The Apostle Paul states in Colossians 2:6-7,

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”

As we celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow, let us consider for a moment that last phrase “overflowing with thankfulness.”

An attitude of ingratitude hardens our hearts and destroys our relationship with God and others. Nothing turns us into bitter, selfish, dissatisfied people more quickly than an ungrateful heart. One of the Bible’s indictments against humanity, which is as true when it was written 2000 years ago as it is today, is “although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him.” (Romans 1:21)

And nothing will restore contentment and the joy of our salvation than a true spirit of thanksgiving, so below are…

5 Ways to Thank God this Thanksgiving

1. Thank God for the Material Blessings That He Gives You

• “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” (Philippians 4:12)
• “Give me neither poverty nor riches — feed me with the food allotted to me.” (Proverbs 30:8b)
• Pray that God would bless you with just the right amount – not too much that you forget to acknowledge God as the source, and not too little that you might be tempted to dishonorably acquire more.

2. Thank God for the People in Your Life

• “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. God, whom I serve with my whole heart in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times;” (Romans 1:8-10)

 3. Thank God in the Midst of Trials and Even Persecution

• Why? Our view of God’s sovereignty
• “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance” (James 1:2-3)
• “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thess. 5:18)

4. Thank God Especially for His Salvation in Jesus Christ

• Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15)
• He did for us what we could not do for ourselves

 5. Thank God for His Continued Presence and Power in Your Life

• When we come to Christ, it is not the end but the beginning of a whole new life! He is with us, and He wants to help us follow Him and His Word.
• “…for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” (Philippians 2:13)

Blessings celebrating today our incomparable God (Psalm 40:5)!

The various crises that Cuba is experiencing have accumulated over the last 20 years, and such vital issues as food, lack of medicines, hospital infrastructure, fuel shortages, and electric energy crises have made Cuba an economically unstable and unsafe country. Discontentment among the population is widespread; they are tired of slogans and speeches and want change. Children, adolescents, and young people grow up without aspirations or hope; for them, there is only one solution: to emigrate. The most vulnerable are the elderly. Many are victims of abandonment, malnutrition, and disappointment from promises never fulfilled.

On the other hand, we cannot ignore the destruction of the social and spiritual values ​​of a people that seem to be dying out after 60 years of humanist and agnostic propaganda. In short, this is evidence of the total failure of a historic attempt to build a “new man” that is “inclusive, resilient, and better” but without God.

The values ​​of the leftist ideology, initially social-communist and currently globalist, have not withstood the passage of new generations, causing an increasing number of people to reject, protest, and, in many cases, abandon their political and ideological loyalty and militancy. The disillusioned population takes to the streets in the face of the hardships in which they live, but the forces of law and order strongly oppose them. People are weary, but they fear repression. The authorities have lost credibility and are the object of ridicule, having lost respect in the eyes of the people.

The real problem of Cuba is spiritual and pervasive, and the solution does not lie primarily in a change of government or political system. Cuba demands a radical change in its worldview and socio-cultural roots. Ironically, the only solution for Cuba is a new man, but only the gospel of Jesus Christ can do that within a culture (Romans 1:16). The hope of the nation is in the hands of the Cuban church, as only the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and the foundations of His Word can transform the hearts of Cubans. A gospel movement in Cuba is the real need of the Cuban people, through biblical churches that grow and multiply, as leaders are trained in the Scriptures, and embody the Kingdom of God.

The greatest challenges for the church right now lie beyond physical needs and hardships (hunger, shortages of basic and essential products, transportation problems, etc.). The Cuban evangelical church needs to raise up a new generation of leaders, as they have experienced a loss of 68% of mature leadership in the last year and a half. The church needs these new leaders who are grounded in Scripture, with a passion for the lost, who can break with religious and denominational norms, as well as a generation of faithful leaders with a genuine interest in the Kingdom and not in their personal ministries.

The evangelical context is very diverse, but it offers opportunities to help churches in areas such as biblical discipleship, missions, mercy work with the neediest, work with children, and, above all, the healing of the family, which is one of the most critical societal problems. These are the main reasons for prayer, in addition to the indescribable economic needs of the brethren.

Despite everything, and although it may seem difficult to believe, God continues to work on the island through faithful men who continue to care for their churches and preach the gospel in this difficult time. Let us pray for these men as well. Let us pray that the leaders connected to the network of churches that EA serves continue to grow in their biblical preparation and in their vision for Cuba, so that they can receive help to do the work that the Cuban church so badly needs. God is faithful.

Prayer Requests:

• That the Cuban church can be a living church that worships even during adversity.
• That new leaders centered on the gospel and founded on the scriptures may arise.
• For the economic and social situation of Cuba.
• For the missionaries who are being trained and who are in the field in conditions of great scarcity.
• For the situation of medicines and medical services.
• For the printing of materials for discipleship and training of leaders.
• For new opportunities to equip and empower through the Word.
• Finally, let us pray that there will be national repentance and that Cubans turn to God in humility, lower their fists (raised for years against the sky), and fall on their knees before the cross, crying out for grace and mercy from the Savior.

Fulfilling Matthew 28:19-20, until we see each other in Revelation 5:9,

Raydel Riquelme

K242 Team – Empowering Action