Giving Thanks To God Series

Giving Thanks to God

When God Moves People know

God’s activities are organized activities

DBF Sunday Sermon, 11/24/02

You know a lot of times we are so busy looking at the bad things around us that we fail to see what is that good and perfect thing that God is doing in our midst. Lets remember those good things this week of Thanksgiving continually giving thanks to our Lord and God for all that they do instead of…

If someone works two jobs…then they might complain about the hours they put in or the time away from their family instead of the compensation and blessing that God allows them to receive and the possibilities that God could open through them to co-workers.

Oftentimes when a loved one is ill or in declining health we complain about the time we spend caring for them, yet normally do not cherish the remaining time to the fullest degree or consider the ministry opportunities towards all the visitors and the possibility of future ministries.

We out in the “Bush” have our share of complaints also.

I have heard and have used some of them myself.

Well, bread is over $3

Pork is over $4

Beef is over $4

Milk is almost $6

Gas is $2.60 something

It costs over $400 in plane tickets to be able to tell someone who might care

And vegetables…you don’t want to know.

A friend recently moved to the road system because he wanted to be able to by two oranges for a dollar. If you laughed at that…you must live here too.

We can find so many things to take our thoughts and time away from recognizing that God is continually working around us to accomplish what is that Good and Perfect will of HIS.

Things are expensive where we live, but these are offset somewhat by the subsistence activities we are required to do to live in this area and prosper. We can also save on electricity during the winter especially for freezing things.

We have a tremendous amount of school teachers who come up to Alaska because of the big pay increases they see on paper, never realizing that to live in “Bush” Alaska apart from the ability or will to do subsistence activities is extremely difficult if not impossible. This is shown in the tremendous amount of teacher turnover annually with many districts over 30 percent and some with far more. This is also caused by the fact that most do not look to see what is that good and perfect will of God around them.

Today we will walk with Moses as his father-in-law Jethro comes and praises God for the many and varied blessings which HE has bestowed upon Moses and the nation of Israel. We will also see wisdom given in helping Moses organize what would have otherwise been an impossible task and could have surely caused Moses to quit and go back, somewhat like a lot of the professionals who come to “Bush” Alaska do.

When God Moves, People know

Exodus 18:1-12 (KJV)

When Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father in law, heard of all that God had done for Moses, and for Israel his people, and that the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt; [2] Then Jethro, Moses’ father in law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back, [3] And her two sons; of which the name of the one was Gershom; for he said, I have been an alien in a strange land: [4] And the name of the other was Eliezer; for the God of my father, said he, was mine help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh: [5] And Jethro, Moses’ father in law, came with his sons and his wife unto Moses into the wilderness, where he encamped at the mount of God: [6] And he said unto Moses, I thy father in law Jethro am come unto thee, and thy wife, and her two sons with her.

[7] And Moses went out to meet his father in law, and did obeisance, and kissed him; and they asked each other of their welfare; and they came into the tent. [8] And Moses told his father in law all that the Lord had done unto Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, and all the travail that had come upon them by the way, and how the Lord delivered them. [9] And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the Lord had done to Israel, whom he had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. [10] And Jethro said, Blessed be the Lord, who hath delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of Pharaoh, who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. [11] Now I know that the Lord is greater than all gods: for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly he was above them. [12] And Jethro, Moses’ father in law, took a burnt offering and sacrifices for God: and Aaron came, and all the elders of Israel, to eat bread with Moses’ father in law before God.