By Ramesh C.Reddy
Pittsburgh Standard

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Editors Note: The devotional has a background song called 'Seventy Times Seven' which can be heard if you use Internet Explorer.

SCRIPTURE:
“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:17-18)

What stuck out to me in this verse is ’GIVE THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES’.

If anyone is qualified to write ‘GIVE THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES’ it is Paul, the Apostle who was flagged, beaten, chained, and humiliated facing even death. Yet, he writes time after time about ‘BE JOYFUL ALWAYS’ and ‘GIVE THANKS’.

The Book of Philippians is also called the ‘Book of Joy’ because we learn about Paul and where his joy and thanksgiving come from. The Lord Jesus put it upon my heart and helped me share the Book of Philippians verse by verse with hundreds of students. You can access that at
http://www.pittsburghstandard.com/SEPT2007/EXPRESSIONS/MoreExpressionsNews0907.htm in the right side bar.

It can be easy for people to say to themselves that they are not Paul and are not in the mood to give thanks but I came to realize too that THANKSGIVING to the LORD should not be based on feelings and mood. If we always depended on feelings and mood, then a lot of things will not get done.

Even if you do not feel like studying but you have an exam, you study anyway don’t you?
Even if you do not feel like going to work but know you have to be there, won’t you go?

Many people do things they do not feel like doing because they know it is the right thing to do.

I know GIVING THANKS IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES is the right thing to do for our Lord and Savior commands us through His Word to do that. Anyone can give thanks to the Lord when things are going their way. It is not easy to be thankful when circumstances are not going our way but there is a reason the Lord Jesus wants us to do that and I choose to obey.

According to Dictionary.com Unabridged (v.1.1), THANKSGIVING is defined as, ‘the act of giving thanks; grateful acknowledgement of benefits or favors, esp. to God, a public celebration in acknowledgement of divine favor or kindness, and a day set apart for giving thanks to God.

Even in tragedies and times of sorrow, our Lord Jesus deserves all the praise and glory for who He is and for what He did for you and me and what He will continue to do for us.

We lost our daddy last year and his memorial can be found on the right side bar! This will be the first Thanksgiving that our dad is not here on earth but I praise and thank the Lord Jesus that He is in Heaven.

You can read the testimony of THANKSGIVING even amidst the trials and tribulations at http://www.pittsburghstandard.com/NOV2007/EXPRESSIONS/HAPPYTHANKSGIVING.htm

Some of the content is used in this devotional.

I ask you now dear friend, what do you base your T.H.A.N.K.S.G.I.V.I.N.G on?
Dear friend, a lot of people associate THANKSGIVING with TURKEY, HOLIDAY, GIANT MEAL with FAMILY and FRIENDS, FOOTBALL, PARADES, etc. There is nothing wrong with all that but if you are feeling LONELY, SORROWFUL, AND BROKEN this THANKSGIVING DAY, all the above things won't matter as much  if you focus on your loneliness, sorrow, and brokenness instead of focusing on the LORD JESUS CHRIST.

When you focus on the LORD JESUS CHRIST, He can give you a new perspective even on this day. Maybe you are doing well and are really joyful and happy this thanksgiving day. I am so happy for you. But, I also know there are those that are living in the opposite spectrum. It is to those that I especially write this speaking from experience.

I don't know what you are going through this Thanksgiving Day of Nov 27, 2008 but this I know that you are not alone if you are feeling lonely, sorrowful, broken, and troubled. Jesus sees your pain and suffering and will not leave you or abandon you as an orphan in the storm but will come to you as He has in our family.

Many times we focus on the things we do not have or did not receive to base our thanksgiving on and that is where Satan has a foothold and uses it against us. Satan reminds us that 'we do not have this or that', 'we are not like so and so', 'our life is not as successful as so and so' etc with so many lies wrapped sounding to be truth as he comes as an angel of light to deceive and destroy.

We have to resist the devil and focus on the LORD JESUS CHRIST this blessed THANKSGIVING DAY. It is a blessed day because we are alive and breathing. It may not seem like that always but this THANKSGIVING DAY, my prayer for myself and each one of you is that you will focus on the things you already have and praise the Lord for them all.

We all have reason to be thankful no matter what we have lost or have not received. More than anything, we all can have JESUS CHRIST as our LORD and PERSONAL SAVIOR who went to the cross, shed His blood on the cross, died for our sin, and came back to life on the third day to save. This is exciting for me.  

However, I do understand that if you are suffering and reading this, it can be easy for you to think, 'Ramesh does not understand what I am going through so it is easy for him to write about THANKSGIVING'

If our family did not lose our daddy last year around THANKSGIVING/CHRISTMAS holiday season then it would have been harder to write this devotional because people can say, 'it is easy for him to write that because he has not experienced what our family is experiencing or has experienced so let him be in our shoes before writing about being THANKFUL.'

