"THANK YOU GOD"
TEXT: PSALM 18
INTRODUCTION
On Sept 16, 1620 2 ships set sail from Plymouth Englnad, The Speedwell and the Mayflower. The Speedwell encountered much difficulty as they began their journey springing many leaks in the ship. So when the 2 ships went to Port in Plymouth England, the Speedwell decided to go no further and 42 passengers from the Speedwell joined the 60 passengers and 30 crew members aboard the Mayflower..
Of the 102 passengers on board the Mayflower the majority were devout Christians. They were coming to America to shake lose from the bonds of the church of England so they could worship God as they believed scriptures taught.
And with great excitement and expectations that set sail for a new land... It wasn’t long before the trip became difficult for several reasons, as noted by William Bradford an historian on the Mayflower, who would later became Governor of the colony for 33 years.. Many of the passengers became sea sick as huge waves would crash over the deck of the ship... The nights were cold, damp and dark... Remember there was no indoor plumbing or electricity. And to make matters worse one of the crew, a very large man would constantly curse and abuse those who were sick... saying he was going to throw them overboard and steal all of their possessions... Bradford records, "BUT IT PLEASED GOD BEFORE THEY CAME HALF SEAS OVER, TO SMITE THE YOUNG MAN WITH A GRIEVOUS DISEASE OF WHICH HE DIED IN A DESPERATE MANNER.. AND SO HE HIMSELF WAS THE FIRST THROWN OVERBOARD. THUS HIS CURSES LIGHT OWN HIS WON HEAD, AND IT WAS AN ASTONISHMENT TO ALL HIS FELLOWS FOR THEY NOTED IT TO BE THE JUST HAND OF GOD UPON HIM.."
But their problems were far from over yet, they encountered many fierce storms which shook the ship with tremendous force. So fierce that many times they could not even keep the sail out and the force of the wind -- eventually cracked and bowed the main beams when they had just went over the half way point across the Atlantic. And although the passengers and crew wanted to turn back, Christopher Jones, the ships Master, assured all the vessel was "strong and firm under water." He ordered the beam to be secured. It was hoisted into place by a great iron screw that, fortunately, the Pilgrims brought out of Holland. AND Upon raising the beam, they "committed themselves to the will of God and resolved to proceed." These 100 people; cold, wet -- on wooden ship in the middle of the ocean -- put their hope, trust and lives into the hands of God. The battered ship finally came within sight of Cape Cod on November 19, 1620. Two had died at sea and two had given birth. The Pilgrims scanned the shoreline just to the west of them and described it as, "a goodly land wooded to the brink of the sea," William Bradford writes, "AFTER LONG BEATINGS AT SEA THEY FELL WITH THAT LAND WHICH IS CALLED CAPE COD; AND THEY WERE NOT A LITTLE JOYFUL..."
Before going ashore they decided to write a document know as the Mayflower Compact.
At the heart of the compact lay an undisputed conviction that God must be at the center of all law and order and the law without a moral base is really no law at all.
The day the Pilgrims signed the May Flower Compact, according to William Bradford, "they came to anchor in the Bay, which was a good harbor...and they blessed the God of Heaven, who brought them over the fast and furious ocean... and a sea of trouble. And they read the following from the Geneva Bible (the Bible the Pilgrims used) "LET THEM, THEREFORE PRAISE THE LORD, BECAUSE HE IS GOOD AND HIS MERCIES ENDURE FOREVER."
This coming thursday we will be celebrating Thanksgiving Day... Many will be busy cooking turkeys, making stuffing, baking pumpkin pies.... and watching football games. And that is fun stuff -- it is important to get together with loved ones... But that is not what thanksgiving is really about -- it’s not about food and fun... it is about giving thanks to the Lord God Almighty.
