Pastor's Blog

“Giving Thanks”

1 Thessalonians 5:12-22

¹² But we appeal to you, brothers and sisters, to respect those who labor among you, and have charge of you in the Lord and admonish you; ¹³ esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. ¹⁴ And we urge you, beloved, to admonish the idlers, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them. ¹⁵ See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. ¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ¹⁹ Do not quench the Spirit. ²⁰ Do not despise the words of prophets, ²¹ but test everything; hold fast to what is good; ²² abstain from every form of evil.

Giving thanks is something we do every time this time of year. We are reminded to do this by the holiday that we are all familiar with- Thanksgiving! However, what do you remember most about Thanksgiving in your house? Is it football? Is it a pumpkin pie? Is it stuffing? Is it sleeping after eating? What is the thing that you remember most?

I suggest that it is the time together as a family. However, the family can mean your direct family as well as the adopted family as well. Family can also be close friends whom you consider family. These relationships should be one of the things we should be giving thanks for during this month.

Another dynamic we often forget is our church family during this time of thanks. We will be doing informal worship in the fellowship hall this month on November 21, 2021, at 11 AM for us to practice this together. However, we need to be in preparations together for this time to be thankful.

We need to be leaning on these verses of our scripture together:

1. Be at peace among yourselves.

2. help the weak, be patient with all of them.

3. See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all.

4. Rejoice always

5. pray without ceasing

If we do these things, which is about forgiveness and repentance, this will lead to:

give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ¹⁹ Do not quench the Spirit. ²⁰ Do not despise the words of prophets, ²¹ but test everything; hold fast to what is good

These things will enhance our time together in being thankful for one another.

Peace,

Pastor Harvey