Each year – on the fourth Thursday of November – we, in America, celebrate Thanksgiving. It is that one day of the year on which we focus our attention, supposedly, on the blessings which God has showered down on us. And indeed, the blessings are many, and the thanksgiving to God is so richly deserved. Blessings such as family, health, a secure job, a comfortable house, a nice car, good neighbors, etc. are the order of the day for so many. For all of these things, and multitudes of others, we should be thankful.

However, for many, those “blessings” are not a reality in their life. As they give consideration to the past 365 days, they do not remember very many good days, but most have been filled with hardship, heartache, trouble, sadness, loss. Lost jobs, lost salaries, lost health, lost family members, lost security. The past year has been nothing but a series of catastrophic events that have robbed them of everything except life itself. And many, due to the events of the past year, even wish life itself would end.

Giving consideration to the foregoing, it would seem that some have ample reason for giving thanks, while for others, thanksgiving seems like a cruel joke, a day that mocks them as they consider the pain of the past. They see others who have been so richly blessed, who are living life to the max, who are enjoying health and happiness, and they are reminded of how totally different their past year, or for some, years, has been. They peer though the windows of other people’s lives, and they are reminded of how life can sometimes, for some, be nothing but a cruel joke. For so many it is easy to develop the mentality that all of life is nothing more than a meaningless series of events from birth to death. So, what’s the point? And especially, what’s the idea behind a day of thanks? In their estimation, they have nothing for which to be thankful.

It seems so glib, even crass, for those who have to wish those who don’t have a “happy thanksgiving.” They might retort, “Yeah, if I enjoyed the lifestyle you enjoy; if I lived on the side of town you live on; if I had the job you have; if I drove the kind of car you drive; if, if, if….then I would certainly be thankful. But since I don’t, you just go on back over to your side of the tracks and enjoy your plenty, while I stay over here and suffer my poverty.”

There is no question about the proven fact that life seems so unfair at times. There are inequalities in life. There are, indeed, those who have and those who have not. There are those who seem to live a wonderfully blessed life, free from the hardships and heartaches that so many seem to live with day in and day out. And then, there are the others who seem to suffer through life, facing ordeals of overwhelming magnitude with each passing day. For those who have, giving thanks is relatively easy, while for those who have not, thanksgiving can be an impossibility.

So, what is the answer? Well, to be extremely overly-simplistic, the answer is to develop a life of “thanks-living.” And the only way I know to make this a reality is to bring God  into the formula. However, having stated that premise, I realize that for some, this makes the matter of thanksgiving an even more difficult ordeal. Those who have not might not only be jealous and envious of those who have, but they might even blame God for giving to others while He withholds from them. Isn’t that totally unfair? Couldn’t God do a better job of dividing up His blessings? Why does He give to some and not to others? Why does He bless some with health and prosperity, while others suffer illness and poverty? Is there any way to make sense of this conundrum?

Well, there is a solution, but it might not be one which will satisfy everyone. For those reading these words who profess to be Christians, and who believe that the Bible is the Word of God, there is ample evidence that God works in unusual and even mysterious ways with His children. Sadly, we in America have now for so long been inundated with the teachings of those who propagate a Gospel of health, wealth and happiness, that many have embraced this false philosophy and actually believe that once one has become of a follower of Jesus Christ, life will be filled with nothing but good. And it is so easy to believe that a good God would do nothing but good for His children.

And He does. The problem is that our definition of good and God’s definition of that same word are oftentimes two entirely different things. Good, for us, is oftentimes thought of in terms of what makes me happy, fulfilled, satisfied. This would include, but not be limited to, health, a good job, a family which brings constant joy and gladness – in other words, everything that makes me feel good, and nothing that would cause any pain or sadness. God’s definition of good would be anything that He can use to further His kingdom plan, which will ultimately result in the greatest good for those who embrace Him by faith. Study the life of a few of God’s choice servants and this will become amazingly clear. Joseph suffered extreme hardship, but it all resulted in unbelievable good. Jeremiah, the great prophet, suffered immeasurable pain and rejection, and God brought about His desired purposed through the prophet. Paul suffered excruciating pain, and ultimately suffered execution, for his faith, and God has blessed the entire world through Paul’s ministry and writing.

