Thanksgiving is a couple of days away and I’m looking forward to it. My wife bought a turkey today and she’s already planning on everything that she’s going to make with it. Every year we always have turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potato’s, cranberries, as well as other dishes along with various pies for dessert. I don’t like pumpkin pie, but the rest of my family loves it.
This thanksgiving season, I’m thinking about everything that I’m thankful for. I’m thankful for my wife. She is my best friend and we’ve been married for 18 years. I’m thankful for my kids. I’m thankful for my job. I’m thankful that I have a roof over my head, food to eat and clothes to wear. I’m thankful for my church. I’m thankful for my friends; especially my evangelistic friends.
But most of all, I’m thankful for God and His amazing free gift of salvation. I’m so very thankful for the sacrifice that Jesus made 2,000 years ago. How He was born of the virgin Mary. How He lived a sinless and perfect life. How He willingly laid down His life for guilty sinners like you and me. How he willingly suffered much pain and violence at the hand of the Roman soldiers. How by His stripes (the 39 violent lashes across His back) we are healed. How He willingly took on the sins of the world while He hung on that cruel, cruel cross for six long torturous hours – bearing the wrath of God the whole time He hung there. How He died on that cross, was buried and rose victoriously from the grave three days later (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).
I’m thankful that six years ago, God gave me the thought that I wasn’t very close to Him. How He gave me the idea to call my brother and tell him that I didn’t feel close to God. I’m thankful that my brother asked me if I was reading the Bible every day. When I told him that I wasn’t, he challenged me to read the Scriptures each and every day. I’m thankful that I followed his godly advice. I’m thankful that God gave me the will power to follow through with it. I’m thankful that I started with Genesis 1:1 and finished up with Revelation 22:21.
I’m thankful that when I got to Matthew 7:21-23 that God startled me with the revelation that I was going to be one of those surprised people on Judgment Day. I’m thankful that God revealed to me that I really wasn’t saved. I’m thankful that God showed me that I had been a false convert for the past 33 years. I didn’t understand it at that exact moment, but I’m very thankful that God pricked my conscience.
I’m thankful that God spoke to me through His Word where Jesus said: Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity (Matthew 7:21-23).
I’m so very thankful that God said, “That is you.” Of course I was quite shocked at this statement. After all, I had said the sinner’s prayer when I was eleven years old. I had professed to being a Christian for the past 33 years! At that exact moment, I didn’t understand what was going on. I’m thankful that I continued reading the Bible, even after this earth shaking news. That I kept reading God’s Word, even though I didn’t understand why He was convicting me.
It had been years since I had read the Bible, but I remembered Romans 8:1 said that there is no more condemnation. I didn’t really understand why God was telling me that I was going to be judged on Judgment Day and that I would be found guilty (Hebrews 9:27), but I wanted to get to Romans 8:1 to appease my conscience.
But I didn’t jump ahead. I kept reading straight through. So after a couple of months I finally got to Romans 8:1. I was thankful that when I read the first part of that verse: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. Yes! “Whew” I thought. I don’t know what happened back there at Matthew 7:21-23, but now I read those wonderful words that I was no longer condemned. My conscience could be eased. I could go back to not worrying about my salvation (and living my life selfishly for myself).
I was reading the King James Version (other versions get to this same point in Romans 8:1-4) and I finished reading the sentence: There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. I’m extremely thankful that God opened my spiritually blind eyes, that He unhardened my heart of stone at that exact moment and revealed to me that I had been an unrepentant sinner for the past 33 years. I had never really had repentance toward God and faith toward Jesus Christ our Lord (Acts 20:21). The last part of Matthew 7:21 made sense to me now. I hadn’t followed the will of God the Father. I had never really repented.
I’m thankful that God convicted me, truly and soundly convicted me that I had never truly turned away from my sins and surrendered my life to Jesus. I’m so thankful that God pointed me back to Matthew 7:21-23 and showed me that if I continued down the broad path that I was on, that I would indeed end up in Hell for all of eternity (Matthew 7:13-14). That would have been my fate, even though I was one of those people walking around saying “Lord, Lord.” I was one of those people who professed Jesus with my mouth, but my heart was far from Him.
I’m so very thankful that God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16). I’m so thankful that salvation is the free gift from God (Romans 6:23 and Ephesians 2:8-9). I’m thankful that God isn’t willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:12). Unfortunately, there is not universal salvation. Salvation is found in Jesus and in Him alone, but it must be received.
When you recognize that you are a sinner and that you need to be saved, you want to cry out to God for Him to save you (Romans 10:9-10). For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:13). I’m so very thankful that God the great Creator, the creator of mankind and the whole universe, cared enough about me to open my eyes to my sins. That He convicted me while reading Romans 8:1 that I was a great sinner and that my sins had not been paid for. That I still owed the penalty for my sin debt.
I’m grateful and thankful that God showed me that I needed to be born again (John 3:5). I’m thankful that Jesus paid for my sins while He hung on the cross. I’m thankful that God convicted me over my sins. I’m so very, very grateful and thankful that God granted me repentance – godly sorrow over my sin (2 Corinthians 7:10) and that He also granted me faith in Jesus (1 Peter 1:21).
I’m thankful that God made me and that He loved me. I’m thankful that He saved me from Himself for Himself. I’m thankful that I have everlasting life because I have been redeemed by my Lord and Savior – Jesus Christ (Romans 3:24). I am grateful, eternally grateful to God. What are you thankful for?