A Plea For True Thankfulness

Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!  Psalm 107:8

      Why is it so difficult for us to be truly, as in complete and wholehearted, thankful to our God?  We are so eager to be thankful to a person who shows us some favor or does something we think of as wonderful.  But when it comes to God, Who literally gives us everything we have, we forget.  Or worse yet, we complain that He hasn't done enough!  It is from our Heavenly Father that we receive all that we have.  "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights."  James 1:17   Praise the Lord, not man.   

            Humans have nothing and do nothing to be praised for.  This might be a hard thought for some to entertain.  But it is the truth.  We have nothing of our own that merits any praise or honor.  The word for praise means to give thanks, confess as in acknowledge as fact.  It contains the idea of  'stretch out the open hand' which shows that I have nothing.  I must receive all things from the one I am stretched out toward.

            When we praise another human being we are revealing our own pride.  We give them something we have.  It might be our effusive words, a position of honor, money, or some other token of our greatness in acknowledging them.  But when we praise God, it must be done in an attitude of humility and submission.  We reach out an empty hand, showing that we claim nothing of our own as an offering.  We freely admit that we must receive from Him all things.  "All things come of Thee, and of Thine own have we given Thee."  1 Chronicles 29:14  

            But more than just realizing and acknowledging our great need, a spirit of thankfulness is for our own good.  It is not just a necessary part of life, it is essential for life to exist at all.  Proverbs 17:22 says:  "A merry heart does good like a medicine; but a broken spirit dries up the bones."   A merry heart is a rejoicing heart, an attitude of joy and thanksgiving.  What happens when we receive a gift?  We are happy, we say thank you, we have joy.  This positive emotion, this "merry heart" brings healing and maintains health.  But a "broken spirit", depression, guilt, self-centeredness, failure to acknowledge thanks for what I have received, will depress the immune system.  We become more susceptible to pain and disease.

      Today let us determine to follow the words of Psalm 9:1:  "I will give thanks unto the LORD with my whole heart; I will tell of all Thy marvelous works."  Let us give thanks wholeheartedly, in all we do.  Then let's tell others how wonderful God is and how much we love Him.   We have so very much to be thankful for!  "Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!"

The Wrath Of God

          Revelation 14:9-10 is a special message God is sending to earth now to prepare people for the return of Jesus.  Here is the message:  "If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation...."  The part I want to focus on today is "the wrath of God".  What is this wrath; this from the heart, passionate anger, that we are warned about?  Is it something we are familiar with?  Has it ever been shown by God before?

            Some may say it has been revealed many times.  Take the flood for instance, where the people were so corrupt that God destroyed them with a flood of water.  Or perhaps the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, where God rained fire and brimstone and destroyed them with fire.  We could mention other times when wickedness was so great that, in mercy, God had to intervene before the whole world self destructed.  But our text tells of a time when God's wrath will be poured out on this world "without mixture", without any mercy mixed with it.  It is the most fearful and solemn warning ever given.

            At no time in the past has anyone received the death that is the payment for their sin.  The Bible says "the wages of sin is death...."  (Romans 6:23).  The death we all go through now is but a prelude to one of two resurrections where we will receive our reward.  The first resurrection which results in eternal life, or the second resurrection that results in eternal damnation - judgment that ends in eternal separation from the presence of the Lord. (2 Thessalonians 1:9)  Jesus spoke of this in John 5:28-29:  "for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation (judgment)." 

            Right now, before the Second Coming of Jesus, there is an investigation going on in heaven to see if those who have professed Christ have sincerely and earnestly endeavored to follow Him.  Has my profession of Christ been in word and in truth?  If so, then my life is covered by the life of Jesus and whether I live or die I will be a part of the righteous who are taken to heaven at the return of Christ, and  "so shall we ever be with the Lord."  (1 Thessalonians 4:17)   "He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life." (John 5:24) 

            But do we have any sample of the "second death", the punishment of "the wrath of God without mixture"?  Have we ever seen the real "wrath (furious anger) of God"?  Has it been revealed so we can know what it is and  "flee from the wrath to come?" (Matthew 3:7 & Luke 3:7)  Yes it has.  Remember that in order for God to be "both Just and Justifier" (Romans 3:26), the full penalty of sin had to be paid.  On the cross of Calvary, Jesus paid the complete price for our sins.  He endured the full wrath of God against sin.  On the cross we see displayed the wrath of God, poured out without any mixture of mercy.  Only at the cross can we see the full wrath, the righteous anger, of God against sin. 

            Look, O sinner, look at Jesus, Who by taking our sins on Himself, was made to be sin for us! (2 Corinthians 5:21) Hear the bitter, anguished cry of Jesus, struggling for breath, crying out in agony:  "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?!" (Mark 15:34) Think of the literally eternal love the Father and Son have always had for each other broken up, destroyed because of the sin Jesus became for us.  Have you ever been in love and had that love relationship broken up?  Did it hurt?  Then you can understand a tiny, tiny bit of what God and Jesus went through.  Because of your sin on Jesus, God broke up their love relationship.  He poured out His wrath against sin onto His own Son. 

