Alvin Church of Christ
Don Anderson – 11/25/2009
Thanksgiving…its my favorite holiday of the year! The fall brings us cooler weather; a little rain and a lot of wind and falling leaves.
Windy days regularly remind me of the time Jesus compared the Holy Spirit to the wind.
Like the wind, the Holy Spirit is invisible but undeniably present and refreshing. And although we can't fully understand the multi-faceted ministry of the Holy Spirit, we can still experience the reality of His ministry as He encourages and helps us.
That's my prayer for you this Thanksgiving. I'm praying for God to powerfully move within all who need a refreshing dose of encouragement. The Lord is good and ready to draw even closer to anyone who dares to draw close to Him.
If you are not pursuing the supernatural life, then you are living the superficial life. I'm praying for supernatural breakthroughs and asking you to join me in being open to God's activity in your life. The promise of God is available to all who possess even the faith of a mustard seed of genuine faith.
One of the Holy Spirit's primary ministries is encouragement and one of His primary methods of encouraging believers is through other believers. But get this: when believers don't act on spontaneous opportunities to encourage, the window of opportunity and willingness to encourage others often closes, i.e., we forget about it.
And so ... If you see an opportunity, seize it. If you encounter a need in others, meet it. If you think a thought of affirmation, give voice to it. If you have a kind idea, implement it.
How many encouraging and helpful words pass through your head on a daily basis that never make a safe landing in the heart of a recipient? How many doable acts of kindness never make it off the launching pad?
Spontaneous encouragement keeps you tuned into the activity of God all around you. And a ready position on your part increases the likelihood that God will send opportunities for impact in your direction.
May I encourage you this Thanksgiving to specifically remember what a great God we serve. He is ours and we are His. The Resurrection of Christ means that God is indeed "running this show" called life and our last enemy - death itself - the ultimate weapon of our adversary Satan - has been defeated.
May we as a church and as individuals give “Thanks” for all the great blessings God has bestowed upon us and all that He has promised to us. And may we be an encouragement to those around us who need a reminder of just how they bless our life each and every day!
It is a privilege to serve as your Minister. You have blessed my family and we are eternally grateful for your love and support! From our family to yours…Happy Thanksgiving!
To God Be the Glory!
Don, Karen and Melissa Anderson