445-Years of Gratitude#
(JP Text Group - shalom compilation)
Lord, we worship you wholeheartedly. During this time, we open our hearts to you. Those who seek you will surely find you. Lord, lead us through your words, reflecting on the grace you have given us during these years of gratitude! Lord, thank you for entrusting the following time to the Holy Spirit to guide every brother and sister seeking you. We pray in the name of Lord Jesus, Amen.
Today we share: Years of Gratitude
Today is Thanksgiving, so let’s share what God has given us in our lives that makes us grateful.
Genesis 12:1-2
1 The Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you. 2 I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.”
Let us pray first
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you. Thank you for allowing us to receive your words once again. Your words are our strength and our life. On this day of gratitude, let us reflect once more on the blessings you have given us! We offer you our thankful hearts. We do not know how to offer everything we have to you. You lack nothing; what you desire is this heart we offer to you. We are willing to worship and praise you. Through this time, renew and comfort us with your words. Let us share the testimonies of God over the past year together, bringing joy and happiness to everyone! All glory belongs to you. We pray in the name of Lord Jesus, Amen.
Brothers and sisters, peace in the Lord. Looking at this text, the Lord said to Abram: “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.” Did this happen? Yes, it did. After it was fulfilled, God actually gave the Israelites a rule: every year there are several festivals to express gratitude to God. So what can you thank God for today? Many people say: “Thank you, Jesus, for shedding your blood on the cross for my sins!” You are right, but if every year you say: “Lord, thank you for saving us, thank you for your precious blood that cleansed my sins!” Doesn’t it feel like something is missing?
On this day of Thanksgiving, I hope we gather together to share. What do we share? What has God done in our lives over the past year? Just like when the Israelites celebrated the Feast of Weeks, the first ripe wheat had already been harvested, so they expressed gratitude to God. The wheat was ripe, and they had reasons to be thankful. During the Feast of Tabernacles, it was because they had a bountiful harvest in the autumn. Because of these first ripe products, they expressed gratitude to God! Although God indeed saved us, He also hopes that every brother and sister experiences His goodness in their lives, Amen!
Since gratitude is mentioned, it must be related to the past. We cannot thank the Lord for destroying this world; that has not happened yet! Nor can we say, “Lord, thank you for allowing this world to be so corrupt,” which is also incorrect… When it comes to gratitude, it must be something that has already happened. Let’s look at those in the Bible; God once made promises to them. Have those things been fulfilled? Or when they had not yet been fulfilled, people did not understand at the time, but they acted in faith according to what God said, and as a result, they truly saw it. If we do not speak about some things, many people may not know what has happened.
This passage of scripture may be familiar to everyone. This is God speaking to Abraham: “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.”
Many people may wonder, why didn’t God bless Abraham in that place? Why did He have to make Abraham leave?
Have you ever thought about this question?
Why did He have to make him leave?
The Bible also says that the whole earth belongs to the Lord. Can’t God bless Abraham in the Chaldean Ur where he lived? Can He? Then why did God have to make him leave?
Some might say: “Because there were too many idols in that place!” But didn’t Canaan have idols? Yes! Some say: “The economy around there is very developed, but the people are very corrupt!” Were the people of Canaan not corrupt? Before they entered, the sins of the Canaanites had already reached their fullness. Why did God have to make them leave this place for Canaan? At that time, Abraham did not ask God: “Lord, why do I have to leave? Can’t I stay here?”
When people do not understand God’s will, they will ask Him: “Why must I leave?” Abraham’s faith was very simple. How simple was it? God said to leave, so he just left!
Let me explain the background at that time: The Chaldean Ur where Abraham lived was one of the ancient civilized countries. They had very complete laws, such as the Code of Hammurabi. This place was already very developed. In other words, God wanted Abraham to leave a very prosperous place to go to Canaan. Later, Abraham went, but then he left again. Why? Because that place was too desolate, and there were not many people.
Think about it: from a prosperous city, God said, “Leave this place and go to that rural area!” We would say: “Why should we go? Is that place better than now?” There would be many questions. Abraham did not think like that; he really left, and because of his faith, God truly blessed him.
