SCRIPTURE:
One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.  Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well." (Luke 17:15-19, NIV)

OBSERVATIONS:
I asked myself what did one of the healed men of leprosy do?
1. He came back, praising God in a loud voice.
2. He threw himself at Jesus' feet.
3. He thanked Jesus.

INTERPRETATIONS:
I asked myself why is the action of the man so significant?
It becomes so significant because he was a Samaritan and Samaritans were despised by the Jews. Yet, this Samaritan was so thankful to how his life changed around that he could not go living the new life without expressing praise to God in a loud voice. But more than that he came to give thanks to Jesus who is Jewish acknowledging what Jesus did for Him.

OBSERVATIONS:
I asked myself what was Jesus' reaction to this Samaritan's thankfulness?
1. Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed?"
2. Jesus asked, "Where are the other nine?"
3. Jesus asked, "Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?
4. Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."

INTERPRETATIONS:
I asked myself the significance of Jesus' reaction?
Jesus knew though He had healed 10 lepers by His power only the foreigner came back to give thanks to Him, praising God! This shows us that Jesus knows everything He does for others and also knows who is thankful for the blessings in their lives. For to be healed from leprosy was such a blessing especially because of the stigma attached to it. This man did not forget who changed his life and gave him a new life and Jesus recognized that to the point that Jesus told Him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well" showing me that there is also definitely a connection between thankfulness and faith.

IMPLICATIONS:
I saw important implications for my own life. Jesus knows when I am thankful for all He has done for me and when I am not thankful. When I am not thankful Jesus does wonder what happened to me. I need to be thankful for all Jesus has done for me remembering the small and the big. Thank you Jesus.

HOW GOSPEL GIVES ME TESTIMONY REGARDING T.H.A.N.K.S.G.I.V.I.N.G:

Jesus did not ignore me that I was from a Hindu background but healed me of my asthma when I asked Him to as I believed that He is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. What a moment in time that was for thanksgiving realizing everything that I could not do or taste, I could do now because there was no more limitation on my diet or exercise as it used to be.  I saw myself as a Samaritan in Jesus' story, who came back to thank Jesus and give my life to Jesus on that Valentine's Day years ago. If being healed from asthma disease was awesome, then being healed from my spiritual disease was extravagant.

As a Hindu, I still could not reach God's standards of perfection to be with Him when I died. All the things I did to reach God were falling in a chasm because there was a separation between God's Holiness and my sin. But God in His love did not leave me to my trying to reach God because I could not. Instead, God revealed Himself to me through Jesus Christ. When I found Jesus Christ or should I say when Jesus Christ found me, He changed my life around. He covered me in His precious cleansing blood and became a bridge for me to reach God when I accepted what Jesus did for me. Now when God looked at me, He did not see a Hindu but 'Ramesh covered in the Blood of Jesus Christ' and His judgment decided to Passover me. Jesus became the bridge at the chasm through the cross so that man now could cross over and reach God. It is all because of what Jesus Christ did at the cross of Calvary and His willingness to save and heal just as He healed the Ten Lepers of one who was a Samaritan.  This also showed me that Jesus' healing is not limited to a particular race or religion but Jesus offers Himself to the world to all who would receive Him and come to Him. For He promises, "To all who received Him, He gave them right to become children of God, children born not of natural descent but from the will of God" (John 1:12)

But more than that, it also showed me the power of thanksgiving. It is in thanksgiving that we recognize that we are nothing on our own and all the things we are blessed with come from Jesus Christ, the Creator of Heaven and Earth. When I give thanks, I am recognizing the One who gave Himself for me with His sacrificial death on the cross coming back to life on the third day to save.  I am also recognizing all the blessings in my life no matter how small. Having an attitude of thanksgiving takes the focus off me and puts the focus on the One who came to change my life around.

So celebration of Thanksgiving should never be confined to the last Thursday of November for me but daily.

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thess 5:16-17, NIV)

Jesus wants us to always be thankful and that is His will. Yet, so many times we forget to give thanks and that makes Jesus sad. I don't want to make Jesus sad but remember all that Jesus does for me each day.

What has been awesome for me to do in the past was write down 15 things that I have been thankful for each day remembering different things instead of the same things and also making a note of things that did not go well for me to be thankful for too. You can do that too friend.

Jesus saved me and for that I am so thankful and also I am most thankful for Jesus saving my daddy instead of giving him over to Satan. My daddy could have died on Oct 7, 2007 when he went into cardiac arrest but he was given the opportunity to live all by God's grace until he gave His life to Christ. On the day that he gave his life to Christ is the day that Jesus called him home on Dec 17, 07.
This thanksgiving, it is an awesome time to remember all that Jesus has done for our family and will continue to do even when there are times of sadness and loneliness for in Christ we will never really be alone. I thank the Lord for my mommy praying with me daily over the phone and reminding me to be thankful for all Jesus has done and will do. More than anything, my mommy reminds us all of our Salvation. Thank you Jesus.

