Why Christians Celebrate Thanksgiving Once A Year And Not Everyday?
Question: Why do Christians and Churches celebrate thanksgiving unto God once a year and not every day of the whole year?
Answer: Greetings to you in Jesus wonderful name! Yes indeed, thanksgiving is an attitude that God wants us to inculcate day by day in our lives. The Bible says, "Enter in to the gates of God's temple with thanksgiving and in to the courts of His holy place and the holy of holies with praise; give thanks to him for all his goodness and praise his name for who He is to us personally." (Psa 100:4, Paraphrased).
All the spiritual Christians are asked to pray without ceasing, rejoice always and give thanks for everything, because these are all the perfect will of God for their lives in Christ Jesus (1 Thess 5:16-18).
The religious Christians are not really spiritual people, they rather live in the carnality of the fleshly gratification which self feeds on, so they concentrate on the festivals, days and sabbath which are all shadows of the things that has already come in the substance of Christ (Col 2:161-7). Slowly instead of realizing the reality of the life of Christ within them, they slowly tilt towards rule keeping and become judgmental towards others who do not adhere to their way of system (Col 2:18), they end up taking delight in false humility, being puffed up by their fleshly mind, forgetting the truth that true spiritual growth never comes by law keeping but rather by being in close relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ (Col 2:19).
So is it wrong to celebrate thanksgiving? No, it is good to have a day on which the whole nation, state, family can remember all the blessings that God has done, and particularly remember to thank the Lord for His mercies and grace that has come new every morning day by day to keep us all intact for His glory. But individually and personally, thanksgiving is not a one day remembrance if we are really a born again believer, we ought to inculcate the habit of praying, praising, rejoicing, thanksgiving all the time, everyday , twenty four, six, three sixty five as this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for all of us as individual believers. We truly grow in the life of Christ, only as we walk in the will of God that has been revealed to us.
The first original thanksgiving celebration was held by the Pilgrim settlers in Massachusetts during their second winter in America in December, 1621. The first winter had killed 44 of the original 102 colonists. At one point their daily food ration was down to five kernels of corn apiece, but then an unexpected trading vessel arrived, swapping them beaver pelts for grain, providing for their severe need. The next summer’s crop brought hope, and Governor William Bradford decreed that December 13, 1621, be set aside as a day of feasting and prayer to show the gratitude of the colonists that they were still alive.
These Pilgrims, seeking religious freedom and opportunity in America, gave thanks to God for His provision for them in helping them find 20 acres of cleared land, for the fact that there were no hostile Indians in that area, for their newfound religious freedom, and for God’s provision of an interpreter to the Indians in Squanto. Along with the feasting and games involving the colonists and more than 80 friendly Indians (who added to the feast by bringing wild turkeys and venison), prayers, sermons, and songs of praise which were held and considered as important in the celebration. Three days were spent in feasting and prayer.
From that time forward, Thanksgiving has been celebrated as a day to give thanks to God for His gracious and sufficient provision. President Abraham Lincoln officially set aside the last Thursday of November, in 1863, “as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father.” In 1941, Congress ruled that after 1941, the fourth Thursday of November be observed as Thanksgiving Day and be a legal holiday.
So United States of America being a Christian nation with a godly heritage in the past, have valued the importance of setting aside a day for the nation and its people to remember the goodness of God which God has showered upon them all.
Hence staying religious by keeping festive days and sabbaths with fervor will not really benefit a Christian eternally, because God rewards at the end of our life in the afterlife, only to the altitude and place where we have grown in our spiritual life. If we profess about Christianity and do not run the race to get the eternal crowns and prizes He has for us by disciplining ourselves on earth while we live, we are fooling ourselves and might be disqualified from the race of faith to be declared just a child of God but without any glory of God and glory deposit from God upon us for eternity ahead (1 Cor 9:24-27). For example, a poor man living today and the richest man on earth living today will have what quality of life in the difference between the two that they will enjoy (Luke 16:25), yet both are living in the same planet earth and God is the same God of the rich and the poor in spite of the curse of sin which caused inequality (Prov 22:2), they breathe the same air, are made warm by the same sun and drink the same water provided, yet one lives in abundant quality and comfort of life, yet the other suffers physically and mentally due to hard work and labor, both have the same eyes, with which the rich sees the abundance with their mind and the other sees poverty through their mind (Prov 29:13; 19:4, 7; 14:20), one enjoys good health in spite of the labor to sleep well, the other suffers because of abundance as this is a sin cursed earth (Matt 5:45, 48; Eccl 5:12; Psa 62:9). Likewise, in this spiritual race we compete against ourselves, and all believer who run with discipline in taking the Cross and denying the flesh will get the eternal price according to the sacrificial life of faith they lived, and the exploits they have done for the Lord and in the Lord (Luke 9:23-26). There are at least five crowns we can inherit from God for each specific work we do for the Lord like,
1) The Incorruptible Crown: This is also called the imperishable crown because apostle Paul compared the leafy crowns from plants they placed on the winners in sports events before nearly two thousand years ago when the international games used to take place in Rome, these crowns soon withered and dried away. Comparing these temporal crows, Paul was emphasizing the eternal crown that we will receive from God in heaven for winning the race against the flesh through self discipline and prayer, which is the "Victor's Crown" of every champion believer who have partaken in this race of holiness (1 Cor 9:24-27).
