You know, right around the corner is Thanksgiving. And if you didn’t know, thanksgiving lunch or dinner is what Thanksgiving means to most people. A family gathered around a big turkey and dressing meal, with all the goodies to go with it. And that’s certainly a special time for many families here. But it means so much more and if you didn’t know, WE ARE BLESSED!
If you didn’t know it, I’m telling you now. The moment you got out of bed this morning and you could breathe, and walk, and talk, and think, you were blessed! AMEN
But do we even bother to thank God for each day. Do we even really think about the fact that we made it through another day? Do we? You don’t have to wait for a once a year event in order to celebrate giving thanks. We should give thanks all year long. Every minute, every hour, every day, we should be thankful. AMEN
With that being said, Thanksgiving, is not supposed to be just about the good smells from the aroma of food cooking, or the turkey, and ham. It’s not just about the dressing, peas, greens, cakes, pies, pudding, and all the other wonderful foods from cultures around the world. It’s supposed to be about being thankful, and wanting to celebrate that fact, with the people we love. AMEN
On Thanksgiving Day, most of us will drive around going to our intended destination. As we drive through neighborhoods, we’ll probably see lots of cars parked in front of homes and apartments all over. These are the family and friends that come to the family get-togethers near and far. They’ll eat, pray, and laugh about old times, and good times. They’ll take the time to remember those that are no longer here with prayer and laughter. Some will watch football while others will play a few games, like the “family feud”, or the game of “sorry”, while others will battle it out in a game of basketball, or a much anticipated game of pool.
But if you really thought about it, Thanksgiving Day is a very unique holiday. It’s not about a battle fought, or anyone’s birthday or anniversary. It’s simply a day set aside to express our thanks to our most gracious God. But do we? Do we even take the time to say thank you God! AMEN
Brothers and sisters, today, we have so much, and we should be an extremely thankful people. But it’s often just the opposite. The more we get, the less thankful we become, the less mindful of God we are, and the more we want. AMEN
Psalm 100:1-5 states “Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture; Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name; For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
My message today is ….What have you thanked God for lately?
AMEN ........................ A M E N
Brothers and sisters, family and friends, let me ask you. Have you ever really thought about Thanksgiving? Have you thought about what we should be thankful for? Have you thought about the simple things in life that we take for granted?
If you haven’t, let me tell you;
• We should be thankful for life, health, family, friends, and the nation we live in, despite all of the flaws.
• We should be thankful for clean water, electricity, food on the table, and clothes on our backs.
• And, we should be thankful for our salvation, our church family, and the mercy that God showers upon us each and every day.
We have so much to be thankful for, and each year, on Thanksgiving Day, we celebrate with family and friends and give thanks for the time we have. That’s Thanksgiving folks, Isn’t it wonderful? AMEN
Philippians 4:6 states: “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
In other words, there is nothing wrong with asking but there is something wrong with not giving thanks.
Now……….. I don’t wanna crush your spirit, but there’s another side to the coin.
Let me ask you. Have you ever thought about the underprivileged people that may not have homes and have no everyday means of transportation? Their only food comes from contributions from others that they don’t even know. They have little to no money and little time for fun. They may not know where their next meal will be coming from. They worry every day. Yet they are our brothers and sisters, and we should surely care.
Psalms 107:8-9 says Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.
Brothers and sisters, our forefathers had a boundless faith in God. That almost sounds strange today in a time when powerful forces are at work in our nation to strip us of every reminder that the very foundation of our nation was built upon, and crush the belief that we are "one nation, under God." AMEN
I think the 100th Psalm was written to remind us of our need to be thankful, and to maintain an attitude of gratitude. I believe God said to the people of Israel, "When you come into the Promised Land, and settle down in your warm homes, and you have plenty to eat, don’t forget Me. I led you out of the wilderness and I brought you into a land flowing with milk and honey." Don’t forget me.. AMEN
So let’s consider a few simple things that I’m pretty sure we’re thankful for, but we just don’t say them out loud:
• As teens, we’re thankful for automatic dishwashers because they make it possible for us to get all the dirty dishes and pots clean, without having to hide that dirty pot in the oven thinking mom want know.
• As wives we’re thankful for husbands who try to do those small repair jobs around the house because they usually make them big enough to call in the professionals.
• As parents, we’re thankful for children who put away their things and clean up after themselves. They’re such a joy, and you hate to see them go home to ……“Their own parents”. AMEN
• We’re thankful for teenagers because they keep us on our toes, and trying to keep up with them keeps us fit.
