Hebrews 11:1-4

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. This is what the ancients were commended for. By faith we understand that the universe was formed at God's command, so that what is seen was not made out of what was visible. By faith Abel offered God a better sacrifice than Cain did. By faith he was commended as a righteous man, when God spoke well of his offerings. And by faith he still speaks, even though he is dead."

God is the Creator and master of all things. God’s nature is love which gives us everything without limit. God gave everything under heaven to us who are His created beings. He gave us even His one and only Son Jesus Christ for our Salvation.

The Father took our sins away by the Truth. He set His seal of ownership on us, and put His Spirit in our hearts as a deposit (2 Corinthians 1:22). “Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” (Acts 2:38) Who in heaven or on earth can bear the responsibility for the life of human beings by giving such tremendous grace spiritually and physically? Our God has given us everything and He loves us. So He is the only One who is worthy of our praise, thanksgiving and glory.

Cain and Abel offered sacrifices to God for He had given them grace, but God only accepted Abel’s sacrifice because he gave it by faith (Hebrews 11:6). The sacrifice which God desires is the sacrifice of faith called the sacrifice of blood because He has regard for the blood sacrifice. And without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness since He took away all our sins by the blood of Jesus Christ (Hebrews 9:22). That’s why John said “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”(John 1:29)

Therefore, even if you offer thanksgiving, evangelism, faithfulness and all kinds of worship and praise to God without a thankful heart by faith for the grace of the blood of Jesus Christ, you have no regard for the Lord, but your own self-righteousness.

The Feast of Thanksgiving should be the day for those who once forgot about the grace given by the blood of Jesus, to turn back to their Savior’s grace achieved by the blood of God’s one and only Son. Our faith life is to believe in the blood of Jesus Christ.

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ! The Son of God died on the cross bearing our sins. Let us draw near to the Lord with sincere thanksgiving to be the one who can please God just like Abel did! “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” (1 Peter 2:24)  Let us focus all our thanksgiving on the working of the blood of Jesus Christ. Let us live by His grace in the days of our distress and suffering. Let us not forget His grace given by the blood of Jesus Christ!