Thanks-living is living above the eventualities of life. When life is good, give thanks. When life – at least from our perspective – is bad, give thanks. Give thanks in all thing and for all things, as the apostle Paul taught us, because we know that God is on the throne and is working in all things for the good of those who love Him.

And remember, above all else, that for the believer in Jesus Christ, the best is yet to come! Look above and beyond anything and everything in this life, to that life yet to be realized in heaven, where we will enjoy the fullness of the blessings of God, unblemished by the toils and sufferings of this life. Until then, let’s let thanksgiving show itself in our lives of thanks-living.

I am a preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have been a preacher for the past 36 years, having accepted God’s call into the gospel ministry in 1979. It has been my great privilege to serve churches in South Carolina, North Carolina and Texas.

Yes, preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ is indeed a great privilege, but it is also a tremendous responsibility. It can also be an overwhelming burden. Oftentimes the Old Testament prophets would refer to their message as a burden from the Lord. When we give consideration to the content of their message, we can certainly see why they would refer to it as a burden. Their message oftentimes placed them in extremely difficult positions as the content of their message was in stark contrast to the cultural, societal, and religious climate in which they proclaimed the message of God. Let me encourage you to read the messages of Jeremiah and Ezekiel to get a feel for the heavy burden God placed upon them.

In many ways, I feel the contemporary preacher in the United States of America is in the same cultural, societal and religious climate of those prophets of old. Those prophets were constantly used by God to call His people back to the basic principles of the Word of God. The people of Israel turned away from God time after time, and God would graciously send His messengers to call them to repentance so they could once again experience the blessings of His presence, power and provision.

What exactly what was the root cause of their horrible spiritual condition? Simple: their rejection of the clear guidelines of God’s word. They refused  to live in subjection to the instruction of the oracles of God that had been entrusted to them as the chosen people of God.

Preachers today are faced with the challenge of preaching the Word of  God in a cultural, societal and religious climate that has for the most part rejected that Word. To preach the sincere, uncompromised truth of the Bible is to place ourselves in direct opposition to the common beliefs and practices of a nation that has for the most part completely ignored God’s Word. If I preach that abortion, homosexuality, adultery, pre-marital sex, extra-marital sex, gossip, lying, stealing, and a litany of other vices are sin, I am accused of being a narrow-minded bigot who is living in the past. (And yes, I did I intentionally include the ‘lesser’ sins of gossip, lying and stealing, because sin is sin and must be repented of in order to have a relationship with God.) Yet, these actions are called sin in God’s Word, and to think of them as anything different is a rejection of not only the Word of God, but  of God Himself.

My heart aches as I hear of preachers, churches, and even denominations that are turning away from the clear teachings of Scripture. In the Bible, Old Testament and New Testament alike, God was always calling men who would be bold in their proclamation of the truth of His Word. It would take courage to stand in the face of unbelievable opposition to remain true to that calling. The commitment was great, and the cost would be severe. Many were imprisoned, many were beaten, many were put to death, simply because the people of their day did not want to hear the truth of God’s Word.

When a preacher, a church, or an entire denomination decides to condone behavior that is in clear contradiction to the teachings of Scripture, they are opening themselves up for the judgment of God. May God give us boldness to stand – and having done all, to keep standing.

I am a preacher of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I stand upon that Gospel with full confidence, and preach it with full assurance. This is where I stand. God help me to do nothing less.

Some would say I harbor hatred in my heart. There are those who seem to believe that if I disagree with them, that I must hate them. Allow me to share a few examples.

I am against abortion. I believe in the sanctity of human life. I accept the clear Biblical teaching that life is a gift of God, and that He is the only one who has the right to determine life or death of the unborn baby in the womb of his/her mother. I realize there are those who would adamantly disagree with me as to exactly when life begins, but it is a scientifically proven fact that at the moment of conception – that moment when sperm meets egg – the DNA makeup of that baby is determined. Hair color, skin pigment, eye color, basic body build, are all determined at the precise moment of conception. Is there a heart beat? Are there functioning lungs and kidneys? Are the extremities instantly formed? No. But the DNA that will determine all of those things is present at that precise moment.

