By Jack Weaver
Realizing that ExPreacherMan is read and commented upon all over the World, this post will not necessarily be about the American Holiday, Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving, the act and attitude is not unique to America but should be a constant thing for Believers in Jesus Christ all over the World.
Join with us as we itemize our thanks. This can always be iffy since many things for which we are thankful will be neglected.
Our friend John wrote a note to me this morning: “By the way, the word “thanksgiving” shows up in Psalms eight times.”
THANKFUL FOR:
- The Gospel of our Salvation so free for the taking.
- That God loved the whole World and desires that each individual in the whole World choose to believe in Jesus Christ for eternal life.
- God’s Amazing Grace that saved a wretch like me.
- That we have been given a choice to believe in Jesus Christ or not.
- That once one believes in Jesus for Eternal Life — it is Everlasting and without end.
- God’s everlasting, infallible Word that explains His FREE Gift of salvation so clearly.
- That God does not require the Performance, the Promise or the Evidence of good works to accompany our faith in Christ in order to make that faith result in eternal life.
- That our eternal life in Christ is in no way dependent upon our behavior.
- That when we depart this earth by death or Rapture, we shall “ever be with the Lord”!
- For the opportunity to share the Gospel of God’s Grace and expose those who would pervert that Pure Gospel.
- And so many thousands more, ad infinitum.
And we here at ExPreacherMan are forever thankful for our friends and visitors, some of whom have come out of the darkness of false teaching into the Light of the Gospel Truth. Your testimonies are a blessing to all of us.
If you desire to express your thankfulness, pleases do so in a SHORT paragraph or two. [Edited] 😎
Notes From A Retired Preacher 
Holly and others,
Michael Bowen answered my note to him and gave permission for me to share his email address with anyone upon request.
Please make your request to me through our ExP email form:
https://expreacherman.com/email-us/
In Jesus Christ eternally, Jack
Holly, Bowen did not include Spurgeon, MacArthur, or some of the other more obvious LS preachers.
Holly, I know the link doesn’t work. I thought the article referencing the book and the comments might be interesting, that’s all.
I was able to get the book online by Googling the title and author.
Mary, it is so subtle in many ways… Just doing some write-up on the time line of Spurgeon right now, have learned quite a bit just from that. Age 6 is when he read the Pilgrim’s progress and boasted of having read it more than a 100 times since. I wanted to ask if he had done the same with the Word of God… The most famous preacher of his time at age 22. Says quite a lot, but does not speak of good things to me to be so popular. He still is the most popular preacher of all time.. (outside of Scripture of course). Yet what a mess a lot of his teaching was. I wonder if Bowen included Spurgeon.
Hey John, the link does not work for Bowen’s pdf download on the link you provided above on Jack’s post.
Mary,
Jack wrote a post on this book in August of 2010. Please see link, below:
https://expreacherman.com/2010/08/05/false-teachers-and-the-true-gospel/
I had also posted some interesting excerpts from Bowen’s book over on Jim Floyd’s website. Please see below:
http://standforthefaith.wordpress.com/2013/11/16/the-gospel-according-to-macarthur-examining-the-book-the-gospel-according-to-jesus/#comment-222
yes free grace teaching is so freeing the gospel is so simply and satan has come along very subtly and added works to the gospel and changed it and pastors and people in churches have not detected like i didn’t. how many pastors and people will be standing at the white throne judgmt seat and saying lord lord he never knew them as they did not hold to the way of salvation in the bible but had partial faith plus filthy rags. most of the baptist churches r under a false gospel which is taking them into the apostasy all roads certainly do lead to road. we need to come out of babylon the false system and all its false plans of salvation. read michael patrick bowens book on i never knew u free online to read its a shame he didn’t include john macarthur as he is the most prominent one teaching the works salv and lordship message.
