1CHRON.16:7-14 AND V.34-36 "THINGS I AM THANKFUL FOR"
A) Thanksgiving is a time to count your blessings and give thanks to God!
* Everyday should be thanksgiving, but praise God for this day each year that reminds us to
take a day for special thanks to our God! * 1Thes.5:18 "In everything give thanks: for this ..."
B) Paul had learned the secret of a thankful life! * Eph.5:20 "Giving thanks always for ..."
* Phil.4:6 "Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and ... with thanksgiving let ..."
* Let me share with you some things that I am thankful for:
(1) FOR JESUS! * I don’t say this lightly, I am so thankful for Jesus Christ!
* He was willing to leave heaven to come to this earth to experience pain, shame and disgrace!
A) 2Cor.8:9 "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was ......."
* I am thankful for Him shedding His blood for me and taking my place on Calvary!
(2) FOR THE HOLY SPIRIT! * The Holy Spirit is a person, He is a He, not a she - John 16:7-15
A) He guides us into all truth! * He will never lie to us!
* He comforts us in time of sorrow, what would we do without Him?
B) He’ll raise us up at the rapture! * I’m thankful for the Holy Spirit!
(3) FOR THE GIFT OF SALVATION! * Rom.6:23 "For the wages of sin is death; but the ......."
* The word "gift" in the Greek means: a divine gratuity, deliverance from danger, a sacrifice.
* 2Cor.9:15 "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift."
* Unspeakable in the sense that it is indescribable!
A) Salvation means that we are set free from the bondage of sin!
* We are free from the guilt of sin! * My past - beer joints, dance halls, drugs, alcohol ...
B) Salvation comes by faith and is offered to all!
* Rom.10:13 "For whosoever ..." * John 4:13-14 "Jesus answered and said unto her ......."
* Rev.22:17 "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, ......."
C) Salvation to Paul meant to be saved "from" something!
* He knew the reality of guilt, he felt the judgment of God’s law!
* He experienced the burden of his sinful nature & he knew Christ saved him from all that!
D) It also meant to be saved "for" something!
* Paul believed that God had set him apart to be His messenger to the Gentiles, and to this He
committed his life! * Would to God we all was like Paul!
E) Everybody that’s saved ought to do something for God!
* You don’t have to beg Christians to work for God, it comes as natural as man breathes air!
(4) FOR THE BIBLE! * It is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path - Ps.119:105
* It guides me through this dark world! * It gives me strength when I am weak!
* It brings me comfort and joy when I’m sad! * I couldn’t survive without it!
(5) FOR THE SAINTS OF GOD! * Paul was thankful for his Christian friends!
* To the Romans Paul wrote Rom.1:8 "First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that
your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world."
A) To the Philippians he exclaimed, Phil.1:3, "I thank my God upon every remembrance ..."
* The way Paul felt about his followers, I feel about you here at Faith Church!
* Thank God for you folk, I love you!
(6) FOR OUR CHURCH! * A place where the lost can come to be saved!
* A place where saved people can come and worship God!
A) We are to love our church, support it, and defend it!
* We ought to love to go there! * I don’t want to miss anything!
(7) FOR SUFFERINGS! * Paul was thankful for his difficulties!
* To the Colossians he wrote Col.1:24 "Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you."
A) I know it gets hard sometimes! * Thank Him for your sufferings, trials and persecutions!
* Thank Him for the valleys and mountains, even if you have to do it through tears!
* Learn to thank God for your sufferings!
(8) FOR STRENGTH! * Paul was thankful for the power Jesus provided in his daily life!
* 1Tim.1:12 "And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted ..."
* "Enabled" - To empower, increase in strength, to make strong!
(9) FOR FAMILY! * So many times we take our family for granted!
* Are you aware that if we die tomorrow, the company that we work for could easily replace
us in a matter of days?
* But the family we left behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives!
A) Life is too short for families not to get along!
* Let your family know now how much they mean to you!
* You wont have them around forever! * My visit with my mom July 8, 1998
(10) FOR GRACE! * 2Cor.12:9 "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength ......."
* No matter what we go through, God’s grace is sufficient for us!
* The presence, love, favor and blessings of God are sufficient to help the believer walk
through any suffering!
A) Sufficient means: the power or strength to withstand any danger!
* God’s grace within the believer can carry the believer through anything!
B) Then God said, "My strength is made perfect in weakness!"
* The weaker the believer, the more God can demonstrate His strength!
* I am so thankful for God’s grace every day of my life! * I can’t make it without His grace!
* Mom’s cookies … high shelf, couldn’t reach. * God’s grace on lower shelf!
CLOSE
A) It is now Thanksgiving season, I ask, "How thankful are you this morning?"
* We have got so much to be thankful for, I’ve mentioned only a few!
* Let’s gather around the altar this morning and pray with thanksgiving!