Let me tell you why we should be grateful to God. At that time, Abraham was only relying on faith, but I hope everyone can believe and understand. Jesus wants you to believe and understand. Amen. Looking through history, why did God want Abraham to leave? Some might say: “That place is not the promised land!” Then why is Canaan the promised land? It’s very interesting; you can check history when you go back.
Around 3000 BC, in the Mesopotamian region, which is the area of Abraham’s homeland, known as the land between the two rivers, we know from the Bible that two rivers came out of the Garden of Eden. The first is called the Euphrates River, and the second is the Tigris River. The land between the two rivers refers to the area between these two rivers. In the past, when industry was not as developed as it is now, people had to rely on rivers to survive, so the area between these two rivers was the best place. Abraham lived in these areas, which today is near Iraq.
In the land between the two rivers, there was a Semitic tribe, and the chief of this tribe was named Terah. You know this person; he is mentioned in Genesis. His family lived in the city of Ur, which has now been excavated and confirmed to be a very prosperous ancient commercial center around 2500 BC. It was during this time that God told Abraham to leave and go to Canaan. In fact, He did not tell him to go to Canaan. Did Abraham ultimately reach Canaan? Now I will tell you what the answer is.
After about five hundred years, around 1950 BC, the Chaldean Ur in the land between the two rivers declined. Why did it decline? Because the rivers changed course due to drought.
Did you know? In the past, there were no machines to irrigate fields; people relied on the weather for survival. Once the rivers changed course, the city could become desolate. It’s very interesting.
Did God know that these things would happen? So before these things happened, at the best time, He made him leave and then go to Canaan. And Canaan, to this day, is still a very beautiful place, right? Before the rivers changed course, God had already made Abraham leave that place.
In the early 1900s BC, that city became a wasteland. Abraham’s hometown, the Chaldean Ur, thus declined. Abraham’s departure did not result in loss, but Terah still had many descendants living there, which we refer to as the Terah tribe. Under continuous turmoil, they were forced to migrate westward.
Today, sharing these may seem historical, but it’s very interesting. Through this passage, you will see that God does not want His children to suffer these disasters. Before disaster strikes, God wants His children to leave these places, Amen.
What I want to tell you is this: If someone tells you there will be a third world war, there will be a battle of Armageddon, there will be a seven-year great tribulation, you need not worry about these things. Before these disasters come, God has already moved His church to a place that will not be troubled by these disasters, just as God told Abraham: “Just leave!”
If you leave now, you can take everything with you; if you wait until it really declines and then leave, your things will have already been exhausted, and there won’t be much left. The Canaan land God sent Abraham to has the Jordan River, the Galilee Sea, and the Dead Sea, which are very suitable for living.
Reading the Book of Joshua, you can see how good that place was. A bunch of grapes was carried by two big men, indicating that the produce was very rich! Thank the Lord, although Abraham did not understand at that time, he chose to believe God and left his country, his people, and his father’s household to go to the place God told him. This is the first story.
Now do you understand? Many times we always hope to know the answer. God told Abraham: “In a few hundred years, this place will be desolate; you should leave now!” We would say: “Okay! If that’s the case, then we can leave, but that wouldn’t be called believing.”
Have you seen Jesus with your own eyes? Have you personally been to the foot of the cross to see Jesus bleed? You have not seen these things, but why do you believe they are true? This requires us to believe with the faith inside, believing that what God says is correct, true, and faithful, so we believe. Although Abraham did not understand what would happen later, he still believed God.
Secondly, since we are talking about history, let me share some stories. Let’s consider this as storytelling. I will ask everyone a question: Why could Joseph become the prime minister of Egypt? Egypt is in Africa, and Abraham’s descendants belong to the Semitic race. Can yellow-skinned people and black-skinned people go to Egypt to become prime ministers? Why not? First, they are not of the same race. Secondly, let me tell you about the Pharaoh of Egypt. In fact, he is a family business; the whole of Egypt belongs to the Pharaoh. After the Pharaoh has children, he passes the throne to his children, generation after generation. How could an outsider hold such an important position in a family business? Have you thought about this question? After I clarify these questions for you, you can only say to God: “Lord, I thank you! You have arranged everything.”
If Joseph had not become the prime minister of Egypt, wouldn’t the consequences be terrible? Would Abraham’s descendants be able to survive?
