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AMERICAN CHRISTIAN HISTORY INSTITUTE
EAGLE'S AERIE
James Rose, President

THANKSGIVING PRODUCES THANKS LIVING

Thank God for establishing our nation upon the principles of individual liberty and self government.

Self Government is defined in I John 3:24: "He that keepeth his commandments DWELLETH IN HIM, and HE IN HIM. And hereby we know that HE ABIDETH IN US, by the Spirit which He hath given us." Man is properly self governed when he is obedient to the Spirit of Christ (the Spirit of Truth) indwelling.

Thanksgiving is causative to thanks living.

The internal gives rise to the external. The conscious, constant capacity of our hearts to Thank God in every thing, in every event, in every situation, and under any circumstance is reflected in our lives. Our internal, invisible governmental relationship to Christ is revealed in our conversation, our deportment, and our relationship to others. Grateful hearts produce the walk and the talk of thankful lives.

I'm sorry if I ruffle your feathers, but Thanksgiving Day in America is a political statement - because it has been and is established every year as matter of national policy. The first national day of public thanksgiving and prayer in North America was proclaimed in October of 1789 by President George Washington when both houses of Congress recommended that the President ask the people of these United States to "acknowledge with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God" (especially for giving to us) A FORM OF GOVERNMENT for our safety and happiness.

Our first President asked the people in 1789 to pray to God: to pardon our national sins; to render our national government a blessing to all the people (HOW?) by being a government of wise (laws), just and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed, and to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion (which was Biblical Christianity at that time) and virtue (or the righteousness of Christ).

Nearly 75 years later, during the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln made the last Thursday in November an annual, National day of Thanksgiving and
Praise to Almighty God. Every year since then every President of the United
States has asked Americans to acknowledge the Goodness of God in the life and government of these United States of America.

A nation gives thanks to God for His goodness as individual by self-governing individual give thanks, as family by local self governing family is grateful to God, and as church by local self governing church praise God from whom all blessings flow. The thanksgiving of self governing individuals, and the humble gratitude of individual families and churches, constitute a thankful people and produce one grateful, SELF GOVERNING, thanks living nation under God.

America is a Christian nation because it was established on the Christian principle of self government.

Thanksgiving is not just an American tradition, but unlike the story of most nations, thanking God for His goodness, His immediate care and provision, was practiced by the first Christian settlers in North America, then remembered by the first and succeeding Presidents of these United States.

While contemporary America thinks of football, family and roast turkey on
Thanksgiving Day, American Christians ought not forget the testimony of the Pilgrims of Plymouth Plantation in Massachusetts.

The Pilgrims consistently held days of fast and thanksgiving in England and
Holland. In 1620, 134 passengers and crew arrived at North America, in New England on the cargo ship, Mayflower. There were more "strangers" - non-Pilgrims - aboard than there were Pilgrims - a total of 76 men including crew, 25 women and 33 children. Can you imagine just the 102 passengers living, eating and sleeping for over two months between the leaking decks of a 90 foot long by 26 foot wide ship that only allowed each person less than a 3' x 6' space to occupy? Thank God for men and women who were even disposed live at peace with each other in such cramped, public quarters.

The First Thanksgiving in America goes back to 1623. After two years of exercising remarkable faith and steadfastness, brotherly love and Christian care for one another, and diligence and industry in the face of great trials following the death of over 50 first settlers did the Pilgrims, with about
90 friendly Indians, celebrate what is known as the First Thanksgiving.

Consider with me four reasons why the Pilgrims left their homes and livings in England and why they left their church in Holland to come to America.

FOUR PRIMARY REASONS the Pilgrim came to America:

1. To protect their children from degeneracy and corruption (CHOC, p.
192-193**)

"Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son: but he that is a companion of riotous men shameth his father." Prov. 28:7

".their dearest children.of best dispositions and gracious inclinations, were.oppressed with their heavy labors, . became decrepit in their early youth, and by the great licentiousness of youth in (Holland) and the manifold temptations of the place, were drawn away by evil examples into extravagant and dangerous courses, getting the reigns off their necks, departing from their parents, . tending to dissoluteness and the danger of their souls, to the great grief of the parents and dishonor of God." (William Bradford)

2. To propagate and advance the Gospel of the Kingdom of Christ (CHOC, p.
193)
"Go ye therefore and teach all nations." Matt. 28:19

"Lastly, and which was not least, a great hope and inward zeal they had of laying some good foundation, or at least to make some way thereunto, for the propagating and advancing the gospel of the kingdom of Christ in to those remote parts of the world."

"In the name of God, Amen. We whose names are underwritten.having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and honor of our king and country, a voyage.do by these present solemnly and mutually in the presence of God, and one another, covenant and combine ourselves together into a civil body politic, for our better ordering and preservation." (Mayflower Document) (CHOC, p. 204)

The Pilgrims exercised Christian self government - they demonstrated the government of God through Christ by advancing the Gospel to the Indians and later even to the Puritans who settled at Boston in 1630.

3. To obtain and preserve Religious Liberty (CHOC, p 195)

"Standfast, therefore, in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made you free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage." Gal. 6:1

"And some of the chief of that company (of Pilgrims) doubted not to obtain their suit of the king FOR LIBERTY IN RELIGION, and to have it confirmed under the kings broad seal, according to their desires." (William Bradford)

Christ indwelling produced Individual liberty (Rom. 8:2) as well as Liberty of Conscience (Acts. 24:16), whereby the indwelling Spirit of the Lord compelled them to seek Religious Liberty under the law of the King so they could exercise the lawful right to assemble freely, and freely worship the Lord and educate themselves in the Word of God in a good conscience toward God and man.

"It is well known unto the godly and judicious, how ever since the first breaking out of the light of the Gospel in our Honorable Nation of
England.what wars, and oppositions ever since Satan hath raised.against the saints, from time to time in one sort or other. Some times by bloody death and cruel torments, other whiles by imprisonments, banishments, and other hard usages, As being loath His kingdom should go down, the Truth prevailed; and the churches of God revert to their ancient purity; and recover their primitive order, liberty, and beauty." (Bradford's History, Chapter 1, first para.)

4. To be as "stepping-stones" unto others for the performing of so great a work (CHOC, p. 193) (William Bradford)

"I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase." I Cor. 3:6

Stepping stones are made to be stepped on, made to build a path for others.
Ten years after the Pilgrim landed in Plymouth, the Puritans followed their lead and example and came to America (New England) to settle in Boston for the purpose of enjoying religious and civil liberty.

Let us thank God together this Thursday that the Pilgrims taught, illustrated and demonstrated SELF GOVERNMENT - THE CORNERSTONE OF OUR NATION. Their testimony of self government is THEIR THANKS--LIVING GIFT TO US AS AMERICAN CHRISTIANS.

Just so, I pray that every member of the church also gives thanks that.
"You are a holy generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation,a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;." I Peter 2:9

** The Christian History of the Constitution, Verna M. Hall, Compiler, FACE,
1966.

Labels: Holidays, Living for God