In Everything Give Thanks

1 Thessalonians 5:18 in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Notice again at the end of this statement "in Christ Jesus" is sitting there. "In Christ" the two most important words in the Bible. Speaking of "in Christ" what is it our Lord wants us to do today "in Christ?" Give thanks. Yea, in everything give thanks. All the time be giving thanks. Notice the bold statement our Lord makes when he says "this IS God's will for you."

During dark days like today, most people are walking around in their own doom and gloom chambers between the ears, but what are we commanded to do? Give thanks. For some of us, the list is long and it takes awhile to go through all the things we are thankful for. Others are so focused on their problems in life that they give no thought to giving thanks, this makes their problems worse.

What is it about giving thanks that you need to know today? Why even bring this up? I don't know how much longer we have here before the escape takes place. In the hours and days we may have left it is imperitive that we ALIGN OURSELVES with our Lord and master. We must "center" ourselves smack dab in the middle of the Lord's will for our lives. His kingdom come, his will be done, remember? His will? Yea, what is his will for us? "In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

If you are not giving thanks today then you need to find a way to do it. Be thankful you are alive, be thankful for your last meal and the roof over your head. If you lack, then ask in faith for what you need. Believe you have received it and do not doubt. Begin thanking him for everything He has done in your life up through and including right now.

We must be found as the wise virgins and wise servants that are both listed in Matt 25. Matt 25 is a warning to the church. Its a warning to those who today claim to be serving the master. When our master comes back and it could be soon, we must be found doing what he said to do. One of those things is being thankful.

Giving thanks is like many other things written in the Word its not a suggestion to give thanks, its a command. We are told it is God's will for us, are you doing it?

I've had people argue with me before asking me "are you keeping all the commands?" They ask me if I'm keeping them as a way to deflect the fact that they are not. How do we keep all the commands of God? First and foremost we have the Spirit of truth within us that leads us and reminds us of all truth. A key word in their is "reminds us." How can you be reminded of something you've never seen or heard? Which brings us to part two of keeping his commands which is staying in the Word of God.

Prov 4:20
My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings.
21 Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart.
22 For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

Proverbs 3

1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
2 For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
3 Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart:
4 So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man.
5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

I do not think this is some great big "gotcha" game the Lord plays where if you miss something you are up the creek. Where is your heart? Are you even trying to keep all the commands by first knowing the commands? Do you "go to church" expecting the hired hands to spoon feed you the entire counsel of God or are you seeking out the Lord's counsel on your own? The vast majority of so called churches in the world today hop skip and jump through the word of God treading very lightly or not at all on the warnings and focusing exclusively on the dessert tray.

Taking a lifelong hired hand "guided tour" through the word of God is what's going to lead so many here:

Matt 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

In the days we have left, its up to each one of us as individuals to seek the Lord's face. Its up to us to align ourselves with his word. We live in a day and age when the deception in the world is greater than it ever has been yet men still "play church" as they always have because they've been told that's what "good people"do, they "go to church."

What happens when the servants of Satan run your "church?" Does it matter whether or not your "pastor" thinks he's deceived? The very nature of deception is that you do not realized you yourself are deceived! The traditions of man greatly enahance the unquestioned passing along of these satanic doctrines and deceptions. The point is, you need to take complete 100% accountability for your own spiritual state. It's between you and the Lord today, just like its going to be you and the Lord on "that day." Your spiritual hired hands will NOT be there to answer for you on that day, you will answer for you.

The Word of God contains everything we need for a life of godliness, everything. Get in it today, give thanks for what you've been given and for what the Lord promised he will do soon. Pray for all the brothers. No we are not islands but we are accountable for ourselves and if we do not get ourselves right how do we expect to help the brothers? Changing the world starts with changing yourself, a job that nobody seems to want. Keep the faith, grace and peace