I have been telling you that at that time, people relied on the weather for survival. Once the rain did not fall, there would be famine, and many people would starve to death. But before these things happened, God had already prepared everything. At that time, the Pharaoh was actually very exclusive. Strictly speaking, he could not possibly let an outsider hold such an important position. What changes occurred?
Looking back at history, in the second half of the 18th century BC, during the Middle Kingdom of Egypt, Egypt was fragmented, with many warlords. A large number of outsiders began to invade Egypt. Can you guess where they came from? They came from the area of the Chaldean Ur that I just mentioned. Because the rivers changed course, they had to migrate to find more suitable places to live, so they began to invade Egypt.
At this time, a very interesting tribe appeared. This group of people was called the Hyksos, a nomadic tribe that surged into Egypt from Canaan.
Isn’t this route interesting? Did Abraham initially go to Canaan? He found that he could not survive; it was too desolate. So did they later go to Egypt? Now these people are called the Hyksos, who also surged into Egypt before this. They attempted to attack Egypt several times because Egypt was very suitable for living, especially the Nile Delta, which was extremely suitable for habitation. The Hyksos began to attack Egypt and later conquered the Nile Delta, establishing a shepherd dynasty that lasted over a hundred years.
Although the Hyksos controlled most of Egypt at that time, they did not change Egypt’s management style. The Hyksos, do you know who they are? They are a Semitic tribe, meaning they are descendants of Terah. Did this group of Hyksos have a familial relationship with Joseph?
So, brothers and sisters, think about how wonderful this world is. After this group of people occupied Egypt, they still managed Egypt using the Egyptian management style for over a hundred years. But now a problem arose: the one who became king also called himself Pharaoh, but he was a Hyksos. He had a dream. How could the original Pharaoh have dreams? How could he believe in God? After the Hyksos became king, they began to panic and said: “What does my dream mean?” They sought the magicians of the land to interpret the dream, but no one could interpret it. Young Joseph appeared.
After Joseph interpreted the dream for him, the Pharaoh said: “Can we find anyone like this man in whom is the Spirit of God?”
Brothers and sisters, this Pharaoh is not the same as the Pharaoh we usually talk about; he is completely different. God had already prepared for Joseph’s kin to invade and become the Pharaoh of Egypt. The Hyksos said to Joseph: “Tell me about your background. Where are you from?” Joseph said: “I am originally a Hebrew, but my brothers sold me, and I ended up in Egypt. I am actually wronged…”
After he finished telling this to the Pharaoh, the Pharaoh said: “Alright, you can be the prime minister of Egypt!” Only under such circumstances could Joseph possibly become the prime minister. Brothers and sisters, have you thought about what the reason behind this is? Now everyone understands, right? Who facilitated all this? It is our God. God already knew that one day there would be seven years of famine. To preserve the descendants of Israel, there must be someone in a suitable place who holds significant power to help them. So at the most suitable time, God made Joseph the prime minister.
If Joseph had been earlier, the Hyksos would not have yet become Pharaoh. Even if he were released, he could not have become the prime minister, Amen. Isn’t it all very correct? This is what we have been saying: God will do the right thing at the most suitable time and place! Amen.
When you encounter something, just pray to God. Just tell God: “I believe you will help me solve the problem! I will offer a sacrifice of gratitude with a thankful heart!” One day, when you look back at your life, you will truly feel that God has made the best arrangements for you.
In the late 18th century BC, when the Hyksos invaded Egypt, a drought occurred in Canaan, and a large number of Hebrews also entered Egypt along with the Hyksos, reaching the Nile Delta. In fact, these Hebrews are the few children of Israel mentioned in the Bible, who entered the Nile Delta together. The place they lived was called Goshen, which was rich in water and grass, particularly suitable for pastoralism. They thrived there, and Jacob had twelve sons, gradually expanding into twelve tribes, which later became known as the twelve tribes of Israel. In fact, each tribe had so many people that they could be called a tribe at that time. God had arranged everything.
Today, I am telling you a story. When you read this passage of scripture, you will say: “God has prepared everything!” However, their faith did not have a significant impact on the local people, nor did it attract attention like Joseph did. By the mid-16th century BC, there was a legitimate Egyptian Pharaoh named Thebes, who gathered various forces in Egypt and finally overthrew the rule of the Hyksos, opening the new kingdom period of Egypt. The Hyksos had no choice but to enter Canaan again, which brings us back to the Book of Exodus.
