"It Is A Good Thing To Give Thanks Unto The Lord!”

The scriptures say, “IT IS A GOOD THING TO GIVE THANKS UNTO THE LORD!”

Notice, the Psalmist not only says it is good thing to give thanks but he also tells us who we are to give thanks to…UNTO THE LORD!!!

You would think everyone knew this but in the world in which we live there is ample proof this is not the case.

Some think of Thanksgiving as a time that we:

• “Gobble 'till we wobble."

? "Slurp 'till we burp."

• However, the older I get I personally I stay away from natural foods. At my age I need all the preservatives I can eat.

• We all indulge more than we should at the thanksgiving table. My favorite vegetable is carrot cake!

As a Bible-believing Christian you know thanksgiving is much more than just a day for eating food, watching football, visiting with the family. All these are by-products of Thanksgiving.

There are some things we POSITIVELY KNOW ABOUT THANKSGIVING!!!

Illus: When I think about the things we know about Thanksgiving I think about the story of the hardware store owner who had a parrot that he put out in front of his hardware store each day as the customers walk by each day. Each day as the folks would come walking down the sidewalk this parrot would talk to them saying things like, “Good morning,” or “How do you do?”

But one day one lady came down the street on her way to work and the parrot was not nice to her.

He said to her “Hey Lady! You are the ugliest woman in town!”

Naturally, she was offended and walked on down the street sadly.

The next day the same thing happened. In fact, it happened for six days and she decided to put a stop to these insults. “Lady, you are the ugliest woman in town!”

So the next time the parrot did this she went inside and talked to the owner and told him what the parrot was saying to her each day.

The owner apologized for the parrot’s rude behavior and told her he would put a stop to it and promised never again would this parrot be so rude to her.

He punished the parrot severely!

The next day he was perched on his little limb when she came walking down the street and got within speaking range the parrot looked at her and said to her, “Hey, Lady you know!!!”

There are somethings we KNOW about Thankgiving.

For example, I want to talk to you about some things YOU KNOW about thanksgiving, such as-

I. THERE ARE SOME THINGS WE OUGHT NOT DO.

That is, we ought not live a life of INGRATITUDE.

We all know people who have so much to be thankful for but they choose each day to complain about so many things.

Do yourself a favor, stay away from people like this…when you see them run as fast as you can to keep from being around people like this.

Being grateful is not a gift that we are born with.

It is something that we have to teach ourselves if our parents have not taught us.

Illus: When someone gives a child a piece of candy Mom or Dad says to the child, WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THE NICE MAN!!!

It is sad to say that many have never learned to be grateful for the blessings of life. NEVER!!!

Illus: Dr. H. A. Ironside was in a crowded restaurant when a man he knew came and sat down to eat with him. Then, as was his custom, Dr. Ironside bowed his head in prayer of gratitude.

? After his prayer the other man acknowledge he never prayed before a meal.

? Dr Ironside said, "Yes, you're just like my dog. That's what he does also!"

Illus: You can walk into most restaurant to get a good meal. But while you are waiting for your food to be brought to you it is absolutely amazing as you look at others when there food is brought to them they tear into their meals like a bunch of pigs.

Some folks live like a brute beast.

There was a time when this nation had kind and grateful people and they showed that kindness to others in many ways.

WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THIS NATION TO MAKE THIS NATION UNGRATEFUL?

Illus: Let me ask you something: What happens to a child who becomes the recipient of many things from the parents and who never has to do anything to earn those things. That child becomes what we call a spoiled brat!

Soon the child can not be given enough and feels he is entitled to everything he has been given and much more.

In this great country in which we live God the Father has spoiled us with His many blessings. We should be grateful, but many today are not thankful.