Losing a loved one, losing a limb or any body part, losing a job, etc are all losses and some more painful and tragic than others but through it all, I pray we can find peace and rest in the Lord being THANKFUL IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES for this is God's will in Christ Jesus.

It will not be easy to be THANKFUL when we are so down and out but I PRAISE THE LORD that He exists and is there for us. I PRAISE THE LORD that we can always turn to Him and He will be there.

This will be the second THANKSGIVING recently that I can think of that I won't be enjoying a BIG THANKSGIVING FEAST because my brother and I are by ourselves this day. My dad is in Heaven and my mom is with my younger brothers.

I did not really feel like spending THANKSGIVING MEAL anywhere else so did not accept the wonderful invitations made by different pastors and friends from Oakland International Fellowship. Just because I won't have a BIG FEAST today, I cannot focus on that but on everything the LORD JESUS has given me and will give me You maybe in the same boat as I am where you do not want to go anywhere for THANKSGIVING if your memories of dinner have been with your family but you can have the LORD JESUS right there with you. Yes, you can friend.

Let it be a time with you and the Lord :) If you are a bargain shopper this could even be an opportunity to go stand in line in one of the stores early so you can get that cheap laptop, hard drive, camera, etc while the time being in line can be used to being THANKFUL for all that you have received and will receive. Don't focus on the problem of things you do not have but on the LORD JESUS.

A dearest sister in Christ text me this message one day which is so true:
"In Time of Difficulties, Don't say, 'GOD I have a big problem but instead 'Hey problem, I have a BIG GOD'

We do have a BIG GOD and what GOD did for us is reason to be thankful for no matter what else we don't have or have lost. God paid the price by sending His own begotten Son to redeem us so we will not perish but have everlasting life. Jesus paid the price for you and me to set us free so we can have abundant life. He is the Rock of our Salvation.

“Come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come to him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to him. For the Lord is a great God, a great King above all gods.” (Psalm 95:1-3, NLT)

Psalm 100 is considered a Psalm on Thanksgiving:

“Shout with joy to the Lord, all the earth! Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the Lord is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.” (Psalm 100:1-3, NLT)

Happy Thanksgiving to each one of you and all

As you celebrate this holiday with family and friends this fall

Praise the Lord for all his blessings upon you, as you call

Prayer can reach heaven and there will not be a barrier wall

You are loved and special in His sight just as the apostle Paul!

Taking care of you is Jesus' special aim

Hope and healing to give, He came

As the Lord Jesus calls you by name

Now, it is with the Lord’s blessings, even Turkeys, we can find

Keep in mind please, our life He rescued when we were all in a bind

So as you spend time with your family or friends who come your way,

Give the Lord your thanksgiving knowing for you, He came to pay

In abundant love, He reaches out to you, I want to say

Victoriously you can now live your life

It is because Jesus’ sacrifice saves you from sin’s strife

Now to Him who came back to life and is able to keep you from falling

Give him your surrendered life as you hear Him calling!

Amen!

PRAYER:
"I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God." (Ephesians 3:16-19, NLT)

ANALOGY OF INVITING PEOPLE TO THE GREAT PHYSICIAN:

We are like an ambulance taking sick people to the hospital. People are dying and there is an emergency because of an epidemic virus. The ambulance takes the initiative to go to the place people are dying and bring them to the hospital. They are not dead yet but there is no time to wait. The ambulance needs to get to the hospital for that virus to be treated. The virus has infected the mind, body, and soul spreading rapidly. You and I cannot do anything to heal our friends of this virus except be the AMBULANCE taking them to the HOSPITAL where the GREAT PHYSICIAN waits.

Once at the hospital, there is a GREAT PHYSICIAN that waits. The sick are gathered from all corners of the earth and come to this hospital.  This hospital is called CALVARY OF SALVATION and the EMERGENCY WARD is called GOLGOTHA.

The GREAT PHYSICIAN is not like other doctors who can only treat patients with  physical ailments but this GREAT PHYSICIAN is much more and knows He has to stay 72 HOURS for every dying person there to be healed.

He knows what He has to do! This GREAT PHYSICIAN knew that only His BLOOD can wipe away this epidemic VIRUS, so for you and me He went to the blood transfusion room where people were about to die. There He lay down on the bed  made of wood.

The surgeons walk into the room. They turn this GREAT PHYSICIAN on His back.  Instead of using an IV, a WHIP with sharp glass, etc is used to draw out the BLOOD from the GREAT PHYSICIAN'S back! It does not stop there but to elevate the head on the bed of wood, a CROWN OF THORNS is used which draws more BLOOD.