What would the legitimate Pharaoh of Egypt do after gaining power?
Looking back at the history I just mentioned, when the Hyksos, who were Semitic kin, became Pharaoh, Joseph became the prime minister and governed all of Egypt well. The later Pharaoh overthrew the Semitic people, and the Semitic people had no choice but to go to Canaan. Now, are there still the twelve tribes of Israel living in Egypt, and are they still living in the best places? What was the first thing the Pharaoh did after coming to power? Did he start to take revenge on them? This is where the events mentioned in Exodus chapter one occur.
Exodus 1:7-11:
7 The Israelites were fruitful and multiplied greatly and became exceedingly numerous, so that the land was filled with them. 8 Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt. 9 “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become far too numerous for us. 10 Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous, and if war breaks out, we will join the enemies and fight against us and leave the country.” 11 So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Raamses as store cities for Pharaoh.
Many people read the Bible but do not understand: How could this happen? How could such things occur? Didn’t the previous Pharaoh of Egypt know history? Didn’t he know how glorious Egypt was under Joseph’s governance? Everyone knows this, and because they know, they hate them even more. It is because they know that a Semitic brother named Joseph governed Egypt and made it so glorious. So when they came to power, they must eliminate you. Do you understand their mindset now?
Why was the Pharaoh so cruel, wanting to kill all the boys and keep the girls? Because for over a hundred years, a Semitic brother had been Pharaoh. Do you understand now? When these things happened, you see: “Look, the Israelites have become far too numerous for us. They are stronger than we are.” What was the Pharaoh worried about? If war breaks out, they will join our enemies and fight against us.
Who are the enemies referred to here? They are the Hyksos. Although the legitimate Pharaoh of Egypt drove away those Semitic descendants, they went to Canaan. However, there was still a group of people who were also their kin in the country, with different skin colors. The Pharaoh of Egypt was worried: “They already have twelve tribes. If they unite with those past tribes to attack us, we will not be able to withstand it!” So they began to treat the Israelites harshly.
Isn’t God’s people quite innocent? Some say yes, but how does our God do things? Our God will not let us suffer losses. We all know from reading Exodus that when the Israelites left Egypt, did they receive their wages? They received everything, including gold, silver, clothing, and what they used! So God does not treat His children unfairly.
Brothers and sisters, after understanding this passage of scripture, let’s look at the biblical basis, Genesis 15:13-16. Let’s first look at two verses:
13 Then the Lord said to Abram, “Know for certain that for four hundred years your descendants will be strangers in a country not their own and that they will be enslaved and mistreated there. 14 But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward, they will come out with great possessions.
Before this event even happened, God had already told Abraham what would happen to his descendants. When Abraham saw God speaking these words to him, didn’t he feel worried? Why? Although his descendants might suffer some hardships, God said He would bring His people out, and they would come out with great possessions, Amen.
Brothers and sisters, when you see God’s people suffering, or if some brothers and sisters around you are currently in suffering and weakness, as long as they rely on God and believe in God’s promises, God will also attack your enemies. God will punish them, and He will not let you suffer losses, bringing you out of this predicament. This is why we should give thanks to God, Amen.
15 You, however, will go to your ancestors in peace and be buried at a good old age. 16 In the fourth generation, your descendants will come back here, for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.”
Brothers and sisters, let me tell you something. Although Canaan is suitable for living, there are already Amorites and many original Semitic descendants living there, including Sidonians, Hittites, and Jebusites. Are these names familiar? Who are these people? They are the descendants of Noah’s son Canaan.
Moreover, these people frequently attacked others and were unsettled. Later, after they occupied Canaan, they would say: “If you want to do business here or live here, you must sign a contract with me. Whatever I say, you must obey; otherwise, I will kill you!” Later, the sins of the Amorites reached their fullness. When God destroys a person, it is not that God is unjust; it is that the person’s sins have reached their fullness. So, who is the judgment in the hands of? It is in the hands of our Lord, Amen!
