Stimulants to Thanksgiving
1- Our singing should be accompanied with thanksgiving. (Thanksgiving Sunday)
2- As I read through the Bible, it becomes evident that God that intends for His people to be grateful.
3- It should not take a special national holiday to motivate and stimulate us to give thanks to the Lord.
4- One of the greatest blessings I enjoy is eyesight. (Thankful!)
1. Every person uses “selective vision”.
5- Insight is the ability to “see” or perceive.
Let’s use our insight to look in three directions, to move us to be more grateful toward God.
1 - Looking AROUND Us Should Stimulate Thanksgiving. (vv. 1-9)
1. Looking around at the beautiful scenery (Ps.147:8).
(1) God has made a beautiful world for us to live in and enjoy.
2. Looking around us at broken sinners (See Luke 15- the prodigal son).
(1) Seeing people whose lives sin has wrecked.
(2) Not superiority as a Christian, but rather a spirit of thankfulness that God has brought you out by His great grace.
3. Looking around us at God’s bountiful supply.
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Phil. 4:19 (KJV)
(1) God has granted us far more than we have deserved.
2 - Looking IN Should Stimulate Us To Thanksgiving. (vv. 10-11, 14)
1. Looking in I see the miracle of salvation.
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: 4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. 2 Pet. 1:4 (KJV)
(1) All born again people have a "divine nature." [Inclined to holiness of thought and life]
2. There is ministry of the Holy Spirit.
8 So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. 9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. Rom. 8:8-9 (KJV)
3. There is a new peace.
165 ¶ Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them. Ps. 119:165 (KJV)
(1) The wicked do not know real, satisfying, lasting peace.
21 There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked. Isa. 57:21 (KJV)
3 - Looking UP Should Stimulate Us To Thanksgiving. (vv. 15-19)
When we look toward heaven through the eyes of the Bible we see several things.
1. A powerful God (Ps. 147:15-19).
(1) When God unleashes His omnipotent power that no one can successfully stand against Him.
2. The passion of Christ.
(1) In Acts 7:55, when Stephen was being stoned we see Jesus standing. He gave attention to the plight of His servant–godly Stephen.
54 ¶ When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth. 55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God. Acts 7:54-56 (KJV)
3. The pleading Christ (1 Jn. 2:1). [Our Heavenly Lawyer – Illus. John London Arnold.]
1 ¶ My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: 2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 Jn. 2:1-2 (KJV)
What God takes pleasure in. (vv. 10-11)
10 He delighteth not in the strength of the horse: he taketh not pleasure in the legs of a man. 11 The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy. Ps. 147:10-11(KJV) (VISUALIZE – ACT)