• And, we’re thankful the television because it allows us to watch mindless shows that we sometimes sleep right through. A M E N
But on a serious note… Are we thankful for what we should really be thankful for?
Things like food, money, and health can change at any time. They could be taken away, impossible to get, or just disappear. In case you didn't know, things could happen in our lives that could bring us pain and sorry in an instance. The only thing we’ve got for sure is our relationship with God.
Remember, we didn’t get here on our own. “We had help." So why not "shout with the force of a trumpet blast," Why not shout out your joy to the Lord with a force that comes from the very depths of your being. Why not tell the world about this thing call faith!
• Maybe God solved your problem. “Shout it out”
• Maybe He has given you the direction to go. “Shout it out”
• Or, maybe you’ve been provided a blessing, and you realize that it must have come from God. “Shout it out”
So from the depths of your being you should proclaim your praise. God has been so good to you that you shouldn’t be able to keep it inside any more. From the depths of your being you should shout your joy unto the Lord." Thank you GOD!
Psalms 35:27 states “Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, Let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant”.
Brothers and sisters, we shouldn’t be ashamed of our faith. God has said, "I want you to be happy. Shout with joy, serve with gladness, and come with joyful songs."
Psalm 98:4 says, Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.
The bible also says "Serve the Lord with gladness."
• It doesn’t say serve the church.
• It doesn’t say serve the preacher,
• It doesn’t even say serve the leaders,
• It doesn't say serve your friends,
• It says, serve the Lord.
The Bible teaches that if we witness on behalf of the Lord, if we feed the hungry, if we clothe the naked, if we do the work of the Lord, whatever it might be, we are serving the Lord. AMEN
Maybe in the past, we’ve served out of a feeling of obligation or a fear of guilt if we didn’t serve, or maybe even because we wanted to draw attention to ourselves. But the bible says “serve the Lord with gladness."
Brothers and sisters, if you didn’t already know, God is your maker, and you were created in His image. So give Him thanks for who you are. God took every bone, every joint, and He welded them together with tendons, and ligaments, and muscles, and covered them with skin and gave us eyes that can see, brains that can think, and fingers that can pick things up.
God made us, inside and out. He made you the way He wanted you to be. And He made me the way He wanted me to be.
When God had me in mind, he knew exactly who he wanted me to be, My look, my size, my sense, my voice, my spirit, my soul, and He made me, just as I am.
Somewhere along the way He had you in mind, and He made you just as he wanted you to be. He made each of us special, with a special purpose. We may not fully understand our purpose, but believe me, each of Gods gifts is special, and we should be ever so thankful for just being who we are! AMEN
1 Corinthians 4:7 states “For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it?
As we thank God for giving us life, he blesses us for taking care of the life and bodies he gave us. However:
He’s not satisfied with our hatred.
He’s not satisfied with our temper.
He's not satisfied with our selfishness.
He’s not satisfied with the weak areas of our life.
He's not satisfied with our yielding to so many temptations.
But even so, he still loves us, and he’s still working on us, and we should thank God for that. AMEN
Brothers and sisters, we should be thankful! And not just on Thanksgiving Day. We ought to be thankful every day, for every day, and for every meal, and for every gift from above. And they are many! BECAUSE WE ARE BLESSED!
God says, we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. But most of us want to be shepherds, not sheep. It’s not any fun being sheep. But what God is saying is, "You be the sheep. Let me be the shepherd, and I’ll lead you beside the still waters and the green pastures. “Just let me lead”. But instead of letting God lead us we grumble and complain about what we don’t have, or what we believe others have. Stop that! Just do you! AMEN
Psalms 79:13 states: So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.
Brothers and sisters, just as God hears our prayers He also hears our complaints. He knows when we’re counting our blessings and when we’re envious of our neighbor’s blessings. Every time we complain about who we are, our possessions, our families, or our jobs, we’re complaining about God’s provisions. My, My, MY....
How would we feel if we gave our children our very best, provided them with everything they needed, worked long hours to assure them of clothing, gifts, a college education, and many things we never had. Then we found out that at school they complain to their friends about what they don’t have and how we don’t take care of them.
We’d all feel heartbroken, maybe a little angry. Because our kids have basically said that our best was not good enough. We then would not appreciate the unappreciative children that owe their very life to us. And that HURTS!!!!
How then do you imagine God feels when his only son has given his life for our salvation? How do you think he feels when he has given us, maybe not all we want, but everything we need? “Heartbroken”.