We see the injustices and offer prayers. As long as they reach the level of sinfulness that God has spoken of, God will intervene! Many things we may not be able to do; there are many powerful people we cannot confront! But does God have a way? Absolutely! We should not resent and say: “Why doesn’t God intervene earlier?” God does things in His timing, Amen.
Now, what else is there? The sins of the Amorites have not yet reached their fullness. Before this, God still wants to use those people. What does He want to use them for? They are currently living in Canaan. What does God want to use them for? The world is not made for the unbelievers or for the devil; this world was created for God’s people, including the wicked, which is also prepared for the righteous. Do you believe this?
Let’s talk about the Amorites again. They are very wicked and brutal. Why doesn’t God destroy them now? It’s simple. Think about it: Canaan is not suitable for living right now, and the population is still relatively small. Moreover, the descendants of Israel have not yet multiplied that much. So God waits. Isn’t Goshen the best place right now? This place is suitable for living, and Canaan is not as good as this place so far. There must be some laborers, right? So God waits for those people in Canaan to dig the wells, plant the vineyards, and build the houses. Once God sees that it is ready and their sins have reached their fullness, He says: “People, come out! It’s time to change homes; I will take you to a more suitable place!” Thus, a grand migration occurs—the Exodus!
Isn’t it exciting to say this? God has prepared everything for us. You see how God prepared for the Israelites. God arranges your life like this! Some people say: “I feel like Joseph, still a slave!” Don’t worry; when the best time comes, God will surely give you the best blessings, and once He gives them to you, no one can take them away, Hallelujah!
In this sense, our God knows all your matters and knows when to place you in the most suitable position. No matter what environment you are in, we need to give thanks to God and say: “Lord, I know what you arrange for me must be the best.”
If they had entered early, they would not have been able to survive there. Why? Especially the descendants of Israel, who had not experienced warfare since birth. Their expertise was working for others. After being slaves for four hundred years, if they had been placed in Canaan early, they would not have been able to compete with the Amorites. Do you know about the Amorites? They were tall and strong. They could not defeat them. Some say: “Why could they defeat them later?” Because God fought for them. If they had gone early, they would have had to fight on their own.
You must walk in step with God; you cannot go ahead of Him. If you go ahead, you will have to fight on your own. Following behind God, how wonderful it is that God fights for you! So when you encounter something, pray. If God has not moved this stone, continue to pray, indicating that the time is not yet right. When God one day moves the stone, you will move forward. This is how God trains the Israelites during their wilderness life.
Why is there a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire? It is to tell you when you can move forward. Follow along. If you move ahead of time, you will freeze to death or overheat. As long as they leave the protection of the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire, they will encounter problems. So they must follow God’s footsteps, moving forward step by step.
Today, you are here. I know that God has His beautiful will for each person. In the current situation, let’s express our gratitude to God, Hallelujah! Let’s believe: “Lord, no matter what environment I am in now, I express my gratitude to you!” Reflecting on what God has accomplished in your life over the past year, I will give everyone a time to share later, to share what kind of testimonies God has given you this year, Amen. Thank the Lord. When we share, we will know that God has always been working, and God has not left us, Hallelujah!
During that time in the wilderness, God told the Israelites the commandments, laws, and decrees. He did not want them to live like the world or like others because this group of people was set apart by God. They did not know how to live a victorious life. Life has no instruction manual; everyone’s path in life is different. How to walk the path suitable for us is truly hard to judge.
Many people succeed and may say: “I think this path works,” but copying this path for others may not guarantee their success. Even if you are a successful person, doing well in all aspects and holding a high position, can you guarantee your children’s success? No, because everyone’s path is different!
But our God arranges suitable paths for each person based on their characteristics. So He has given you the instruction manual for a victorious life, allowing everyone to seek God individually. Communicating with God is what we call reading the Bible and praying. When you communicate with God alone, He will guide you on how to walk.
Copying Abraham’s way does not work. Now, even if you go to the Chaldean Ur, you say: “Lord, say a word to me, let me leave this place, and I will go to Canaan!” It doesn’t work because the time is different now. God will not bless you in that way again. So you need to pray before God and see how God leads you, Amen.
