Psalm 50:16-23

16 But to the wicked, God says: "What right have you to recite my laws or take my covenant on your lips? 17 You hate my instruction and cast my words behind you. 18 When you see a thief, you join with him; you throw in your lot with adulterers. 19 You use your mouth for evil and harness your tongue to deceit. 20 You speak continually against your brother and slander your own mother's son. 21 These things you have done and I kept silent; you thought I was altogether like you. But I will rebuke you and accuse you to your face. 22 "Consider this, you who forget God, or I will tear you to pieces, with none to rescue: 23 He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God."

God is gracious and righteous. God has given us all of creation to live by and sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to save us from sin. He wants us to live happily. However, when we forget the grace He gives us and we even act against His will and ignore His word, teachings and laws, He, the righteous one, reproaches us and judges our sins.

If God pays us back for our sins according to the crime we have committed, no one would be able to bear it. So we should never forget His grace or the fact that He is the righteous one who will judge us when we commit sin. We can live in the grace of God by always giving Him thanks.

Sometimes our life of faith feels so hard that we cannot bear it. Nevertheless, where does the power come from for us to continually live this life of faith? We sinners were called by God, He made us to believe in Jesus and saved us from sin, hell and curses. He also gave us the precious mission of winning souls and caring for them. The power to overcome hardships is in giving thanks to the Lord.

God made Adam to live within ultimate happiness in the Garden of Eden. So why did Adam bring us ruin by eating the fruit of the tree of good and evil? He was deceived by the devil and he forgot to give thanks. If the devil can take away thanksgiving from a man, his soul can easily perish forever (Gen. 3:1-6). The devil always occupies our thoughts so that we cannot think right.

When Adam and Eve forgot thanksgiving and ate the fruit of the tree of good and evil, they were expelled from the Garden of Eden. Although Eve gave birth to Cain and Abel, those sons lived under the curse.

One day, Cain and Abel gave offerings to God for getting back God's blessing again. God looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So, Cain was jealous of Abel and he killed his brother by stoning him. He ought to have given thanks to God for He looked with favor on Abel but he killed him. This is the work of the devil (1 John 3:12).

If we forget to give thanks to God, it is because we are deceived by the work of the devil. If a man is complaining, he does not know the blessing which comes from the word of God. The first complaint was the work of the devil. An angel fell complaining why only God can be glorified and served thus challenging God's throne. This was the work of the devil. If you complain and blame others including church members and pastors of sin so that you can make yourself righteous, you have to repent of your sin. If you don't, this sin will be cursed and the devil will work; your body and soul will be perished.

Abraham did not spare offering even his only son, and God sacrificed His only Son for us, so that the work of the gospel was fulfilled. We have to confess that all suffering comes from work of the devil and this is result of wrong doing we have done. We have to thoroughly repent. We can get out from suffering when we ask for His help by confessing and giving thanks to God that He is the only one who can save us. Our thanksgiving and repentance will open the door between God and us. By thanksgiving, let's drive out the enemy who blocks our future.

In this Feast of Harvest, let's move God deeply so that His unlimited blessings will be poured on you and not missed by you. Let's make it all yours and enjoy it. To make it yours, you should open your door wide for blessing by giving thanks to God.

2013.6.23