THANKSGIVING

Sermon Notes, November 23, 2014

Rev. Dan White

            Pastor Dan began his Thanksgiving message with the reminder that over 2,000 years ago Jesus came to go to the cross so our sins could be paid for, because He loved us.  Give thanks for it!  We have many things to be thankful for, including the fact that we live in America, and ordinary blessings such as food, warmth, beautiful sunsets, and modern conveniences. 

            Psalm 145:1-7 tells us of many ways we can sing praise to Him for what He’s done for us.  God is good, all the time!  All the time, God is good!  Praise the Lord when we wake up; praise the Lord when we go to bed.

            God takes care of us; He meets our needs.  Elijah’s story (1 Kings 17) illustrates this for us.  After his tremendous victory over the prophets of Baal on Mt. Carmel, Queen Jezebel threatened to kill him, and Elijah ran to a creek on the other side of the Jordan to hide from her.  God sent ravens to feed him.  When the creek dried up because no rain fell, God told him to go to Zarephath, where a widow would feed him.  When he got there, he found a widow gathering sticks.  He asked her for water and bread.  She told him she had no bread.  She was going to build a fire to cook a last meal for her son and herself, using  the last of her flour and oil.  Elijah told her to give him a meal first, and that God said her flour and oil would not run out until the drought was over.  Elijah was a prophet and did what God said.  The widow shared what the Lord gave her, and God took care of her and her son.

            God is looking at the needs of His people.  He will bless us like he did Elijah and the widow.  He will help us with the things we need.