God has given us many things for which we should give Him thanks. Whether these are physical or spiritual provisions, we have no shortage of blessings for which to praise the Lord.

There’s a verse in 1 Corinthians 4 that highlights this theme of praise and thanksgiving — though the origination of the praise is not from man, but from the Lord Himself: “And then each man’s praise will come to Him from God” (1 Corinthians 4:5). Here is our great God, the Creator and Sustainer of all, the Giver of every good and perfect gift, praising His faithful servants.

Like many reading this, I’m looking forward to the Thanksgiving holiday and meals with family and friends. Many households have a tradition of sharing testimonies of gratitude around the Thanksgiving table. Being careful not to push the analogy too far, we see that God in this passage, in some incomprehensible way, praises those who faithfully served Him.

This passage isn’t the only place in Scripture where this theme of praise from the Lord appears.

Jesus condemned religious leaders for seeking man’s adoration rather than God’s approval (John 5:44). In Romans, Paul wrote that the individual who has been circumcised by the Holy Spirit receives his praise from God (Romans 2:29). Peter said that believers who persevere in faith will receive praise, glory, and honor when Jesus returns (1 Peter 1:6-7).

This theme from the New Testament writers, then, raises a significant question, “What does God praise?”

We must first state that what God praises in us is only what He has worked in us. These things we are about to see are not things we do in our own strength that make God indebted to us. Rather, these are things God has done within and through us; these actions and qualities are by His grace, not by our merits. So, as we look at what God praises, we might ultimately say He praises the Spirit’s work in our lives because of Jesus Christ.

Yet at the same time, the Lord does praise His servants. In fact, we find God praising various churches in the book of Revelation (chapters 2-3). Embedded within each letter to these churches is something Christ commends in His servants.

The first is tireless, toilsome discernment (Revelation 2:2-3).

The church at Ephesus was faithful in tireless, toilsome discernment. They tested every doctrine and teacher that came along. In all of this, they did not grow weary. There was no sense of, “We have rejected so many false teachers, maybe we should ease up a bit on our standards.” Not at all! They were passionate about truth, and their desire was a church with pure doctrine.

Now, the Ephesians had problems, but we should note Christ praises discernment in His people. Christians should then strive to be discerning. We must test what people say to ensure it conforms to the standard of God’s Word — and we should not get tired of doing so.

The second is endurance (Revelation 2:9).

Next, we have the church in Smyrna, one of two churches where we do not find a rebuke from the Lord. These believers suffered greatly, and Jesus was intimately acquainted with their suffering. However, the Lord does not promise to stop their suffering or help them avoid their trials. Instead, He tells them to be faithful. Christ praises His servants who endure suffering for His name’s sake.

The third is resistance to the devil (Revelation 2:13).

The church in Pergamum was in a difficult location because there was a strong Satanic influence in this community. These Christians are praised because they resisted Satan by holding fast to the name of Jesus. They clung to all Christ’s glorious attributes (His love, grace, faithfulness, holiness, righteousness, judgment, wrath, omnipotence, and others). They kept believing in Jesus, and when Satan came to pressure them — and one of their number was even martyred — they found the strength to stand against the devil in the name of the Lord. Christ praises those who resist the evil one by holding fast to His powerful name.

The fourth is spiritual growth (Revelation 2:19).

We come to the church in Thyatira, where Jesus praises these believers’ spiritual growth. These individuals’ works are greater now than when they first believed the Gospel. They have grown spiritually. Their faith is stronger. Their love has increased. They are serving more faithfully and earnestly. They are growing in service to the Lord every day. Even with all the problems in the Church, Jesus still praises these Christians for their spiritual growth.

The fifth is purity (Revelation 3:4).

There isn’t much to commend when the Lord focuses on Sardis. It’s a vibrant community in the eyes of the world, but it’s a spiritual graveyard to Christ. However, there is one thing Jesus praises in this church: purity among a few genuine believers. These believers, though small in number, are not stained by the culture around them, nor are they marked by friendship with the world. Instead, they are set apart for Christ, keeping their hearts free from sin and the love of the world. Our Lord commends their purity, and He delights to see such purity in all of His children.

The sixth is obedience to God’s Word (Revelation 3:8).

Here is a faithful church with just a little power in the world. Notice that it’s not great power Jesus praises. He isn’t impressed by earthly systems, financial or political power, or social influence.

What does result in Christ’s praise, though, is obedience to His Word. This church kept God’s Word, and they were faithful to the teaching of Scripture. As a result, they had an immense opportunity for ministry even though they only had a little power because they had the power of God in His Word. The Lord praises those who keep His Word.

The final quality Jesus praises is an earnest, teachable heart (Revelation 3:19).

The lukewarm Laodicean church was filled with members who were arrogant, self-deceived, and useless for any good work. Some of them still appear to be believers, though, because Jesus says He is disciplining them, which God only does to His children. They had a plethora of problems and nothing much the Lord could praise.