There are examples of individuals in the Bible’s record that make it clear God had ordained what those individuals would be in their adult life, before they were ever conceived in the mother’s womb. David attests to the fact that he was “fearfully and wonderfully made” in the womb of his mother. Jeremiah was set apart to be a prophet before he was conceived. Paul testifies to the fact that he was set apart to be an apostle to the Gentiles from his mother’s womb. Were these exceptions to the rule? Were they somehow different than other human embryos before their birth? I surmise that the answer to that is no. I would suggest that God oversees the conception, pre-natal care, and eventual birth of each and every human baby.

The Bible also makes it clear that human beings are created in the image of God. Therefore, there is something special about human life when compared to all other forms of life. Humans bear various communicable attributes of God that other forms of life do not enjoy. We are a very special creation of  God. To take a human life, whether pre-birth life, partial-birth life, or full-birth life, is an abomination in the eyes of God.

Now, do I hate those who are willing subjects (abortionists) or objects (those who have abortions performed on their unborn child) of abortion? I guess some would surmise that since I hate the act, I also hate the actors. Can I not hate what is done without hating the one who does it?

Another example would be on the subject of homosexuality. There are those who would classify me a hater of all who practice anything other than a heterosexual lifestyle. But that isn’t all – they would also accuse me of hating anyone who engages in any sexual practices other than the one which is advocated in Scripture. The Bible’s clear teaching is that God created us as sexual beings, and the only proper way to engage in sexual activity is in the relationship between a man and woman who have been united in marriage. Therefore, any sexual activity other than that prescribed by God is immoral and sinful. This would include pre-marital sex, incest, sex with animals, extra-marital affairs, homosexual relationships, trans-sexual practices, trans-gender behaviors, and any other sexual activity that does not fit the Biblical model. Now, again, does the fact that I hate those practices mean that I hate the persons who engage in those practices? No. It just means that I completely disagree with you and your choices, while maintaining a love for you because I am taught in Scripture that I am to love everyone.

In closing, let’s look at the greatest example we have, Jesus Christ. Now admittedly, I cannot speak of how Jesus felt, or what He thought, but I can speak on what Jesus did. It is recorded for us in Scripture. Did Jesus have hatred in His heart when He confronted persons about their sinful behavior? Of course not. But He did love them enough to tell them the truth. And then what? Did He try to force people to agree with Him? Did He use unethical methods of manipulation to coerce them to accept His point of view? No – He left it up to the individual to make the choice. And what was the choice? To either accept the truth He was sharing, or to continue to persist in their sinful lifestyle. The choice was theirs.

Now I know, there are those who are already thinking I have painted myself into a corner from which I cannot escape. There are those who would say, “That may all be true. But Jesus never spoke to the issue of abortion or homosexuality. So everything you have said is meaningless mumbo-jumbo. How dare you put words in Jesus’s mouth!”

I am not attempting to put words in His mouth. My contention is simply that when the Bible teaches clear, unmistakable principles on subjects such as human sexuality and the sanctity of human life, even though Jesus did not speak directly to these subjects, we can rest assured that He accepted the teachings of the written word of God. Therefore, for those of us who are adamantly opposed to those things that are clearly opposed by God Himself, let’s also love like God Himself. Speak the truth, but do so in love and grace. And when those who disagree with our biblical convictions, respect them enough to walk away and allow them to suffer the consequences of their own choices.

I am so glad that God allowed me to be born in the United States of America. I have been privileged to travel to several other countries – South Korea, Romania, Hungary, Germany, Austria, Canada and Mexico – and have never been to a place I would rather live. I am a true American patriot. I love this country, and what this country has historically stood for. It is obvious to even a casual student of American history that the founders of this country envisioned it to be a nation governed by Judeo-Christian principles. Those who established the first colonies based the principles of government on Christian principles. Our nation’s first public schools used the Bible as their main text book. Our first colleges and universities were established as seminaries.

