"Forever Thankful"

“Forever Thankful”

 

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses.  You are saved by grace!             Ephesians 2:4-5

 

As a nation, we are looking forward to the day set aside for a time of THANKSGIVING.  A time when families gather together to eat, and visit with each other.  I wonder how many will offer a prayer of THANKSGIVING to God for ALL He has done.  For some it may be the ONLY time they offer a prayer of THANKSGIVING. 

 

For the TRUE BELIEVER, it SHOULD be a time, like MANY other times, when they REFLECT on ALL that God HAS done and IS currently doing in their lives. And to offer a prayer of THANKSGIVING, with a HEART-FELT ATTITUDE of THANKSGIVING.  Two of the MOST IMPORTANT things for them to be FOREVER THANKFUL for are:  God’s MERCY and His GRACE.

 

His MERCY, because of His GREAT LOVE they do NOT RECEIVE what they DESERVE.  They were spiritually dead to God, and without the HOPE of Heaven.  The Apostle Peter says: “Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”   (1 Peter 2:10)   Once they were headed for an ETERNITY in Hell, with ALL of its HORRORS, and NO WAY of ESCAPE, but when they gave their HEART and LIFE to God, He gave them the RIGHT to be called the CHILDREN of GOD, and to spend ALL ETERNITY in Heaven with Him.  So they SHOULD be FOREVER THANKFUL for His MERCY.

 

His GRACE, because they WILL RECEIVE blessings they do NOT DESERVE.  For ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  They are justified FREELY by His GRACE through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:23-24)  They have RECEIVED FREELY God’s gift of ETERNAL LIFE in HEAVEN.  They are SAVED BY GRACE! 

 

MERCY and GRACE are what EVERY TRUE BELIEVER SHOULD be FOREVER THANKFUL for.  What about YOU?  Have you RECEIVED God’s MERCY and GRACE or are you DOOMED to an ETERNITY in Hell, with NO WAY of ESCAPE?  If you have NOT given your HEART and LIFE to God, then you are NOT experiencing His MERCY and GRACE, but are living in DISOBEDIENCE to God and facing JUDGMENT.  You NOW have the opportunity to change your destiny.  You MUST TURN AWAY FROM your sinful lifestyle, and TURN TO God, with a TRUE REPENTANT HEART. You MUST CONFESS your sins to Him and ask Him for His FORGIVENESS.  You MUST BELIEVE, with ALL your HEART that, Jesus died for YOU, and is ALIVE in Heaven, making intercession for you, before God.  Then you MUST ACCEPT His gift of SALVATION, and be FOREVER THANKFUL for His MERCY and GRACE.  Do this NOW, while you still can.  He’s waiting and coming SOON!!!