In the world in which we live there is really nowhere to run and nowhere to hide.  It would appear that all of our personal information is no longer personal. We have chips in our phones and tracking devices in our cars. Many places have facial recognition and even toll booths take our picture when we pass through the gate. Is there any place that is safe? Yes, there is and it is simply being in the will of God.

The safest place for Daniel was in the Lion’s Den. The fiery furnace was the safest place for Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The prison was the safest place for Joseph. Where ever God places you He will be with you. The Bible tells us we are never alone.

Deuteronomy 6:31 (NIV) “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you."

On the other hand out of God’s will is the most dangerous place to be.  Jonah was out of God’s will and got swallowed by a whale.  Samson was out of God’s will and ended up with a whole lot more problems than a bad haircut.

Ask yourself if you are in the center of God’s will. If you are not ask God for His mercy to get you back where you belong.  He is faithful to guide you.

1 Thessalonians 5:24 (NIV) “The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.”

The dishes are done and the china is back in the cabinet. Those beautiful dishes get washed at least three times a year. Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter out comes the china. The children now grown ask me why I bother. “Why not use paper Mom? The cleanup will be so much easier,” they say. They’re right. “Why the fine china?” because of them. One day the china will be theirs. It wouldn’t be worth much without the memories to go with it. Oh, it may start out, “I can’t believe Mom used this on all the holidays to—“if Mom were here she’d be using the good china”—too prayerfully, “Wish mom were here.”

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NIV) “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:”

My family is worth the good china. I may not be able to always cook for my family but I can make memories now that will outlast the china. Once the dinner is over and the dishes are back in the cabinet they shine so much brighter. The shelves are cleaned and the glass doors windexed.  When the lights of the cabinet are on and the room is dark that fine china tells the story that will outlast me. The word of God is like that.

When we share our faith with others the power of God goes to work to make the dirty clean and the dull bright again.  The light of revelation begins to shine through the darkness.

Matthew 5:14-16 (NKJV) “14 “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Charles Dickens once said that we are somewhat mixed up here in America. He told an audience that “instead of having one Thanksgiving Day each year we should have 364 “days of thanksgiving.” Use that one day just for complaining and griping,” he said. “Use the other 364 days to thank God for the many blessings He has showered upon you.”

As Dickens suggested, we should not wait for a special holiday to express our gratitude to God. Instead, thanksgiving should be a part of our daily lives. In fact the bible is very clear that thanksgiving is perhaps one of the most vital characteristics of any child of God. And there’s good reason for that. Look with me if you will at Romans 1:18-25 (NIV).

18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness,19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.25 They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

As we just read, failing to glorify and give thanks to God for all He has created can cause our “hearts to be darkened.”  Today as you sit around the table ask each person to take a minute and share what they are thankful for. You may be surprise. Sinner or saint everyone usually has something they are thankful for. Set the atmosphere for God to work in by glorifying God and giving Him thanks.  Let the spirit of God move in your heart and as He moves you may be a witness to the power and presence of God. Nothing is impossible for God. No heart is so far from Him that He cannot reach them.

Psalm 22:13 (KJV) “But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.”

Want God to pull up a chair at your table? Praise Him and He will come. Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours.

I work better when I have a deadline. I like goals. That being said I enjoy the anticipation of things like vacations, trips, seminars, conferences, preparing sermons and anything that challenges me to be better, gather more information that I might better someone else’s life, or simply better myself that I might be of better use to the Kingdom of God.

Holidays are challenging. To get everything that needs to be done completed is a race to the end. In our already busy lives we find that a holiday can be the straw that broke the camel’s back. The load we carry every day is heavy enough. So what can we do when the big day is only a day a way?

When my girls were little a movie came out called, “Annie” and she sang a song, “The sun will come out tomorrow…that tomorrow they’ll be sun…so pick up your chin and grin…” This song was a catchy little tune that made you smile every time you heard it, but it also has a lot of truth in it.  Tomorrow is another day.  Don’t let the pressures of tomorrow ruin your today.  The Bible has a lot to say about taking one day at a time.

Matthew 6:34 (NIV) “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Yes, tomorrow is Thanksgiving. Don’t worry about it all—pray about it all. No matter what it is to be a day of giving thanks.  When you pray today begin with giving thanks. You may be surprised at all you have to be grateful for and when we are grateful we are happier.  Perhaps it’s not everyone else that needs to change but ourselves that needs to change. When we change everyone around us changes.  Let Thanksgiving begin with us…“it’s only a day a way”.

