter after nine. She responded around nine thirty, and said that she would be able to talk in about thirty minutes. So, I waited, and waited, and waited. I never got a response back, and I figured that she was busy, so around eleven, I went to bed.

This morning, I woke up with a text from eleven thirty last night, saying that she had been in a bad wreck the night before. My mind absolutely panicked. She said that the car flipped several times, and it could have easily been the end of her life. Though, she walked out of the wreck only having minor scratches and cuts. 

I told this story to show how quickly life can be taken away from us. I texted my friend, and in just a short time period between when she texted me next, her life was almost ended. We have no guarantee of the next second to come. Before we take our next breath, we can be in eternity. Let's really think about that. Let's ask ourselves where we would be if we died in the next few seconds.

My dad preached a funeral for a very Godly man that went to our church today. He was very blessed to live a total of ninety six years, which is obviously super uncommon. The majority of the man's family does not attend church, and doesn't profess to have Jesus in their hearts. As I looked around at all the faces of family members, it scared me. It scared me because any of them could die at any moment, and open their eyes to Hell. They aren't necessarily bad people, but being good won't do anything for them when they enter eternity. All that matters is if they have received Jesus as their savior, and I hate to see lives spent on this Earth for sixty, seventy years, to never realize this, and end up in Hell.

Ecclesiastes 12:7- “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.”

We are all going to die one day; God says this. We will all return to the earth one day, our grave. It may be ten years, and it may be ten minutes away, but we will die. The most important question that we can ask ourselves right now is simply, "Am I saved?" Three simple words, but so much meaning. No matter what we have done on this Earth, the only thing that matters when it comes to death is if we're saved. If we are saved, we have everything, but if we're not, our life has been in vain.

I didn't write this blog to scare anyone, but to give them the warning that they need to hear. I don't want to see anyone die and go to Hell, but that is where the people that reject God is going to go, and once there, they have no chance of ever escaping. I plea with you to just simply take time out of your day to make sure that you are happy with the place that you would spend eternity if you were to die this very second. Don't go another second, without knowing that you would be satisfied with your end. Remember that God loves you, send His only son to die for you, and He wants to see you in Heaven one day. The things that you will have to give up on this Earth for God is nothing compared to what you will gain in Heaven, if you will accept Jesus into your heart. 

Why Does God Allow Suffering?

A common question that is asked concerning God is why He allows people to suffer. God has his reasonings behind allowing sin, and here are a few: 

1) To remind us of sin: 

When Adam and Eve first sinned when they ate of the tree of knowledge, after God clearly told them not to, they were exiled out of the garden by God, and God punished each of them, which lead to suffering. He stunted Adam's ability to grow vegetation, and He made child birth painful for Eve's sin. Suffering is man's fault. God didn't want His creation to suffer, but man sinned against God, and because of this, we have to face the consequences for the failures of the human race. Thankfully, sin reminds us that we have a savior that can save us from all of those sins. 

2) Awaken the lost: 

John 8:24 - "I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am [he], ye shall die in your sins."

If everything was perfect, no one would see a need to change their lives. They would be more than happy with the life that they had, and there would be no reason to do anything different. Though, because there are bad times in life, we seek something that can help us, and that something should be God. God can't promise that we won't suffer, but He can give us hope through the salvation of our sins. 

3) Depend on God: 

Philippians 4:19 - "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."

Suffering reminds us that we need to rely on God. God is the only person that can help end our pain, and He wants to be the guide of our lives. When we cast all of our cares and burdens to God, we can trust that whatever happens, it will be the will of God. If we are to rely on God, we will not suffer alone. 

4) Suffering will not be forever: 

Romans 8:18 - "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time [are] not worthy [to be compared] with the glory which shall be revealed in us."

Suffering reminds us that we will not be in pain forever, and that we have a Heavenly eternity to look forward to. The outcome of sin was suffering, and the outcome of suffering will be Heaven if we accept God, for suffering will show us we need God. 

Suffering is obviously not a desired feeling, but it is what shows us that there is God above, and that we need to be saved from the sins that we commit everyday. It also reminds us that we have God who will help us through any suffering that we might endure, and who we will see in Heaven someday, where suffering will be no more. 

Revelation 21:4- "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

The Errors of Predestination

Predestination is simply the belief that before we are even born, it has already been foretold if we will be saved or not. Predestination guides those that are destined to be saved unto the Lord, while those that are not destined to be saved, has a lessened chance of coming to repentance.  

Revelation 3:20 - "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." 

In this verse, God does not say those that are predestined to be saved can call unto God, and He will answer. God says that ANY man that would call upon him will be saved. 

2 Peter 3:9 - "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

Once again, God doesn't say that some should come to repentance, but ALL. 

God does not point out any specific people to be saved. Salvation is not some kind of exclusive club; it is for anyone that is willing to repent and live for Him. 

Romans 10:9-10 - "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved." 

In this verse, God says that we are saved by faith, a personal belief in our heart, which we have the opportunity to believe, because Jesus died on the cross for our sins. 

If we were predestined to a specific eternity, did Jesus die on the cross with only a certain amount of people on his mind? Did God tell Jesus to go save this and that person, but leave the others alone to a life of sin? No, of course not. Jesus loves all, and doesn't want anyone to die lost. He died on the cross, knowing that anyone who was willing could come to salvation, and live in Heaven with Him one day. 

