Be Thankful!

Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful -NIV

If you’ve been a member of New Beginning Church for any amount of time, you know that I’m real eager to jump upon the latest “Christian Fad,” but am in fact, what many would call an old school preacher and pastor. So old school that you know that I am fond of and often quote the theologians of the past more than I do the present. You have often heard me quote great expositors of the bible of times gone by like, Charles Hadden Spurgeon, Albert Barnes, Adam Clark, Alexander McClaren, Oswald Chambers, John Gill, Matthew Henry and the like. Well today I would like to begin this Thanksgiving Week message with an excerpt from a 18th-century classic devotional called, A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life, by William Law. Listen to how challenging and appropriate this devotional thought is for this occassion:

A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life, by William Law -“Would you know who is the greatest saint in the world? It is not he who prays most or fasts most; it is not he who gives most alms or is most eminent for temperance, chastity, or justice; but it is he who is always thankful to God, who wills everything that God wills, who receives everything as an instance of God’s goodness and has a heart always ready to praise God for it. Could you therefore work miracles, you could not do more for yourself than by this thankful spirit, for it turns all that it touches into happiness.”

In other words, what Characterizes a Christian more than ANYTHING ELSE? It is a THANKFUL SPIRIT, they live a thankful life! That is the most distinguishing characteristic of an authentic Christian more than anything else!

They live a thank-filled life! Could that be true? Could that be right? Well let’s test it with scripture. Let’s start out by what CHARACTERIZES A NON-CHRISTIAN. What does the bible say is the earmark of an unregenerate man or woman?

2 Timothy 3:1 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— 5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.-NIV

Look at that right at the heart of what characterizes a last and condemned man, it they are, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal! What is at the heart of lostness? Ingratitude!!!

Romans takes this thought even further….

Romans 1: 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles. 24a Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts

Therefore God gave them over to their THANKLESS hearts! Wow! Ok lets flip the theological coin over, and see what are the earmarks of a “Spirit-filled” Christian?

Ephesians 5:17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. -NIV

Someone WHO ALWAYS GIVE THANK TO GOD – FOR EVERYTHING!!!

Q: WOULD THAT DESCRIBE YOU? THEN ACCORDING TO THIS PASSAGE YOU ARE NOT SPIRIT FILLED!

IT IS THEREFORE NO WONDER TO ME THAT THE PASSAGE THAT I OPENED WITH COMMANDS US TO…

Be - ????µa? -ginomai -Pronunciation -ge'-no-mi

To become, to be made, to come into existence

Thankful - e?????st?? -eucharistos

To be mindful of favors, grateful, thankful, appreciative

It is a constant state of being, a way of life, in fact, I WILL GO AS FAR TO SAY THAT LIVING A THANKFULNESS IS THE CHRISTIAN LIFE, BECAUSE IT APPEARS THAT EVERYTHING SEEMS TO FLOW OUT OF THAT ATTITUDE, AND STATE OF MIND OR CONDITION!

As Law said – “Who is the greatest saint that one that is ALWAYS THANKFUL! THE ONE THAT…

1 Thessalonians 5: 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19 Do not quench the Spirit -NIV