The Rapture Force

Christmas poem

Christmas is pure joy,
For every girl and boy.

Childrens hearts a flutter
with every wish they utter.

Wishing hoping and praying
with those toys soon they’ll be playing.

Acting on their best behavior
hoping Santa shows them much favor.

Mom’s baking cookies oh yummy
gingerbread men go right into their tummy.

Many different boxes and wrapping
gifts that are clapping and tapping.

Stories that warm the heart
some even make you fall apart.

Coming together family and fun
all this because of God’s Son.

He came to give us abundant life
He came that we could fight evil strife.

The world is working hard to forget
that this Son God did beget.

God and sin is reconciled
through that one perfect child.

He came in such humility
That babe born of pure nobility.

Yes it’s Christmas time once more
time to Celebrate that Babe we adore.

His birth the Angel’s did proclaim
to the shepherds with much acclaim.

To me Christmas is Jesus observed birthday
I wouldn’t have it any other way.

When someone tries to tell you about being politically correct tell them to get lost. This is our Saviours time of year. I hope we can all remember Him throughout the year, and act as though every day is a celebration of his coming. It gives my heart joy always to know I was loved enough before the foundations of the earth were laid. That Jesus planned on coming all along that whosoever believes in him should have eternal life. I proclaim it loud and clear, I BELIEVE!!!!
I am one of his own! This I know with all my heart and all my soul. I am so sick of this being a fight. For 17 centuries now this time of year has been celebrated as Jesus Birth. Now all of a sudden we have to cow tow to every atheist,every muslim, every buddhist and every hindu’s wishes?
America was founded yes founded on Christian beliefs. Each and every pilgrim came here for religious freedom. If you do not like our religious choices tough cookies. Go home to your own country. We did not invite anyone here to come and tell us how we need to live. America was and has been free since it’s founding. The pilgrims all came carrying their bibles. They turned to God when they had nothing else they could count on, and he prospered their lives here.

Every one wants to bring their way of life to America. Which apparently was not working for them in their own country. So if it was not good enough for you in your own country with your own sets of laws then why come here and try to change us all to suit you? Our way of life seemed like such a dream come true to so many for many generations. We opened our doors to anyone who wanted to come for a better way. Now alls people do is complain about us. We are the only country who has helped many countries for as long as we have been around. Now everyone wants everything to be their way and not what we began as. Now God is being removed from just about everything and we get to suffer the consequences. The saddest part of all that is, no one understands when you tell God to get lost, there are major problems that arise. He gives people what they want , and alls they can do is wonder why everything is going wrong.

I refuse to bend  over to please any one person, religion or race. God does not even see your race,color,or creed. God sees if your washed in the blood or not. Well I am washed, I got soaked in his blood and now my heart is cleansed. I am seen by God. My heart is read by him always. I am one of his own and I don’t care who knows this. I will continue wishing people a Merry Christmas until the day my last breath is sucked out of me.
Merely 14% of Americans don’t like hearing Merry Christmas. That leaves 86% who like it who live by it and have lived by this tradition, this celebration since 338 A.D. Well ok America has not been around all that long. We are in fact the youngest country in the world. But look what being founded on Gods laws and Christianity has done for us. We rose faster and stronger than any country in the world. Now we find ourselves falling apart more and more, all for that 14% who refuse to acknowledge God. Lawsuits being prepared daily for someone whose feelings were hurt over something as little as hearing Gods name mentioned.
Or Jesus name.

My how far we have fallen almost as fast as we came to being the biggest super power in the world. we are sinking into being the least country in the world. Our country is mentioned nowhere in the bible prophecies for the coming times. I wonder if by that time,(which will not be far ahead in the future) we are not mentioned due to non existence. Or are we that Golden cup mentioned in Jeremiah 50 and 51 who will be completely and utterly destroyed? That country with a mother country who wont even look upon her for what she has become? That babylonian society spoken of who will be utterly ruined never to be inhabited again.
This is Christmas it will remain Christmas for Christ-ians.Nothing anyone can say or do, will change this in our washed minds. Our renewed minds.

