Thanksgiving – PaulThompsonBlog

1778 Thanksgiving Proclamation

Posted on November 25, 2020Leave a comment

1778 By the United States in Congress assembled. A PROCLAMATION.

It having pleased Almighty God, through the course of the present year, to bestow great and manifold mercies on the people of these United States; and it being the indispensable duty of all men gratefully to acknowledge their obligations to Him for benefits received: Resolved, That it be, and hereby is recommended to the legislative or executive authority of each of the said states, to appoint Wednesday, the 30th day of December next, to be observed as a day of public thanksgiving and praise, that all the people may, with united hearts, on that day, express a just sense of his unmerited favors; particularly in that it hath pleased him, by his overruling providence, to support us in a just and necessary war, for the defense of our rights and liberties, by affording us seasonable supplies for our armies, by disposing the heart of a powerful monarch to enter into alliance with us, and aid our cause; by defeating the councils and evil designs of our enemies, and giving us victory over their troops; and, by the continuance of that union among these states, which, by his blessing, will be their future strength and glory. And it is further recommended, that, together with devout thanksgiving, may be joined a penitent confession of our sins, and humble supplication for pardon, through the merits of our Savior; so that, under the smiles of Heaven, our public councils may be directed, our arms by land and sea prospered, our liberty and independence secured, our schools and seminaries of learning flourish, our trade be revived, our husbandry and manufactures encreased, and the hearts of all impressed with undissembled piety, with benevolence and zeal for the public good. And it is also recommended, that recreations unsuitable to the purpose of such a solemnity may be omitted on that day. Done in Congress, this 17th day of November, 1778, and in the third year of the independence of the United States of America.

*www.PilgrimHall.org
https://pilgrimhall.org/pdf/TG_Continental_Congress_Proclamations_1778_1784.pdf

Who Do You Give Thanks To and Does It Matter?

Posted on November 9, 2018Leave a comment

I’m always interested in discussion about truth.

An honest discussion about truth is a rare thing. But, I aim to do it for the sake of truth.

Thanksgiving is this unique national holiday that reminds all of us that there is a Christian fiber still present in our nation. The origin of this holiday is truly a holy day.

I write about Thanksgiving perhaps more than any other holiday because of its biblical roots.

Does it matter who one gives thanks to?

If an honest thinking person wants to know the historic nature of this blessed holiday, there is plenty of information.

Two things are of most interest to me.

First, regardless of what anyone says, truth is what matters most. Thanksgiving is a center piece of our nation, even from before it was a nation. It became more formal as the years unfolded. Even with a nation that is more fixed on stimulating the economy than giving thanks to God, Thanksgiving is rooted exclusively in Christianity. That does not mean non Christians are not allowed to give thanks, don’t know how to be thankful, or should not be allowed to have the days off of work. It just means we should be willing to have honest discussions about the origin and nature of this blessed holiday.

Second, does it matter to whom the nation gives thanks? I have more to say here. Yes, it matters. Most of the presidential proclamations make mention of an All Mighty God. This is important. This distinguishes something of significance. We don’t give thanks to non-gods. It is arrogant to not give thanks to the Most High God and give that thanks to a false god.

For this Christian that means I give careful attention to community events that want to gather all religions to participate in a celebration of all other gods. The Bible does not give room for any other god but God. This God reveals Himself to us through the Bible, not the book of Mormon, the Koran, or any other philosophical ideas, it is through the Bible only.

It is not to claim that Christians only can have the market on Thanksgiving. But it is to say that any celebration that does not give thanks to God, as defined by the Bible only, is not a Christian sacred day. To give thanks to other gods of other books is not what our national fathers had in mind.

You will see religious events happening in the coming days that will be spiritual, but don’t be confused or fooled, they are not Christian if they do not exclusively give thanks to the Almighty God of the Holy Bible. Those who attend them will likely enjoy each other and be pleased to participate, but it will not be a Christian holiday celebration unless the Most High God is exclusively addressed as the object of our thanks.

For Clarity: I do participate in a community dialog with other faith groups in our community. The sponsor of the Saturday community gathering at the Twin Falls City Park is not the group I participate with. I have room at the conversation table to talk about our differences, but I cannot give equal prayer to false gods or false religions.

