The scripture I’m using this morning as a basis for this lesson is I Thessalonians 5:16-18 which reads – “ 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” This c oming Thursday, we’ll gather around tables filled with food and surrounded by family. We will think about the four “F’s” – food, family, fellowship, and football. Our national Thanksgiving holiday puts us in a frame of mind of being thankful for all we have, a day to remember all that Jehovah has done for us. Thanksgiving though is not just a day on the calendar; it’s an attitude of the heart and for Christians it’s an attitude which we should hold onto and celebrate every day. Notice in the scripture just read - when the apostle Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, he told them to “…give thanks “ in ” all circumstances;” I Thessalonians 5:18a Paul did not say “for” all circumstances, he said “...
It’s a beautiful day today. The sky is clear, the trees are shedding their leaves as they do with the onset of the season and with it comes the coolness of fall. God’s creation is truly beautiful and amazing. I want to talk for a few minutes about something no one wants to think about, much less talk about. That is… death. In particular your own death. Death comes at some point to all living things be it plant or animal. One day, I will die. One day you will die. It is a door which every single person, regardless of wealth, or status, or power absolutely must walk through. Death does not care if you are rich or poor, beautiful or ugly, a star athlete or a fan in the stands. It doesn’t care if you are black, white or brown. It doesn’t care if you are from America, Ethiopia, Vietnam or Bora Bora. Death is truly the “Great Equalizer.” Life has a 100% mortality rate. We can delay death with medicine and machines, we can ignore the thought of it in our daily l...