This Christmas get the gift that has been freely given. The gift that is not earned. The gift that gives you rewards in Heaven, and eternal life. Accept the gift of Jesus coming living the perfect life taking on your sin dying for that sin being raised from the dead body and soul. Let me explain it this way, If someone you care about and who cares about you gave you a gift, and they spent years working on this gift so that it was made perfect for you. You get the gift and say thanks but oh no thanks I cannot accept it. That person would be blown away and hurt more than words can say. You would not do that right? Well it is the same with Jesus perfect gift of himself. He lived as a perfect person, yet took on your sin and died in those sins. He is giving you this gift free and clear. Nothing you can do will ever earn this gift. Gifts are not earned they are freely given. If you do not accept this gift, then you are earning hell for yourself.

Turn your life over to God surrender your hopes and dreams for your life. Trade them in for Gods plans for you. You were made on purpose for God to love you. Don’t throw that purpose back in his face. He just asks for your love that is it. When i was unsaved i used to think that it was going to be a boring life. Man was i ever wrong. My life is filled with the Lord and such a joy comes from that. Nope I do not party anymore and know that I will never ever again wish to party. I do go to parties of family and friends,but it is a different thing for me now. I do not think of getting drunk or high or anything like that. I am truly high on Life. The Life God has chosen for me is more than sufficient. I am blessed every day knowing that my life on earth is nothing but a whisper of a breath and my new life the life I was chosen for in Eternity is going to be fabulous. God chose me out of my sin and called me to Him how thankful I am to feel so blessed, and joy filled. I have a peace that makes me blissfully joy filled.

Happy is due to circumstance,joy is due to peace of mind,which everyone can have if you just believe on the Lord and accept his gift freely given.
“Merry CHRISTMAS” to each and everyone.
Love in Christ Jesus, Tammy

I know no one knows the day nor the hour the Rapture is coming but , what Jesus tells us is that every eye will see every nation and every people of every tongue shall see Jesus in the clouds. How does that sound like it is going to happen secretly? Also Jesus tells us every one will mourn horribly in Matthew 24: Also we are told the angels gather his elect at that time. If this is fact, and well we know Jesus did not lie to us, and prepared us for all things to come, then we have to know! If the rapture has already occurred by this time the time of every eye seeing Jesus coming on the clouds with great glory, then the question remains who are those elect the angels are gathering? There is not two raptures.

So let’s take a look then at how specific Jesus is about the rapture, or the Harpazzo,the taking away of his elect. Matthew 24:27 For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. This to me is no secret. It says to me every eye will see and know. Those who were once believers in Christ will see it and then we have verse 29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: I think the whole world will notice the heavens shaken and the stars falling out of the sky. Then verse 30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Why is everyone mourning? Because they knew at one time or have been told and did not believe, that Jesus is truly the messiah. But there will be many who have given up the hope. Why would believers give up their hope, you might ask? Because so many people think, we are to suffer nothing, (it is estimated 40% of Christians believe we are to suffer nothing and that Jesus will come and take us away from any tribulation.) Because of this, many will have turned away. Thus making it possible for the abomination of desolation possible. The very antichrist setting himself up as god in the temple. For the antichrist to be revealed. If Christians have believed a lie for much of their Christian life, that being that they will be taken out of tribulation before it begins. Say they face serious persecution, don’t you agree they will turn away thinking they have been duped by God? By the very word of God? But it is not God who is deceiving, God will just have allowed their itching ears to be tickled by what they want to hear. Really who wants to hear they will suffer sorrow unmatched, pain undreamed of ? I know I personally for a little while, did not want to believe I would go through very tough times indeed. But do not give up hope, God is our protection. He will protect us, pour the words forth from our mouths when the time comes. Those days are going to be miraculous days for us who will not give up believing and holding on to our Lords promises.

Let’s go on though. We know that this is the rapture because it is also written in 1Corinthians 15:52, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. See the same thing as Matt 31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. “The last trumpet”. 1st Thess 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. This is no secret happening. Also Rev 14:12-16. Too much to write in this paragraph but 12 says here is the patience of the saints here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus. And He reaps. If saints are already in heaven, then who prey tell are these saints who were patient?  Matthew 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. What is being endured if not tribulation?

In Daniel Chptr 12 Let’s look at the whole of it,1 And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. This is speaking of the not so secret rapture:
2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever. That brightness is us having our incorruption put on as well as our immortality.