2) The Crown of Rejoicing: To those who faithfully are witnesses to the saving grace of God and leads souls to Jesus will receive this "Soul Winners Crown" (1 Thess 2:19; 4:1).
3) The Crown of Life: For those who have been faithful through trials, sufferings and even martyred unto death will receive this prestigious “Martyr’s Crown Or Sufferer's Crown” (Jam 1:12; Rev 2:10).
4) The Crown of Righteousness: Those who love intimacy with God. Who long for and look forward to the appearing of Jesus (2 Tim 4:8). Being with Jesus in His perfect will and obeying Him by hearing Him who is in their hearts all the time, these people let their life be consumed by the fire of the love of God and love for God in them that sets hearts afire around them who catch the same fire and spread it for the Glory of God! We can call it as "Intimacy Crown" and it will be given to all those who are love sick lovers of Jesus.
5) The Crown of Glory: Those who are servant shepherds of the followers of Jesus will receive this "Shepherd’s Crown” (1 Pet 5:2-4). The five fold ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ who are all given as a gift to the body of Christ is entirely set forth for this prize in their lives (Eph 4:8, 11). They must become a great example to the flock of God by exercising spiritual oversight for the individual believers spiritual growth, who do ministry not for the income but for the eternal outcome, exercising servant-leadership not by Lording over but by setting a life example before them will be the final prize winners of this crown. Praise the Lord!
Do we as believers run the race to become eligible to receive the various eternal crowns set before us? Or are we living a fleshly life with no eternal meaning and purpose?
What we do today will decide what we will become in the eternal plans of God which He has purposed for us. If we miss our prize, it will go to someone else, and we will have spiritual regret at least at a certain point of time which will be at the prize distribution ceremony of Christ Jesus in the light of eternity which is called as "Bema Seat Judgment" (2 Cor 5:9-11; Rev 3:11; Matt 25:28). Will the eternal regret continue? Yes to a certain extent they will remember of how they have missed their chance of gathering great treasures in heaven by wasting the time and squandering it when they were on earth as a Christian believer (Matt 6:19-21). Never under estimate the power of time, talent and treasure that God has supplied to you now on earth to make a eternal difference in your after life.
Learn to cultivate the habit of praising and thanking God for all things, all the time, always for the Glory of God to make a eternal difference in your life.
Much Blessings....
Answer: Greetings to you in Jesus wonderful name! Yes indeed, thanksgiving is an attitude that God wants us to inculcate day by day in our lives. The Bible says, "Enter in to the gates of God's temple with thanksgiving and in to the courts of His holy place and the holy of holies with praise; give thanks to him for all his goodness and praise his name for who He is to us personally." (Psa 100:4, Paraphrased).
All the spiritual Christians are asked to pray without ceasing, rejoice always and give thanks for everything, because these are all the perfect will of God for their lives in Christ Jesus (1 Thess 5:16-18).
The religious Christians are not really spiritual people, they rather live in the carnality of the fleshly gratification which self feeds on, so they concentrate on the festivals, days and sabbath which are all shadows of the things that has already come in the substance of Christ (Col 2:161-7). Slowly instead of realizing the reality of the life of Christ within them, they slowly tilt towards rule keeping and become judgmental towards others who do not adhere to their way of system (Col 2:18), they end up taking delight in false humility, being puffed up by their fleshly mind, forgetting the truth that true spiritual growth never comes by law keeping but rather by being in close relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ (Col 2:19).
So is it wrong to celebrate thanksgiving? No, it is good to have a day on which the whole nation, state, family can remember all the blessings that God has done, and particularly remember to thank the Lord for His mercies and grace that has come new every morning day by day to keep us all intact for His glory. But individually and personally, thanksgiving is not a one day remembrance if we are really a born again believer, we ought to inculcate the habit of praying, praising, rejoicing, thanksgiving all the time, everyday , twenty four, six, three sixty five as this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for all of us as individual believers. We truly grow in the life of Christ, only as we walk in the will of God that has been revealed to us.
The first original thanksgiving celebration was held by the Pilgrim settlers in Massachusetts during their second winter in America in December, 1621. The first winter had killed 44 of the original 102 colonists. At one point their daily food ration was down to five kernels of corn apiece, but then an unexpected trading vessel arrived, swapping them beaver pelts for grain, providing for their severe need. The next summer’s crop brought hope, and Governor William Bradford decreed that December 13, 1621, be set aside as a day of feasting and prayer to show the gratitude of the colonists that they were still alive.
These Pilgrims, seeking religious freedom and opportunity in America, gave thanks to God for His provision for them in helping them find 20 acres of cleared land, for the fact that there were no hostile Indians in that area, for their newfound religious freedom, and for God’s provision of an interpreter to the Indians in Squanto. Along with the feasting and games involving the colonists and more than 80 friendly Indians (who added to the feast by bringing wild turkeys and venison), prayers, sermons, and songs of praise which were held and considered as important in the celebration. Three days were spent in feasting and prayer.
