I Am Thankful

Isaiah 57:19 God says... 
I create the fruit of the lips: Peace, peace to him that is far off and to him that is near,  and I will heal him.

The word “peace” there is the Hebrew “Shalome” which encompasses a great deal of meaning, including: completeness, soundness, welfare, safety, health, prosperity, tranquility, contentment, friendship of human relationships, and with God, especially in covenant relationship, completeness, soundness, welfare, safety, health, prosperity, tranquility, contentment, friendship of human relationships and with God, especially in covenant relationship.

So, it is God Who has brought salvation to us, and it is God Who has made peace with us, and it is God Who creates the fruit of our lips. He enables us to praise Him and give thanks for all these “healings” of body, soul, and spirit. This is redemption. One would think “thank you” would be a natural response. But maybe God doesn’t want a “natural” response. Maybe we must respond in the Spirit. I am reminded of 1 Cor. 12:6, There are diversities of operations, but it is God Who works all things in all.

I would not have enough time to define or describe the words “all” in that verse. But we can be assured and at peace that it is God Who is at work in all things to accomplish His will perfectly in His realm and in our lives, Rom. 8:28

And so, Hebrews 13:15 says... Through Jesus, then, let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

The Apostle Paul (who I believe wrote the letter to the Hebrews) is obviously writing to Jewish believers, so “sacrifice” means something to them. Today though, no more animals need to die; there is no more blood that needs to be applied to an altar. We know that “Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins.” And, “it is impossible that the blood of animals should wash sin away.” But by His blood, “He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.” Heb. Ch. 9&10

Our sacrifice today is offering our bodies, as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is our spiritual service of worship says Rom. 12:1 ...which is what Jesus did! This we can only do after the sacrifice of pride and self.

Ephesians 1:13-14 says...
In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

It was predetermined that we who trust in Jesus, should exist for the praise of His glory. This involves our entire life’s conduct. It is more about God’s Glory than it is about us giving thanks. The fruit of our lips is NOT  just thanksgiving

The phrase, “to the praise of His glory” might mean...
that we, by the holiness, obedience, and fruitfulness of our lifestyle, might manifest and set forth the glory of Him that graciously gave to us the calling and sanctification of salvation. ~said one Baptist Pastor John Gill, 1746

Matt. 5:16 says, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
So, is this the end reason of predestination, that men might see the good works of a lifestyle of holiness, obedience, and fruitfulness, and it is all of Grace and not of ourselves, as we praise God for His glory in forgiveness and salvation? Yes... that’s ONE reason! And God wants that “sweet savor” coming up to Him because all of that is the fellowship of Love with our Father and the Lord Jesus, and each other.

To offer thanks to God is to live a life of worship by the Holy Spirit in submission to His will and the Lordship of Christ.

1 Thess. 5:18 says, In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

 So, How am I thankful? Let me count the ways!!!

1.  I am thankful that I received a priceless gift.
I could describe the “gift” as God’s Grace. I could define “gift” as God’s Love. Or I could refer to “gift” as the knowledge that God IS! I could say my gift is eternal life. Knowing the Truth is a gift. His Righteousness is a gift. Understanding and believing His Word is a gift. Providing and showing me the Way is a gift. The hope that I have is a gift. Joy unspeakable is a gift. What I am saying is, I am thankful for Jesus Who is the embodiment of ALL of that and more.

2.  I am thankful that the Lord had preserved me to that point where He revealed to me, through the Gospel according to John, that I was a sinner separated eternally from a loving God. Having looked back on my life, I realized more than a few times and events where I probably would have died lost, if not for the Lord sparing me for His appointed time, which became evident to me only later in my life.

2 Tim. 1:9 says, God has saved us and called us with a holy calling, according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began... from everlasting!

Rom. 8:29-30 says... For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, Who is the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, He also called; and whom He called, He also justified; and whom He justified, He also glorified.

Notice the verbs there...foreknew, predestined, conformed, called, justified, glorified. Those are what my English teacher called, transitive verbs. Transitive verbs require an “object” to EXERT its action on. And who are the objects of God’s verbs there? I’ll give you a moment.....

Said another way... God had foreknowledge of who would respond to His calling. First comes the perpetual calling beginning with Adam, Gen. 3:9, then the response. Some would respond “Yes!” some (according to Psalm 14:1) would respond “No”. And, of course, God knowing that from eternity past, decided beforehand that they (who God had foreknowledge of) would be made to have the same heavenly likeness as His Son, Who is the first born of all creation from among many brethren who are exalted to the same heavenly place (as Jesus). Praise God!

Phil. 3:21 says, “(God) shall change our vile body (of spiritual degradation), that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working of His power whereby He is able even to subject all things to Himself.”

Like Mary Magdalene in the garden, I did not know Jesus either before He called me. She presumed she was talking with the gardener when she asked, “where have you taken Him?” And then Jesus called her by name, Mary... and she responded with confession saying Master, in faith and love.

Writing to the “chosen” 1 Peter 1:5 says, You are being protected and shielded by the power of God throughout this time of your faith, for salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. AMP
It would not make sense to NOT protect someone predestined to be saved. So we have been, and are being protected, kept through faith, for salvation. All things work together for good... before and after.
So I am thankful that God has preserved me.

3.   I am thankful that my faith is in God and NOT man.
Psalm 40:4 says... Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, who has not turned to the proud, nor to those who lapse into falsehood.
Before my trust and faith in God and Jesus, I had no hope, and I didn’t know it. The lies of the world were all I knew of truth and reality. I was one of the proud masses that wasn’t involved in the “surrealism” of religions. But the Gospel can humble a person very quickly if God is calling.

4.   I am thankful for Jesus’ faithfulness.
Romans 3:21-22 says, And now apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, testified to by the law and the Prophets; and this righteousness of God [is] through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ to all those who believe.

Isaiah 9:6 says, “Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given...”
“given” there translates as: bestowed (on us), consecrated (to us), delivered up (for us). The child, Jesus, was born a little lower than the angels but His was not a “vile” body with the Adamic nature. He was born sinless.
He would not have died.
He could have been Israel’s eternal messiah. But they rejected Him. So Jesus the Christ, as the everlasting Son, went to the cross, and He GAVE Himself as the Savior of the world. 

So, I am thankful for my past, when God saved me, and my present, for God is sanctifying me, and I am thankful for my future hope, which is to be in glory, with my Savior and my God. And I am thankful for you all who are my family in Christ. Two of the most important characteristics of a Christian are, or should be, prayer and praise to God... motivated and perpetuated by Love.

Let us now actually praise Him...                

Our Father in Heaven, Holy and Reverend is Your Name.
By Your Son, You have redeemed us, a people who were not a people, to be Your people.
I praise Your great and awesome Name because You are Holy!
I put my hope in You, LORD, for with You is everlasting Love, and with You is redemption.
You are to be revered greatly in the assembly of the saints and each one of us is here to do that with abundantly grateful hearts. How awesome it is for us to consider, and what a blessing for us to know, that from eternity past, You knew us, in Christ Jesus, in Whose name I pray, Amen.