America just celebrated Thanksgiving, a day which is set aside to be thankful for God’s blessings. I often wonder who or what atheists thank. Maybe they are thankful to the football teams for taking over the television with football. For my part, I’m thankful for all that God provides. When I think about it, He provides everything.
“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).
What if He hadn’t created the heaven and earth? No further creation could happen. If there was no place upon which creation could sit, we’d all be floating around in space, seldom coming in contact with anybody or anything. I’m thankful to God for creating this earth and placing it exactly where it needs to be in order for the sun to warm it but not make it too hot for life to thrive. Scientists call this the anthropic principle, which means that all things are very precise and fine-tuned to make human habitation possible. My reaction to that is, “Duh, that’s because God made it for us.” Bible-believing Christians know that this wasn’t an accident.
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:1-3).
Who was the “Word”? The answer is simple. The Word was Jesus Christ. He spoke all things into existence, and He made all things.
The Apostle Paul wasn’t confused by myths. He knew that the world wasn’t supported on the shoulders of Atlas, or any other myth. He wrote in a letter to the Colossian believers about God, “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist” (Colossians 1:13-17).
That word “consist” is translated from the Greek word “synistemi” and simply means Jesus holds all things together. One day, He will let go, and what a disaster that will be. Christians will be Raptured before that happens, but we can be thankful that Jesus is holding all things together. Jesus created all things, including angels. If anybody tries to convince you that Jesus and Lucifer are brothers, pray for them. They are not brothers; in fact, Lucifer is a created being, whereas Christ has always been and is the Creator. Why aren’t we more thankful for what God has done and is doing for us? Celebrate Christ every day.
People like to complicate things, and many also try to take the glory away from God. Some would have us believe, as Chuck Missler liked to say, first there was nothing, then it exploded. From this big bang came all of the plants, animals, water, people, the air we breathe, etc. They would have us believe that soil that is able to grow plants just happened by chance, as did the plants themselves. Somehow, it all “evolved” just right so life could also “evolve.” By chance, rain happened to water the soil so plants can grow. I wonder what happened between soil coming together and a seed evolving and rain watering everything, or did rain come first? Why didn’t it wash away the soil? There were no plant roots to hold it together.
Plants, by chance, provide food for people and animals in just the right balance of nutrition to sustain life. The “by chance” happenings just go on and on in the fantasy world of evolution in more and more unbelievable ways. Study Genesis to take the confusion away.
God did it all with a plan; it didn’t evolve by happenstance. Bible teachers have dropped the ball by not teaching the truth of God’s word. When the Apostle Paul was mentoring a young pastor named Timothy, he encouraged him to stay true to Scripture instead of teaching false knowledge as if it were true knowledge.
“O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science falsely so called: Which some professing have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee. Amen” (1 Timothy 6:20-21).
Science has been twisted to eliminate truth. We learn in Genesis that it was Satan who first twisted God’s truth so that he confused Eve, who ate the forbidden fruit that God clearly told Adam not to eat. When God’s truth is twisted to fit an agenda, there is always trouble.
When we understand that God has created everything, we should be grateful. That gratitude should lead us to obey Him. We should never twist His truth to make our sin seem acceptable. There is much evil in this world and it’s glorified and made to look as if it’s fun and not hurting anybody. There has been a shift in “normal” to claim that those who honor the Lord are the abnormal ones. God hasn’t changed, so Christians must be true to His word.
“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” (Isaiah 5:20).
All it takes is for a Christian to study Scripture and believe it to see that wickedness has no place in the life of someone who loves the Lord. It’s God who defines right and wrong, not the liberal thinkers who are powered by Satan and accept everything except God’s truth. When God is rejected as creator, what happens? Study Romans chapter 1 and find out. Then, look at news headlines and hear about “pride parades” and transgender thinking, and you’ll see that the Bible is true. Prophecy is probably the best proof of God’s word being truth. Prophecy is being fulfilled quickly. Again, watch the news and keep your eyes on Israel. Christians need to take Scripture seriously and not waiver. Remember, God is correct in all matters.
“Therefore, my beloved brethren be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 15:58).
Many Christians today have let go of God’s truth. People claim to be Christians but can’t quote even one verse. Many don’t know why they think they are Christians and don’t believe much of Scripture. My husband thought he was a Christian because he lived in the United States. When he finally came to understand what Christianity is, he was amazed and fell in love with Jesus and Scripture. It changed his life. Most people like the parts about grace and mercy but don’t like to follow the rules God has laid down. What stops us from having unmovable faith? Is it fear? We would do better to fear God rather than fear the opinions of fellow humans. People will always fail, but God is eternal and will never fail.
The next big holiday to be celebrated is Christmas. It’s supposed to celebrate the Creator of the universe stepping into His creation as a human – Immanuel, God with us. That name, or should I say description, was a prophecy found in Isaiah.
“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sin; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).
We can always count on the fact that Biblical prophecy will always be fulfilled. This prophecy was fulfilled when a young virgin named Mary submitted herself to God and became pregnant. She was engaged to Joseph, a carpenter, and he was also obedient to God and took his place as the stepfather of Jesus. Joseph and Mary had other children together after Jesus was born, but Jesus was the only begotten Son of God, conceived by the Holy Spirit. In that way, His blood was not tainted by Adam’s sin and qualified Him to be our Redeemer.
Since Mary was human, Jesus was a kinsman to humanity. When He offered Himself for our salvation on the cross, He was fully God and fully human – our Kinsman Redeemer. His pure blood was shed to take our sin away, not just cover sin as animal sacrifices did. We learn from the Apostle John that Jesus was the Word, which was in the beginning, and the Creator. We also learn He became human.
“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:14).
That’s something to be thankful for. If you haven’t put your faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, you need to do that now. Biblical prophecy will always be fulfilled, and the end times prophecies are being fulfilled quickly.
When you celebrate a holiday, whether it be the birth of Christ or His resurrection, be sure you remember what you celebrate. Keep Christ in the celebration.
God bless you all.
Nathele Graham
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All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God-breathed.
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“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee” (Psalm 122:6).