We usually picture the first thanksgiving in America, as the time when the Pilgrims and the Indians got together for a great feast (though I really don’t know how they could of eaten pumpkin pie without cool whip). But I tend to look at that time when on the sea battered Mayflower anchored in the bay at Cape Cod, a group of weary and worn men and women were on their knees praising their God in heaven for bringing them safely through the treacherous sea to this new land, as the real first thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is about praising and thanking God for delivering us through the storms of these life... If you are here and your are a Christian, God has delivered you through some power storms...
As we celebrate Thanksgiving this year let’s not allow the family, the food, the fun and the football take up too much time, let’s be sure we leave time for The Lord.... He is the reason for this season too! And let me again encourage you to start your proper focus for Thanksgiving by attending the Area Churches Celebration this Wednesday...
God has been good to us/you.. We have many reasons to be thankful..
And today as we consider our Thankfulness to God we will to so by answering 2 very simple and basic questions, why should we give thanks to God? and how do we give thanks to God? We will be using David’s song of praise found in Psalm 18.
This message today is especially directed to the Christian -- who should be without a doubt the most thankful people in the world (ARE YOU). And if you are here today and you are not a Christian -- We want you to see just what kind of God our Lord is... Our God is an awesome God..
WHY SHOULD WE BE THANKFUL TO GOD?
Turn in your Bibles to the Psalm 18.
Let’s read verses 1 through 3 together....
We know from our Old Testament studies that David had a lot of enemies.... He spent many years in hiding.... And one of his greatest enemies was King Saul.
David wrote this Psalm after God had delivered him from his enemies and especially from the hands of Saul. Because of who God was and what he had done for him, David breaks out in a song of praise of God -- a natural reaction to the greatness of our God.. And as David praises God he gives several reasons in these first 3 verses why he was thankful to God -- and these are also reasons that we should be thankful to God.....
PSALM 18:1-3
First of all notice how many times David uses the word "my" in these 3 verses. I count 9 times.... And what David is emphasizing here is his personal relationship with God... To David, God was not some far off deity with a long white beard up in the clouds somewhere... that he had to please, but who didn’t really know... On the contrary, David had a personal relationship to God... And the only reason he had this relationship, was because God had given him the opportunity to know him. And David was thankful for this personal relationship.
Are we thankful for the personal relationship that we can have with God... Does it mean anything to us that The One True God the Creator of the Universe, The King of Kings and Lord of Lords ... are we thankful that God reached down from hi heavenly throne and has given us an opportunity to have a personal relationship with Him.... Our God is not a God who is far off, but he walks with us, takes care of us, and has given His spirit to live in us... ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR THIS PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP?
David’s first words in this Psalm are --- "I LOVE YOU, O LORD, MY STRENGTH
David said that God was his strength... Which is a lesson all of God’s people have to learn. he power, the results, the victories all rest, in God’s power alone, not in ours.
And if we are depending on ourselves, we are like the 10 men who went to spy out Canaan and who said when facing a difficult opposition, "we can’t do it for we are just grasshoppers in their sight." You see, grasshoppers never win many battles in life.
Throughout the bible we see God teaching his people to depend on Him through various circumstances (Sometimes sickness and sometimes large opposing armies). And God was trying to get them to realize that they must rest on His strength alone... He was Trying to get them to understand that "IT IS NOT BY MIGHT, NOR BY POWER, BUT BY MY SPIRIT SAYS THE LORD ALMIGHTY.."
Paul wrote the following in
2 CORINTHIANS 12:7-10
When we are weak and do not depend on our selves we are strong... God is our strength, and His power is made perfect in our weakness...
Are you thankful that God is your strength that everything does not depend on you, and on your ability... "WHEN WE ARE WEAK, THEN WE ARE STRONG!!"
David also says the Lord is my rock
What is meant here by rock is sometimes render a "crag" which is a prominent portion of rock which a man may seek refuge in and stand far above the reach of his enemies....
