From Pastor Todd

Psalm 136 is Titled "Thanksgiving to God for His Enduring Mercy"

The Psalm has 26 verses, and the writer of the Psalm writes much of "Giving thanks" and then responds to the reason for the giving of thanks to God for what God has done by stating "For His Mercy Endures Forever".
Verse 1

Oh, Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!

Here we find a great truth that we can rely on every day, that God is good. 

God does not move or act upon our goodness or our being good and thank God that He does not. As I cannot truly know what is good apart from God. If it was left up to me to choose between good or bad, I would choose what pleases me and that is not for good.

God works and moves for our good even as we don't think about Him or what He is doing around us. This amazes me.

Some religions believe that God created everything, then left man to figure things out on his own... this could not be further from truth... God is still in control and still maintaining everything that is needed for man to survive in this universe that God created. Think about us breathing for example God is still supplying the air that we need to have oxygen in our lungs. Everything the human body needs to exist on this earth God has created and supplied.

Another thought all through the Psalm is that phrase, "For His mercy Endures Forever"... mercy can be defined as not getting from God what I deserve. If left to myself what I do deserve is death, yet God chose to love me... How great is our God and how good is God. 

Just as eternity is forever is the thought that "His Mercy Endures Forever", isn't that Amazing? 

"Amazing Grace how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.!"

Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

The greatest need of man is to know the Goodness of God (I like CeCe Winans song) 

Man's need is for salvation; to come to saving knowledge through the Lord Jesus Christ... 

Think of what God did for us at the cross, the Bible teaches that God sent His one and only Son to take my sin punishment so that I can know God's goodness.

John 3:17 “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

 So as we come to November and as we celebrate "Thanksgiving" and we ask what we are thankful for: We all can say we have much to be thankful for... family, friends, homes, food, air in our lungs yet may we be thankful and with praise like the Psalmist says... Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is Good! For His mercy endures forever.

"Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!"

Pastor Todd