I am thankful for Gods grace, being that i grew up in a baptist church (southern). i only heard the faith part of salvation when the pastor spoke (again Gods grace). The other areas repenting, roman road, confessing Christ, etc.. did not sink in with me or i did not pay much attention to this when spoken about. And as a youth and even in my early adult ages (19 – 30) i was not a reader, actually i disliked reading and read very little. Which now i kind of see as being helpful in keeping the false teaching away. As i began to try to improve in my painting and drawing part of my life i realized that to increase my knowledge in the area of art being in Ms and far away from quality instruction i began reading information about art instruction and areas of concern with the attempt of improving my art.
I say all this, to say that started me on the way to reading more and at about the same time i was exposed to a free grace teacher (rick hughes) again through the church i was a member of (even though it was southern baptist) that would stop by when he was in Ms speaking at schools in the state. And realized he spoke with much more authority and accuracy than the average pastors i had heard in the past. This got me reading a few of his small booklets that he had and that was the beginning of me building a solid foundation in faith alone in Christ alone.
So when i began hearing other people in my church and really christians in general speak about all this lordship salvation, even though i was not by far a knowledgeable person about the Bible. i knew something was wrong with this lordship salvation message and so that began to push me in to further (reading) study of the Bible to strengthen my faith free grace beliefs and to be able to fend off attacks and misinformation from false teachings and again i am very thankful to God (The Father, Christ, Holy Spirit ) for my path and protection from false teachings. and for fellow free grace believers
Hard to decide, knowing we have loved ones, we long for His appearing, and we yearn for those we love to come to know Him.
For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
But if I live in the flesh, this is the fruit of my labour: yet what I shall choose I wot not.
For I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and to be with Christ; which is far better:
Nevertheless to abide in the flesh is more needful for you. Phil 1:21-24
hang in there holly its very difficult i know all about grief and how difficult it is i will keep you in my thoughts and prayers thanks for all yr wonderful comments. my heart is breaking all around i see so many people suffering in so many different ways. i am trying to survive some days it feels like hell on earth but the lord is still good and faithful and his grace is sufficient i can and i m sure u can attest to it. hang in there until we meet our saviour jesus christ. when all our pain and tears will be gone forever i long for my new home in heaven where we will c our loved ones again.
Every day and night, we have so much to be thankful for. I liked the movie Pollyanna when I was a little girl. I just remember how she saw the good even in difficult situations. Of course it wasn’t really applied to how He is good, but all He does is good, and if we would just look and see and give thanks…
I am thankful for my Savior.
I am thankful that I have eternal life through Christ Jesus.I am thankful that He paid it all, leaving me nothing to pay. I am thankful that He took my sins from me, and imputed His righteousness to me.
I am thankful that my wife and children are believers.
And, I am thankful for this ministry – for my brothers and sisters in Christ who frequent this site, those who drop by from time-to-time, and those who are led to this site to gain a clear understanding of the gospel.
I am thankful for the great love He showed to someone like me. That He was mindful of me from the beginning. Through early loss of my little brother, He was my constant companion, replenishing the sorrowful soul. When I strayed, He chastised me because He loves me, and I am His own. Thankful that He never leaves us or forsakes us. That He is right there with us in the valley of the shadow of death. He has blessed my family, during the loss of my husband, and their father, and delivered such comfort during our mourning. It is a blessing beyond imagination really.
I am thankful for the body of Christ, and most especially those who take heed to the flock, who defend the gospel, who contend for the faith once delivered, always using the Sword of truth. I am so blessed to have others I have grown to love in the body of Christ. How necessary we are to each other, each and every member. Thank You Lord for your love, forbearance, goodness, longsuffering, tender mercies…. Thank You also for letting us see increase in our lifetimes.
I am very, very thankful for His Word. When my soul clings to the dust, I know where to go to get revived. When I am weak, His Word strengthens me and is health to my bones. Such treasure in His Word, through it we draw nearer to the One who loved us so much… Thank You Lord, we love You.
Kim,
Thanks. We appreciate you and others like you who have been led to read and comment at ExP. We also realize the great responsibility the Lord has granted us that we must be true to His Word..
But let the credit and praise be to the Lord!! He is Worthy!! We are but sinners, saved by His Grace — with the desire to share His Good News, The Gospel of His Grace.