I like that picture, standing on a rock above my enemies, with them trying to get me -- but with me always out of THEIR reach. Nothing can get me as long as I am standing on my rock... Do you believe that? I do, Paul said in Romans chapter 8, "I AM CONVINCED THAT NEITHER DEATH NOR LIFE, NEITHER ANGELS NOR DEMONS, NEITHER THE PRESENT NOR THE FUTURE, NOR ANY POWERS, NEITHER HEIGHT NOR DEPTH, NOR ANYTHING ELSE IN ALL OF CREATION, WILL BE ABLE TO SEPARATE US FROM THE LOVE OF GOD THAT IS IN CHRIST JESUS OUR LORD."
As long as we choose to stand on our rock, on Jesus -- our enemy and even our circumstances, are not able to reach us and cause us any real harm.... Are you thankful that God is your rock...
DAVID ALSO SAYS THAT GOD IS OUR FORTRESS
Most of us have seen Westerns where the people run into the fort to seek protection from the raiding Indians. A fort is a place where we can seek safety in -- when we are in a fort we are surrounded by barriers strong walls or other fortifications that keep the enemy out. They protect us and stand between us and the enemy. In another song of David, Ps 125 David writes; "AS THE MOUNTAINS SURROUND JERUSALEM, SO THE LORD SURROUNDS HIS PEOPLE BOTH NOW AND FOREVERMORE." {C PEAT}
Our God is a barrier between us and the world/ a barrier that cannot be broken.
Are you thankful that we have a fort, a place where we can seek shelter and refuge in? Are you thankful that you have a God who will surrounded you in order to protect you? Are you thankful that God is your fortress?
Let me say something very briefly here, but very important -- a fort or a rock offers us no safety or protection unless we are not standing on it or are not within it’s walls... And we choose whether or not we are.
And Some of God’s people are getting beat up spiritually and emotionally, because they have refused to stand on the rock and they have choose to remain outside his walls of protection. WHY DON’T YOU COME INSIDE AND STAND ON THE ROCK?
DAVID SAYS THAT GOD IS MY DELIVER
Many times God delivered David, he delivered him from Goliath, from Saul, from a lion, from The Philistines, from Abner even from his own son...
Yes, many times David cried out to God for deliverance from his powerful enemies and God heard those cries and delivered him. David writes in verse 18 of our text, "HE RESCUED ME FROM MY POWERFUL ENEMY, FROM MY FOES, WHO WERE TOO STRONG FOR ME."
Our God is a God of deliverance, one of the greatest events in the Old Testament is when God delivered his people from cruel bonds of Egyptian Slavery...
And God is also our deliverer... If you are here today and you are a Christian you have experienced first hand like David and like the Israelites, the joy of God’s deliverance. We too faced a powerful foe -- sin -- whose wage was death.... A foe that was too strong for us... We were powerless to do anything to save ourselves from this enemy... AND AS THE WORD OF GOD SAYS "YOU SEE AT JUST THE RIGHT TIME, WHEN WE WERE STILL POWERLESS, CHRIST DIED FOR THE UNGODLY...GOD DEMONSTRATED HIS OWN LOVE FOR US IN THIS; WHILE WE WERE YET SINNERS, CHRIST DIED FOR US." AND NOW THROUGH FAITH IN CHRIST WE CAN HAVE DELIVERANCE FROM SIN AND THE HOPE OF ETERNAL LIFE.... ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR THIS DELIVERANCE?
And God’s deliverance of His people doesn’t stop with this initial deliverance it continues throughout our walk with him. Listen to verse 4-17 of our text.
[read 4-7] here David is describing just how desperate his situation was as his enemies engulfed him -- it looked hopeless.....have you ever felt hopeless as your enemies surrounded you? You’re not the first nd you’re not the last.
Parents let me ask you a question how does it make you feel when someone messes with your child, when they hurt or seek to harm you child... Does it get you a little angry? Does it cause your blood to boil and the hairs on your neck to stand up? Are you tempted to grab the individual and say to them "HOW DARE YOU MESS WITH MY CHILD."
