Plan for: Thanksgiving | Advent | Christmas
Plan for: Thanksgiving | Advent | Christmas
When we practice thankfulness and praise, it can transform our lives and deepen our relationship with God, even in challenging circumstances.
Good morning, everyone! I'm thrilled to be here with you today, and I'm really looking forward to our time together. We're going to be talking about something that's close to my heart, and I hope it'll touch yours too.
Philip Yancey said something that really struck me. He said, "I have learned that faith means trusting in advance what will only make sense in reverse." Isn't that something? It's a reminder that even when we don't understand why things are happening, we can still be thankful and praise God, trusting that He's got a plan for us.
Now, let's read our scripture passage for today. It's Psalm 100, and it says:
Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.
What a beautiful Scripture. It's a call to praise, to thanksgiving, and a reminder of God's enduring love and faithfulness.
Before we get into our sermon this morning, let's bow our heads in prayer.
Heavenly Father, we thank you for your enduring love and faithfulness. We ask that you open our hearts and minds today as we talk about thankfulness and praise. Help us to understand how these acts can transform our lives and our relationship with you. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Alright, are you ready? Let's get into it. We're going to be talking about understanding the necessity of thanksgiving, living a life of praise, and thankfulness in all circumstances. So, grab your Bibles, your notebooks, and let's get started!
Thanksgiving is not just about saying "thank you" to God for the blessings we've received.
It's about acknowledging His sovereignty, His goodness, and His love.
It's about recognizing that every good thing we have comes from Him.
It's about humbling ourselves before Him, admitting that we are not self-sufficient, but wholly dependent on His grace and mercy.
In the hustle and bustle of life, it's easy to forget to be thankful. We get so caught up in our problems, our worries, our ambitions, that we forget to pause and appreciate the blessings we have. We forget to acknowledge the One who gave us those blessings. But the Psalmist reminds us to "enter His gates with thanksgiving." This is not just a suggestion, it’s a necessary part of our relationship with God.
When we are thankful, we are acknowledging God's goodness. We are saying, "God, I see what you have done for me. I recognize your hand in my life. I know that you are good." This is a powerful statement of faith. It's a statement that shifts our focus from our problems to God's provision, from our weakness to God's strength, from our fears to God's faithfulness.
Thanksgiving also helps us to keep a right perspective. When we are thankful, we are reminded of our dependence on God. We are reminded that we are not the masters of our own destiny, but the sheep of His pasture. This is a humbling realization, but it's also a comforting one. It means that we are not alone in our struggles. It means that we have a Shepherd who cares for us, who provides for us, who guides us and protects us.
Moreover, thanksgiving is a form of worship. When we thank God, we are not just expressing our gratitude, we are also praising Him. We are declaring His goodness, His faithfulness, His love. We are magnifying Him, not our problems. We are putting Him on the throne of our hearts, where He rightfully belongs.
In addition, thanksgiving has a transformative effect on us. It changes our attitude, our outlook, our disposition. It fills us with joy and peace. It strengthens our faith. It draws us closer to God. It makes us more like Jesus, who, despite His sufferings, was always thankful to His Father.
The fact of the matter is that thanksgiving is not optional for a Christian. It's a necessary part of our faith. It's a form of worship, a statement of faith, a means of grace. So let's make it a habit to "enter His gates with thanksgiving," not just on Thanksgiving Day, but every day of our lives.
In the heart of the Psalmist, we find a call to live a life of praise ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO
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