“And after being baptized, Jesus went up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:16-17
In my treasury of things dear to my heart is the last birthday card my grandfather T. Mabrey sent to me when I was around twenty-five or twenty-six years old. And, as always, Papaw would sign off any card he ever sent me with, “That’s my boy!” From childhood to the time of his homegoing into the presence of the Lord, my grandfather was always encouraging me, whether written or spoken, with these same words, “That’s my boy!” And I knew it to be true, for I knew my grandfather’s heart and his character!
Jesus came to earth; God in flesh so that we could know the Father’s heart and character. He came so that you and I could know our sins could be forgiven, that we could be made right with God now and forever, and that we could know the witness of the Holy Spirit within our lives as Christians assuring us that we are God’s children and that He loves us through the sacrificial love of His Son! That’ the message Jesus brings-the message He began to proclaim publicly following His baptism that was His inauguration to His ministry upon the earth.
“That’s my child in Jesus! “ (Can you hear God saying that?)
Pastor Louie
“…in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
I Thessalonians 5:18
One of the great things I remember about Thanksgiving in my hometown of Albertville, Alabama, was the three or four years we spent having Thanksgiving dinner (lunch) at my Mamaw Mabrey’s sister’s house-the home of Aunt Louise and Uncle Lube Jones! My family would join Mamaw and Papaw Mabrey along with the Jones and Davis sides of daddy’s family for a feast consisting of two or three turkeys, mashed potatoes, cream corn, ol’ fashioned homemade cornbread and pan dressing, and—you get the picture! Yum! Yum!
Well, every year, we would arrive an hour or so before the mid-afternoon extravaganza and my brother Tony and I would play games with Aunt Louise and Uncle Lube’s son, Joe, who was about the same age as my brother. And then, it never failed, about the time we were ready to eat, Aunt Louise would call out to Joe asking him the same question she would ask him every year, “Joe, we’re about ready to eat and there’s all kinds of good stuff everyone has brought.” “So, Joe, what would you like for me to fix for you?” And every year, Joe’s response would be the same! In his slow and low voice Joe would say, “I’ll have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.” To which Aunt Louise would respond, “Is that all you want, Joe?” To which Joe would reply, “Yea, that’s all I want.”
Paul is commanding the Christians living in Thessalonica to live a life of abundance rather than a life of scarcity. He’s inviting the Thessalonians to live a life characterized by continual joy, prayer, and thanksgiving in Christ (see I Thessalonians 5:16-18). This, in turn, promotes the light of proper discipline, encouragement, support and care within the body of Christ to shine inwardly and outwardly; one that dispels ingratitude, contentions, and revenge (paying back evil with evil); so prevalent within a dark world ruled by the passions of the flesh and of the evil one, (see 1 Thessalonians 5:15).
I will admit that I do enjoy a good PB&J sandwich, but there is so much more to choose from on the table that is spread with all the trimmings on Thanksgiving Day. And even if there is something you don’t like on the table of life; perhaps something the Lord has allowed in your life for the purpose of drawing closer to Him; remember Paul’s words “to give thanks in all things.” Talk to God about it in prayer, for in all things we can learn to give thanks to God and rejoice as we watch anger, disappointment, worry, bitterness, fear, etc., go into the trash can! HAPPY THANKSGIVING ALL YEAR LONG!
Pastor Louie