This is exactly the picture David paints in the scripture we about to read...David pictures God:
In his temple in heaven and all of a sudden God hears the cries of one of his children... Someone is messing with one of His children and is trying to cause them harm...
And God gets angry... How dare anyone mess with a child of the Living God... Listen to how David describes God’s anger.
[7-9]
And God is not just going to sit up in heaven fuming he is going to take action.... Listen to [10,11]
Do you see the picture David has painted, God has parting the heavens, rolling back the clouds... mounting a cherubim and is soaring on the wings of the wind... Making his way to deliver his children.... Let’s read on [12-16]
God has shouted with a thunder from heaven, he has scattered the enemies with bolts of lightening.... Remember how David describe what his enemies were doing to him he said, "THE WAVES OF DEATH SWIRLED AROUND ME. THE SNARES OF DEATH ENCIRCLED ME." It is a picture of David drowning under the assaults of his enemies.
(SOMETIMES THE TROUBLES OF THIS LIFE CAN SWIRL AROUND US IN MUCH THE SAME WAY).
Did you catch what David said in verse 16, "AT THE REBUKE OF THE LORD, AT THE BLAST OF BREATHE FROM HIS NOSTRILS -- THE VALLEYS OF THE SEA WERE EXPOSED AND THE FOUNDATIONS OF THE EARTH LAID BARE" God with a rebuke and a breathe from his nostrils simply blew the waters that were drowNing David away...(HE RENDERS THEM POWERLESS).
And then as we read in VERSE 17, "GOD REACH DOWN FROM ON HIGH AND TOOK HOLD OF DAVID AND PULLED HIM UP."
I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT I REALLY GET EXCITED ABOUT THAT PICTURE OF MY GOD AS MY DELIVER.
Are you thankful that your God gets angry when the enemy messes with you -- that he mounts his cherubim to come to your rescue, and that he is so powerful that he simply reaches down and pulls you up out of the surging waves, when you call to Him.. Blowing away your enemy and circumstances with the breathe of His nostrils. Has God ever done that for you? Reached down with His mighty hands and pulled you out of the surging waves of life? ARE YOU THANKFUL THAT GOD IS YOUR DELIVERER?
SEVERAL MORE
David uses several more descriptive words in verse 3 to describe and praise God, and all of these convey the thought of safety, protection and deliverance.... David says,
"GOD IS MY ROCK IN WHOM I TAKE REFUGE, MY SHIELD AND THE HORN OF MY SALVATION. HE IS MY STRONGHOLD, MY REFUGE AND MY SAVIOR.
Wow! Our God is Awesome -- And we should be thankful that he is our God... Just one more thought before we go on to How we can say thank you to God....
Listen to verse 29 of our text: "YOU ARE MY LAMP, O LORD, THE LORD TURNS MY DARKNESS INTO LIGHT."
You know darkness can be dangerous.... Try walking through a woods in the dark or driving in pitch dark without headlights... You never know what’s up the road or what you are going to run into.. Darkness can also be kind of scary -- especially if we are alone.
I am thankful that God is my lamp -- that he has turned my darkness into light... I am thankful that I no longer (unless I am stupid and choose to), I am thankful that I no longer have to travel on the roads of this life in the Dark. I know what this life is about, who I am what I am supposed to be doing and where I am going.... God has radically changed my life and given it true meaning -- has he changed your’s.
The lord Almighty is my Lamp.... Is he your lamp?....If so are you thankful?
We could go on all day and all through the night and list reasons why we should be thankful to God (our rock, fortress, refuge, deliverer, savior) Take a close look at the good things in your life: your home, children, family, friends, answered prayers, health, country, church, home joy, peace, happiness -- they are all from God. ... Our God is an Awesome God... and he IS "our God."
I THINK YOU WOULD AGREE WE HAVE AMBLE REASON TO THANK GOD..