In Jesus Christ eternally, Jack
I am thankful beyond words that God moved Jack to create this blog site, and that He then directed me to it, and that through it with the outstanding write-ups and comments from Jack, Bruce, John, and others, I am finally experiencing the freedom and assurance of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. That freedom and assurance had been stolen from me by the thieves known as Calvinism and Lordship Salvation. Thank you, Jack, for your faithfulness and diligence in this ministry. God is using you vastly and greatly.
Kim
1. I’m thankful my salvation and how God rescued my from the spell of LS.
2. That last week I presented the simple plan of salvation to my 6 year old daughter and she trusted Jesus as her savior. (Still excited about that :-))
3. For Jack Weaver, for putting this blog together. It’s been a year since I found this site and have found it to be a kind of a “spiritual home” for me.
4. For pastors and teachers, some still with us, others are home with the Lord, like Tom Cucuzza, Yankee Arnold, Charles Bing, Ray Stanford and Hank Linstrom.
Wow!
I’m thankful first & almost that Jesus looked beyond my faults & saw my need! Thank you Jesus for Your finished work on the Cross! Thank You Jesus for your Grace! I’m soooo thankful that it was your Grace that Saved me & not any work of my own! ( Ephesians 2:8&9 ) I’m thankful for Brothers & Sisters in the faith like Jack& Holly who are not afraid to stand up & uncover False Teachers! No matter what! I’m thankful for my Family, food, shelter & Christ’s tender Mercies & loving kindness ( Matt 6:33 ) Thankful that Jesus did not come down from the Cross, He’s Love for us, & the Price He Paid at Calvery with His shed Blood & death! Last of all I’m sooo thankful Jesus defeated death & is now sitting on the Right Hand of God the Father making intercession for me! Why is Jesus sitting down you might ask; because He said ” it is Finish! ” ” Done/ complete ” So there’s No! Room to add to the Grace of God!
I’m sorry , I missed short too , i didn’t look that long until I posted it
I can Amen all what Frypan said , except I am under burden of debt.
I am Thankful that while we /I were yet sinners Christ Died for us Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
I am Thankful God did not allow me to continue under the spell of lordship salvation I was under but confronted me and yet allowed me time to seek the Truth of the Gospel for myself, I am Thankful God Trust’s me with His Word once again to discover the depths of riches in His Word that I took for granted.
I am Thankful God took me up on my challenge that revival would begin with me before a revival service. I did not know it was going to hurt so much and cost me friends. I did not know that revival would be fending off fundamentalist elders over Simple Free Grace Salvation. I did not know Simple Free Grace Salvation would get me ejected from prayer meeting and me leaving that church. I did not know revival would land me in hospital from stress and virus attack on my heart over “repent of sin’s” for Salvation which is heresy. I did not know one Simple Word “Repent” would stir up my soul to seek out the Biblical Truth of Repent. BUT I can say with all confidence it was Jesus and Jesus alone who brought me up out of my pit of Trouble and despair and broke the chains of my legalism and the spell of A false gospel I was under. He is the Friend that sticks closer than a Brother. The Holy Spirit gave me the unction to seek out the Truth of the Gospel and the unction not to stop until I found it.
I am thankful God did not allow me to see the error’s of my way’s all at once but Gracefully nurtured me back to Truth as Grace Taught me and Teaches me and lead’s me into all Truth by the Holy Spirit.
I am Thankful to God to allow me to find like minded Brothers and Sisters on this blog here to sharpen me and challenge me. I am Thankful that God had Free Grace Friend’s who has been praying for me and Prays still for me to get back on THE Free Grace Gospel .
I am Thankful for The Clear Gospel Campaign for a clear gospel presentation together with sound doctrine and so clear that I didn’t have to spend all the time and resources producing one of the best ever written. Gives more Time to be about Sharing the Free Grace Gospel.
I am Thankful for Preachers like Yankee Arnold who gives out a full dose of undiluted Gospel.
