First Christian

By Bruce Humes

Pastor

It is the fall season, a time for cooler weather, perhaps some rain, and a time to celebrate several holidays, beginning with Veterans Day. We celebrated Veterans Day several weeks ago, but in reality, we should celebrate our veterans each day. Why? Because of the sacrifices they made, both past and present, that protect and preserve the freedoms that we enjoy today.

Now Thanksgiving Day is approaching. It is a day set aside to give thanks to almighty God for his blessings. At times, it’s difficult to get into the Thanksgiving mode, such as this year; in the midst of a pandemic, it’s difficult to get excited because of the varying restrictions. However, because it’s a day set aside to give thanks to almighty God, we should go to his word to get some encouragement during difficult times.

Psalm 100 is a psalm of thanksgiving, “Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; come before his presence with singing. Know that the Lord, he is God; It is he who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are his people and the sheep of his pasture.”

Three things to be thankful for in this passage is that God is God, he is our creator, and we are his people.

“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his court with praise. Be thankful to him, and bless his name. For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting, and his truth endures to all generations.” We can be thankful that God is good, he is merciful and it’s everlasting, and that he is enduring and everlasting truth.

Psalm 95:1-7 says, “Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to him with psalms. For the Lord is the great God, and the great king above all gods, in his hand are the deep places of the earth; The heights of the hills are his also. The sea is his, for he made it; And his hands formed the dry land.” The three things to be thankful for in this passage are: (1) He is our rock of our salvation. (2) He is the great God. (3) He is our creator God.

Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our maker. For he is our God, and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. Philippians 4:4-7 says, “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” This Thanksgiving, let’s give thanks to him who guards our hearts and minds and gives a peace that surpasses understanding and that he is at hand.

If you want to speak to someone at the church or if you have a need, call the church office at (562) 431-8810. Leave a recorded message and someone will return your call as soon as possible.