Applied Thanksliving
By Pastor Donny Granberry
We are going to continue in our thought of the past several weeks of Apply.
Applied Blood – Applied Pentecost – Applied Faith –
Applied Glory of the Lord – Applied Word of God.
Apply – means to put to use, especially for some practical purpose, to bring into action, or to lay or spread on.
In this, we have been taking a look at the difference between knowledge and application.
Our Church sign reads this week, “Thanksgiving is not just another holiday, but a way of life.”
Today we want to discuss Applied Thanksgiving, and more so, Thanksliving.
There are far too many people who take life, blessings, possessions, family, health, vocation, and the Lord for granted when we need to be thankful for everything that we have in life.
You may be sitting there here this morning thinking, with what I’m going through, I don’t have anything to be thankful for.
Let’s take a look at our passage of scripture this morning.
Take your bible and let’s make our profession together, this is my bible, God’s holy word, God has given us the city of Pasadena, …
Luke 17:11-19 NIV
11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" 14 When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed.
15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him-and he was a Samaritan.
17 Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" 19 Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."
As I read this passage from the word of God, I thought, Lord how many times have we been guilty of the same?
• The other nine weren’t dissatisfied because they were healed.
• They were just as joyous of the one who sent back and thanked the Lord.
• They were being obedient to Christ and the Law. (Going and showing themselves to the priests, this allowed them to come into the temple and to be around the other people)
• The question here is not obedience, but thankfulness.
• Yet there was a greater principal here than just obedience.
• A thankful heart should always take time to be thankful.
There is a clear difference between being appreciative and being thankful.
Sometimes it seems as though the more we have, the less thankful we are.
• Once you have eaten a steak at Morton’s Steak House, Golden Corral just is not good enough.
• Once you have played golf at Pebble Beach, Pasadena Municipal golf course just will not cut it.
• Once you have owned a Jaguar, a Chevy Cobalt is not so hot.
• Once your team has won a national championship, just making the play-off’s is inadequate.
Generally speaking, the more we have, the less we become grateful with what we do have.
It should be just the opposite, the more we have, the more we should be thankful we should be, but oft times, it does not work that way.
When your cup is running over, do you give thanks unto the Lord or do you complain about the size of your cup?
You see, Thanksliving is gratitude in action. Attitude of Gratitude.
• It is thanking God for the gift of life by living it triumphantly.
• It is thanking God for your talents and abilities by using them for His glory.
• It is thanking God for all that you have been blessed with by being a blessing to others.
• It is thanking God for happiness by striving to make others happy.
• It is thanking God for inspiration by trying to be an inspiration to others.
When Jesus told the ten lepers to go and show themselves to the priest’s, they left there no different than before He came.
The white spots still covered their bodies.
They were still ostracized by the people.
They could spend no time with their families.
They became a part of a group just like them, sick, diseased, hopeless and helpless. No hope, No Future.
Yet one day Jesus came his way and he was never the same.
*SONG*
When Jesus comes, the tempests power is broken,
When Jesus comes all tears are wiped away,
He takes the gloom, and fills the life with glory,
For all is changed, When Jesus comes to stay.
You see there were benefits to the leper being healed.
• He would be rejoined with his family.
• He would be allowed back into the city.
• He would be allowed back into the temple.
• He could work again and provide a living for his family.
• No longer would he be an outcast.
• No longer was he on the outside looking in.
He had benefits in store for him to rejoice over, but he decided,
I’m going to give the Lord glory for it, before I enjoy the benefits of it.
Church, that is Thanksliving.
ILLUSTRATION
Clarice, at Greens Bayou.
Clarice would get happy in the Lord and her cup would start to overflow and she would began shouting “Thank you Jesus.”
What most of the people did not know is that she had a reason to be thankful; she had clotting in her brain that would continuously return.
Every few years she would have to go into the hospital and they would do a surgery where they would have to go into her skull and remove clots so that she could live.
Each time she had surgery they would tell her that her chances of survival were very slim, and that if she made it, there was a high probability that she would become paralyzed.
She would get happy whenever the spirit of the Lord came over her and begin shouting, “Thank you Jesus.” And she would get louder and louder.
This leper had to come back and say, thank you Jesus.
He was not quiet about it, the bible said, “With a loud voice he glorified God.”
When Clarice would give thanks, everyone around her would get happy and blessed.
Church, we need to live a life of thanksliving, we have much to be thankful for.
Psalm 118:1-7, 13-17, 22-29
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.
2 Let Israel say: "His love endures forever." 3 Let the house of Aaron say: "His love endures forever." 4 Let those who fear the LORD say: "His love endures forever."
5 In my anguish I cried to the LORD, and he answered by setting me free. 6 The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? 7 The LORD is with me; he is my helper. I will look in triumph on my enemies.
13 I was pushed back and about to fall, but the LORD helped me. 14 The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.
15 Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: "The LORD’s right hand has done mighty things! 16 The LORD’s right hand is lifted high; the LORD’s right hand has done mighty things!"
17 I will not die but live, and will proclaim what the LORD has done.
22 The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone; 23 the LORD has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. 24 This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25 O LORD, save us; O LORD, grant us success. 26 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you. 27 The LORD is God, and he has made his light shine upon us. With boughs in hand, join in the festal procession up to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will give you thanks; you are my God, and I will exalt you.
29 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.
This passage of scripture gives us so much to be thankful for.
1. Give thanks unto the Lord for He is good. Not just because He does good things, but that His very nature is good.
2. His love endures forever. There has never been a time when He has not loved me. Even when I did not love Him, He loved me.
3. He answers me. Answer 131 times, Answered 492, Answers 3, Answereth 13 = 639 times. Psalm 91:15-16 He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."
4. He is with me. If I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, you are with me. 3 Hebrew Boys, Daniel.
5. He is my strength and my song. 1 Chronicles 29:12-13
and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength
unto all. Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise
thy glorious name.
Psalm 40:3
He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.
6. He is my salvation.
Psalm 27:1
The LORD is my light and my salvation;
Psalm 62:2
He only is my rock and my salvation; he is my defence; I
shall not be greatly moved.
We need to be like David in Psalm 23, I’m drinking from my saucer because my cup overfloweth.
Applied Thanksliving should be a part of our daily routine.
You might say, but if you only knew what I’m going through right now.
How about if we decide this, I’m going to give the Lord glory for it, before I enjoy the benefits of it.
