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One Day Is Not Enough
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Posted by: robertcyders
I just want to bless you all with a happy Thanksgiving holiday.
This artical really blessed me and I would like to share it with you all.
Blessings to you, Robert Cyders...
One Day Is Not Enough
For Those Who Live In His Presence, Every Day Is Thanksgiving.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
(Ps. 100:4)
Thanksgiving opens the gate to God's presence. Grumbling and complaining keeps us locked out. Psalm 16:11 says, "In Your presence is fullness of joy." That means thankful people are happy people. On the other hand, ungrateful folks are nearly always miserable.
In ancient times it was unlawful to come before a king with a sad countenance. The Persian king Artaxerxes once asked Nehemiah, his cup bearer, why he was so sad. The Bible says when Nehemiah heard the king's question he became "dreadfully afraid" (Neh. 2:2).
If we are thankful to God, then we are blessing His name. But if we are ungrateful, we are actually cursing Him!
- John Roughton
The reason Nehemiah was so frightened is that the Persians had a law that anyone who approached the king with a sad countenance was to be put to death. The Persian kings considered it an insult not to be happy in their presence.
Thankful For What He's Done
God expects us to be full of thanksgiving in His presence. If you're not happy, then just start thanking God for all the good things He's done for you. Before long you'll brighten up! If we are thankful to God, then we are blessing His name. But if we are ungrateful, we are actually cursing Him!
If we are ungrateful it is because we have forgotten (or don't realize) all the good things that God has done for us. And yet the Bible says that every good gift is from Him.
I have lived in India for over eight years and I can tell you that we Americans should be the most thankful people on the planet! There are literally millions of people all over the world who would do anything to trade places with us. We enjoy freedoms in this nation that many other people can only dream about. We have the highest living standard on earth.
We have opportunities for advancement that are unknown in many other countries. We have a lifestyle that is the envy of the world. And we who know the Lord and have been taught the good Word of God should absolutely be the most grateful individuals around!
We've already forgotten more than most people have heard. A friend of mine while ministering in India approached a old man sitting along the roadside in one particular village.
My friend asked the man, "Do you know Jesus?" After a moment of careful thought, the old man answered, "I think I know everyone here in this village and there's no one here by that name. Try the next village."
Ingratitude Is Dangerous
But sadly, instead of being thankful, many people are not at all grateful. They seem to be too busy complaining to notice the many benefits that have been given to them. Ingratitude blinds a man.
Many of the children of Israel murmured and complained and the Bible says they were destroyed by the destroyer (1 Cor. 10:10). Complainers self destruct. We enter into God's gates with thanksgiving. Into whose gate do you suppose we enter with complaining?
This is more than thanking God in faith for what He's going to do. It is being grateful for what He's already done.
- John Roughton
The devil is the destroyer and I can tell you that in his presence there is no fullness of joy! There is weeping and gnashing of teeth! Philippians 4:6 says, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known unto God." Thanksgiving is the missing ingredient in many of our prayers.
Like one man who was praying to God about his troubles and the Lord interrupted him and asked, "What are you doing?" The man responded, "I'm praying!" "No you're not," the Lord said, "you're complaining!"
This is more than thanking God in faith for what He's going to do. It is being grateful for what He's already done. If your children griped and fussed every time you gave them something, what would you do? You'd probably stopping giving them anything. Otherwise, if you kept on giving them gifts just because they whined, you would be teaching them that the way to get things is just to keep on fussing.
"In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thess. 5:18). Are we to thank God for everything? No, we don't thank God for everything, but in everything. If you want to get out of what you're in, here is the way: Give thanks.
Is everything that happens to you the will of God for you? No. But it is the will of God that you be thankful to Him, no matter what happens to you. Life has its challenges, but each hurdle is only a stepping stone to a higher level. But an ungrateful man turns every stepping stone into a stumbling block. Thanksgiving is the language of faith.
We have so much to be thankful for. One day is not enough. For some it is only "turkey day." For those who live in His presence, every day is Thanksgiving.
Copyright © 2002 John Roughton Ministries, Inc.