Thanksgiving
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 10764 |
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August 15, 2010 |
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 "So Jesus said to them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink.'" (John 6:53-55)
When a little child, on her birthday, says to her parents, "Father! Mother! I am very thankful to you for giving birth to and raising me!" they will feel pretty happy as if they were flying in the air.
It is the same to God the Father who sent His only begotten Son to this earth to save us from eternal death and lead us into the kingdom of Heaven. God takes great delight in even small expressions of our thanksgiving, because He has not only divine nature but human nature. That's why whenever we experience the grace of God every moment, every day we should not take it for granted but please God by expressing our gratitude and love. In which field should we give thanks all the time?
The first is the grace of salvation.
All men who are born as descendants of Adam have original sin and also commit many sins while living on the earth. As recorded in Romans 6:23, the wages of sin is death, and they have to receive the punishment of death. But Jesus was crucified, shed blood and died on our behalf, so that anyone who believes in this fact and accepts Him as his Savior can be released from the penalty of death. Here, when we are forgiven of our sins by believing in Jesus Christ, it doesn't mean we have completely gained salvation. It is because we should live by the Word of God.
Jesus said in John 6:53, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves." We can receive complete salvation only when we eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man. Eating His flesh means making our spiritual bread of the Word of God. It doesn't mean storing the Word of God in our head as knowledge. It refers to changing our heart by casting away sins and evils from the heart and filling it with love and goodness.
Next, drinking His blood means learning the Word of God and putting it into action. When we put the Word we learn into practice, it becomes strength and life within us, and untruths come out and truth fills our heart. Then, we can be cleansed from all sin through the blood of the Lord.
No one can solve the problem of sin for himself. Unless Jesus had taken the horrible punishment of crucifixion, everyone should have been tormented in the everlasting fire of Hell, and unless the Holy Spirit is given us as the gift of God, we cannot call God 'Father.' Therefore, you should not forget the grace of salvation but keep it in mind and walk in the Light.
Second is to let us know the truth.
Unless we have the knowledge of the truth, it's not easy for us to live by the will of God. Even a good-hearted person cannot discern between good and evil because sins and evils are rampant in the world. Many people cannot believe that it is more blessed to choose goodness than to choose evils for their benefits in between. Only when they discover the correct standard of truth through the Word of God, they are able to deny and sacrifice themselves, and follow true values.
Some preachers interpret the spiritual Scriptures on their own and deliver the messages with those interpretations. But they are not in the complete works of the Holy Spirit, but many parts of them have additions of human thoughts. These messages cannot quench the thirst of those who long for spiritual word. Many believers who have searched for the truth with a longing heart confess they came to be satisfied with the holiness gospel. It is because the Holy Spirit dwelling within them testifies to the holiness gospel. The surer and clearer proof than anything else is the manifestations of God's powerful works. How thankful it is that God has been confirming the holiness gospel with many signs and wonders!
The third is the grace of the hope for Heaven.
This dark world is flooded with various temptations. But those who have the hope for Heaven do not look at those worldly things. It is because they are assured that everything on this earth including honor, riches, and health finally becomes corrupted, the things that are seen are not everlasting, and the spiritual realm that is not invisible awaits us.
As much as you hope for the everlasting glory in Heaven, you advance toward the spiritual realm by force each moment even on this earth. You come to quickly cut off the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of this life. And when you deny yourselves, put your old self to death, and make yourselves obedient to the Lord, peace, joy and strength come upon your heart.
Some believers find difficulty in their believing lives because they don't cast away the flesh but persist in it. But those who cast away those fleshly things quickly with determination become filled with the Holy Spirit. The reason that they attend the worship service on Sundays is because they have the hope for Heaven and take greater delight in advancing toward the better heaven than in resting and enjoying worldly entertainments on holidays.
True believers take delight and are satisfied when they listen to the Word of God, have fellowship with other brothers and sisters in Christ, offer praises and prayers to God, and keep the Lord's Day holy. If this spiritual joy continually comes upon you each day, you will be able to enjoy everlasting and heavenly joy. Therefore, you have to give thanks always because God gave you the joy that the world cannot either give you or understand, and let you have the hope for the kingdom of Heaven and spiritual things.
For additional information or to read the message's text in its entirety, please visit Manmin Central Church on the web at www.manmin.org, select the "English" menu, and click on "Words of Life."
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