Next Step #28--Thanksgiving!

Hi Everyone!

Thanksgiving is over, right? Wrong! As followers of Jesus who are filled with the Holy Spirit, every day is Thanksgiving. During our 40 Days of Gratitude Series at New Life, I made a point about the Holy Spirit and thanksgiving twice: If our "gratitude meter" is on "zero" then our "Holy Spirit meter" is on "zero," too. What I mean by that is that when we are filled with the Holy Spirit and living in His power, one of the natural results is THANKSGIVING. The best scriptural illustration of that is found in Ephesians 5:18-20: Don't be drunk with win, because that will ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and control you. Then you will sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, making music to the Lord in your hearts. And you will ALWAYS GIVE THANKS for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Do you see the connection? When the Spirit controls our lives, we will ALWAYS GIVE THANKS for everything to God the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Do you want to know whether the Spirit is in control right now? How is your "gratitude meter"? Are you grateful for EVERYTHING? Last night the Thanksgiving "feasting" caught up with me. Let's just say I was experiencing some nausea. In the midst of that how do you be grateful? It's actually easy if the Spirit is in control. I was grateful for HOW I was feeling, but I was grateful that God was still in charge, that I had a comfortable bed where I could lie down and rest. I was grateful for indoor plumbing! You say, "Chris, that's gross." No, it's gratitude for the common blessings that you and I take for granted, but that most of the world has no opportunity to know. As you and I go about the day, living in the Spirit, Thanksgiving will be the order of the day, regardless of what comes our way!