JOE WAS A GOOD MAN -- HE WAS A HARD WORKER -- HE WAS A FAMILY MAN.... HE LOVED HIS FAMILY VERY MUCH. THERE WAS NOT ANYTHING HE WOULD NOT DO FOR HIS FAMILY... HE WORKED 2 JOBS SO HIS KIDS WOULD HAVE A DECENT HOUSE AND DECENT CLOTHES TO WEAR... HE USED HIS SAVINGS TO PUT HIS KIDS THROUGH COLLEGE.
HE PUT SEVERAL MORTGAGES ON HIS HOUSE TO HELP HIS CHILDREN AS THEY STARTED THEIR NEW FAMILIES... HE HAS HAD HIS HOUSE FOR 35 YEARS AND STILL OWES 4 TIMES THE ORIGINAL PRICE ON IT...
HE HELPED RAISE HIS FAMILIES CHILDREN....
HE DIDN’T DO IT FOR GLORY OR FOR PRAISE HE DID IT BECAUSE HE LOVED tHEM....
HIS WIFE DIED NOT MANY YEARS AGO, HE IS ALONE NOW... HIS HEALTH IS NOT TOO GOOD , ALL THOSE YEARS OF HARD WORK HAVE TAKEN THERE TOLL. HIS KIDS DON’T NEED HIS HELP ANYMORE... THEY DON’T CALL, THE DON’T WRITE -- THEY DON’T VISIT.. EVEN THOUGH THEY LIVE JUST ACROSS TOWN.
AND SO THIS YEAR JOE WILL SPEND ANOTHER THANKSGIVING ALONE, LOOKING AT OLD PHOTOS OF HIS FAMILY... EATING FROM A CAN OF BEANS... AND IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY YOU WOULD SEE A TEAR IN HIS EYES AND IF YOU COULD SEE INSIDE YOU WOULD SEE A HEART THAT WAS BROKEN.
HIS CHILDREN DON’T HAVE TIME FOR HIM... THOUGH THEY SHOULD CELEBRATE THANKSGIVING WITH THE ONE WHO GAVE THEM SO MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR... THEY DON’T EVEN GIVE HIM A SECOND THOUGHT AS THEY CELEBRATE WITH THEIR FRIENDS...
I HATE INGRATITUDE.... IT IS UGLY.... O’ THE FATHER MAYBE YOU KNOW HIM... HIS NAME IS GOD ALMIGHTY... AND HIS CHILDREN I THINK YOU KNOW THEM TOO..
HOW DO WE SHOW GOD OUR THANKS?
It is very important for us to discuss this because -- many times Christians do not show God that much gratitude....
Someone has rightly stated that Gratitude unexpressed is really ingratitude.... We can put it in a pretty box and gift wrap it -- but if it is unexpressed, it is still ingratitude.
They had no hope, they were outcasts, no one wanted them around, no one would even get near them , so they traveled around, living on scraps of food, sleeping in caves and under tree.. Their life was heading nowhere, they had few if any reason to go on. Luke records their story in;
LUKE 17:11,19
Only one came back to thank him.... Only one came back and threw himself at the feet of the Lord and submitted his life to Jesus... The others took their cleansing and ran. Maybe they thought, "that sure was nice of Jesus and sometime when it is convenient I am going to send him a card or give him a call and say thank you"... But good intentions are meaningless.
Only 10% said thank you.... Tragically I don’t think the percentages have changed all that much today. I see far too many more who are like the 9, They have taken their cleaning, and then have little time left for Jesus. Other things are more pressing and there is no time to really say thank you to the Lord. Which are you more like today? Have you accepted Christ sacrifice/His spiritual cleansing and then just kept on going down the road doing your own thing/what you want to do..
I know that sometimes in my life I act more like those ungrateful 9 I let God down and slap him in the face with ingratitude) -- and when I eventually come to my senses it just tares me up to know what I have done to God....
