The Thanksgiving holiday approaches.

Thanksgiving = grateful acknowledgment of benefits or favors, especially to God.

For what are you thankful to God?

For what will you give thanks to God?

In the 1^st century AD, Paul wrote a letter to the church at Ephesus listing at least 8 reasons to give God thanks.

We are blessed with ALL spiritual blessings

Ephesians 1:³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Blessing = special gift bestowed by God bringing happiness

We are chosen to be holy and without blame before Him

⁴According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Chosen =selected and preferred

We are predestined to be adopted as children of Jesus Christ

⁵Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,

Adoption =chosen and taken as one’s own

We are accepted by God in Jesus

⁶To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.

Accepted =approved

We are redeemed by His blood and our sins are forgiven

⁷In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

Redeemed = bought back and recovered

We have a future with Jesus

⁸Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence; ⁹Having made known unto us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed in himself: ¹⁰That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him:

Future = something that will happen in time

We have an inheritance

¹¹In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: ¹²That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

Inheritance = property passing from one’s death to the heir

We are sealed as belonging to Jesus Christ until full redemption is accomplished

¹³In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

Sealed = having evidence of authenticity

For what are you thankful to God?

For what will you give thanks to God?

Our focus – Hebrews 12:¹ Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, ²Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. ³For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Our challenge – Dearly Beloved,

Run with your eyes on Jesus alone!

Run in faith that Jesus loves you with an everlasting, unconditional love; has uniquely designed and created only one you; has a good plan for your life; runs with you; and will  accomplish His purposes for you and through you!

Run in His strength alone!

Run with your eyes on the prize!

Run with your focus on His mission: to conform you to the image of Jesus Christ!

Run with the desire to finish strong!

Run with the desire to finish with your lamp burning!

Run with the expectation of being in His physical presence when you cross your finish line!

Run to His glory alone!

Run and keep on running!

Coach Patti