{"id":312,"date":"2014-07-05T08:21:24","date_gmt":"2014-07-05T08:21:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.asdpagh.com\/site\/2014\/07\/05\/end-of-year-thanksgiving-service\/"},"modified":"2018-02-21T16:53:22","modified_gmt":"2018-02-21T16:53:22","slug":"end-of-year-thanksgiving-service","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.asdpagh.com\/site\/2014\/07\/05\/end-of-year-thanksgiving-service\/","title":{"rendered":"End-of-year Thanksgiving Service"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Elder Enoch Ofori Jnr<\/strong><\/p>\n

(Sabbath, 29th December, 2012)<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Give Thanks to the LORD for His Enduring Mercies<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0Luck is Fickle and Treacherous <\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0A brand new year is upon us; year 2012 is on its way out with all its blessings and pressures. Every New Year holds a certain mystique–the mystique of the unknown in the coming days, weeks and months. Circumstances change, we fall on good and hard times, we go through trials and tribulations (Ps. 34:19), and yes, we have our good times, too.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

For me, it would be foolhardy to trust in mere luck or fate to see us through the incoming year. We need to anchor our lives and destinies to something more solid and reliable, a resource, a power that will stand us in good stead no matter what wind blows or what crisis comes our way.\u00a0 We need to anchor our lives and futures to a Rock that is higher than us as David sought for with heartfelt emotional prayers:<\/p>\n

“Hear my cry, O God; attend unto my prayer.<\/p>\n

“From the end of the earth will I cry unto Thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I” (Ps. 61:1-2).<\/p>\n

Thankfully, David’s God is our God too. He is the Higher Rock of dependability who gives us sure-footedness in life, for “he that believeth [in Him] shall not make haste” , i.e. act in panic (Isa. 28:16).\u00a0 He is our UNCHANGING SURE HOPE who will guarantee us victory as overcomers this new year. Not only does He abide forever as God, so too is His faithfulness, love, goodness and mercy.\u00a0 Moshe said of Yahweh His God in Ps 90:<\/p>\n

“LORD, Thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations.<\/p>\n

“Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever Thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God” (vv. 1-2).<\/p>\n

What this means is that we are not just about to enjoy His goodness and mercy; we have been perennial beneficiaries of it.\u00a0 Thus, as we say farewell to Gentile year 2012, it behooves us to praise and thank God for all His great mercies towards us all through the year.\u00a0\u00a0 He has been good to us, and words alone are inadequate to express our thanks. We must celebrate Him in song and praise and shout Halleluiah and Hosanna to His holy name.\u00a0 And what a better way to do this than to sing along with the anointed, renowned sacred composer, the Psalmist!<\/p>\n

His Enduring Mercy calls for Praise after Praise<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0He begins: “O give thanks unto the LORD; for He is good: for His mercy endureth for ever” (Ps 136:1). The reason why we ought to render thanks to God is plainly stated:\u00a0 “for He is good” and He is good because “His mercy endureth for ever”.<\/p>\n

Our God cannot even stop Himself from doing good (see Matt. 5:45). He has it wired into His nature to be merciful – and forever so – and He manifests that intrinsic quality of mercy in acts of goodness.<\/p>\n

But this tenderhearted God of everlasting mercy and goodness is no titular tribal God. He is “the God of gods” and “the Lord of lords” (vv. 2-3).<\/p>\n

I don’t know about you, but that’s my God. My God is the Supreme Being, the highest Supernatural Authority. The apostle Paul stated with emphasis:<\/p>\n

\u201c\u2026 though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,)<\/p>\n

“But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by Him” (1 Cor. 8:5-6).<\/p>\n

My God and your God stand out from the cast. He has no equal in all the universe. All the pagan gods are dumb gods, and the dark evil spirits submit to Him. He alone wields ALL power: “God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power belongeth unto God” (Ps 62:11).<\/p>\n

This is the God whose mercy is always there for me. Which power can stop His hand? At His rebuke “the sea \u2026 fled: Jordan was driven back. The mountains skipped like rams, and the little hills like lambs.<\/p>\n

What ailed thee, O thou sea, that thou fleddest? thou Jordan, that thou wast driven back?\u00a0 Ye mountains, that ye skipped like rams; and ye little hills, like lambs?\u00a0 Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob” (Ps 114:3-7).<\/p>\n

Which demon, then, can frustrate the good plans of this mighty of God of mine concerning my life and your life?\u00a0 Indeed, He deserves thanks because when He stretched forth His hand of power to bless and redeem His children, no one dared put up a challenge, “what doeth Thou?” (Dan. 4:35).<\/p>\n

He “alone doeth great wonders” (v. 4). He is the only genuine miracle worker–and all for His enduring mercies’ sake!\u00a0 Which He Manifested:<\/p>\n