I am Thankful that even though I didn’t like what I was hearing at first with Yankee I persisted while The faithfulness of Jesus pursued me and persisted me and I sought out the things I was hearing for myself in Gods Word
While we were yet Sinners Jesus died shed His precious Blood for sinners like me was buried and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.
I am Thankful for the Promise of eternal Life and God’s word that God Cannot lie
Tit_1:2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
Curtis
FryingPan9,
Sorry, I didn’t mean to cramp your style. 😎
You did miss “short” but I will not edit — I just pray others can sorta play along with the unofficial “rules of engagement.” I suppose every Believer in Christ could enthusiastically write a book on “Thankfulness.”
We do appreciate your endorsement of ExP. We pray it will continue to be a beacon for the Truth of The Gospel of salvation by God’s Grace, through Faith in Jesus Christ alone.
You do have a lot for which to be thankful. Treasure your wife who is in full agreement with you. That is a blessing you will always value. I am blessed and thankful for my Sweet Shirley in the same way plus much, much more!!!
In Jesus Christ eternally, Jack
(Whoops–I missed that part about “a short paragraph or two.” Feel free to edit my comments mercilessly!)
Well Jack, in contrast to my normal “Mother may I?/You didn’t tell me it was okay to breathe yet so I’d better wait for permission” way of second guessing myself, I will allow myself to interpret your “Join with us as we itemize our thanks,” as an invitation to list things for which we are thankful, in no particular order and with the understanding that the list will be far from complete and perfect . . .
The list of things for which I’m thankful, apart from what you’ve already listed needs to include finding this blog back in February in the top 3 for sure. Not sure what the other in the top 2 should be, but let’s start with my health and my spouse.
I’m also very thankful for the following:
-That now that I’ve been shown the truth of God’s mercy by learning about the doctrine of grace and eternal security, I now approach reading His word with joy and inquisitiveness, not with dread. I’m thankful that i have the kind of thirst for God’s word that I enjoyed when I first got saved in 1992 (but which suffered over the years by being exposed to bad doctrine).
-That my wife and I are BOTH employed during the holidays for the 2nd year in a row. I’ve not been able to say that every year with any kind of regularity for quite some time. I’m also grateful that we have automobiles with which to get to said jobs and don’t have to rely on public transportation.
-That my wife is on the same page with me on EVERY matter when it comes to things of a spiritual nature. I’ve read enough posts on this blog to know that’s something for which I should be VERY grateful.
-That I have a computer on which to check this blog and the electricity that makes operating my computer and the COUNTLESS modern conveniences to which I have access possible.
-That I have access to more places from where I can buy food than . . . I don’t know . . . about 96% of the rest of the earth’s population or something like that.
-That I still have the freedom to worship God and that no one is (yet) trying to silence me.
-That my list of things for which I’m thankful is longer than anything I could possibly document.
-That I have the sense to not attempt compiling such a list here and subjecting everyone to its tedium.
-That in spite of that last statement, I know I’ll get away with listing some more . . .
-That I’m not blind.
-That I’m not deaf.
-That I’m not illiterate.
-That I can walk, sit, drive, and do many things that some of my friends and loved ones either can no longer do, or were never able to do, things most of us take for granted.
-That I’ve met some really wonderful people through this blog who challenge me, who don’t judge me, and who inspire me to be a better Christian.
-That most of my problems are self-inflicted and I know what to do to not be a victim of them by believing and acting on God’s promises.
-That I have health insurance (even though it’s nowhere near as good as the plan I enjoyed a year ago) and that I’m not one of the folks having to deal with “the Obamacare web site” or seeking how to “get on the government exchange.”
-That I have no debt other than the mortgage on my house.
-That I have a house.
-That my neighbors only live next to me, not above or below me. For their sake as well as mine.
-That even if I were foolish enough to live for myself instead of for God and the building of His kingdom, I’d never be bored because I’ve been blessed with so many interests, that it’s almost silly.
-That only ONE of my cats passed away this year and that I still have the others to remind me of God’s unconditional love.
-That I have the sense to end with this: HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYBODY!