Happy Thanksgiving Week! Thanksgiving Day is upon us and I want to wish each of you a Happy Thanksgiving! Its Happy Thanksgiving Day!
George MacDonald said, "The careless soul receives the Father's gifts as if it were a way things had of dropping into his hand yet is he ever complaining, as if someone were accountable for the checks which meet him at every turn. For the good that comes to him, he gives no thanks - who is there to thank? At the disappointments that befall him he grumbles - there must be someone to blame!"
Count your blessings, not your problems! God knows all things.
I want you to know what I'm thankful for today...I'm thankful for the 7,000!
1 Kings 19:18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.
Paul the Apostle wrote... Romans 11:1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. [2] God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew. Wot ye not what the scripture saith of Elias? How he maketh intercession to God against Israel, saying, [3] Lord, they have killed thy prophets, and digged down thine altars; and I am left alone, and they seek my life. [4] But what saith the answer of God unto him? I have reserved to myself seven thousand men, who have not bowed the knee to the image of Baal.
Job 31:26-27 tells us that it was customary to kiss the hand to the idol, or the object of worship, and Hosea 13:2 tells us they would kiss the image itself or the entryway even to the temple of the false heathen made up god, Baal.
Seven thousand PLUS knees and mouths that still love God!
Now I know today that number is a symbolic number representing all true born again, trusting surrendered Christians but I'M THANKFUL FOR THEM!
I'm thankful for that little number. I'm thankful for you who stand for your faith, you stand up for God, you love Jesus and you love and support your church family!
You may not be able to recognize them. They may not look just like you. They may not talk just like you. They may not condemn the world around their lives but they certainly do not condone this present evil world. god has a perfect knowledge of who his people are.
Let me ask you a question... Are you in that number? Jesus said, Matthew 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen. Are you being counted by the Lord today as one of His? Do you belong to the Lord and are called by His name?
2 Chronicles 7:14 if my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; that I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.
Isaiah 43:7 even everyone that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.
Are you a "my people"? Or are you a worldly people?
What is significant about the 7000 these knees and mouths?
It isn't what they did to you... It is what they did not do!
Their knees did not bow to the heathen God of the day and her mouth do not kiss the heathen got in that day!
And the Lord knew who they were too. He even counted them all. Maybe they could not be counted in public, but God knew who they were and God knows who you are also.
I am thankful for the faithful few who will not be moved today. You are steadfast and unmovable, always abounding in Jesus's work! You are not easily persuaded over all these things happening in our world that does not give glory to God and his dear son.
Brother Brian, I just don't like all the stuff that is happening today and it just makes me angry and irritated all the time. How is that helping Jesus build his kingdom? How is all of this confusion and division adding to the Jesus church? It's not. And you making your opinions to be heard doesn't add to it either. Don't let your heart deceive you and don't let the devil tell you you're the only one left that loves God.
Look at the scripture... Suggest to us today how the still small voice I've been speaking even in all the silence!
And he still will speak in our silence!
There was no public voice in Elijah's day because the King Ahab and the wicked Jezebel would have you killed!
After Elijah challenge all of the prophets of Baal and the fire of God came down and consumed the sacrifice and lapped up all the water and Elijah eliminated all of those false profits, God sent the sign of the long-awaited rain as a blessing to the land but that didn't stop the wicked Jezebel.
She had publicly and openly murdered many of the true prophets of God and this is why Elijah fled in the first place.
Elijah fled after she threatened him because of what he had done to her false prophets.
The great unafraid powerful prophet Elijah runs away? If Elijah could be intimidated and threatened there is no guarantee that the same things will not happen to us!
We must constantly trust God for strength and courage and fight the good fight everyday!
God said, "I have left me..." some have translated in this way... "I have reserved me" God knows where those knees are bent for Him and those lips ready to kiss the Son.
God has prepared you, is preparing you and is keeping you ready for the day when you will stand for your faith AND I'M THANKFUL FOR YOUR FAITHFULNESS!
Let me give you some encouraging news...you're not the only ones...God has others out there, too. God has many others ready to refuse the king's meat. God has many others ready to refuse the Pharaoh's wife and her advances. God has many others out there ready to refuse the offers of the devil at the top of their success or the beginning of your career.
Look with me again at the scriptures...
It didn't say that they fully believed everything that God's men were saying. It didn't even say that they had all the faith in God that many of the Saints had.
It said that they did not actively bow their knees to the false god and they did not actively kiss the image of the false god.
Remember, it's not what they did do - it's what they did not do and God is looking and counting on what evidence of faith that we have in our hearts even when others cannot see it.
You know what God approves of and what He does not and your actions will be like that banner of love Solomon spoke about in the Songs. You may say, I may not be able to talk very loudly about my faith...I know my weaknesses and I know how easily I am tempted to fall but God can count on me to act out my faith for him in my actions.
God's fire in his people CANNOT BE QUENCHED. There may just be a spark there but the devil has no power over you in Christ name.
So, why is it so many are not in that number today? Because Jesus said,
John 17:14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
And God says one day...
Revelation 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
[15] And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Some folks are building hopes down here and planning ahead, so busy with their fortunes, they forgot what Jesus said: about the wars and earthquakes and the fig tree's budding leaves. But there's a group of people getting ready to leave! CHORUS: Ready to leave in a twinkling of an eye, making investments in the bank up in the sky! Making preparations - not a reason to grieve. Are you in that number getting ready to leave? Sinner what's the reason for your needless delay? While you're hesitating Christ could come just any day! Heed the Spirit's calling, make your way to Calvary and get in that number getting ready to leave!
Are you in the 7,000 secret believer CLUB today? Can God count on you? Are you hearing the still small voice? Have you made a commitment to the Lord that you will not desert Him no matter what? Look what God told Paul...
Acts 18:9 Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak and hold not thy peace: [10] For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.
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