The Bible does not support the belief of predestination. It speaks of a savior that died so that anyone could be saved if willing to repent. In the Bible, God speaks about people that commit their life to Him, not because they were chosen to, but because they believed. God supports a life that is devoted to Him, and trusts in Him for a joyous eternity. God doesn't choose who is saved, we do, and I hope that everyone will be willing to choose God. 

5 Things That Makes Being a Christian the Best Thing In the World.

There are endless reasons that being a Christian is the best thing in the world, but here are 5 of my top reasons: 

1) Hope For A Better Day: No matter what might occur in my life, good or bad, I know that I can count on an even better day. The salvation that God gives us promises a place in Heaven. In Heaven, there will be no night. The day will continue through all eternity, and the joy of being with our Lord will never cease. 

2) We Have A Guide: If I didn't have God and His word guiding me through life, my life would be in complete wreckage. Looking back at some of the decisions that God stopped me from going through with, I don't know what I was thinking. I'm so glad that I don't have to make decisions on my own, because the plans that God has is more amazing than I could ever imagine. 

3) We Have The Ultimate Friend: God is the ultimate comforter and encourager. No matter where we are in the world or what we are doing, God is with us. He sees everything we do, and He's there when things go bad or we need support. His powerful hand knows exactly how to cease our pain or sadness, and we will never be on our own.

4) We Are Loved: I think we can all confess to feeling lonely or unloved at some point in our lives. Though, God always reminds us that He is always there with us, and he loves is beyond belief. He gave up his only son, for goodness sake. God gave the ultimate sacrifice, and that's enough to show God's love, yet, He shows His love more and more each day. 

5) We Are Blessed: I've been so blessed in my life that it puts me to shame sometimes. I haven't done for God like I should've throughout my life, and I surely don't deserve all that He has given me. Waking up everyday is a blessing in itself, and I would like to thank God for every breath He has given me. Thankfully, one day I'll be able to stand on front of Him and thank Him, for He has given me the most important blessing of all, salvation from my sins. 

Finding Peace In The Sight Of Death

The fear of death is something that I believe we all experience, I know that I fear the day that I die. I'm terrified of how I will die mostly, instead of the afterlife. There are some absolutely terrible ways that people can die; murder, cancer, heart attack, car wreck, etc. Just yesterday, a reporter and cameraman were shot to death while on air during the morning news. They had no idea that it was the morning that they would die. There was no warnings, and it was a horrific way to spend their last minutes. Though, the person dying is not the major issue, it's what their plans are for the afterlife. 

For those that are not saved, they will have a horrific afterlife, but for those that are saved by God's grace, they are promised a land of joy and peace. Revelation 21:4 - "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." God has given us a way to escape all the pain and heartache that we may feel while on the Earth. We don't have to fear what is to come after our bodies have passed away. It can be certain that we can reach a much happier destination after death. 

Romans 14:8 - "For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's."

Once God saves us, we are His forever. Living or dead, we are His, and nothing can change that. By taking the opportunity to get right with God, God will write your name in the Book of Life. All that has to be done is ask God for forgiveness of your sins. That's all. God made getting saved so easy, though, Jesus paying the price for our sins weren't so easy, seeing that he died on the cross for us. Death doesn't have to be feared, it can be rejoiced about, because we are able to spend our eternity with Jesus, who saves us from our sins. 

"No More Death, Neither Sorrow, Nor Crying"

Revelation 21:2- "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."

I tear up at the thought of Heaven. We cannot even fathom how great it is going to be. The thought of having no pain of any sort is a foreign concept for any of us living in a world that is filled with pain. Being able to be with God and Jesus who made the ultimate sacrifice for us seems completely bizarre to me. The things that we are going to set our eyes on are going to be absolutely incredible.

I had thought about sketching a picture of what I thought Heaven was going to look like, but honestly, there was no way that I was going to do justice to Heaven. When God created Heaven, He went all out, and he gives us a glimpse of this in the Bible.

In chapters 21 and 22 of Revelation, God speaks about the beauty of Heaven. Upon entering Heaven, there are twelve gates, each with a pearl. The street of the city is pure gold, and God is the one that lights the city, for there shall be no night. There is a crystal clear river of pure water leading to the throne of God. On each side of the river is the tree of life, with twelve kinds of fruit, and leaves that can heal nations.

I don't know about you, but this sounds pretty wonderful to me. A perfect place that God made for us, even though we don't necessarily deserve it. We have sinned, though, God forgave us for those sins, and His great mercy allowed this place to be for us for eternity! Eternity!! Can you believe it?? I cannot even begin to understand the concept of an absolute forever. The idea used to scare me when I was lost, thinking about being in a place of torment forever, but now that I'm saved, the thought of spending forever with my Lord is awesome.

Not only do we get to live in this perfect place, singing and worshipping alongside God, but we also get a mansion! A mansion!! In John 14:2, God tells us that He has prepared a mansion for each of us that are saved. Honestly, it sounds like the ultimate fairytale, but once we that are saved get to Heaven, all that is going to matter is praising our God for what He has done for us. Looking upon God and Jesus is going to bring the ultimate joy.

I am absolutely ecstatic to meet my Lord someday, and see the place that He has prepared for us. I hope to see many people I know there, and I look forward to meeting my brothers and sisters in Christ that I didn't get the pleasure of meeting on Earth. For those that are not saved, I hope that you choose the path that leads to Heaven because no one is going to want to miss out on the things of God. Until we get there, I'll be dreaming about the day that I get to enter those gates, and walk past the pure river on the street of gold unto our Lord.

Hebrews 13:14 - For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.