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A TIME FOR THANKSGIVING

In a few days we’ll be celebrating Thanksgiving Day on November the 24^th; and truly we have much to be grateful for. I know that personally I cannot deny the fact that “the Lord,” has "daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation” (Psalm 68:19). So, “what shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me” (116:12)? It follows, then, that with a grateful heart, “I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people” (vv.13,14); and sing with David, “Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits…” (Psalm 103:1,2ff.). Hallelujah! Amen.

I would believe that each one of us could have an endless list of what we could be grateful for and to give thanksgiving to God for it. Why? Because ultimately all things do come from His hand! The Lord Jesus Himself said in Matthew: “For he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust” (5:45); and then in Acts, Paul states that “(God) left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness” (14:17), “seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things” (17:25). Yes, truly our great God is worthy of all of our thanksgivings, praises, worship, and love; for “who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders” (Exodus 15:11)? Again, Amen!

Let me at the outset thank my God for each one of you. It has been a privilege and an honor to send you my newsletter, and that God has been pleased to use me for His glory and for the spiritual benefit of each one of you that receives it. I pray that it truly has been a blessing to you, and that in some way God has use it for your own Spiritual Revival and Relationship with God in Christ Jesus. I thank you; and may this Thanksgiving Day be blessed to you by God, as you come together with your family and loved ones!

But now, let me suggest some things that we can thank God for; for when you consider  each one of them, you’ll see that it’s only by the goodness and mercies of God that they are true for us. I know that we should thank God for our daily blessings, (and they are innumerable,) such as, our health, jobs, families, friends, etc., etc.; but let us go beyond that:

The first one that comes in mind (although that does not necessarily has to be the first one), is that God of His good pleasure determined that I would be born in this country, the U.S.A.! In spite of all its imperfections, and things that could be different in many respects, yet our country has been one that has truly been blessed by God; especially more so, when we consider the spiritual foundation of our nation. Yes, we can thank God for the advancements and the technology our country has been blessed with; but oh, how we are to thank Him that it was founded upon the Word of God and the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Hallelujah!

So secondly, because of that, we have the freedom and the liberties that are the consequence of that foundation. Although I won’t say that we are a “Christian” nation per se; nevertheless, by the Providence of God, the Christian faith is the origin and foundation of who we are as the United States of America. This means, then, that it is due to Christian men and women that have been faithful to God and His Word that has brought all of the blessings that we now enjoy as American citizens, which in turn have blessed people around the world. Just think about it: Where in the world are people as free as we are in the U.S.A.! Thanks be to God for His goodness toward US All!

Then thirdly, we thank God that we can worship and testify of our great God and His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, without any fear. I thank my God that I can witness to anyone and anywhere of my faith and not be afraid that I will be persecuted, or even killed for telling others of the Lord Jesus Christ. Yes, basically we can worship anywhere that we want to, and believe according to the dictates of our conscience according to the Word of God without being coerced by a state or tyrannical religion. Again, we have to thank God for His protection through all of this.

But, in the fourth place, we can thank God that as we lose, or start to lose, the first three things we thanked God for, that we have the wonderful privilege to pray for our nation to be kept on the principles upon which it was founded. Also, we can pray for our leaders to be endowed with that wisdom that comes from heaven so that they will be guided in their responsibilities to make decisions according to these same principles, whether they be in the Judicial, or the Legislative, or the Executive branches of our government; for so has our Republic been founded upon Biblical and Gospel principles. Amen.

Now, in the fifth place, if perhaps the first four reasons might not be true for everyone of us because we might not be American citizens, (since my newsletter goes to many brethren and friends in various countries, both in English and in Spanish), there is one thing that ALL OF US can give Thanksgivings for; and that is for what we are in Christ Jesus and have in Him. Ultimately, dear beloved people of God, the greatest benefit and most precious blessing we can thank God for is in having a saving relationship in His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal and all-sufficient Savior. Hallelujah!!! Here, of course, is an eternal Thanksgiving list for which we will be eternally grateful for in our blessed Redeemer. First, we can thank Him for coming down from heaven and becoming Man in order to die for our sins (Philippians 2:6-8). Secondly, we can thank Him for taking the wrath and the justice of God upon Himself on the Cross and to be forsaken by the Father for our sakes (Matthew 27:46). But then, thirdly, we can thank Him for His Resurrection for now we have an eternal hope with Him in glory (John 11:25,26). Also, fourthly, we can thank Him for the assurance of our salvation so that we can never be separated from His love because of His Intercession for each one of us that have come to God by Him (Romans 8:34,38,39; Hebrews 7:25). It follows, fifthly, we can thank Him that one glorious day He is coming back for each one of us that has put all our hope in Him ALONE as He promised (John 14:3; 17:24). Then, sixthly, we thank Him for our election in Him which guarantees our salvation in Him (Ephesians 1:3ff.; 2 Thessalonians 2:13,14; 2 Timothy 2:10). Finally, in the seventh place, we thank Him that this so great salvation is ALL BY GRACE ALONE, THROUGH FAITH ALONE, AND IN CHRIST JESUS ALONE!!! “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15). Amen!

Now, in closing I pray that this letter will be a means for your encouragement and stimulation to “continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving” (Colossians 4:2), “being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God” (2 Corinthians 9:11), being “rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:7). So until next time, HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO YOU AND TO ALL OF YOUR FAMILY AND LOVED ONES!!!

In the Love of our precious Savior and by His Sovereign Grace, I am your servant for His sake,…

Lasaro

“A grateful spirit should ever be cultivated by the Christian; and especially after deliverances we should prepare a song for our God. Earth should be a temple filled with the songs of grateful saints, and every day should be a censor smoking with the sweet incense of thanksgiving” (from Charles Spurgeon’s Morning & Evening for Nov. 20 AM).