Our relationship with God is vertical. The cross has two sides: one is the vertical side, which is our relationship with God. No one can replace you in this. You can listen to my preaching, listen to my sharing, and listen to others’ sharing. This is to assist you; it is our horizontal relationship, the relationship between people. But the vertical side must be our own relationship with God. We need to obey God’s words and live accordingly, and you will know how accurately God leads you.
Deuteronomy 6:1-3:
1 “These are the commands, decrees, and laws the Lord your God directed me to teach you to observe in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to possess, 2 so that you, your children, and their children after them may fear the Lord your God as long as you live by keeping all his decrees and commands that I give you, and so that you may enjoy long life. 3 Hear, Israel, and be careful to obey so that it may go well with you and that you may increase greatly in a land flowing with milk and honey, just as the Lord, the God of your ancestors, promised you.”
Why did God give them the laws, decrees, and commands? It’s simple. God made it very clear: “You and your children and their children will fear the Lord your God all your days, and you will enjoy long life.” This means you will live long and live well, Amen. “So that you may enjoy a good life in the land flowing with milk and honey.” The blessings here refer to your health and that your descendants will be numerous, Amen. Brothers and sisters, when you are willing to act according to God’s words, these blessings will come upon us.
Let’s share the second point: Gratitude is reasonable; God is willing to bless the Israelites in every way.
Let’s look at some of the blessings in Deuteronomy 16:9-12:
9 “Count off seven weeks from the time you begin to put the sickle to the standing grain. 10 Then celebrate the Festival of Weeks to the Lord your God by giving a freewill offering in proportion to the blessings the Lord your God has given you. 11 And rejoice before the Lord your God at the place he will choose as a dwelling for his Name—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, the Levites in your towns, and the foreigners, the fatherless, and the widows living among you. 12 Remember that you were slaves in Egypt, and follow carefully these decrees.”
Brothers and sisters, have you ever thought about whether there are benefits to God making the Israelites slaves in Egypt? You might say you don’t know what benefits there are to being a slave, being whipped every day.
Let me tell you about two people. What is the difference between Adam and Jesus? Some say: “Adam fell and sinned; Jesus did not sin; He overcame.” What is the essential difference between them? Some say: “The blood of Jesus is innocent!” Wasn’t Adam also innocent? Isn’t it interesting? Why? Except for Adam and Eve, everyone else was born after Adam and Eve sinned, so we have sin in us, right? But when they were created, did they have sin? No. In this sense, Adam and Jesus do not have an essential difference.
So why did their outcomes differ? When I thought about this once, I prayed: “Lord, why is it different?” Strictly speaking, Adam could also have been victorious; why did he fail? Later, I looked closely and found that Adam and Jesus still had some differences. What is the difference? Adam had no childhood; he was an adult as soon as he was born.
According to Israeli customs, marriage must occur at thirty years old; only after thirty can one become an adult and independently do things. Adam should have been thirty years old. He had no childhood or youth; he was directly an adult. Everything in the past was blank. He did not know what grace was. Although God gave him a garden of Eden and blessings in every way, he did not feel that it was a blessing because he was given everything at birth.
Now, why do children not believe when you tell them about past wars? When you tell them that their grandfathers once chewed on tree bark, they say: “Impossible! How could such things happen?” You tell them not to waste food, and they say: “This stuff isn’t good to eat anymore,” and they eat all kinds of snacks and think it’s meaningless, so they casually throw it away. Why do they waste things without feeling it’s a problem? Because they were born into a wealthy environment and have never experienced hunger; they do not know what true gratitude is.
Jesus is different. Jesus is like us; He had a childhood and youth. Moreover, Jesus’ life experiences, especially before the age of thirty, were quite difficult. Shortly after He was born, His parents had to flee with Him. Could those days have been comfortable? Jesus was accustomed to the ups and downs of life from a young age. In this respect, He is like us and has been tempted in every way, so He can understand you. He knows what you are thinking in your heart. Now that you have experienced suffering, you will cherish this hard-earned grace even more, Hallelujah!
Just like the prodigal son in Luke 15, because his parents gave him all the best, he did not know that it was grace. Until one day, after he squandered everything, when he returned, he realized that this was grace because it was undeserved and unmerited.