4 But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.
5 Then I Daniel looked, and, behold, there stood other two, the one on this side of the bank of the river, and the other on that side of the bank of the river.
6 And one said to the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, How long shall it be to the end of these wonders?
7 And I heard the man clothed in linen, which was upon the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand unto heaven, and sware by him that liveth for ever that it shall be for a time, times, and an half; and when he shall have accomplished to scatter the power of the holy people, all these things shall be finished.
8 And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things?
9And he said, Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.
10 Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; WAIT!! tried? We are to be tried, we are his who are purified right? If we are purified how does one get purified? Just like silver or Gold they go through a refinery, they are tried again and again until they are pure silver or pure gold.   But the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.
11 And from the time that the daily sacrifice shall be taken away, and the abomination that maketh desolate set up, there shall be a thousand two hundred and ninety days.

12 Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days. Again your attention to the previous verse, “this struck me between the eyes” this is good stuff and gives us an idea of just how long after abomination of desolation we will have to wait till the Lord comes for us. 45 days more than the three and a half years.
13 But go thou thy way till the end be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot at the end of the days.

At that time there will have been many Christians who have turned away saying thats it, he is never coming. Those who have believed for all their Christian lives that the rapture would take place before the tribulation will have believed themselves fools for thinking Jesus was ever coming back for us. Matt 24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh. These verses make one understand that the great apostasy will have occurred. 45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his Lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;
49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;
50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Revelation 1:7 “Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.”There is no  scripture that says the second coming of Christ to gather His saints will be a secret. All these verses show it will be a very loud and very visible event that every eye shall see. There is nothing secret about any part of His coming. The world will know exactly what has happened. The antichrist will not be able to convince a world who has just witnessed such a thing as millions upon millions of graves having been opened and bodies removed. As well as millions upon millions of alive people being bodily removed will not be a secret. Some even proclaim the anitchrist will make the world believe it was UFO’s that have done this. How can people be totally deceived as to have witnessed this occurrence, and then believe such a huge lie as it was aliens from another planet. He is powerful no doubt, is satan. But he cannot make us do or believe anything. He can cajole and talk us into things. But he cannot for one minute MAKE US do anything.

I do not personally believe there is any such thing as UFO’s I do believe it is government’s of the world doing secret stuff we have no clue about. We surely have some much higher technology in this world than the average lay person knows about. The devil is crafty and smart there is no doubt about that. He has weapons and plans of which we have no clue about. The devil has been busy for almost 6000 years. He is a very tough adversary. He is and has been busy even at the time of the apostles preachings and teachings Look at what Paul said in 2 Thessalonian’s  2:6-12 7For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. Yes it says he who letteth will let until he be taken, moved out of the way. Being moved out of the way does not describe removing, it means, if a tree falls in the road you what? Move it out of the way. Push it aside. I believe the great delusion is already being spread far and wide, and that being the deception that Christians will not go through tribulation.

Because we know not the hour which Jesus will return. He will come unexpectedly when you least expect it, as does a thief. It would be no good for the thief if you knew when he was coming as you would be ready for him and he could not rob you. In the same way we need to be ready and living a righteous life now and not just when we think Jesus is coming or we will be “caught naked and our shame seen.” Those who love and obey Jesus will be ready for His return. This is the meaning of the phrase “to come as a thief” that is used several times in the Bible to warn us so we will not be left behind.

In Closing let me just say Coming as a thief is unexpected, NOT a secret! Be ready. Pray and ask God to never let you turn away. Ask your Father in heaven to make you aware of what His word says. To give you His knowledge, His understanding of what His word means. I know there are many many thelogians, pastors, and preachers, in this day and age that believe it is a pretribulation rapture. I hope they are very strong even unto the end of the tribulation. Until the time of God’s wrath to be poured out on the earth. God’s wrath is not Tribulation. There is a clear distinction. Daniel 7:25 And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. Not secret and definitely not pretribulation rapture. I just want anyone,everyone, who reads this to be ready for all eventualities. Things are moving along rather quickly now a days, and just going to speed up as we go along. Don’t give up your hope nor faith, no matter what you may go through.