The objective of this article is not to argue that this nation was ever a Christian nation in the truest sense of the term. There has never been a period of American history during which every citizen of this nation professed faith in the God of the Bible, and salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. I am not so naïve to believe that this was ever a reality, or even a remote possibility. There is no nation on earth in which every citizen of that nation adheres to one religion, even though that nation might be recognized by a particular religion of choice – for example, a Christian nation, a Jewish nation, an Islamic nation, and so forth. In nations which utilize such identifying phrases as these, the majority of the citizens might embrace the teachings of that particular religion, but surely we are not to believe that every individual citizen of that nation embraces that religion. So it is in the United States of America.

Our founding fathers envisioned a nation in which the citizens of the nation could practice their religious beliefs without any interference from the government. The government would not establish a state church, or religion, but it would be governed by Judeo-Christian principles. Again, even a cursory reading of the statements of our founders makes this clear.

Now, to the objective of this article. My Christian faith teaches me that I am to respect everyone, even those with whom I adamantly and vehemently disagree. I don’t have to agree with you to respect you. If I don’t agree with you, it is not my responsibility to somehow persuade you that I am right and you are wrong. Even Jesus Christ Himself respected the opinions of others, and, after confronting them with His truth claims, would allow them to either embrace His teachings or reject them. Of course, His truth claims were not mere claims, but were, in fact, truth, and to reject them would be to one’s own eternal destruction, but He always gave individuals the right to choose for themselves.

So what does all this have to do with the United States of America? Well, I hope that it is pretty clear. Having been founded on Judeo-Christian principles, we did become a “Christian nation” in the sense that our founders recognized those Biblical principles as the foundation of our Constitution. We would be guided by, even governed by, those principles. The constitution will only work when guided and governed by those principles. When those principles begin to erode, then the government itself will begin to erode. And this is exactly what has happened in our beloved nation.

We have always been a nation recognized by the world as one which welcomes all. If someone from another country wants to move to America and make this country his/her home, then we welcome them, and wish for them the best. But they need to understand that once they come here, and become a citizen of this country, that they will embrace American culture, and not try to force their culture from their homeland on us.

But sadly, we have seen the erosion of our nation’s rich Christian heritage. Now, the Christian voice has been quietened, in many places even silenced, by the many other voices that clamor for attention. There was a time when decisions facing this nation were filtered through a Christian, Biblical lens, but now it has to be filtered through the atheist’s lens, the Muslim’s lens, the secularist’s lens, the humanist’s lens. We have lost our moorings, and are drifting aimlessly with no sure, solid source of guidance.

Fellow Christians, it is time to raise our voices and be heard once again. We do not have to sit by idly while our beloved nation continues to erode into a state of spiritual schizophrenia. The Christian voice is a mighty voice, if we will just let it be heard.

Today, I am issuing a two-fold challenge. First, I am challenging every person who identifies himself as a born-again believer in Jesus Christ to get involved. Engage our culture in conversation. Utilize every means possible. Write letters to the editor of our local paper. Post blogs on social media. Raise your voice and be heard!

Second, and most important, I am calling for Christians to unite in prayer. I feel strongly the need to call for a united prayer effort. Would you join me? History shows that the great movements of God in bringing spiritual renewal and revival to a nation that has drifted from its spiritual moorings have begun with prayer. Would you commit to joining together one day each week for the purpose of prayer? It will not be a time for fellowship, or preaching, or prayer requests, or eating, or anything else. If you are interested, I am inviting you to join me at noon on Wednesday, October 21, at the Moriah Baptist Associational offices located at 914 West Meeting Street in Lancaster. I realize that this time may not be convenient for some, so we will take a very brief few minutes at the initial prayer gathering to discuss time and place for future meetings.

The days are perilous. The need is urgent. There is no time to waste. Please join with me and others for this specific, strategic, matter of praying for our nation. Questions? Call 803-287-8099.