THURSDAY IS THANKSGIVING DAY

Psa 50:23  Whoso offereth the sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifieth me; And to him that ordereth his way aright Will I show the salvation of God. ASV

Psa 50:23  Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God. KJV

          This week we shall celebrate Thanksgiving Day.  I love this day.  It is to me the best of all the special days we celebrate except the Lord’s Day each Sunday.  In a couple more months I shall be 85 years old.  I have so much to be thankful for, that I cannot count the blessings.

          I am thankful for my heritage.  I was born in poverty and did not know it.  I remember the log house, and I remember the outdoor toilet.  I remember the light of the oil lamp.  I remember going with my father into the woods and cutting wood for cooking and heating.  I remember standing by the fireplace or wood heater and getting real warm before running to jump in the bed loaded with cover to keep me warm.  I remember taking a bath in an old wash tub.  I remember what a thrill it was when I could go to grandmother’s house and take a bath in an indoor bathtub with heated water.

          I remember the teaching that formed my life.  I was taught that God must be first in my life at all cost.  I remember that the Bible was not a book to lie on the coffee table; it was to be the guide of my life.  I remember a family (including grandparents) that taught me that I could make it in life, if I had ambition and put myself to the task.  I was taught to not be satisfied with the run of the mill, but to aspire to improve myself.  I remember when our Dad would bring us all together and pray with us.

          I remember school where we read the Bible and prayed.  I remembered when teachers were free to do so and did seek to mold our lives in literacy and morality.  They had not yet become tools to build a welfare state.  I remember they taught me life is what you make it.

          I remember the honor given to the founding fathers of our great country.  I remember that the USA was the best country in the world, and we were so fortunate to have this free country, the home of the brave.  I remember we lived in a country whose motto was In God We Trust.  For all this and more I am thankful.

          I am also thankful for my experiences.  I remember the old brush arbors and tent meetings.  I remember when people sang the old Hymns and glorified God.  I remember the joy that we all experienced when we praised the Lord in the music that said something.  I remember also the preaching that held the sinner over hell fire until he almost scorched.  He was made to see his sin and the punishment he deserved.  I remember the preaching that held forth the dying Savior and His resurrection as the only way to Heaven, but it was the sure way.  We were made to almost see the blood run from His wounds.

          I remember old time revivals.  I lived and began my ministry in a time of revival up the east coast of our country.  People were being saved in large numbers.  Men were being called to preach, and new churches were being built.  Many of the new churches came about because people were being alerted to the false teaching that was being made popular, and they separated themselves to the old orthodox faith.  Christians had a burden for souls, and they witnessed and brought friends to hear the gospel who quite often were saved.  I remember baptisms in the old mill ponds and other such sources of much water.

          I must draw this to a close, but I want to also remember the Great God Jehovah Who made all this possible.  I am so thankful for His sovereign electing grace.  I am so thankful for our union with Christ, God's Son, from before the foundation of the world.  I rejoice that He saved me.  I feel privileged and greatly blessed that He chose me and let me serve Him as a Baptist Pastor for a full 60 years.  I rejoice that He has enabled me to write and publish 5 books.

          I rejoice also in the healing that He has given me.  April 29, 2013 I underwent surgery to remove my prostate and bladder because of cancer.  My surgeon said I was close to death.  Yet God brought me through it.  I am now in pretty good health.  At my age I never expect to be a pastor again, but I can preach revivals, conferences, special meetings, etc.  In the mean time I continue to write, and I maintain my blog where I continually hold forth God's truth,. Oh!  How thankful I am.

          I am also thankful for people.  I am thankful for my Godly grand-parents, my Godly parents, my two brothers, and my sister.  I am also thankful for my precious wife of 54 years, and my 4 precious daughters.  I am thankful for the doctors and nurses who have ministered to me.  I am thankful for our church and the compassion of the people there.  I am thankful for a Godly Pastor that preaches the Word.  I am thankful for the people in the churches I have been privileged to pastor.  I am thankful for all my friends including you.

          Heading into this Thanksgiving Day then I want to thank and honor my God with this expression of some of the things for which I am thankful.