Turkey Week!

I can't believe Thanksgiving week is here! For the next 3 days, I'll make some posts related to Thanksgiving, and then I'll take the rest of the week off, but check back early next week as I'll begin making some posts that will relate directly to the vision of The Overflow Church and how we believe God is going to move through this city!

Think about this statement...Thankfulness is not measured by how many times you say "Thank you." Instead, it is determined by your willingness to be content with what you have! I make this statement because we live in a culture where we are taught to not be content with what we have. The American dream, which many people are unfortunately discovering is actually the American nightmare, is to work more, and earn more so you can buy more. Then, at the same time, act like you are "thankful" for what you have, especially around Thanksgiving.

REALLY? It makes me cringe how our society tries to appear "thankful" but at the same time we are so greedy for more that we are losing everything that matters along the way. We say we are "thankful" and then we turn a blind eye to the starving people not only around the world but in our own back door.

I have to be honest this morning, this half-hearted thankfulness has bled into the church as well. We are often more thankful for our buildings and programs than we are the lives God is changing. Perhaps this is because nearly 50% of all American churches won't lead a single person to Christ this year? We celebrate our ability to make it through another year and to have our routine holiday events, but what have we really done to make a difference for Christ and express our thankfulness to Him?

Hosea 6:6 fuels most of my perspective on this issue. Jesus references this same passage when He challenges the religious crowd in Matthew 9:9-13. The people of Israel had grown more content and thankful for the mere fact that they were "religious" than they were thankful for the fact they had a relationship with the Creator of the Universe. If we're going to want more of something, let it be God, and then truly be thankful for what you have. Remember, if you have a roof over your head, a solid meal today, and a car, you are far better off than most of the people in the world today!