As the head is elevated, the GREAT PHYSICIAN's hands are stretched wide on the wooden bed. Then the feet are bound together. This is done for the BLOOD transfusion to begin. Instead of using an IV, NAILS and a HAMMER is used. The NAILS are pounded through the hands into the wooden bed with a HAMMER so the BLOOD flows and that BLOOD is saved. The NAILS are pounded through the feet into the wooden bed with a HAMMER so more BLOOD flows and that BLOOD is saved. As the BLOOD continues to flow from the GREAT PHYSICIAN's body, the GREAT PHYSICIAN flat lines. Then the surgeons insert a SPEAR into the heart to make sure all the BLOOD is out. All the BLOOD is out!

Now, the GREAT PHYSICIAN is moved into the JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA MORGUE being guarded by security.

Now the CALVARY OF SALVATION hospital has a BLOOD DONOR whose BLOOD can be used to save everyone there from this EPIDEMIC VIRUS. 

Those dying need to be taken there to receive the BLOOD transfusion that is available. However, the BLOOD will not be forced upon those dying! THE PUREST RED ANTIDOTE is only given to those that are willing to receive the BLOOD TRANSFUSION so they could LIVE.

All that accept the BLOOD are being CLEANSED of this EPIDEMIC VIRUS in their system that is infecting the mind, body, and soul.  This BLOOD goes into the dying person's mind, body, and soul and eats away at the virus cleaning them and making them pure. This VIRUS is known as SIN. The BLOOD is the PRECIOUS CLEANSING BLOOD OF THE GREAT PHYSICIAN, JESUS CHRIST.

The WOODEN BED is the CROSS OF CHRIST where the dying need to be led too.

72 HOURS LATER, there is a commotion at the JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA MORGUE. THE GREAT PHYSICIAN is not there anymore and the ANGELS that visit tell loved ones who came there, that THE GREAT PHYSICIAN IS ALIVE and will save all that come to Him.

It is true even to this day, for all that come to the HOSPITAL OF CALVARY come to realize that His CLEANSING BLOOD shed on the WOODEN BED (CROSS) will never run out. Anyone infected who wants to be healed of their sickness can accept what Jesus did for them and be covered in His precious CLEANSING BLOOD.

I have done that friend and know that at the foot of the cross where Jesus died shedding His precious cleansing blood for my sin and the sins of the world, I can find forgiveness and grace.

Thanks be to God that Christ's death on the cross was temporary to remove all His precious cleansing blood for our sake but after He was buried, Jesus came back to life to save.

To this day, all who call on the Name of the Lord will be saved when they acknowledge what Jesus Christ has done for them and what He can do for them.

Friend, Jesus loves you so much and if you were the only one living on earth, Jesus would have done the same for you. What I shared with you was an analogy but in real life it has happened. Jesus went to the cross for you and me and His precious cleansing blood was shed so you and I could have life. Jesus came back to life 72 hours later and is alive but His blood continues to heal people on every corner of the earth to those that accept Him.

If you would like to invite Jesus Christ into your heart and make Him a daily part of your life, you can this very moment. You will never be alone. You can claim God's promises for you in the Bible and see them come true, before your eyes, in His wonderful timing. You don't have to wait for a special time to come to the Lord. You can come right now as you pray this prayer, meaning it in your heart. You can invite the GREAT PHYSICIAN right now as you make this your prayer.

PRAYER:
Dear Jesus, I love you. Thank you for loving me so much and thank you for choosing the cross to die for me. You became the Son of Man and lived here on earth. Then you humbled yourself and became obedient to death-even death on the cross. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sin. You died on the cross so that I can be covered in your blood and cleansed by your blood as I acknowledge that I need you and cannot enter Heaven without you being my pathway. So, Jesus I confess all my sins to you and all the ways I have tried to get into Heaven when you already provided the means and the Way. Thank you for all that you have done for me. The cross is the place, a wonderful place where accused and condemned find mercy and grace. Thank you Jesus, it is at the cross where the wrongs we have done and the wrongs done to us were nailed at the cross. Thank you Jesus, at the cross you died for our sins and at the cross you gave your life for us. I thank you for that and thank you for coming back to life to save us. Thank you Jesus for being there for me! Thank you for loving me. I love you Jesus! Please take me as I am and make my life into something that you will be proud of. I surrender my life to you and need your help to live for you. I am forever grateful for what you have done for me and I can never repay you. I want to live for you and need your help. Help me Jesus please. I thank you Jesus for saving me! Thank you for hearing my prayer and answering me. Whatever your will give me the willingness and strength to bear it. Thank you Jesus! I acknowledge you as my Lord and Personal Savior! In Your Name I Pray precious Jesus! Amen! Thank you that your Word says whatever we ask in Your Name shall be done by your Father in Heaven! Amen!

May my spoken words and unspoken thoughts be pleasing even to you, O Lord my Rock and my Redeemer." (Psalm 19:14)