When I start to have a complaining thought I try to take it captive while it is still in my head before it comes out my mouth.  Really? Really. We have refrigerators and can go to the grocery store and purchase a frozen turkey, bring it home and stick it in the refrigerator and we’re going to complain?  I didn’t have to go shoot it, pluck it clean it out except for that little white bag of stuff.  I can purchase potatoes without having to dig them up and save them.  My stuffing comes in a box I simply doctor them up.  I think you are getting the idea. Compared to our fore fathers we have very little work to do to feed our families.

It’s the same way with our faith. We have our Bibles. We have the fathers of faith. We have Christian TV. We have CD’s and DVD’s of the most famous faith preachers from all over the word.  When we need more faith we can grab up something so fast and begin to feed our faith.  Our fore fathers couldn’t do that. Isaiah didn’t have the New Testament.  He did not know what we know.

There is never a reason for us not to give thanks. We are blessed in that we have everything we need to be both spiritually and physically well fed. In fact it’s early morning and I’m ready to eat. I am going to go make myself some oatmeal and read where I left off in Daniel.  The wonderful thing about it friends is you and I can do the same without any life threatening effort of your own.  Be thankful it’s not like that all over the world and one day may cease to be like that here.

Ephesians 5:16 (ESV) "making the best use of the time, because the days are evil."

I have lived enough Thanksgivings to know that no matter how far ahead you plan for the big day something will go wrong, it may be as minor as forgetting the cranberry sauce or the mashed potatoes being runny, to something really big like burning yourself on the oven or forgetting to thaw the turkey.  I must admit I have done all of these I've mentioned. Thanksgiving is a big deal.  Many of us have family and friends over for dinner or we travel to be with those we love and share the meal. The other thing we will all share is conversations.

Conversations sometimes need a little planning ahead too.  We need to be sure the things we will be chewing on this Thanksgiving won’t be something we choke on or have to re-eat at a later date. So how do we plan to not end up with our foot in our mouth?  Think about what you want to talk about ahead of time. Ask yourself what you’d like the end result of the time spent together to look like.  Get enough sleep and be sure to eat something small early in the day so you’re not exhausted and starved at dinner time. Look your best and you’ll tend to be your best.  Holidays can be stressful so prepare for them as much as you do the meal or the presents.  It is how we make others feel that they will remember more than what we ate or what they got.

There will be something that you forget or that turns out less than the perfect we all strive for, but it doesn’t have to be our conversation or the way we treat one another. Determine to love those you do life with. Treat the ones that will cry the hardest at your funeral better than you would treat a stranger. If it is not kind don’t say it and remember to say, “Thank you.”  The holiday is called “Thanksgiving” for a reason. Practice giving thanks this week, many people would love to have your mother, your brother, your crazy aunt...or whoever it is that drives you crazy.  The Bible tells us to give thanks in all circumstances.  

PS You may want to go ahead and get that turkey out of the freezer and set it in the refrigerator today.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV) “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Today my daughter called me and told me to go outside there was a meteorite shower. I ran outside stood awhile and called her and said, “I don’t see anything.” She said, “There will be a couple an hour.” There was no way I could stand outside the whole time but I made the effort because a Meteorite Shower is rare.

A third attitude that keeps us from being grateful is carelessness. Someone once said that if the stars only came out once a year, we would stay out all night to watch them. But they are there every night and we have grown accustomed to them. 

The Israelites grumbled because they had no food so God miraculously sent manna (crust-like bread) to cover the ground each day except the Sabbath. Then they started to grumble because it was the same thing every day. 

They had a miracle - straight from God every day but were no longer satisfied. Because of pride, carelessness or a critical spirit we will never be truly thankful for all that God has given us.

In our journey to Thanksgiving let’s not take things for granted or become accustomed to the people in our lives but be careful to celebrate every moment we are given.  

Thanks for joining me on our journey towards an attitude of gratitude this Thanksgiving. Yesterday we said “Pride” was an attitude that can keep us from being grateful.

Another attitude that keeps us from being thankful is a critical spirit or constant complaining. Instead of being grateful, this person will always find something to complain about. 

"A lady known as an incurable grumbler constantly complained about everything. At last her preacher thought he had found something about which she would be happy, for her farm crop was the finest for miles around. When he met her, he said with a beaming smile, `You must be very happy Mary. Everyone is saying how healthy your potatoes look this year.’ `True they’re pretty good, but what am I going to do when I need bad ones to feed the pigs.”