Love to all in Jesus name,Tammy

What does being of one mind make you think of? What exactly is unity? The dictionary defines unity like this.
1.the state of being one; oneness.
2.a whole or totality as combining all its parts into one.
3.the state or fact of being united or combined into one, as of the parts of a whole; unification.
4.absence of diversity; unvaried or uniform character.
5.oneness of mind, feeling, etc., as among a number of persons; concord, harmony, or agreement.
a relation of all the parts or elements of a work constituting a harmonious whole and producing a single general effect.

This is what Christians who call themselves the body of Christ should look like.We as Christians are supposed to work together towards furthering God’s kingdom.

United means= 1.made into or caused to act as a single entity: a united front.
2.formed or produced by the uniting of things or persons: a united effort.
3.agreed; in harmony.
I find it so hard to understand how there is so much infighting going on amongst those who are Christs own. We who have been washed in the blood of Christ are supposed to help one another . Exhort one another. In patience and calmness instruct one another. In my own walk with the Lord I find that in just studying his word to show myself approved to God. I am entirely too busy worrying about my own walk with the Lord, and how better to further my understanding of God through his word a very fulfilling and busy work. What is false teaching? False teaching is someone teaching a different salvation. Teaching a different Jesus. Salvation issues are the only things we need to be watching out for. It does not matter how much money a preacher makes. It does not matter if he believes eating one kind of meat is okay even if you do not agree. It is looking for salvation issues, and rather we recognize them coming from another preacher or teacher.  We must at all times be aware of that fact, and keep in mind Jesus wants us simply to further his kingdom. We are supposed to be united in that one goal.

There are people who are so busy being a divider of the Lords called children, that I honestly cannot see how they have any time to further the kingdom, nor further their own walk with the Lord. I do not believe for one minute that God gave people, any person the job of finding all “their” ideas of a false teacher. I know personally if thats all I was doing all the time, day in and day out, my joy in the Lord would be wiped out. I would be angry on God’s behalf and quite unfulfilled in the word of the Lord. Besides the fact that the Lord does not need me, you or anyone, to do anything for him. He does however love us and desire us for his own.  I am sure you have all seen and or heard at one time in your life the saying, United we stand, divided we fall. If we divide up and take firm angry stances against one another’s small and or secondary beliefs we are simply dividing ourselves from one another. We as the whole body need one another to function correctly. How can a body function if it’s many parts are going in different directions, it would not work!

Here are some verses that speak of the unity we are supposed to be.

Amos 3:3 Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
Psalms 119:63 I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and of them that keep thy precepts.
Psalms 133:1 Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
Jeremiah 32:39 And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them:
Matthew 23:10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.  Are you some one else’s master? Do you know God did not or did give that person this thing to speak on? I tell you the truth not one of us knows the mind of God and or what he may have assigned someone else to do.
John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
John 17:23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

Romans 12:9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Romans 12:16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.   YES let’s not think ourselves wiser than another brother or sister in Christ. Romans 13:13-14 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. 14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.Rom 15:5-6 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: 6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:10 Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
1 Corinthians 3:11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 12:25 That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another.1 Corinthians 15:33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.”Evil communication” is that not throwing down accusations of false teacher when it is more than likely not a salvation issue ? 2 Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

Ephesians 4:2-6
2 With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; 3 Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
4 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.
Ephesians 4:15-18 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love. 17 This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind. 18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Ephesians 4:31-32 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
32 And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.  Philippians 1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

Philippians 2:2-5,8
2 Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. 4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Are we obedient when tearing a brother or sister down? Philippians 3:16 Nevertheless, whereto we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us mind the same thing. Colossians 3:12-16 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. 14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Teaching differently about God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, is false teaching. God does not look upon the earth and care to see anything other than, Washed in the Blood, not washed in the blood. God does not care about wealth, food, race, clothing, and hair style. He reads your inside your heart, not your outer trappings.

1 Peter 3:8-12 Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: 9 Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing.
10 For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: 11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.You are not honoring God nor your own family in Christ by being jealous of someones wealth. By being angry at someone supposedly on God’s behalf. Anger is never and has never been of the Lord.