I plead with professing believers of Jesus Christ throughout the city to not participate in religious gatherings that raise false gods to the same place as the Almighty God. Don’t be afraid of honest, careful, kind dialog. Be sure to not give thanks to lesser gods, who are not gods at all, rather give thanks only to the Triune God of the Bible.

This is no day to cause confusion about God in desire to be liked by men, this is a day to humble ourselves and give crisp clarity of the Holy God of the Bible.

A Rare Moment

Posted on February 17, 2016Leave a comment

In the past 15 years of being a pastor at Eastside Baptist Church I have never received a phone call like this one. (my pastor friends will relate.)

It is no surprise to answer the phone at my office from time to time from someone needing help, most of the time from legitimate minor needs and a few attempts of scamming (O the stories I could tell.)

Today, the phone rang with the usual; “can I speak to the pastor?”

After introducing myself the party on the other end began their story of how I once helped them when they were in need and how ESBC was willing to help when others were not able. They no longer live in the area but wanted to just say “thank you.”

I told them that we can’t always help but happy to do so when we can. It was one of those times we could.

After telling them of the kindness of the Lord’s people at Eastside Baptist and their willingness to help that they told me they wanted to order pizza for me for lunch.

WOW.

I explained to them that there is no expectation to return a gift for the aid we gave them. They insisted that they felt compelled of the Lord to express gratitude to a people who were willing to help them in a time they were in great need.

Pizza Hut showed up a few moments later with lunch.

Well, I must say it again; WOW! I’m still smiling and going in for another slice as soon as I’m done writing this post.

The gratitude expressed to me for helping is really a reflection of the kindness of the humble people I pastor.

1777 Thanksgiving Proclamation

Posted on November 24, 2015Leave a comment

The nation was still in her infancy, she had not forgotten where her strength, provision, and forgiveness came from. Long before Thanksgiving became a national holiday, it was the practice of congress to call on the people of the United States to reflect upon the blessings from God and thank Him for his providential hand in the life of the nation.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving Proclamation 1777
By the Continental Congress
The First National Thanksgiving Proclamation

“It is therefore recommended to the legislative or executive powers of these UNITED STATES to set apart Thursday, the eighteenth Day of December next for the SOLEMN THANKSGIVING and PRAISE: That at one time and with one voice, the good people may express grateful feelings of their hearts, and consecrate themselves to the service of their Divine Benefactor; and that, together with their sincere acknowledgments and offerings, they may join the penitent confession of their manifold sins, whereby they had forfeited every favor; and their humble and earnest supplication that it may please GOD through the merits of JESUS CHRIST, mercifully to forgive and blot them out of remembrance; That it may please Him graciously to afford His blessing on the Governments of these States respectively, and prosper the public council of the whole: To inspire our commanders, both by land and sea and all under them, with that wisdom and fortitude which may render them fit instruments, under the Providence of Almighty GOD, to secure for these United States, the greatest of all human blessings, independence and peace: That it may please Him, to prosper the trade and manufactures of the people, and the labor of the husbandmen, that our land may yield its increase: To take schools and seminaries of education, so necessary for cultivating the principles of true liberty, virtue and piety, under His nurturing hand; and to prosper the means of religion, for the promotion and enlargement of that Kingdom, which consisteth “in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.”

And it is further recommended, that service labor, and such recreation, as, though at other times innocent, may be unbecoming the purpose of this appointment, be omitted on so solemn and occasion.

Courageous Resolve

Posted on November 27, 2014Leave a comment

Happy Thanksgiving!

“Few promptings of heroism rank higher in human annals than the courageous resolve which let the little band to seek in the unknown Western World a new home where they might worship God according to the dictates of their conscience, and found a pure and regenerate society, unfettered by the surroundings of a degenerate past. Of the Pilgrims’ subsequent life and times in America, it has been said: “Theirs was among the most valued contribution of those formative times in our Colonial history.” ” (Hearnshaw’s History of the Pilgrim Fathers, p. 18)

By Order of the President of the United State of America

Posted on November 27, 2013Leave a comment

By Order of the President of the United States of America.
Abraham Lincoln, October 3, 1863

“The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence ofAlmighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theater of military conflict; while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defense, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battlefield; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed,

Done at the city of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the United States the Eighty-eighth”