"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever."
(Ps. 95:2)

Dear Friend & Partner,

I have just returned from two weeks of travel and ministry in Nepal and India and will send you my usual pictorial report in the next few days.  But since this is "Thanksgiving Week," I wanted to share the outline of a message I preached in Nepal.  It was for the 40th Ministry Anniversary of Pastor Man Bahadur Tamang, one of our oldest partnerships in Nepal.  As one of the pioneer spiritual patriarchs of the country, he experienced much opposition, persecution and imprisonment for his faith and fidelity.  His wife and sons experienced the same.  When I asked him what theme he wanted me to preach on for his anniversary, he joyfully said: "Thanksgiving!"  When he said that with his usual big smile, my heart was convicted and challenged!

It was also significant to me that I was with Pastor Man for this special Thanksgiving Service on the same weekend as the "International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church" (IDOP) -- November 13th.  We began the day with the baptism of 17 new believers in a local river -- something Pastor Man had been arrested and imprisoned for in past years.  Then we went to his church, the Bijay Church, for a day of services -- a church we had built for him through New Directions back in 1994.

Since they were building a larger worship hall on the second floor of their old church, I spoke on the importance of a "Strong Spiritual and Physical Foundation of Thanksgiving."  Here is the brief outline of my message that I hope will add special praise to your Thanksgiving Day and weekend.  Due to time and space, I am only giving representative verses without commentary (except #8) -- which the Holy Spirit will give to your heart as your prayerfully read this outline.

Thanksgiving is the foundation of our…

1. PRAISE:

• "Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song" (Ps. 95:2).
• "Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name.  For the Lord is good and His love endures forever, His faithfulness continues through all generations" (Ps. 100:4-5; 107:1).

2. PRAYER:

• "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God" (Phil. 4:6; Eph. 6:8).
• "I urge…that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone -- for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness" (I Tim. 2:1-2).
• "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (I Thess. 5:16-18).

3. PARTICIPATION:

• "For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, 'This is My body, which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me'" (I Cor. 11:23-24).
• "Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ?  And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?  Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf" (I Cor. 10:16-17).

4. PEACE:

• "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.  And be thankful" (Col. 3:15).
• "So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith…and overflowing with thanksgiving" (Col. 2:6-7).

5. PARTNERSHIP:

• "I thank God every time I remember you.  In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now…" (Phil. 1:3-5).
• "We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers.  We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ" (I Thess. 1:2-3).

6. PROCLAMATION:

• "Give thanks to the Lord, call on His Name, make known among the nations what He has done.  Sing to Him, sing praise to Him; tell of all His wonderful acts…Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among all peoples.  For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise" (I Chron. 16:8-9; 24-25).

7. PROVISION:

• "Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times having all that you need, you will abound in every good work…Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.  You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.  This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.  Because of the service by which you have proven yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the Gospel of Christ and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else.  And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you because of the surpassing grace God has given you.  Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift" (II Cor. 9:7-15).

8. PLEASURE:

• "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons…They forbid people to marry and order them to abstain from certain foods, which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and who know the truth.  For everything God created is good and nothing is to be rejected if it is received withthanksgiving, because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer" (I Tim. 4:1-5).
• "Eat anything…without raising questions of conscience.  For the earth is the Lord's, and everything in it…So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God" (I Cor. 10:25-26; 31).
• So enjoy your Thanksgiving Dinner!

9. PERFUME:

• "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in trimphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.  For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.  To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.  And who is equal to such a task?!…in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God" (II Cor. 2:14-17).

10. PERSPECTIVE:

• "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.  The words 'once more' indicate the removing of what can be shaken -- that is, created things -- so that what cannot be shaken may remain.  Therefore, since we are receiving a Kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe" (Heb. 12:26-28).
• "But thanks be to God!  He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (I Cor. 15:57).

On that note of victory, Patt and I wish you a blessed Thanksgiving filled with His praise!

JL & Patt