From that time forward, Thanksgiving has been celebrated as a day to give thanks to God for His gracious and sufficient provision. President Abraham Lincoln officially set aside the last Thursday of November, in 1863, “as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father.” In 1941, Congress ruled that after 1941, the fourth Thursday of November be observed as Thanksgiving Day and be a legal holiday.
So United States of America being a Christian nation with a godly heritage in the past, have valued the importance of setting aside a day for the nation and its people to remember the goodness of God which God has showered upon them all.
Hence staying religious by keeping festive days and sabbaths with fervor will not really benefit a Christian eternally, because God rewards at the end of our life in the afterlife, only to the altitude and place where we have grown in our spiritual life. If we profess about Christianity and do not run the race to get the eternal crowns and prizes He has for us by disciplining ourselves on earth while we live, we are fooling ourselves and might be disqualified from the race of faith to be declared just a child of God but without any glory of God and glory deposit from God upon us for eternity ahead (1 Cor 9:24-27). For example, a poor man living today and the richest man on earth living today will have what quality of life in the difference between the two that they will enjoy (Luke 16:25), yet both are living in the same planet earth and God is the same God of the rich and the poor in spite of the curse of sin which caused inequality (Prov 22:2), they breathe the same air, are made warm by the same sun and drink the same water provided, yet one lives in abundant quality and comfort of life, yet the other suffers physically and mentally due to hard work and labor, both have the same eyes, with which the rich sees the abundance with their mind and the other sees poverty through their mind (Prov 29:13; 19:4, 7; 14:20), one enjoys good health in spite of the labor to sleep well, the other suffers because of abundance as this is a sin cursed earth (Matt 5:45, 48; Eccl 5:12; Psa 62:9). Likewise, in this spiritual race we compete against ourselves, and all believer who run with discipline in taking the Cross and denying the flesh will get the eternal price according to the sacrificial life of faith they lived, and the exploits they have done for the Lord and in the Lord (Luke 9:23-26). There are at least five crowns we can inherit from God for each specific work we do for the Lord like,
1) The Incorruptible Crown: This is also called the imperishable crown because apostle Paul compared the leafy crowns from plants they placed on the winners in sports events before nearly two thousand years ago when the international games used to take place in Rome, these crowns soon withered and dried away. Comparing these temporal crows, Paul was emphasizing the eternal crown that we will receive from God in heaven for winning the race against the flesh through self discipline and prayer, which is the "Victor's Crown" of every champion believer who have partaken in this race of holiness (1 Cor 9:24-27).
2) The Crown of Rejoicing: To those who faithfully are witnesses to the saving grace of God and leads souls to Jesus will receive this "Soul Winners Crown" (1 Thess 2:19; 4:1).
3) The Crown of Life: For those who have been faithful through trials, sufferings and even martyred unto death will receive this prestigious “Martyr’s Crown Or Sufferer's Crown” (Jam 1:12; Rev 2:10).
4) The Crown of Righteousness: Those who love intimacy with God. Who long for and look forward to the appearing of Jesus (2 Tim 4:8). Being with Jesus in His perfect will and obeying Him by hearing Him who is in their hearts all the time, these people let their life be consumed by the fire of the love of God and love for God in them that sets hearts afire around them who catch the same fire and spread it for the Glory of God! We can call it as "Intimacy Crown" and it will be given to all those who are love sick lovers of Jesus.
5) The Crown of Glory: Those who are servant shepherds of the followers of Jesus will receive this "Shepherd’s Crown” (1 Pet 5:2-4). The five fold ministers of the gospel of Jesus Christ who are all given as a gift to the body of Christ is entirely set forth for this prize in their lives (Eph 4:8, 11). They must become a great example to the flock of God by exercising spiritual oversight for the individual believers spiritual growth, who do ministry not for the income but for the eternal outcome, exercising servant-leadership not by Lording over but by setting a life example before them will be the final prize winners of this crown. Praise the Lord!
Do we as believers run the race to become eligible to receive the various eternal crowns set before us? Or are we living a fleshly life with no eternal meaning and purpose?
What we do today will decide what we will become in the eternal plans of God which He has purposed for us. If we miss our prize, it will go to someone else, and we will have spiritual regret at least at a certain point of time which will be at the prize distribution ceremony of Christ Jesus in the light of eternity which is called as "Bema Seat Judgment" (2 Cor 5:9-11; Rev 3:11; Matt 25:28). Will the eternal regret continue? Yes to a certain extent they will remember of how they have missed their chance of gathering great treasures in heaven by wasting the time and squandering it when they were on earth as a Christian believer (Matt 6:19-21). Never under estimate the power of time, talent and treasure that God has supplied to you now on earth to make a eternal difference in your after life.
Learn to cultivate the habit of praising and thanking God for all things, all the time, always for the Glory of God to make a eternal difference in your life.
Much Blessings....
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