In closing let me say this.  What is the Body of Christ?  The body of Christ is composed of the various Christian and Messianic Jewish fellowships exhibiting the fruits of the Holy Spirit. So if God places his Holy Spirit in a person, he or she is a believer, it’s that simple. Paul clearly stated that true believers in Jesus could possess a very wide range of differing secondary beliefs and still be genuine believers. So we must drop our prejudices toward each other due to differences in secondary beliefs.
What is the sign of a believer in Jesus?  Jesus, before His death and resurrection, commanded his disciples—believers and followers of Him—TO LOVE EACH OTHER (John 13:34-35).  That is how Jesus said others would know we are his disciples.  He said the world will know we are His if, and only if, we have this love for each other that He had for all of us. Also read Romans 14:1-23. Just love one another. Show the world we are indeed Christs, and that we love one another. There is going to be a time coming when the words love your enemies are going to be the hardest to live by. The Lord loves the whole world enough to have sent  His son for everyone who accepts. Even satan knows a divided body cannot stand, thats why he works so hard to divide us.

May God Bless us all and bring us closer together to meet our goal of bringing many to the Lord.
Love in Christ,Tammy

Psalm 31:19 (NIV) How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you. Psalm 95:1-6 (KJV) “O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also. The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.”

Psalm 100 (KJV) “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”

Psalm 107:1 (NIV) “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.”
Psalm 145:7 (NIV) They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
1 Chronicles 29:11-13 (KJV) “Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,for everything in heaven and earth is yours.Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom;you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you;you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks,and praise your glorious name.”

These are just a few of the verses from the Old Testament on being thankful.
I thought it would be nice to share with you all of my readers a few verses that show us always to be thankful to the Lord, especially since it is Americas thanksgiving holiday.

There was an even further thaksgiving day long before the American day of thanks, and that was in Nehemiahs day, Nehemiah 11:17 And Mattaniah the son of Micha, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, was the principal to begin the thanksgiving in prayer: and Bakbukiah the second among his brethren, and Abda the son of Shammua, the son of Galal, the son of Jeduthun.

The first American’s to land here came with religious freedom in mind and they had it. They were also starving, and cold and sick and dying, at least half of the adult’s who came to America that year died. Those who lived had their bibles and their faith and not much else. They decided to praise the Lord anyway. What the Lord did was to bring them people from those lands, that the pilgrims knew nothing about, and the Indians showed them how to garden, and catch fish and hunt. They had such an abundance that year that after the fall harvest, they celebrated their abundance by having a feast in which they invited the Indians to dinner. Thus the first thanksgiving. In short they gave thanks to the Lord. We should always be thankful but this time of year is an absolute time of knowing that God has been good to us.
We all should sit and give thanks to the Lord always. Count your blessings. Write them down if you have to. Count them and see exactly how God has provided for you and held you up, when you did not think you would make it through your tough times.

Matthew 11:25 At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Matthew 26:27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; John 11:41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. Revelation 4:9 And when those beasts give glory and honour and thanks to him that sat on the throne, who liveth for ever and ever. Revelation 11:16-17 And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.

Psalms 50:14 Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High:
Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Psalms 92:1 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: Psalms 50:14 Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: Colossians 3:17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. Hebrews 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. Ephesians 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Psalms 35:18 I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.  Nehemiah 12:31 Then I brought up the princes of Judah upon the wall, and appointed two great companies of them that gave thanks, whereof one went on the right hand upon the wall toward the dung gate:
Nehemiah 12:40 So stood the two companies of them that gave thanks in the house of God, and I, and the half of the rulers with me: Acts 27:35 And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat.

Ephesians 1:16 Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; Meaning give thanks for one another. Ephesians 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 1 Thessalonians 1:2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; Psalms 30:4 Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.Psalms 97:12 Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

Psalms 106:1 Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Psalms 136:1-3 O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his mercy endureth for ever. O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever.   With all of David’s repetition going on in giving thanks, do you think it is important?  I definitely do. I personally am very thankful and begin all of my prayers with thanksgiving to the Lord.

2 Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. Revelation 11:17 Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. Romans 7:23-25 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.
1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.          For Wisdom in the Lord, Daniel 2:23 I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king’s matter.

The list goes on and on of the verses that mention giving thanks to God our Father. Think about it this way, when you do something for someone, though you do not need thanks for it, you do hope for it. The Lord does for us daily, we should thank Him on a constant basis for all he is, all he does, and all he is going to do. When you have abundance to give to other’s, give thanks that you are able.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving day!
Love in Christ Jesus,Tammy