We do learn what God praises in what He tells them to do about their spiritual problems — be zealous and repent. The Lord wants His Word to confront our sin, causing true believers to do whatever is necessary to kill it. God praises humble repentance that comes from an earnest, teachable heart.

These are the seven things God might mention if He were to sit at the Thanksgiving table – seven things He commends in His servants: discernment, endurance, resistance against the devil, spiritual growth, purity, keeping His Word, and earnest and teachable hearts.

As we think about Thanksgiving, these truths leave us with two thoughts. First, we should want the honor and praise that comes from God rather than that which comes from men. We should live lives that God would praise. So, are these things true of us?

If these divine commendations are true of us, then we have much to be thankful for every day of the year, because God is the one who has worked them in us. Not only do we seek praise that comes from God, but, secondly, we praise Him for His work in our own hearts.

This Thanksgiving may our worship and gratitude please the Lord as we fervently thank Him for what He has done.
Sources:Christian Post

http://theendtimeradio.com

Amid concerns that younger generations are falling away from religion, an interdenominational group is delivering the gift of the Gospel to millions of children across the globe this Christmas season and filling their hearts with the love of Jesus.

The Child Evangelism Fellowship expects to help deliver the Gospel to over 12 million children through its Christmas Party Club campaign this holiday season and is inviting churches and community leads to sign up to host a Christmas Party Club and share the Gospel with children.

Founded in 1937, the ministry equips fellow Christians to minister to children and form them into disciples of Christ. Studies suggest that younger generations are less religious and less likely to attend church than previous generations.

“The truth of the Bible is still applicable today no matter what is happening in the world around us,” CEF Acting Vice President of Administration Fred Pry told The Christian Post. “That’s why we believe in the importance of sharing Christmas Party Clubs and the true meaning of Christmas.”

For this year, CEF’s goal is to train 348,000 volunteers and conduct 367,000 Christmas Party Clubs to teach 12.6 million children about the Gospel and the true meaning of the holiday.

The clubs start in November, leading up to Christmas. Sometimes, they extend into January. CEF provides many club activities, including songs, Scripture memory and review games as well as Bible lessons.

One lesson, the “Light of Life” teaches children how God used light to announce the birth of His son. The lesson also allows children to create their own “Light of Life” cross and share the word of God with their family and friends.

“When you talk about a gift and, of course, children associate that with Christmas, and then you explain what the best gift was that they received or could receive, well, now it connects,” Pry said. “Their eyes get big, and they understand the reality that God loves them better than anyone could love them, and that’s what draws people.”

Last year, CEF staff and volunteers held 295,000 clubs and delivered the Gospel to 9.1 million children worldwide, growing from 169,000 clubs in 2022, reaching over 6.2 million children. In 2023, the ministry also conducted 12,900 training seminars and trained 277,500 volunteers.

According to Pry, the volunteers work within the countries where the Christmas Party Club is held and are trained by CEF workers. The Bible-centered organization has around 3,600 staff members worldwide, many residing at refugee centers in other countries, who walk volunteers through the club materials and demonstrate how to use them.

Christmas Party Clubs are held in various countries, Pry said, including ones where Christians are persecuted. The CEF administrator stressed that this is why prayer is a vital component of the organization’s mission.

“We often say, in fact, it’s one of our value points at CEF; it’s not the meetings we hold or the decisions we make that bring the strongest results to our ministry,” Pry said. “It’s the time spent before the throne of God in prayer, and that’s how we move forward.”

“In these countries that are dangerous for Christians, we pray,” he added. “We pray a lot.”

He cited this as one of the reasons why CEF holds the 50 Days of Prayer, a worldwide effort that started on the first of November. At the time of the interview, Pry said that over 400 people worldwide had signed up to join CEF in 50 Days of Prayer. While the numbers related to the Christmas Party Club are still coming in, the ministry leader confirmed CEF has already begun teaching children.

Pry expressed gratitude toward the individual donors who believe in CEF’s mission, noting that providing free materials like this worldwide typically costs the organization over $1 million. Last year, one donor gave more than $500,000 to support CEF’s work.

“When we look at our world today, there’s a lot of people, you know, that do good things that are helping people, that are helping children, providing food and clothing, but when you think about a person’s eternal destiny, what value do you put on that?” Pry asked.

“That’s what this donor recognized, and many people like that donor recognize,” he added. “The value of a life spent for eternity is invaluable, and they are willing to support that.”
Sources:Christian Post

http://theendtimeradio.com

Plymouth – Americans think they know a lot about the first Thanksgiving, with many envisioning it as happy Pilgrims wearing big buckles and feasting on huge, fat turkeys. But the facts are actually more fascinating than fiction.

Take Plymouth Rock, for instance. Most accept that the big boulder marked “1620” and sitting just feet away from the water is where the Pilgrims first landed in the area. But the Pilgrims themselves never mentioned stepping off their boat onto a rock.

