Thanksgiving Into The Gates Of Eternity

From the Pastor: Dr. M. J. Seymour, Sr.

“Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. (Ps. 100:3-4)

I am thankful that I am not a “self-made man”! I tried it once and made a horrible chaotic mess of it all. “Self-made” may set well with the world, but it is an absolute enmity against God. Humans are ill equipped to create a “self” that is suitable enough to enter guiltless into eternity’s gates that lead to a judicial examination by a righteous and holy God. The truth is, we are entirely dependent upon and at the mercy of the sovereignty of the Almighty God. As the Apostle Paul wrote: “But by the grace of God I am what I am.” (I Cor. 15:10) Ignorance of this eternal reality spawns unthankful brats! Is it not written: “ it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves”?

“Rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory” for “Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.” (Eph. 2:5-7) Is it not written: “ it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves”? Dare we take credit for something we have not done; yea, that is even impossible for us to do? Rejoice in that He hath made us and we are not “self-made,” for we could never sit with the Christ of Glory if it were not so!!!

Far too many assemblies are founded upon what they have made of themselves. Is the everlasting Creator impressed and moved by the “self-made” congregations? Shall that which is created say, “Behold, what a marvelous creation I can make of myself”? Has man become so ignorant as to think he is the creator and not the created? Dare he presume he can fashion himself to be worthy of sitting with heaven’s King of kings and Lord of lords?

Brethren, let us now prepare ourselves for entering eternity’s gates with thanksgiving by the exercising of the giving of thanks every day. Consider how we are being conformed to the image of His dear Son to walk freely in the Heavenly Jerusalem. Does it not swell up joys of thanksgivings to lift up loudly before His throne?