INTRODUCTION
A. YOUR BLESSING
1. Think for a moment about your life – your family – your children – their family’s (if it fits).
2. What do YOU Have to be Thankful For? Anyone care to share?
3. Share with Us!
B. AMERICA – 9/11
1. Trying to prepare for a Strategic Plan to accomplish our Vision for 2008, I have found myself doing a lot of reading. What God has shown me through the writings of 4 Great Pastors & their Ministries has been awesome.
2. One of the books – Bill Hybels’ “Courageous Leadership”
a. Tragic as it was
b. Tremendous Acts of Compassion and Love from many organizations
c. There was Another Group Not Recorded in the News Media
I read it 3 times – Each time I became more thankful. I want to read from it.
3. READ PAGES 13 – 17 (sorry, it’s rather lengthy but worth it)
C. A Lot to Be Thankful For
1. READ Page 15 again ‘the local church is the hope of the world’. ‘I could see it so clearly.’
2. Began to think about Hugo in SC
a. It was the Church That kept the Meals Going while many were out of home
3. Katrina & the Forrest Fires
a. Over and Over – The Church Has Stood Up to say WE WILL MAKE THE DIFFERENCE – WE WILL SERVE
4. Don’t Leave Out The Church
Where would America had been without the ministries and love from the church?
Read Page 15 “The local church is the hope of the world.” ‘I could see it so clearly’.
D. Paul’s Charge to the Church – 1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18
1. Background to Passage
a. Paul left Elders to Care for Church
b. Some had confused the Message of Christ’s Return and Stopped Working
c. Elders Chastised and Paul wrote to Address
2. Paul’s Response to Church gives 3 Ways to have a Thankful Heart
a. REJOICE ALWAYS
b. MAINTAIN A ATTITUDE OF PRAYER
c. GIVE THANKS
I. VS. 16 – REJOICE ALWAYS
Paul had earlier instructed the church to Love Each Other - Read chapter 4:9-10
Now he tells them to have JOY AT ALL TIMES
a. True JOY can only come with Christ
b. Christ Shows GOOD during TIMES THAT MAKE NO SENSE
c. Even in BAD, one can find God and thus CAN FIND GOOD!
When I asked “What do YOU have to be thankful for”, how many of you…
1. Thankful for the “forgiveness of sin” – What does this mean to you?
2. Thankful for the “eternal life” - What does this mean to you?
3. Thankful for “heaven here on earth” –God making his home with me.
TRUE JOY IS ONLY FOUND IN CHRIST!
- But like 9/11, HUGO, Katrina, Thanksgiving – WE DON’T LOOK!
- Take Time To Notice GOD and HIS WORK – He is ALWAYS HERE!
II. VS. 17 – PRAY CONTINUALLY
READ VERSE 17
Paul was not asking the church to be on their knees at all times. In fact, the background to the passage is Paul writing to correct their giving disrespect to the elders who had corrected some for not working.
Key is word: “continually” - We can ALWAYS maintain a Spirit of Prayer.
Ephesians 6:18 (NIV)
18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
This attitude comes from one maintaining “complete dependence on God”.
(Always having short conversations, short prayers, short thanks etc.)
READ PHILIPPIANS 4:4-8
1. BE JOYFUL AT ALL TIMES
2. MAINTAIN A SPIRIT ON PRAYER BY BEING COMPLETELY DEPENDENT ON GOD
III. VS. 18 – BE THANKFUL AT ALL TIMES
READ VERSE 18
“give thanks in ALL CIRCUMSTANCES” – Slow down and LOOK for God is always at work!
A. America?
1. A lot wrong – But Still The Best there is –
a. 9/11 – Many acts of Love
b. God’s People Stood Up
c. Katrina
d. Forrest Fires and Droughts
2. Even in Bad Times we, those who know God, can “give thanks in ALL circumstances”!
B. God Is Not Dead
a. Sometimes it takes a 9/11, HUGO, Katrina,
(loss of job, home, etc.)
b. Don’t BLAME YOUR BAD TIME on GOD – He never left! We may not see Him because we don’t look for Him – BUT HE’S THERE.
- You will never convince me it was God’s will for 9/11
- Katrina, HUGO, another disaster – THAT’S NOT GOD!
c. The REAL Question Is: What will it take for you to see God?
READ HEBREWS 13:15
SUMMARY
WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO BE THANKFUL OVER?
GOD’S LOVE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST
HAVING A LITTLE BIT OF HEAVEN NOW
GOD’S HOME ETERNALLY
SO – THIS HOLIDAY:
1. BE JOYFUL – ALWAYS
2. BE IN A SPIRIT OF PRAYER
3. GIVE THANKS – FOR HE IS ALWAYS WITH US
BE PART OF THOSE LOVING AND SERVING RATHER THAN THOSE RUNNING!
WHAT DOES THIS SEASON OF THANKSGIVING MEAN TO YOU?
Chuck Swindoll writes:
"I recall, as a little barefoot boy with a cowlick of snow-white hair on my forehead, standing erect in my classroom and repeating the "Pledge of Allegiance" one Thanksgiving season. Our nation was at war and times were hard. My teacher had lost her husband on the blood washed shores of Normandy.
As we later bowed our heads for prayer she wept aloud. I did too. All the class joined in. She stumbled through one of the most moving expressions of gratitude and praise that ever emerged from a soul plunged in pain.
At that time in my young life, I fell strangely in love with Thanksgiving. Lost in sympathy and a boy’s pity for his teacher, I walked home very slowly that afternoon.
Although only a child, I had profound feelings of gratitude for my country . . . my friends . . . my school . . . my church . . . my family. I swore before God that I would fight to the end to keep this land free from foes who would want to take away America’s joy of living in this good land. I have never forgotten my childhood promise. I never shall."
