Msg #1447 Thanksgiving with Integrity

What The Bible Says

Good Samaritan's Penny Pulpit by Pastor Ed Rice

Thanksgiving is a verb. Before one can do it certain ingredients need to be correct in their life. When thanksgiving is a noun it is to bubble out of our life like root-beer poured on vanilla ice-cream. Again it requires the right ingredients. When ingredients are right it bubbles out and is well pleasing to our Lord. David lists the necessary ingredients in Psalm 26. Ingredient#1, “I have walked in mine integrity: I have trusted also in the LORD.” Ingredient#2 “Thy loving kindness is before mine eyes: and I have walked in thy truth.” Ingredient#3 “I have not sat with vain persons... dissemblers, (or) the wicked.” Ingredient#4 “I wash mine hands in innocency: so I will compass thine altar, O LORD.” Why these ingredients? “That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.” (vr. 7) But the Bible also delineates a thanksgiving that makes the Lord sick. In Amos 4 it states, “The Lord GOD hath sworn by his holiness... that he will take you away with hooks, and your posterity with fish hooks.” The ingredients for this scorned thanksgiving are present in our nations “Which crush the needy, which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink.” This religious nation says “Come to Bethel, and transgress... and bring your sacrifice.” Bethel means “The house of God,” but God no longer dwelt at Bethel. Jeroboam, who caused Israel to sin, had set up a golden calf and made Bethel a place of false worship. He did this to keep people from true worship in Jerusalem, where God dwelt. In their false worship they “offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving with leaven.” Be careful about integrity and about this world's apostate churches which are a house of God in name only. Happy Thanksgiving.

An Essay for week #47 11/23/2014

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