            It is at the cross that we can see the "wrath of God poured out without mixture."  At the cross we see the just penalty for sin.   At the cross we are shown what the wrath of God is like.  If, after the light of the cross we turn and worship all that is opposed to God, it will be only right that we suffer the just punishment for our rebellion.  Look at the cross and flee from the wrath to come, to the Savior Who has made provision there for your salvation.

Unless We Repent

          What are we supposed to say in face of the terrible things happening in our country?  How can we respond when someone takes their guns and shoots a bunch of people in a school, church, work place, or any other location where they thought they were safe?  As people given a special last-day message from God, can we provide any particular hope or comfort?  Will our voice be lost among the many trying to offer solace, hope, and solution, or will it stand out as noteworthy and divine?

       Here are a couple statements from religious leaders: 

                "I would like to take this opportunity to dialogue.... We are asked to summon the courage and the intelligence to resolve today’s many geopolitical and economic crises. Even in the developed world, the effects of unjust structures and actions are all too apparent. Our efforts must aim at restoring hope, righting wrongs, maintaining commitments, and thus promoting the well-being of individuals and of peoples. We must move forward together, as one, in a renewed spirit of fraternity and solidarity, cooperating generously for the common good."  (Pope Francis, US Congress 2015)

            “It is time for our society to engage in open, honest, civil, and productive conversation about finding solutions to put an end once and for all to gun violence. We pray that this tragedy will bring about much needed change and address the pandemic of gun violence."  (A Religious Leader)

                These are religious leaders.  Is this the kind of message we are supposed to be giving to the world?  Is it true that if we will just talk to each other, try to understand each other better, that we will find a solution to our problems and create a peaceful society - a heaven on earth? 

            I am here to tell you the message from God is very different.  The situation when Jesus came to earth the first time is very similar to what we see today.  

            "At the time of the birth of Christ.... The deception of sin had reached its height. All the agencies for depraving the souls of men had been put in operation. The Son of God, looking upon the world, beheld suffering and misery. With pity He saw how men had become victims of satanic cruelty. He looked with compassion upon those who were being corrupted, murdered, and lost. They had chosen a ruler who chained them to his car as captives. Bewildered and deceived, they were moving on in gloomy procession toward eternal ruin,--to death in which is no hope of life, toward night to which comes no morning. Satanic agencies were incorporated with men. The bodies of human beings, made for the dwelling place of God, had become the habitation of demons. The senses, the nerves, the passions, the organs of men, were worked by supernatural agencies in the indulgence of the vilest lust. The very stamp of demons was impressed upon the countenances of men. Human faces reflected the expression of the legions of evil with which they were possessed. Such was the prospect upon which the world's Redeemer looked. What a spectacle for Infinite Purity to behold! 

            Sin had become a science, and vice was consecrated as a part of religion. Rebellion had struck its roots deep into the heart, and the hostility of man was most violent against heaven. It was demonstrated before the universe that, apart from God, humanity could not be uplifted. A new element of life and power must be imparted by Him who made the world. {Desire of Ages 29-37}

Matthew 3:1-3  "In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea saying:  Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.... The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight."

            Society then was much like it is today.  Government was corrupt, religious leaders were hypocritical.  Evil and violence were constants in the lives of everyone.  When John the Baptist was given his work to prepare people for the coming of the Messiah, it was a message of Repentance toward God which was the only way there could be any change.  The same call, the same solution, was offered by Jesus.

Mark 1:14    Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God saying:  The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.  

            Then we have this experience from the life of Jesus that underscores the lesson.  Some "news" was brought to Jesus about unjust government actions and also a terrible "act of God" tragedy.  Did He organize a protest, have anything to say about possible "unsafe working conditions", or other such responses such as we are used to hearing today?  Read the passage and hear Him as He speaks.  

Luke 13:1-5    "...except ye repent ye shall all likewise perish."

            God cares when terrible things happen.  Jesus is not indifferent to our tragedies.  But He also knows that there is only one hope for humanity today.  It is not here in this earth. It can only come from God.

            The problem in our world is SIN.  When was the first murder?  When were women first abused?  After sin entered.  (see Genesis 4)  The great need in our world today is the same as ever - Repent, Obey the Lord, Prepare to meet Him.  Everywhere we look we see the result of sin, which is disobedience to God's law.  God wants us to see the effect of sin so we will turn away from it (repent) in our life and never want to disobey Him ever again.

            9T 13   "There are not many, even among educators and statesmen, who comprehend the causes that underlie the present state of society. Those who hold the reins of government are not able to solve the problem of moral corruption, poverty, pauperism, and increasing crime. They are struggling in vain to place business operations on a more secure basis. If men would give more heed to the teaching of God's word, they would find a solution of the problems that perplex them."