Are you serious about showing gratitude to our rock, our fortress, our deliverer, our refuge, our stronghold, our lamp and to our savior?? Do you want Jesus to see you at His feet thanking and praising Him or do you want Jesus to see walking down the road heading your own way... (FRIENDS TALK IS REAL CHEAP -- JESUS IS LOOKING FOR SOME MORE WALK FROM EACH OF US.. AND YOU ARE INCLUDED.
So If you are serious about really thanking God, listen up... Let Gods word penetrate you today like it never has before... Determine today not to be like those ungrateful 9 anymore.
By the way, How do you think Jesus felt about the 9? Do you think they broke His heart? How would you feel about them if it was you?
OKAY, HOW DO WE SAY THANK YOU TO GOD.....
"THEREFORE I URGE YOU BROTHERS, IN VIEW OF GOD’S MERCY, TO OFFER YOUR BODIES AS LIVING SACRIFICES HOLY AND PLEASING TO GOD -- DO NOT CONFORM ANY LONGER TO THE PATTERN OF THE WORLD, BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND..."
HERE’S HOW WE SAY THANK YOU TO GOD -- WE SAY THANK YOU WITH OUR LIVES... (IT MAY BE OKAY TO BE THE GRATEFUL DEAD IF YOU ARE A ROCK GROUP, BUT NOT IF YOU ARE A CHRISTIAN-- IN CHRISTIANITY IT IS THE GRATEFUL LIVING/NOT THE GRATEFUL DEAD).
HERE ARE 9 PRACTICAL WAYS FOR THOSE WHO THINK GOD IS WORTH IT TO REALLY SAY THANK YOU...
BY NOT BEING LIKE THE WORLD/NOT CONFORMING TO THE WORLD.... BY NOT TALKING LIKE THE WORLD, BY NOT SEEKING THE RICHES OF THE WORLD -- MORE THAN THE RICHES OF CHRIST, BY NOT LIVING LIKE THOSE IN THE WORLD...
1) WE SAY THANK YOU WHEN WE ARE MORE LIKE CHRIST THAN WE ARE LIKE THE WORLD.
2) YOU ALSO SAY THANK YOU TO GOD -- BY SPENDING TIME WITH HIM, BY CRAVING HIS WORD WITH ALL OF YOUR HEART, MIND SOULS AND STRENGTH. NOT JUST ONE HOUR A WEEK, BUT EACH AND EVERYDAY.
As the Psalmist writes in Ps [42:1-2]
WE SHOW GOD THAT WE ARE GRATEFUL AND THAT WE REALLY CARE WHEN WE SPEND TIME WITH HIM.. Put him first -- Give up things WE WANT TO DO just to be with Him.
IF YOU RARELY PICK UP THE WORD, IF YOU HARDLY EVER PRAY -- YET YOU HAVE TIME FOR TV, MOVIES, AND HOBBIES -- WHAT ARE YOU SAYING TO JESUS? WHO ARE YOU MORE LIKE THE 1 OR THE 9?
YOU NEED TO SPEND MORE TIME WITH GOD!! WILL YOU?
3. WE ALSO SAY THANK YOU TO GOD WHEN WE PRAISE AND WORSHIP HIM PUBLICLY. THE PSALMIST WRITES, "I WILL PRAISE YOU FOREVER FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE; IN YOUR NAME I WILL HOPE, FOR YOUR NAME IS GOOD. I WILL PRAISE YOU IN THE PRESENCE OF THE SAINTS.." -- PS 52:6 WORSHIP, PRAISE AND ADORATION IS A VITAL PART OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE...
4. WE SAY THANK YOU TO GOD WHEN WE FORGIVE OTHERS. HE FORGAVE OUR SINS, AND HE CONTINUES TO DO SO...
YET MANY CHRISTIANS WON’T FORGIVE EACH OTHER FOR A HARSH WORD SPOKEN OR A TOE STEPPED ON 15 YEARS AGO. IF YOU ARE HOLDING BITTERNESS AND UNFORGIVNESS IN YOUR HEART AT THIS MOMENT, I IMPLORE YOU TO LET IT GO! GIVE THAT PERSON THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT (THAT’S WHAT GOD DID FOR US) REMEMBER THE PARABLE OF THE UNFORGIVING SERVANT... FORGIVE AND IN SO DOING, SAY THANK YOU TO GOD....