The Israelites had been slaves in the past, and now after entering Canaan, they finally became human! In the past, they might just have been a number. 007, come and work! Now finally, someone is calling their names. Brothers and sisters, in this world, we are just given a number. But only our Lord Jesus calls you by your name. He gives you the best things, Hallelujah!
When sharing about God’s grace, there will be many stories. In the past, we have suffered, been weak, and bullied. We prayed to God, and God avenged us and showed us grace. At this moment, we can know how much we should be grateful for this grace, just like the Israelites. They had never had their own food before; all the food went to the Egyptians. They had always been slaves and did not know when their way out would come. Now it is different. They have the Feast of Weeks, harvested crops, and can store them in their own barns. How happy they must have been in their hearts! So they expressed gratitude to God.
The Feast of Tabernacles is the same. Deuteronomy 16:13-17:
13 “Celebrate the Festival of Tabernacles for seven days after you have gathered the produce of your threshing floor and your winepress. 14 Be joyful at your festival—you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites, the foreigners, the fatherless, and the widows who live in your towns. 15 For seven days celebrate the festival to the Lord your God at the place the Lord will choose. For the Lord your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete. 16 Three times a year all your men must appear before the Lord your God at the place he will choose: at the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Weeks, and the Festival of Tabernacles. No one should appear before the Lord empty-handed. 17 Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the Lord your God has blessed you.”
This is the Feast of Tabernacles. What is the characteristic of these two festivals? It is that after they have stored up what comes from God, they celebrate. In this regard, we understand why we should be grateful. Reflecting on this past year, how many miracles God has performed in our lives, how much He has helped us. When we turn back and share with others, this is truly heartfelt gratitude!
Many people have never experienced God’s grace, so in front of God, they say: “Lord, I thank you, I praise you!” It feels very hollow. But some people are different. When they come to God’s house, they start to cry. Why? They remember how difficult this past year has been and how much grace God has given them. So when they have stored up the new grain, wine, and oil, they celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles. Then you, your sons and daughters, your male and female servants, and the Levites in your towns, as well as the foreigners, the fatherless, and the widows, should all rejoice together!
This means that this grace is not only for you but also to rejoice with those foreigners, with the sojourners, and with those who have no income! Isn’t it interesting?
Some people may not have experienced God this year; they might belong to that orphan or widow, feeling quite lonely. So during the sharing time later, love these people more, let them see what God has done in your life, and encourage them to rely on God like this. Next year, when we celebrate Thanksgiving again, they can also share God’s grace!
Because the Lord your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete. When we truly share many grateful things this year, gratitude will be even more abundant, Amen. Here, I want to share a testimony. This is a recent testimony from a sister about her father:
At the beginning of November, my dad was diagnosed with a cerebral infarction during a physical examination. The doctor suggested he go to a big hospital for further checks. At the Seventh People’s Hospital, they did a CT scan and found an aneurysm in his brain and an embryonic tumor. The doctor said it was fatal and told him to do an MRI and prepare for surgery, estimating it would cost around 150,000 yuan.
After my dad returned home, he was worried every day. Brain surgery is very dangerous; if there is a slight mistake, he could be incapacitated and left with many bad side effects. Moreover, my father is already seventy-three years old. If things go wrong, he might become foolish or dull. Our whole family believes in the Lord, and he does too, but he never listens to sermons or attends church. This time, I had a good chat with him about Jesus’ love and gave him a sermon player to listen to one or two sermons every day. Thank the Lord, I kept telling him that Jesus loves him and that everything would be fine, encouraging him to think positively. I laid hands on him and prayed for him twice. He was able to sleep peacefully every day, and his dizziness, which had previously prevented him from even leaving the room, improved.
On Monday, the specialist called my dad and told him to be hospitalized for surgery on Tuesday. So he went to a certain hospital’s neurology department. When he arrived at the hospital, there was a commotion. Why? Because most of the people in that department were like that! People went in healthy, but a few days later, they died! The patient in the bed next to my dad was a thirty-five-year-old college student who could not speak after surgery. After hearing these two incidents, my dad was so scared that he didn’t want to have the surgery or even get checked.
My mom stayed with him and told him: “We are people of the Lord; we are different from them. Don’t be afraid; just believe!” After two or three thorough checks, my dad was so scared that he had to take a sedative to complete the tests. The MRI had to be done three times, and my dad didn’t go for the third time because he was so scared he couldn’t breathe.
