"Oh, come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our Salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms."

Psalm 95:1-2

The first American Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621 to commemorate the harvest reaped by the Plymouth Colony after a harsh winter. In that year, Governor William Bradford proclaimed a day of thanksgiving. The colonists celebrated it as a traditional English harvest feast, to which they invited the local Wampanoag Indians. Days of thanksgiving were celebrated throughout the colonies after fall harvests. All thirteen colonies did not, however, celebrate thanksgiving at the same time until October 1777. George Washington was the first president to declare the holiday in 1789.

This did not catch on overnight, but by the mid–1800s many states observed a Thanksgiving holiday. Meanwhile, a popular poet by the name of Sarah J. Hale had begun lobbying for a national Thanksgiving holiday. During the Civil War, President Abraham Lincoln, looking for ways to unite the nation, discussed the subject with Hale. In 1863 he gave his Thanksgiving Proclamation, declaring the last Thursday in November a day of thanksgiving.

Note: In eleven out of the original colonies, if you wanted to hold a public office as a politician, you had to declare that Jesus Christ was your Lord, Savior and God. The Bible was used in the courtrooms for morality, justice and ethics.

A reason to be thankful is for the Black Robe Brigade. They were the preachers of Colonial America. The British blamed the preachers for the American Revolution because they were preaching not country and King, but God and Christ Jesus.The British tried to kill the preachers and burn down the churches because the preachers were leading the revolution in word and in deed. After preaching, they took off their black robes, grabbed their muskets, and led the revolution as military officers for Christian liberty and freedom. The fiery sermons of these preachers influenced the composition of the Constitution of the United States and the Bill of Rights.

The Supreme Court has consistently ruled that America was a Christian nation prior to 1962 when they took prayer out of the public schools. The next year, in 1963, the Bible was removed. America is free because of the leadership of the pastors in the past. Let pastors today wake up and fearlessly lead again, to the death if necessary, in order for Christians and the nation to be free, both now and in the future!

We at World Ministries International have many reasons to be thankful this year of 2010. It has been a year so full of many, many opportunities to bring God's message of Warning to His people. In the midst of a busy schedule we have made many new partners and friends; linking arms with others in the body of Christ to reach out. God has been faithful to provide in every way---for our travel expenses, housing expenses, administrative expenses, and all that goes with being faithful to His purposes through WMI. To all of you who listen to us on our TV programs, our radio programs, or who receive our monthly newsletters, we are so very thankful for you and your faithfulness to the Kingdom.

Our hearts are full of prayers and thanksgiving to our Father in heaven who has so graciously favored us and enabled us to be a part of His great work on this earth. Our prayers continue to go out for this great nation of America that He will reach the hearts of His people and bring them into the center of His will and plan for these end days. I encourage each of you to spend time with Him every day, both in the Word and in prayer, so that you are prepared for all that may be ahead of us as the prophecies are fulfilled before our very eyes.

As you and your families gather around your tables this Thanksgiving, I pray that you will remember the words from the Scriptures that say:

"Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving; meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains, that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak."
Colossians 4:2 

And again, "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him and bless His Name."

Psalm 100:4 Thank you all for your faithfulness to be a part of this great end-time work for the Kingdom. May your holiday be blessed in Jesus' name.

Dr. Jonathan Hansen

A Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours from our WMI Staff!

© 2010 World Ministries International