Brothers and sisters, everyone has reason to give thanks. Everyone has something for which they should give thanks. And here in America we have a lot to be thankful for! We have much for which we should say, “Thank you, God” many times a day. I don’t think God ever gets tired of hearing us say, “Thank you.”
Romans 1:20-22 states: “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
When people recognize God as God then they “outo” be thankful to Him. How can anyone recognize God as God and not be thankful to Him? When you see what He has done in this universe and know what He can do in the future, how can you not fall down before Him and give Him thanks, praise and worship? If giving thanks is the greatest virtue, then wouldn’t failing to give thanks be the greatest sin. Don’t be guilty of this great sin. AMEN
2 Corinthians 9:11-12 “Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;
Brothers and sisters, WE MUST BE THANKFUL! We must be thankful whether people notice us or not, because God will notice us whenever and wherever we are thankful to Him. And God blesses those who are humble and thankful.
James 4:10 states “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.
In a world of all kinds of uncleanliness, there must be thanksgiving and praise to God. We who are in Christ must let our light shine. We should be quick to give thanks to God anywhere and everywhere and by praising Him in song.
Now, I consider myself a pretty good singer. I often sing wherever I go. I sing at home, in shopping centers, and even the grocery store. I whistle at home and during work. Singing is a joyous thing to me. It seems to ease my soul, and take away stress. In parking lots, the car, and at church; singing songs of praise and thanksgiving is a blessing to me, and I pray, a blessing to those that hear. I thank God for giving me that talent. AMEN
Nehemiah 12:46 states “For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God.”
Brothers and sisters, we all have something about us that we should be thankful for. And we’re made whole by our thanksgiving. Psychologists tell us that sincere gratitude, and thanksgiving, is the healthiest of all human emotions. Gratitude produces more positive emotional energy and stress relief than any other attitude in life, and a thankful heart will direct others to us and, us to others. Thanksgiving is not only good for the giver but also good for the receiver. Aint that good news..
God appreciates our thanksgiving brothers and sisters. It lifts Him up and it glorifies Him. And thanksgiving endears him to us. It draws us closer. If we’re not grateful, if we don’t express our thanksgiving, then it can have the opposite effect.
2 Corinthians 4:15 says, " For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
• So, if you’re in good health, God has blessed you,
• If you have a roof over your head, God has blessed you.
• If you get enough to eat each day, God has blessed you.
• If you are part of a church family, God has blessed you.
• If you have faithful friends, God has blessed you.
• If you have a source of income, God has blessed you.
• And, if you woke up this morning, God has blessed you. AMEN
Brothers and sisters, because of God’s great love for us, he provides for us, just as He has provided for His people for thousands of years. Thank you Lord!
I think there’s some missing with the idea of today’s thanksgiving. I think just the fact that it is limited to an annual holiday is not enough. True thanksgiving, should be daily thanksgiving.
When we were children we prayed for everything. And we said thankyou more than we could count. We were more thankful for everything than at any other time in our life. We had the habit of thanking God for everything we received, and asking Him for everything we wanted. If we lost a book or any of our playthings, we prayed to find it. We prayed walking along the streets, in school and out of school, whether playing or studying.
We didn’t do this in obedience to any certain rule. It was just natural. When we were innocent kids, we thought of God as everywhere, full of kindness and love, and wouldn’t be upset if we talked to Him.
This was a good habit of our childhood and it’s a habit that needs to be established in the lives of all children today. Maybe, if we all started expressing our thanks early in life we’d make it a habit throughout our entire lives. AMEN
So, maybe more parents need to teach their children to be thankful for everything in their lives instead of just allowing them to ask for “things” all the time. And maybe everyone should be taught proper manners, and one of the first things to teach, would be to say “Thank you” to God. AMEN
1 Thessalonians 5:18 says: “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Now, I heard a little story about a young man who was feeling very proud of himself. As a brand-new college graduate, he had taken the CPA. exam and passed with flying colors. Now he was a full-fledged Certified Public Accountant, and he believed he knew all about the numbers.
Well, his father had been a mechanic all his life and he owned his own little business. The son filled with self-importance, began to criticize his father’s way of keeping up with his money. He said, “Dad, you don’t even know how much profit you’ve made.
• Over here in this drawer are the names of people that owe you.
• Over there in that drawer are your receipts where some of them paid you.
• And, over here is a cash register with all your money.
You don’t have any idea how much you’ve made.” My My...
