Video… Forget something
SLIDE#1
Prayer
On Thursday each of us will be gathering together with our friends and families.
And hopefully we will remember to do more than just sit down to eat a meal… yell at the T.V. while watching football or make a mad dash for the mall to catch the early sales.
The Thanksgiving Holiday gives each of us the perfect opportunity to help transform lives that are only known for busyness… into lives that are known for thankfulness and compassion.
God wants nothing more than for us to be a people of thanksgiving.
He desires for you to share a much needed story about thankfulness… with a world whose focus is centered on self-driven desire and personal fulfillment.
In…I Thess. 5:18…The Apostle Paul shares with us some important insight that each of us should share at our thanksgiving tables this coming Thursday.
So before we begin to devour our perfectly roasted Turkeys…and hams…we should remember and do what I Thess. 5:18 says.
“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (How many of you noticed the saying on the Front of you bulletins today?)
Sometimes the circumstances of our lives are not the best.
In fact, for some of us…our circumstances may be downright bad, but still, we are to look for something to be thankful for!
And if you’re willing look hard enough and long enough…there is ALWAYS something positive you can be thankful for!
Reminds me of an illustration….- One morning after a terrible snowstorm, Susan was outside shoveling her driveway.
As she stopped to wave and say hello to her neighbor…he asked her why her husband wasn’t out there helping her with the shoveling.
She explained that one of them had to stay inside to take care of the children, so they decided to draw straws to see who would go out and shovel.
Her neighbor immediately replied…"Sorry about your bad luck,".
As Susan replied, "No need to be sorry... I won!" (Just have to look hard enough)
Welcome…guests/holy grounds
With the holidays just around the corner…I thought it would be proper this morning to share with you four ….BENEFITS OF HAVING A THANKFUL SPIRIT during the holidays…
One might ask…Why is having a thankful spirit so important during the holidays?
Simply…because thankfulness is good for you.
Not failing to mention that more than likely you will be around friends and family who don’t know about Christ’s transforming power.
I always say that Christians should not be prideful but this is a time it’s OK to brag…when people hear what God has done for (you) their whole aspect on life can change…
The first Benefit of displaying a Thankful Spirit during the holidays is it will:
SLIDE #2
INCREASE HAPPINESS.
Most people have been raised thinking that their happiness is somehow dependent on how well things are going for them.
But truth being told… our happiness is determined by our attitude.
It’s really all about how we see things.
Think about the Apostle Paul in (Acts 16:25).
While He was in prison…the bible tells us that he was still able to display happiness by… “Singing Praises to God”
(How was he able to do this?)…
Christ…It changed him forever.
If you’re here this morning and you feel like you’re lacking the happiness that Paul had in his life…you can ask Jesus to help you find it.
The second benefit of displaying a Thankful Spirit during the holidays is it will…
Slide#3
IMPROVE YOUR WITNESSING FOR CHRIST.
When we are thankful and joyful…we separate ourselves from the world.
(The Cool Part about this is)…The transformation that has happened to us… automatically attracts the lost.
If perhaps you haven’t noticed lately…The world outside of the church… is so dark and ungrateful.
People who don’t know Christ are so discouraged and depressed?
The (world) does not understand that life only gets better when you become a Christian.
(Your testimony holds power)
The world does not like it when you possess something they don’t have…they don’t like feeling left out. This is why your testimony is so important…
1 Peter 2:12 tells us to … "Live such good lives among the pagans that they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day He visits us."
Living a life of thanksgiving will attract the lost…
The third way that displaying a Thankful Spirit during the holidays will benefit you is that it will also…
SLIDE# 4
ENHANCE YOUR RELATIONSHIPS.
Just imagine how much better our church relationships would be if we expressed our thanks for each other more than just on Sundays?
Do you remember how the apostle Paul greeted most of his friends in the Bible?
-To the church in Rome he wrote. “First, I thank my God for all of you.” (Romans 1:8)
-To the church in Corinth. “I always thank God for you (1 Corinthians 1:4).
-To the church in Ephesus, “I have not stopped giving thanks for you; remembering you in my prayers.” (Ephesians 1:16).
-To the church in Philippi, “I thank my God every time I remember you.” (Philippians 1:3).
-To the church in Colossi, “I always thank God when I pray for you.” (Colossians 1:3).
Paul made sure that the people in the church knew that he was thankful for them. (How do you show people that you care about them...you invest in them)
Paul understood the importance of having relationships with people.
Due to Paul’s conversion… he built some of the greatest relationships a person could ever have.
Because of the impact Christ made in his life… Paul built lifelong relationships with the people he ministered alongside.(authentic…the real deal)
The fourth Benefit of displaying a Thankful Spirit during the holidays is that it will…
SLIDE#5
SOLIDIFY YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST.
This in my opinion is the top benefit.
Someone once said that God lives in two places. He resides in heaven but He lives in a … Thankful heart.
Hebrews 12:25 says, “Let us please God by serving him with thankful hearts.”
You know what I have found to be true in life?
Since becoming a Christian I have acquired an overwhelming need to give thanks.
God has placed a desire within me to love all people.
Like the Apostle Paul…I have learned to give thanks to the people who I minister alongside of daily…
Christ has also given me the ability to give thanks to the atheist who doesn’t believe in the existence of God at all.
Whether people will admit it or not…
There is something found deep inside of each of us that needs to give thanks to God.
When I spend time giving thanks to God for all I have…for all I know…And all He allows me to do…I just feel closer to him… don’t you?
This thanksgiving if you want to better solidify your relationship with Christ…
Search deep into your heart and find what you can do for someone in need.
Jesus was the master @ solidification…He knew exactly what each person needed before they even asked.
I believe that He still gives us this same gift.
Thru the Holy Spirit’s leading…Christ still places burdens in our heart’s to help people who are in need.
Shiela and I were talking about this the other day…DO you think God test us?
(2 weeks ago…bag man…burger King…TEST?...Willing to be willing)
I pray that this thanksgiving you are truly thankful for what God has done for you…
And I pray that you would seek His will for the person He wants you to minister too.
I hope and pray that you make this year’s thanksgiving the greatest to date yet.
Slide #6
Part of accepting the benefits that go along side of having a thankful heart…is to first understand the importance behind what Jesus did for each of us… by dying on the cross.
Christ wants each of us to have relationships with Him…He died in order that we could live…
In a few moments we will be sharing a very important meal together as a church family…
If you’re a guest with us today we want you to know that you are welcome to share this meal with us.
Here at VP we believe that in order to partake of this meal…you first need to have asked Jesus into your life by asking forgiveness of your sins…
I Corinthians 11:27-29 explains to us why we believe this way…
27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.
28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning …the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. (Understanding what it is your preparing to do)
This is why we always take a few moments to allow Christ to reveal to us where we might need to seek repentance for our sins.
……………………………………………..
The night before Jesus betrayal…He gathered with his disciples in the upper and sat with them… at the table to eat.
It was then that He shared with them information about the life changing event that would very soon be unfolding before their own eyes.
He wanted them to not only understand the reason He was sharing with them the meal…
But also the need for them to share it with other believers after His return to the Father
