WHY WE SHOULD BE THANKFUL FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, ESPECIALLY DURING THANKSGIVING
America was the first nation in world history to grant religious freedom. We should all be so thankful for this enormous blessing. In Europe and other parts of the world vast numbers of people suffered horribly because of their beliefs. American colonists primarily came to the new world to escape religious persecution. They learned that the government should stay out of enforcing religious rules but, at the same time, the people were very religious and Bible oriented. They protected churches from the government but did not keep basic Biblical morality out of government. Thomas Jefferson said this in his famous letter protecting the Danberry Baptist Church from the government with a wall of separation. Secularists have turned his statement upside down in an effort to distort the meaning. We should first of all be thankful on this Thanksgiving for our calling and Biblical understanding while most minds for now are closed.
1 Corinthians 1:26-30 NKJV 26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence. 30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption--
God has chosen the weak people of this world to call in the first resurrection period the most blessed resurrection. We must first be thankful for our calling to be among the first in the family of God. It is a gift; we cannot earn it.
1 Corinthians 2:9-11 NKJV 9 But as it is written: Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him." 10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.
The world cannot fully understand the truth of God. We should be so thankful on this Thanksgiving that we are both called by God, and living in America. We can see the truth, then repent with full understanding, and be baptized by God's church and start the salvation process. How blessed and lucky!
2 Timothy 1:9-10 NKJV 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, 10 but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel,
We can be so thankful for our calling and especially in a country with religious freedom.
HORRIBLE PERSECUTIONS IN EUROPE, THE JEWS, CONVERSOS, AND THE INQUISITION
In 1492 the year Columbus discovered the new world, Spain and Portugal were under going momentous changes that overshadowed Columbus. They had defeated the Muslims and then demanded that all Jews convert to Catholicism or leave. It was the dreaded edict of expulsion. On 31 March 1492, Isabella and Ferdinand’s royal edict gave their Jewish subjects three months in which to convert to Catholicism or leave Spain. This was a great catastrophe for the Jews and any Holy Day keeping believers as well. Ultimately it is estimated that about 75% of the Jews were intimidated into abandoning their faith. They became CONVERSOS or new converts to Catholicism. This is unprecedented in Jewish history. How did it happen and why? In 1391, a royal court of Castile,(The Crown of Aragon, which later became a part of Spain), some friars preaching against the Jews led to a wave of violence throughout the peninsula. Europe was racked by anti-Semitic turmoil, but the violence of 1391 against the Jews was unprecedented in Spanish history. Clergymen, such as Ferrán Martínez de Ecija in Seville and Vincent Ferrer from the Crown of Aragon, aroused popular fury against the Jews. One of the consequences of the pogroms was massive conversions of Jews to Catholicism over a period of years. If we are persecuted we should remain strong. What were the real reasons for the apparent conversions?
Matthew 5:11-12 NKJV 11 "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 "Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
The number one reason some converted was to avoid death; the second and third reasons were for financial and social gains. Those who converted for the positive gains, it is believed, were very secular. They had only a weak belief in God. So why not just become a weak Catholic as opposed to a weak Jew in belief, and get all the benefits. What a horrible thing to do to people, forcing them to violate their consciences or be exiled or worse. We know the real reason that this and similar events happened in this Satan dominated world. The Devil hates our Savior Jesus, born Jewish, and he hates them all. He also hates spiritual Jews as well (the Church of God). Further all those who have the sign of God and His name are hated intensely by evil spiritual forces in high places. Note Ephesians 6:10-12 and Romans 2:28-29:
Romans 2:28-29 NKJV 28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God...Eph.6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
In addition to understanding this spiritually driven hatred, we need to know what is the sign of the people of the true God that Satan hates. Growing anti-Christian sentiment also can be seen today in our secular society.
Exodus 31:13 NKJV 13 "Speak also to the children of Israel, saying: 'Surely My Sabbaths you shall keep, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know that I am the LORD who sanctifies you.
All the Sabbaths both the weekly and the annual ones become a sign of the true God and his people. Some of the Conversos tried to keep both the Sabbath and Sunday. The Inquisition went after them in a brutal manner later. Some conversos even asked the Inquisitors for a grace period on eating pork. Americans can be thankful that we never had to put up with these levels of government driven persecutions.
THANKFULNESS IS PART OF BEING HAPPY AND CONTENTED
Presidents Lincoln and Washington promoted Thanksgiving. It is good for all citizens to show thankfulness. It is spiritually good for us. In the end time when people are so evil they will be devoid of thankfulness.
2 Timothy 3:1-4 NKJV 1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, UNTHANKFUL, unholy, 3 unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, … pleasure rather than lovers of God,
We can avoid this spiritual wasteland in part by emphasizing thanking God and others frequently. We should teach our children thankfulness as well. Actions which automatically work are called laws. They cannot be denied. Gravity is a law, so is thankfulness. The first observable law is that 'Spiritual blessings come to those who are thankful'. Therefore it is assumed that law observation number two is the opposite of law one ' Spiritual Decadence comes with a LACK OF thankfulness or ingratitude'. Those who are not grateful or thankful seem more vulnerable to evil influences.
Romans 1:21 NKJV 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
The Apostle Paul further encouraged thankfulness. He emphasized thankfulness to help us grow.
Ephesians 5:18-20 NKJV 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 GIVING THANKS ALWAYS for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Paul is stating that thankfulness is a major force to buoy up the spirits of believers. It can help strengthen the believers in Christ in our hearts, just as music and other positive emotional activities do. The believer that is thanking God for blessings, and even trials, is getting stronger. The act of thanking draws Christians closer to Christ. One of the secrets of spiritual peace is being thankful.
Philippians 4:6-7 NKJV 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with THANKSGIVING, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
THE P ERSON WHO IS THANKFUL for whatever God has blessed him with is more likely to be mature enough to remain contented in all situations. This leads to law observation number three' Happy, contented people are mature, grateful and thankful '. The thankful people can handle all situations better than the spoiled people who are easily made discontented and are usually unthankful and mad.
Philippians 4:11-12 NKJV 11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.
This contented statement comes just a few lines after Paul recommends being thankfulness.