5. AND WE SAY THANK YOU WHEN WE ARE SERVANTS. "FOR EVEN THE SON OF GOD DID NOT COME TO BE SERVED BUT TO SERVE AND HE GAVE HIS LIFE A RANSOM FOR MANY." WE SAY THANK YOU TO GOD WHEN WE ARE HIS SERVANT...
ONE WAY TO DO THIS IS WHEN WE SERVE IN THE LOCAL CHURCH/TO BE AN ACTIVE FUNCTIONING MEMBER OF THE BODY... TO WORK TO MAKE THE CHURCH/THIS CHURCH -- BETTER/MORE EFFECTIVE AT CARRYING OUT GOD’S WILL AND COMMISSION.
WE ARE PLAYERS AND NOT SPECTATORS
WORKERS AND NOT CRITICS
WHAT OUR ACTIONS OF SERVICE ARE SAYING TO GOD IS THIS, "YES LORD THE CHURCH YOU GAVE YOUR LIFE/BLOOD FOR, IS IMPORTANT TO ME TOO...AND I WILL DO MY BEST TO BRING HONOR TO YOUR BRIDE..YOU, LOVE THE CHURCH LORD AND SO DO I."
AND CONVERSELY WHAT ARE INACTIONS ARE SAYING IS JUST THE OPPOSITE "LORD THE CHURCH YOU GAVE YOUR LIFE FOR IS NOT A BIG DEAL TO ME...I’M MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOUR BRIDE..."
BE A SERVANT -- SAY THANK YOU TO GOD....
6. WE ALSO SAY THANK YOU TO GOD WHEN WE DON’T KEEP HE GOOD NEWS TO OURSELVES BUT SHARE THE GOSPEL OF SALVATION WITH THE LOST.
"THEREFORE GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS, BAPTIZING THEM IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER AND SON AND OF THE HOLY SPIRIT..."
WE NEED TO HAVE A BURNING PASSION TO WIN OUR COMMUNITY AND WORLD TO CHRIST.... THE WORLD’S SALVATION WAS GOD’S PASSION, THAT’S WHY HE SENT JESUS.... AND WHEN WE MAKE IT OUR PASSION WE ARE SAYING THANK YOU TO GOD.
7. WE SAY THANK YOU TO GOD WHEN WE REACH OUT TO THE HURTING, WHEN WE GAVE A DRINK TO THIRSTY AND FOOD TO THE HUNGRY... AND A EAR TO THE BROKENHEARTED.
"I TELL YOU THE TRUTH, WHATEVER YOU DID FOR ONE OF THE LEAST OF THESE MY BROTHERS OF MINE, YOU DID FOR ME.."
8. WE SAY THANK YOU TO GOD WHEN WE GIVE HIM OUR BEST.... HE GAVE HIS BEST... HE GAVE HIS SON/LIFE...
AND HOW DARE WE GIVE HIM ANYTHING LESS THEN OUR BEST.... IF YOU ARE HOLDING BACK ON YOUR TIME, TALENTS OR TREASURE -- YOU ARE SINNING AND YOU ARE BEING UNGRATEFUL... GIVE GOD YOUR BEST NOW AND SAY THANK YOU... HE DESERVES NO LESS.
GOD DOESN’T HAVE A SET AMOUNT HE WANTS,, HE JUST WANTS OUR BEST.... ARE YOU GIVING HIM YOUR BEST? (YOU KNOW IF YOU ARE)
9. WE SAY THANK YOU TO GOD WHEN WE DENY OURSELVES (ARE WE DENYING OURSELVES OR ARE WE INDULGING OURSELVES) WE NEED TO PICK UP OUR CROSS DAILY AND FOLLOW HIM. (HAVE YOU PICKED UP YOUR CROSS AND ARE FOLLOWING JESUS?) THESE ARE 9 PRACTICAL WAYS YOU CAN SAY THANK YOU TO GOD -- THAT IS IF YOU WANT TO OR THINK YOU NEED TO...