When we have a critical spirit we filter everything through that critical mindset. The Bible tells us to renew our minds daily and this takes effort on our part because the world puts pressure on us to conform.

Romans 12:2 (NIV) “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-His good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Ephesians 4:23 (NLT) “Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.”

The Holy Spirit will help us if we will just call upon Him to help us.

John Ankerberg writes, “Criticism is “an act of criticizing; to judge as a critic; to find fault; to blame or condemn.” Romans 14:10-13 tells us not to tear down fellow believers through criticism or judgment, because this can pose a stumbling block and cause serious damage to their faith. Among God’s warnings in Scripture, there are none more serious than the Matthew 18:6 warning to not become a stumbling block to His followers.

Have you ever noticed: We tend to judge others by their actions and ourselves by our intentions? The truth is we can’t rightly judge anyone else, because we don’t have a heart x-ray machine. That is to say, we don’t know the motivations of their heart. We should be content to judge only ourselves and seek to bring our own lives in alignment with God’s Word (1 Cor. 11:31).

What is a critical spirit? A “critical spirit,” is an obsessive attitude of criticism and fault-finding, which seeks to tear down others rather than build up. Destructive criticism is different from constructive feedback. The only criticism that is ever constructive is that which speaks the truth in love, to build up or edify another person for his or her good and for God’s glory.” 

For more on the subject check out his article at https://www.jashow.org/articles/christian-living/godly-living/the-cause-the-curse-the-cure-of-a-critical-spirit/  

This Thanksgiving if you can’t say something nice then say nothing at all.  Refuse to be critical and complain instead give thanks!  Children can get away with saying things that adults cannot. The goal is to put away childish things and be the adult; set an example.

Giving thanks for all things is sometimes hard to do. When things aren’t going well it’s difficult to go around singing with a song in our hearts, yet that’s exactly what the word of God tells us to do. 

Ephesians 5:19-20 (NKJV) “19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,” 

Here again in the scripture we see the word commanding us to “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything…”  The will of God for our life is that our attitude is to be one of thanksgiving not just on fourth Thursday of November but every day of our lives. 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NKJV) “16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”   The creator of the universe the one who made us knows what’s best for us. Many times I have come to church in a less than joyful and thankful attitude but when I began to sing praises and enter into the spirit of worship I physically began to feel better and my demeanor began to change.   Now, I believe there are at least three attitudes that steal away our gratitude. Three things that keep us from being thankful:

The first thing that keeps us from being grateful is our pride. This is the attitude that says, "Nobody ever gave me anything, I worked hard for everything I have." For years you studied hard and now it is finally paying off. With this kind of attitude, we feel that we have no one to thank but ourselves.  When we fail to acknowledge that everything we have is from the Lord then we fail to be thankful. This week set your timer on your phone, or watch, to remind you to give thanks. It’s the week before Thanksgiving make giving thanks a lifestyle rather than a yearly holiday and watch your attitude and life improve.   Read tomorrows Blog to find out the second reason we can lose our attitude of gratitude.  

Sometimes life is rollercoaster. You wake up the sun is shining and you get a phone call and someone is going to have a baby. Then you run into a colleague and they tell you someone has passed away and left a young family and a husband alone. Life is full of ups and downs. We can have a wave of ups but eventually the downs come. What can we do? 

The 50th chapter of Genesis is a summary of a “Bad News-Good News” story. Joseph was a man who learned that if you stay true to God, no matter what happens in your life, bad news will turn to good news.

Joseph knew the meaning of Paul’s statement:

Romans 8:28: “All things work together for good to those who love God, who have been called according to His purpose.”

Horatio Alger was a great author. In his books he always told about some poor boy that was honest and dedicated and hard-working. Many troubles came to the boy but because of his many fine character traits, he won out and became rich and happy and useful. But the true story in God’s Word about Joseph is far superior to all of Alger’s stories. And the greatest thing about the story of Joseph is that it is not fictional, but pure truth. He went down as low as any man could go but he came back to as high a position as any man could rise.

He went from suffering to success, from rags to riches, from a prison to a palace, from indignity to influence, from slavery to sainthood. All this came about because he was faithful to God; he loved Him with all of his heart. And as is always the case, God rewarded him for it.

Those who leave everything in God’s hand will eventually see God’s hand in everything.