Thankfully Blessed

Thankfully Blessed

Selected verses

Introduction-

Good morning…We are so glad that you have joined us this morning. We do not believe you are here by accident and that the Lord has something to say to us as we dig into His Word.

we are a few days from Thanksgiving and most will sit down at a table with a group of people and set out to devour more food than most people should eat in a week. Thanksgiving, the time it is okay to overindulge. We know the vague meaning behind it as our forefathers gathered together for a feast of celebration after accomplishing a long hard journey from oppression to come to a new place where they could worship God freely as they wanted.

So does what we call Thanksgiving line up with the definition of what God calls being thankful?

Let’s Pray-

Does getting together to eat show Thanksgiving?

Does coming together to celebrate make it Thankful?

Some will get together and there will not be one word of thankfulness to God or anyone else.

Some will go out to eat and someone else will prepare the meal and bring it to them-is that being thankful?

Some will pray over their food before they eat and some will not even give that a thought-which if any is thankful?

What I like about holidays is taking a break from busy life to get together with people that you care and love and express that love by food and gifts.

You stop what you are doing and give thanks that they are in your life.

Yes even a busy pastor in December can accomplish that if he/she stays focused.

Illustration-

Two men were walking through a field one day when they spotted an enraged bull. Instantly they darted toward the nearest fence. The storming bull followed in hot pursuit, and it was soon apparent they wouldn’t make it. Terrified, the one shouted to the other, "Put up a prayer, John. We’re in for it!" John answered, "I can’t. I’ve never made a public prayer in my life." "But you must!" implored his friend. "The bull is catching up to us." "All right," panted John, "I’ll say the only prayer I know, the one my father used to repeat at the table: ’O Lord, for what we are about to receive, make us truly thankful.’"

Illustration-The day before Thanksgiving an elderly man in Phoenix called his son in New York and said to him, "I hate to ruin your day, but I have to tell you that your mother and I are divorcing; 45 years of misery is enough. We’re sick of each other, and so you call your sister in Chicago and tell her."

Frantic, the son called his sister, who exploded on the phone. "They are not getting divorced," she shouted. "I’ll take care of this."

She called Phoenix immediately, and said to her father. "You are NOT getting divorced. Don’t you do a single thing until I get there. I’m calling my brother back, and we’ll both be there tomorrow. Until then, don’t do a thing, DO YOU HEAR ME?"

The man hung up his phone and turned to his wife. "Okay, honey. The kids are coming for Thanksgiving and paying for their own flights."

Thanksgiving is more than a desperate prayer offered at tough moments in our life.

Thanksgiving is more than a gathering of people with personal agendas.

Godly Thanksgiving has to be offered up to God. (Repeat)

Thanksgiving is right attitude and Gratitude toward God

Zig Ziglar, a Christian motivational speaker in his book, “See you at the top” called bad attitude “Stinking Thinking.”

Our attitude determines wither we’ll be thankful or filled with stinking thinking and focused on the wrong things. One draws us near to God and one draws us away.

Psalm 107:1-3, 10-16 Read from bible

Lord forgive us that sometimes we think Thankfulness is all about what I am getting. That I have stinking thinking!

Rather I would be thankful for your steadfast love and faithfulness to me even though at times my heart was far from you.

That you have taught my heart to be thankful for what you have already done for me and that really if you do nothing else for me, I must live a life of thankfulness.

1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

COLOSSIANS 2:6-7

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”

Thankfulness is recognizing the goodness of God

JAMES 1:17

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.