Thanksgiving: Counting Our Blessings

Thanksgiving: COUNTING OUR BLESSINGS

Psalm 103:1-22

A man writing at the post office desk was approached by an older fellow who had a post card in his hand. The old man said, "Sir, could you please address this post card for me?" The man gladly did so, and he agreed to write a short message on the post card, and he even signed it for the man, too.

Finally the man doing the writing said to the older man, "Now, is there anything else I can do for you?"

The old fellow thought about it for a minute, and he said, "Yes, at the end could you just put, ’P.S. Please excuse the sloppy handwriting.’"

Thanksgiving or complaining - these two words express two contrasting attitudes of the souls of God’s children.

Thankfulness or its lack is the thermometer by which our spiritual temperature can be gauged.

Thanksgiving or its lack manifest if we are in the will of God or not. See I Thessalonians 5:18. I have never met a defeated thankful Christian.

Psalm 100:4 tells us to “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.”

It is good thing that America has set aside a day of THANKSGIVING. The Thanksgiving proclamation was given by Abraham Lincoln in 1863 “It has seemed to me fit and proper that [the gifts of God] should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged with one heart and one voice by the whole American people. I do, therefore, invite my fellow citizens . . . to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the heavens.”

Thankfulness is a commanded grace, a crowning grace, and a conquering grace.

I believe that INGRATITUDE is the worst of vices.

“When thou hast thanked God for every blessing sent, what time will then remain for murmurs and lament.”

I. I am thankful for the provision of salvation - Isaiah 45:22 “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.”

A. Thankful for the simplicity of the provision of salvation

Acts 16:31

John 6:47

B. Thankful for the availability of the provision of salvation

All are invited.

2 Peter 3:9

1 Timothy 2:4

The of Christ is sufficient for all - Romans 8:32. There has never been a sinner born that Jesus did not die for.

C. Thankful for the certainty of the provision of salvation

II. I am thankful for the preservation of the Scriptures

See I Peter 1:23-25. Oh, how thankful I am that I can hold in hand the preserved Word of God.

The Preserved Word of God:

A. Provides the church’s message – “the gospel”

God has not changed the message He wants preached to the world. It is the Bible that gives us the message we are to preach.

B. Prescribes the church’s method (I Corinthians 1:18,21)

God has found no substitute for the preaching of the gospel!

C. Produces the church’s members

It is the preserved Word of God that comforts the saved, compels the soldier, and converts the soul.

III. I am thankful for the presence of the indwelling Spirit

See 1Corinthians 3:16. Spirit takes up permanent residence in the believer at the moment of salvation.

A. Thankful for His ministry of consolation (John 14:16,17)

B. Thankful for His ministry of education (Titus 3:3:11,12; John 14:26)

The Holy Scriptures is the textbook, the Holy Son is the theme, and the Holy Spirit is the teacher in our education.

C. Thankful for His ministry of illumination (John 16:13)

He sheds light on what He has already written. HE will explain to us what He has written. He is not revealing new truth, but he does cause us to understand the truth He has already revealed.

D. Thankful for His ministry of intercession (Romans 8:26,27)

When we do not know how or what to pray, we have the indwelling Holy Sprit to rely upon. When we pray selfishly, ignorantly, or narrowly, the Holy Spirit comes alongside to assist us in or weakness, interceding for us.

We have two weaknesses in prayer revealed in these verses. We know not what (matter) we should pray for as we ought. As to the matter of our requests, we know not what to ask. We are not competent judges of our own condition. Who knows what is good for a man in this life? (Ecclesiastes 6:12). We are short sighted, and very much biased in favor of the flesh. Jesus even told the sons of Zebedee, “ You know not what you ask for,” (Matthew 20:22).

As to the manner, we know not how to pray as we ought. It is not enough that we do that which is good, but we must do it well, seek in a due order; and here we are often at a loss-- affections cold, thoughts wandering, and it is not always easy to find the heart to pray.