The father answered, “Son”, when I started out on my own, the only thing I owned was a pair of pants.
• Now your brother is a doctor,
• Your sister is teacher,
• You are a CPA,
• Your mother and I own our home,
• And we own this little business.
• And, we have been happy with all that we have,
Now add that up, subtract the pants, and all the rest is profit.
Add it up, brothers and sisters. That’s exactly what we need to do, too. Add it all up. We came into this world with nothing but the eternal soul that God gave us. Everything else is profit!
Sometimes we have a hard time being thankful because we take too many things for granted. So at times like this it seems wise to take inventory, add it all up, subtract the pants, and realize just how much we’ve received from God.
Philippians 4:12-13, says “I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Brothers and sisters it is a tremendous blessing to be content, to be able to rejoice, to be able to pray, and to be thankful regardless of the circumstances in which we find ourselves. So where ever you are, thank God and learn to be content with the blessings that He showers upon you day after day. AMEN
Romans 8:28, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”
I read a story about a man that discovered that a friend had betrayed him. He was really hurt by this, so he went to the friend and said,
• Don’t you remember who picked you up when you were in the gutter?
• Don’t you remember who bailed you out of jail when no one else would?
• Don’t you remember who was always there to lend you money when you needed it?
• Don’t you remember who helped you get your first job?”
His so called friend replied, “Yeah, you did. But what have you done for me lately?” My Lord…..
Brothers and sisters, sometimes we’re the same way with God, aren’t we? We receive so much, but if things happen to be a bit hard at the moment we tend to say to God, “What have you done for me lately? Yeah, you’ve given me life and health and all the things I enjoy. But what have you done for me lately?” My My
Listen to me my friends, God provides us with so much, and yet we demand, “Where is the rest God?, we want more.” God gives us life filled with so many blessings that we can’t name them all. But too many people, instead of thanking God, are complaining, “What have "YOU" done for me lately, God. Seldom do we tell God when we like it, and thank Him for all His blessings. A M E N
Now, as I bring this message to a close:
Brothers and sisters, friends and family, by nature we’re forgetful people, looking forward not back. Ask us what we want and we can tell you. Ask us what we’re thankful for and we stare blankly into space. We can most certainly remember the bad, but seem to forget all of the little good things in life that give us "life".
SO...
If we’re carrying heavy burdens this holiday season, and we can’t remember the joyous ones we celebrated for years.
If money is tight this holiday season we whine, and we can’t remember the past holidays when the money flowed like water.
If miles separated our family this holiday season, and we can’t share the holiday together,
If we’ve somehow depressed this holiday, and we can't remember the smiles we once shared,
If we've somehow forgotten about God’s grace, and can't remember the special blessings in our life,
Then maybe we need to step back for a moment and remember God’s blessings like we remember the smell of pecan pie cooking in grandmama’s oven.
Just maybe we need to take a moment to thank God for the seemingly small things like:
• Removing the obstacles that keep us down.
• Providing the living that keeps clothes on our backs.
• Keeping our kids safe as they journey through life.
• For keeping us safe in the shelter we live in. THANK YOU LORD!
• For the strength we have in our body.
• For the spouse he brought into our lives.
• For the beautiful and healthy children we have.
• For the sight he has provided us with.
• For the ability to think and reason. THANK YOU LORD!
• For the jobs we have, no matter how small.
• For the time we’ve shared with others.
• For allowing us to wake up this morning and live another day.
• For protecting us from the storm.
• For pulling us out of the fire. THANK YOU LORD!
• For protecting us from harm.
• Thank him for true friends.
• For family, me’ familia.
• For putting me in a position to have a closer relationship with God. THANK YOU LORD!
• For all of you who are growing with me.
• For forgiving us of our sins.
• For the people that are placed in our lives that mold us in to who we are.
• For the sun and the moon and stars.
• For the rain, and snow, and the breeze we share.
• For the people that will selflessly give to others this year.
• For our loved ones spirit, that we carry within us. THANK YOU LORD!
• Thank you God for watching over us.
• For the gift of your son so that we may live.
• Thank you God for understanding.
• And, yes, thank you for the food we’ll share this thanksgiving, and the family we’ll share it with.
• But God, Mostly……thank you for just being you!
So to answer the question, “God, what have you done for me lately?”…. it’s simple. …..Just Breathe…… AMEN….
Someone once said, “If you have nothing to be thankful for then make up your mind that there is something wrong with you.”
References:
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