House Church Talk - Re: House Church Talk Digest, Vol 3, Issue 327 - My thanksgiving list!

[Thomas Shou]

Bro Philip and friends!
 
Thanks for this oppty to express what I'm thankful for in my life again. (I missed the first time you sent this post.) But before I start my list, want to share a story about a very edifying Married Couples thanksgiving activity we experienced at a Sp-filled IC (gasp! : P)  near our home recently called Abundant Life Xian Fellowship. Sometimes Lucy and I go to their earlier service for some Sp-led worship and powerful preaching, before we start church in our home on Sun morn 10:30AM. The IC is walking distance from our home.
 
So the couples pastor taught us to play a wonderful thanksgiving game for our spouses at the table that brought out some wonderful things in all the married couples! Basically, it was a "spoons" game where everyone around the table would pass around a pencil and say one thing they want to thank their spouse for and then the pastor would blow a whistle randomly and the person who couldn't thank his spouse quick enough would be out of the game. Has anyone played this game -- try it! It brought out some wonderful things among all we married couples. We had a great time and the winner at our table was a young couple that had just been married 5 months only! They had so much to thank God for in each other; it was beautiful to see how they had so much thanks on their hearts and lips for each other! Another couple had been only married 2 weeks, we discovered! 
 
Here's a great list of things married couples can all be thankful to God for ALL round the year! (provided by the IC pastor : )  Can anything good come from Nazareth? YES! 
 
Be thankful you ARE married vs. so many who can't or aren't for diff reasons
Be thankful your spouse still loves you in spite of knowing who you really are, esp. when you're sick and ugly
Be thankful you HAVE someone to grow old with
Be thankful you have the privilege of someone else's company in sickness and in health
Be thankful for any unselfish, sacrificial act of love done in the past by your spouse (remember the good times)
Be thankful that the same God and Holy Sp in you is working in her and ain't done!
Last but not least: BE THANKFUL for your DIFFERENCES as gifts from God
 
Foster an attitude of gratitude this season and all year long!
 
My List:
 
Thankful for a wonderful God who amazes us with so much to give thanks for throughout the day, weeks, and year by year! : )
Thankful for God giving us His best in His Son already!
Thankful for not only being redeemed but indwelt by His Best - Indwelling Sp of His Son in me and you anytime anywhere
Thankful for the painful shameful humiliating death he died for you and me
Thankful that He rose again the third day, ascended on high and is coming soon!
Thankful He became the Head of His church and has given all His authority to His church
Thankful we have the privilege to just "be" His church and His beautiful Bride today and that day!
Thankful for being the never-failing treasury of grace: Jehovah-Jireh in every need
Thankful for giving me such a virtuous simple faithful loyal sp helpmate and lover - my wfe Lucy!
Thankful for supernaturally opening a new FT job for me as Marcom Specialist at KLA after two long years of contracts!
Thankful for raising up a simple testimony in my home for Jesus where He always shows up in our living room and shows us Wonders in the deep each time we "meat"
Thankful that He continues to show up week after week after 2 years!
Thankful for a supernaturally-provided home to call our own in over-priced Palo Alto where He can make His home among His own!
Thankful for all the wise elders/fathers in the Lord He has brought alongside us in our short HC journey
Thankful for breath and life to thank and praise Him out loud another Thanksgiving Day!
Thankful for two cars that still can get us around and get the saints around!
Thankful for very kind neighbors and oppty to witness around the condo complex
Thankful for great sunny weather in CA
Thankful that Bush won!
Thankful I have clothes, food and a roof over my head vs. so much of the world
Thankful for total religious freedom in US to get our praise on in our own living rooms!
Thankful for being blessed by the sharing of faithful, Sp-filled saints at HC-Talk
Thankful for a Christian family who all seek the Lord in their lives
Thankful for being healthy right now
Thankful for the oppty to learn how to be thankful always for all things at all times in all places -- the shortest and surest way to happiness : )
I Thess 5:18, Col 3:17
 
Love to hear your list?
 
bro Thomas
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


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Today's Topics:

1. What are you thankful for? (Phillip Cohen)
2. Re: What are you thankful for? (David Anderson)


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Message: 1
Date: Thu, 25 Nov 2004 12:10:54 -0600
From: Phillip Cohen 
Subject: House Church Talk -  What are you thankful for?
To: House Church Talk  at housechurch.org
Message-ID: <20041125.121058.936.3.spiritfilledhome at juno.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii 


* From Jon Herring, one of ETR's staff writers . . . 
"I am most thankful for the loving bonds of family. I remember coming
home from college one time and telling my father about how many friends I
had made and how close we had become. I told him, "Dad, these are my
friends for life."
"I still remember his words. He said, "Jon, you're too young to realize
this, but friends will come and go in your life. It is your family that
will remain."
"I have since come to appreciate his wisdom. While I do have some
friendships that have lasted for a decade or more, they are very few in
comparison to those who have come and gone in my life. Yet family is a
continuing source of stability and support. Even the extended members of
my family I still see every year or two . . . which is more than I can
say for the lifelong friends I thought I had."



I have left the IC system, but am still in relationship with friends =
within it. Since the true church is made up of people, not buildings, =
programs, leadership, etc., we do not cut ourselves off from a portion =
of the body based on where we meet or other differences. I can't say my =
heart was ever in the IC system; my heart was linked to the people I =
grew to love. =20

In some ways, the IC system is nothing but a glorified matchmaker, in =
bringing together people who wouldn't have met otherwise. Sadly, after =
expending much effort and resources, the organization needs to control =
and exploit its customers. Here is the blessing of the internet; =
meeting like-hearted people, and owing no man for the introduction. =
This is why most churches and "ministries," have shut down "their" =
discussion lists and boards. The sheep learn that all they need is =
their true shepherd and each other. The paid, professional leadership =
is not only useless, it is an impediment.

I see parallels to the homeschool movement here. Many who left =
government and private schools started out doing school at home, but =
gravitated to discipling their children in the ways of the Lord =
according to their children's and the family's needs. =20

The HC can make the same error and carry the IC baggage into the home, =
or make an equal error in throwing off all that relates to the past, =
rather than scrutinizing it through the lens of scripture and spiritual =
discernment.

We don't have to be limited to the home either. We can bring our =
ministry to public places or to the home of a person in need. From samespecies at charter.net Thu Nov 25 14:12:22 2004

Praise the Lord! all His people.

Lord,

You are our Thanksgiving!
You are our Good Land!
You are the Earth and our Nourishment!
You swallow up death in Victory!
You are True Food!
You are the Blessing!
You are our Exceeding and Great Reward!
You are Life!
In You Lord,
we have Life!, Liberty!, and Freedom!

Happy Thanksgiving! all.
We are Blessed!

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Phillip Cohen" 
To: 
Sent: Thursday, November 25, 2004 10:10 AM
Subject: House Church Talk -  What are you thankful for?


>
> * From Jon Herring, one of ETR's staff writers . . .
> "I am most thankful for the loving bonds of family. I remember coming
> home from college one time and telling my father about how many friends I
> had made and how close we had become. I told him, "Dad, these are my
> friends for life."
> "I still remember his words. He said, "Jon, you're too young to realize
> this, but friends will come and go in your life. It is your family that
> will remain."
> "I have since come to appreciate his wisdom. While I do have some
> friendships that have lasted for a decade or more, they are very few in
> comparison to those who have come and gone in my life. Yet family is a
> continuing source of stability and support. Even the extended members of
> my family I still see every year or two . . . which is more than I can
> say for the lifelong friends I thought I had."
>
> Phillip
> spiritfilledhome at juno.com
> Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures
> forever. Psalm 107:1
>
>
> --- Info and subscription management at
https://housechurch.org/talk ---
>


------------------------------

Message: 2
Date: Thu, 25 Nov 2004 22:55:02 -0500
From: David Anderson 
Subject: Re: House Church Talk -  What are you thankful for?
To: 
Message-ID: 
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"


We were just reading about the Plymouth, MA settlement. During the first 
winter food was so scarce that every person was limited to five (5) 
kernals of corn per day. Yet none died.

May a blessed thanksgiving be yours.

David Anderson

------------------------------

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End of House Church Talk  Digest, Vol 3, Issue 327
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