The same Jesus who gave us Salvation can give you Salvation to and bring healing in your life. Yes, He can friend! I know He can! Come to Him as you are and ask Jesus to transform your life by His grace. He will covering you in His precious cleansing blood for which you can have thanksgiving for Eternity.

I ask you now dear friend, what place do you give T.H.A.N.K.S.G.I.V.I.N.G in your life?
Dear friend, the place you give thanksgiving in your life will determine if it is a one day in November thing filled with feasts of food with family and friends or will it be a daily 365 day event filled with the Creator's presence in your life and all the blessings He has showered upon your life. Friend, there is excitement to celebrate thanksgiving with family and friends eating a feast but when we focus on the gift instead of the giver then we have missed the true meaning of thanksgiving. That's what happened to the nine lepers for they focused on the gift of healing instead of the gift of the Giver that they ignored or forgot to come back to Jesus to give Him thanks for their healing. But, there was a Samaritan who remembered not only the gift of healing but the Giver of healing and went back to Jesus to give thanksgiving. You and I can do that too friend remembering everything we can be thankful for each day.

The place we give thanksgiving when that place involves the Lord Jesus Christ will make us well spiritually as Jesus promised the Samaritan: Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."

I also believe our health and joyfulness in life is tied to thanksgiving! No wonder Jesus says, "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thess 5:16-17, NIV)

What is giving of thanksgiving anyway than praying continually to the One who is the Giver of all things daily in our lives. Praise the Lord! Thank you Jesus.

May you remember this day that Thanksgiving is more than just turkey, stuffing, and football but the essence of Thanksgiving is JESUS CHRIST. Amen!

"Thanksgiving Has A Nurturing Kindle Seeking God's Inspiration Valiantly Inviting Now Grace!" (T.H.A.N.K.S.G.I.V.I.N.G)/"What place do you give T.H.A.N.K.S.G.I.V.I.N.G in your life?"

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for everything that you have blessed our life with. Help me to be specific each day Oh Lord to thank you and count my blessings in this life you have given me. Thank you so much Jesus. Thank you for all that you have done for our families. I love you Lord and need you. Thanks Lord as we celebrate Thanksgiving, it does not have to be a one day event but a daily event for you are the Giver of all Gifts and the Source of life for us. Thank you so much Jesus for this time and being our Lord and Savior to all who turn their lives to thee because you have given an invitation at the cross of Calvary. Thank you for that invitation which is a free gift of your grace. I love you Jesus and need you. Take me as I am and use me for your honor and glory. Help me live for you Jesus. Thanks so much Jesus for dying for my sin to cover me in your precious blood and coming back to life to save me. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

Lord Jesus, You are my all in all. You are my Prince of Peace, Rock, Savior, and Friend. You are my Holy Father guiding me through to live a life of righteousness, holy righteousness. Oh God, I need you more than ever. I need to feel your hands around me holding me tight. I need your love to surround me so that you can glow in my life. Help me please Jesus. I desire in your presence. Thank you for guiding me to live a life of righteousness. Oh God you love me more than ever. You hear my voice when I cry out to you. When I seek your face, you fill me up. You are my all in all. Thank you Jesus so much for your help no matter what I face, your grace is available and you take my case. Thank you for hearing us and answering us. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! AMEN! (Most of the prayer is from a vineyard song called “All in All”)

You don't have to be locked away anymore for Christ is here to free you and give you peace to LIVE out your actions.

How do you look at GODISNOWHERE?

One of my pastors, Pastor Hugo SHARED this example one Sunday at the RESURRECTION DAY SERVICE in the combined worship service of Pittsburgh Chinese Church-Oakland & Oakland International Fellowship:

If you look at it as GOD IS NO WHERE, you will still be lost in your sin and be in bondage locked away in your sins and problems finding no peace.

But  as my pastor spoke to the congregation and spoke to me, I am here to tell you that GOD IS NOW HERE.

Yes, friend God is aLIVE and wants to bring a transformation in your life through the GRACE of our Lord Jesus Christ for He paid the penalty on the cross to rescue you and me and came back to life to save us and LIVE with us.

Yes, friend that is exciting to know that we can experience HIS SAVING GRACE & LIVING GRACE.

When we mess up, we can go to Jesus with our shortcomings and He will forgive us and RESTORE us to Him and we will find peace in Him.

^"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 6:23, NIV)

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." (1 John 1:7-9, NIV)

Friend, we need Jesus because we have been separated from God due to our sin. Because of our sin, Jesus had to pay the price to become our bridge so we can reach God now not of our own good works but because of the finished work of Christ, the Lord on the cross.

"For it is by GRACE you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9, NIV)

Come to Jesus as you are and pray this prayer to accept Jesus as your Lord and Personal Savior. He will transform your life around! Praise the Lord! You don't have to have all the answers! You can come as you are!

If you want to be a soldier in the Lord's army, you can become it right now. Now is the time of Salvation! You do not have to wait but can pray this prayer and give your life to Christ to serve Him daily! There is no draft but coming to Christ is voluntary. He loves you so much and wants you to come to Him! He will take care of you, guiding you and leading you!

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!