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Have you ever stopped to count your blessings? What do you have to be thankful for?

Thanksgiving should be a time of reverent reflection, humble prayer, and joyful thanksgiving for American Christians. I can't think of a better time for each of us to reflect on the things we have and to tell God how thankful we are for the blessings He has bestowed upon us.

We should reflect upon the countless blessings God has given each of us - not only as a nation, but also as families and individuals. This is the perfect time to remember the real reason the first pilgrims sailed to America aboard the Mayflower -- to escape religious persecution. And once delivered, the pilgrims did not fail to recognize the Origin of their blessings.

As each of us begin to think of the things we are most thankful, I know our list would start off with something like this… "Dear God, thank you so much for my family, my health, my job…" Please don't get me wrong… these are wonderful things to be thankful for. But let's go deeper. I know there are some things in this world we should all be thankful for and perhaps we don't even realize how much of a blessing these things are.

While we reflect upon our Christian heritage and many blessings, we should focus our prayers upon our brothers and sisters in Christ throughout the world who are now facing persecution just as the pilgrims once did. It is often difficult for us, in our warm, comfortable, and secure homes, to imagine the horrors countless Christians in foreign countries now face due to their faith in and obedience to Jesus Christ. We must never forget our dear brothers and sisters in Christ. They desperately need our prayers.

Here are some blessings to think about. Did you know if you own a Bible, you are abundantly blessed, because about one third of the entire world does not have access to a Bible? If you can freely attend a church service without fear of being beaten or killed, then you are more blessed than over a third of the world that do not have this freedom. If you have food in your refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head, and a place to sleep; all at the same time; you are rich in this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, or some spare change in a dish someplace you are among the worlds most wealthy. If you can read this message, you are more blessed than a third of the world that cannot read at all. If you have a voice to sing His praises, a voice to witness God's love, and a voice to share the gospel, you are blessed, because a third of the world we live in today do not know who the one true God is. If you can go to bed each night, knowing that God loves you, you are blessed beyond measure.

Just think of all the blessings you have in your life… there is so much for which we have to be thankful. Most Americans think of the Thanksgiving holiday during the month of November. And in today's society there are so many trivial things associated with Thanksgiving, like turkey and football. We would be wise; instead, to focus our attention on our almighty God to whom we owe all of our thanksgiving.

This Thanksgiving it is my prayer that we unite in reflection upon our heritage and blessings, prayer for persecuted Christians, and thanksgiving to our awesome and loving Father in heaven from whom all blessings flow.

Happy Thanksgiving!

"God's Words For US" from Cecelia Lester

Prayer and God's Will