Testimony From the Pentecost Conference

Hebrews 12:28. There it is written about something with which we should serve God, something that God values, and that is thankfulness. Alas! How few there are who are thankful! Regardless of what God does to them and what He does for them, they are almost just as unthankful. What does it say there? “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, so let us be thankful and thereby serve God.” One could think that being thankful is not much with which to serve God. Yet this is precisely what God values! Otherwise this would not be written to us as an exhortation. This is a unique way in which to serve God. An unthankful person is almost never satisfied. He murmurs and complains. He comes with a mournful ministry, the opposite of a ministry of thankfulness. Think about whether there is something you can be thankful for and thereby serve God. The ministry becomes acceptable through thankfulness, and then it is also becoming. When we think about it, isn’t there much that we can thank and praise God for? Among other things, He has freed us from false prophets. He has undoubtedly been good! Indeed, I will honor Him and praise Him as long as I live, and be thankful and thereby serve God! And in addition to everything else that He has given us, He has given us a kingdom that cannot be moved. Therefore rejoice in the Lord and shout for joy, all you righteous! Ps. 32:11. Joy and thankfulness belong together. When we think about what we could have ended up in! Just think about different ones among us who were in the clutches of those who wanted to rob us if they could—shouldn’t we be thankful? When we reflect on these matters, the people with whom we used to associate—wicked and perverse people—and God was with us and has freed us from them! When we add up everything that He has done for us, and has been for us, shouldn’t we then serve God by being thankful? Being quiet and thoughtful is also part of serving God. Think about it! For example, if you have much to do in the house and then sit down and are quiet for a little while, He is also with you and helps you and tells you how you can manage everything and do what you are meant to do; then you have to be thankful.

People make many worrisome calculations, forgetting that God has helped them over and over again. Do everything with thankfulness, and thereby serve God!