The specialist personally came to ask him, and upon seeing his bed number, he said: “You can prepare to be discharged!” What happened? Generally, when such things happen, there are two meanings. When the doctor comes to you and looks at your scans and says: “Alright, go home and eat and drink whatever you want; go wherever you want!” What would you think? “This is hopeless!”
But there is another outcome: (completely healed)
My dad belonged to the second outcome. When the doctor looked at the scans, he said: “No need for surgery; everything is normal!” My dad couldn’t believe it and went to confirm it again. Indeed, nothing was found. He was so excited that he couldn’t speak. He called several relatives and friends to say that Jesus is the true God and that He is amazing. He really doesn’t need surgery; Jesus healed him. He told the doctors in the hospital and also shared with the people in the neighboring ward. After returning home, he didn’t rest and went to visit some old friends in the village to tell them that Jesus healed him. He couldn’t stop sharing.
In the past, when we talked about testimonies, he would laugh at us. Now he has personally experienced it and really wants to uncontrollably share this testimony with others. When he was discharged, he gave my sermon player to the father of the child in the neighboring bed, telling him to listen every day! His father said that Jesus helped him save 150,000 yuan! These days, my dad has been listening to your sermons at home every day. May the Lord take hold of him, and may our whole family serve our Lord Jesus. This is also our greatest wish.
This sister’s reflection: When my dad was sick, our whole family prayed for him. I read the Bible every day and listened to your sermons. I felt particularly peaceful and very grateful for God’s servant feeding us with the truth. It filled my heart with peace when I encountered things because we know whom we believe. Thank the Lord for His grace, Amen! Let’s give applause to our Lord. This is a recently happened testimony.
Finally, let’s look at a passage of scripture, Psalm 100:3-5:
3 Know that the Lord is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. 5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
This week, you can meditate on this passage: Know that the Lord is God! To know that the Lord is God, what is God? He is your Lord, the one who created the world. We are made by Him and belong to Him. Whose are you? You belong to Jesus; you belong to our God, so He will take responsibility for you.
We are His people. What does this mean? We are God’s people in God’s kingdom. He is our protector, Amen. We are also the sheep of His pasture. Since we are sheep, He is the shepherd. He will supply us. He is our provider. When you think about these things, you will be able to give thanks to God.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. Amen. Every time you think about God’s grace, your heart can only be filled with gratitude because we cannot repay God for such grace; we can only say: “Lord, I can only express my gratitude to you!” When you give thanks to Him, praise His name.
Verse 5 says: “For the Lord is good.”
What does this mean? His essence is goodness; everything in Him is good, Amen. So when you believe in this Lord and follow this Lord, your life is hopeful.
Looking at some history, you will find that no matter which dynasty it is, the king needs several assistants around him, military advisors, and people to strategize for him. We also need such people around us. Jesus is a victorious king. He is willing to help you. He is willing to accompany you through this life, and He will never betray you. In the past, many kings, after coming to power, would eliminate all the people around them who threatened them. But our Jesus will not eliminate you. Moreover, don’t think about eliminating Jesus; that is even more impossible. Treat Jesus as your best friend, your best advisor, and your best provider. Rely on Him for your whole life! When you wholeheartedly rely on our God, many testimonies will emerge, Amen!
I look forward to our sharing later, where everyone has more real things to be grateful to God for. His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations. Hallelujah! This is the Lord we believe in; He is truly wonderful, Amen!
Let us pray together
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise you. Thank you for leading us through the Thanksgiving festival because Jesus has given us so much grace. As this year comes to an end, let us recount what you have done for us in our lives, sharing the experiences of God’s grace so that others may benefit.
Let us express our gratitude to our God, lifting this cup of salvation and praising your name. Heavenly Father, thank you for loving us so much. You know our weaknesses, so you are willing to support us and supply us! This is a different week because your grace has come. Lord, please help me this week to rely on your words in my life to achieve victory. When encountering any issues, I will no longer be anxious. What you have prepared for me must be the best! Thank you and praise you. All glory belongs to you. We pray in the name of Lord Jesus, Amen.