And the person who swore there was a rock and pointed it out to fellow Plymouth residents didn’t bring it up until he was in his 90s, claiming some of the original Pilgrims told him about it.

Thankful Despite Tragedy

As for verifiable facts, one for sure is that these religious reformers started building their first American settlement in the harsh winter of 1620-1621, even as half their number died around them.

But just a few months later, these faithful Christians who believed in thanking God for everything were already planning the first American Thanksgiving.

“This was in 1621 after the first season here in Plymouth where they lost half their population and only had 51 of 102 people left at the end of that season,” Pilgrim role-player Leo Martin told CBN News.

Martin and his wife Nancy not only run the faith-based Jenney Museum in Plymouth but dress up as Pilgrims and give tours and lectures. Martin has also authored the book Pilgrim Pursuit of Happiness.

Martin said the survivors’ first crop did well and they knew they wouldn’t die of starvation.

“They developed enough food to make it through the next winter, and they thought that they ought to thank God for that,” Martin explained.

At the Plimoth Plantation where that first Pilgrim settlement is faithfully recreated, top researcher Richard Pickering dresses up to act out the part of Edward Winslow, one of only two Pilgrims to leave a written record of that first Thanksgiving.

Impersonating Winslow, Pickering told CBN News about preparations for the event.

“The very first feast that we had in these parts, our governor sent four men on fowling and in just some small hours, the four men were able to take enough wildfowl to feed our company for a week,” he said. “For we required a special manner of rejoicing, the Lord having sustained us for a year and having brought in such a goodly harvest.”

‘They Are a Toothsome Bird’

In Plymouth’s annual Thanksgiving parade, the occasional float will go by showing large, plump turkeys, the kind today’s Americans imagine Pilgrims feasted on. But in truth, their turkeys were wild, lean, and mean.

“They were very skinny and they could run up to 25 miles an hour,” Martin said. “So to catch one was a challenge.”

‘Winslow’ said, “I find the turkeys here of New England, they are a bit different than those that live upon the dunghills back home in England. But they are a toothsome bird.”

Another sure fact: these grateful Englishmen didn’t dine alone because they knew they wouldn’t have made it without the Indians, or Sachems, as Winslow called them.

The Native Americans showed them what could grow in this radically different soil that was unkind to English seeds.

Those Pilgrims Could Party

“They felt that Massasoit, the chief of the Wampanoag Indians, was so instrumental in their survival that they should invite Massasoit and his immediate family to that celebration, and they did,” Martin explained.

But Massasoit misunderstood a bit.

“While we were feasting and making of sport and exercising our arms, amongst us come the great Sachem Massasoit and about 90 of his men,” Winslow said.

Martin pointed out that could have wiped out all the Pilgrims’ supplies, but the chief and his braves brought plenty of food with them.

“Venison, turkey, fish, vegetables — and together they had enough food for a three-day celebration where they honored one another and became better friends,” Martin said.

Norah Messier is Plimoth Plantation’s expert on the food of that era.

“Most likely there was fish on the Thanksgiving table as we now refer to it, possibly lobsters. We know when the natives arrived they brought with them venison, something not many of us put on our Thanksgiving table today,” she stated.

‘Pompion Stew’ Instead of Pumpkin Pie

We’d put pumpkin pie on our tables. Messier did a cooking display for CBN News showing what the Pilgrims would have done instead.

“One of the things that most people would say you can’t have Thanksgiving without your pumpkin pie,” Messier said.

“What I’m going to be doing here is exactly what we know they did frequently in New England,” she explained. “The ancient standing dish is called ‘stewed pompion.’ Pompion is the period term for the pumpkin.”

She demonstrated how the Pilgrims would dice this pompion/pumpkin and stew it into sort of a mash.

“Eventually you’re going to add just a splash of vinegar and a little bit of ginger,” Messier said. “And supposedly it’s going to taste like stewed apples, something that was definitely not on the first Thanksgiving table: no apples in New England, not yet.”

They were huge on stuffing, and the batch Messier put together for CBN News came from a recipe dated 1597. It called for breadcrumbs, cranberries, chopped yolk of hard-roasted eggs, butter, and raisins.

Just because of the raisins alone, this stuffing would have taken much more labor.

“Raisins up until recently had seeds in them still,” Messier stated. “Imagine picking out all of those seeds.”

Bringing Old England to New England

Finally, the cook would have seasoned this stuffing with herbs brought all the way from England, like thyme, hyssop, and parsley.

“We believe that the things they are growing in their kitchen gardens in the 17th century are primarily things brought over from England. They’re trying to bring home with them,” Messier explained. “They’re trying to make New England feel like old England.”

That likely is why a man like Winslow would have preferred something better than those skinny, exotic New England turkeys.

Winslow said with a twinkle in his eye, “In truth, my greatest delight is a goose for I do love its great fatness.”
Sources:CBN News

http://theendtimeradio.com