IS IT ALWAYS EASY TO DO THIS? NO SOMETIMES IT IS HARD TO KEEP OUR COMMITMENT TO GOD -- BUT WE MUST. IN PDSALM 15 DAVID ASKS GOD THE QUESTION WHO CAN BE IN YOUR PRESNCE AND ONE OF THE REQUIREMNTS IS THIS, GOD SAYS, "HE WHO KEEPS HIS COMMITMENT EVEN WHEN IT HURTS.."
WHEN WE BREAK A COMMITMENT TO CHRIST/CHURCH BECAUSE OF PERSONAL DESIRE OR CONVENIENCE -- WE ARE SLAPPING GOD IN THE FACE WITH INGRATITUDE...
BUT THOSE WHO KEEP THEIR COMMITMENT EVEN WHEN IT HURTS ARE THOSE WHO CAN STAND IN GOD’S PRESENCE, CAN DWELL IN HIS SANCTUARY CAN LIVE IN HIS HOLY HILL.
{I KNOW THAT RIGHT NOW SOME OF YOU, BECAUSE YOU HAVE A HEART FOR GOD -- AND BECAUSE YOU MANY TIMES COME UP TO ME AFTER A SERMON FEELING BAD -- SOME OF YOU HAVE BEEN CUT TO THE HEART BY WHAT I JUST SAID -- AND YOU SHOULD NOT BE!! YOU WORK REAL HARD, YOU ARE TRYING TO GIVE GOD YOUR BEST...-- AND ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS KEEP HEADING IN THE DIRECTION YOU ARE HEADING...}
AND OTHERS, WHO SHOULD HAVE BEEN CUT TO THE HEART, HAVE NOT EVEN BEEN PHASED, THEY FEEL NOTHING -- THEY ARE NOT REALLY TRYING AND THEY DON’T REALLY CARE... I PRAY GOD WILL OPEN YOUR EYES}
OUR GOD IS GREAT!! HE HAS DONE SO MUCH FOR US (SAFETY, PROVISION, PROTECTION AND SALVATION)-- AND HE IS WORTHY OF OUR THANKS AND OUR PRAISE! IS HE???
HOW WELL ARE YOU DOING AT SAYING THANKS? (HONESTLY ASK YOURSELF -- GOD ALREADY KNOWS THE ANSWER).
"MY TRIBUTE BY ANDREA CROUCH" (287)
LIKE THE PILGRIMS ANCHORED IN THE HARBOR AT CAPE COD WE HAVE A DECISION TO MAKE... AS WE SURVEY THE LAND OF GOD’S KINGDOM, WE CAN SEE THAT IT IS A GOOD LAND, AND WE CAN SEE CLEARLY WHAT GOD REQUIRES FROM US...
CHRISTIANS GOD HAS DELIVERED US FROM A FURIOUS OCEAN OF SIN AND A SEA OF TROUBLES...
WILL WE LIKE THE PILGRIMS SURRENDER OUR WILLS TO GOD AND BREAK ANCHOR AND GO ASHORE, WILL WE WADE THROUGH THE WATERS OF COMMITMENT -- SO THAT WE CAN WALK THE SHORES OF SINCERE PRAISE AND THANKFULNESS, OR WILL STAY ANCHORED IN THE COLD MURKY WATERS OF SHALLOW COMMITMENT AND INGRATITUDE.
WILL WE BE LIKE THE ONE LEPER HUMBLY THROWING OURSELVES AT THE FEET OF THE MASTER -- SURRENDERING ALL TO HIM....
OR WILL WE TAKE OUR CLEANSING AND GO OUR OWN WAY----
