Thanksgiving Living

Can you think of a time when you experienced a feeling of thankfulness while being generous?

The times where I am the most thankful are the times where I have been able to give something to help someone else.

There is nothing more gratifying to me than when I am able to actually help someone. When I am able to bring the right words to a moment, when I am able to meet a financial need, when I am able to help anyone with anything I feel a sense of thankfulness that I was actually able to help.

I know this is not what we normally think about when we think of being thankful…in fact we think of the opposite most of the time.

We are often told to be thankful for all of the things we have (And you should) but have you ever stopped to be thankful that you have the means to make a difference in others lives.

During this holiday I am thankful for a lot…I am thankful for my family, for my dog, and for being able to celebrate the holiday together with my Son and Daughter in law this week…

But I am also thankful for the opportunity you give me to be a blessing in your lives and in the lives others here in Broken Arrow.

Thank you for providing a place to serve God by serving you.

Thanksgiving is most easily given when we are in the process of giving instead of accumulating.

In our Scripture Paul is writing to the believers in the church in Corinth, asking them to take up a collection to give to their poorer brothers and sisters in Macedonia. He knows that the Corinthians want to hang on to their money just as much as we do today.

But Paul also knows that the best way to show gratitude or thankfulness for the blessings they have been given is to give some away for the building of the kingdom.

2 Corinthians 9: 6-13

“6 Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. 7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”

How they sowed by hand.....We have it down to a Science…they did it all by hand…the more they put out the greater chance of a bumper harvest.

Paul is saying with this illustration…That our provision depends on our willing and cheerful generosity…Paul is not asking for a set amount to give to but he is encouraging everyone to give something for the cause…

8 And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 9 As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.”

Authentic Generosity leads to confidence…Not that things won’t be tight but the more generous we are with our resources the less we worry about our resources…

My Dad always said he would give if we had anything left over…we never did…Crickett and I have given first and we have never been without.

10 For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, he will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you.

EVERYTHING BELONGS TO GOD…Being a good steward of God’s provision is not saving it for a rainy day…It is investing it wisely in the kingdom

“11 Since we have planted spiritual seed among you, aren’t we entitled to a harvest of physical food and drink? 12 If you support others who preach to you, shouldn’t we have an even greater right to be supported? But we have never used this right. We would rather put up with anything than be an obstacle to the Good News about Christ.

13 Don’t you realize that those who work in the temple get their meals from the offerings brought to the temple? And those who serve at the altar get a share of the sacrificial offerings.

This Passage highlights a controversial but very important concept of living as a follower of Jesus.

Gratitude and Generosity feed on each other.

Find a person who is truly grateful and you will find a person who is generous. Find a person who is generous and you will find a person who is grateful.

Brian Lowery…Is happiest when he is giving….He is at his most anxious when we focusing on what he does not have.

Generosity is not a hinderance to prospering…Generosity is the key to provision.

Thanksgiving is a constantly renewable resource. Thanksgiving produces generosity. Generosity brings a sense of abundance into our lives which increases our gratitude.

We're used to thinking in terms of scarcity, not abundance.

There's never enough to go around. News reports warn us that if we don't exercise careful stewardship of our treasure we're going to run out of it.

Many of us are haunted by the fear that we are just a few paychecks away from falling through the cracks. We're more conscious of our scarcity than our abundance.

There's never enough time to get everything done, never enough money to make us feel truly secure, never enough love for us to get our fill. You've got to hold on to what you have.

What if the Key to abundance is to look for ways to give our time, and resources away instead of holding them for later?

I am not saying to be irresponsible…I am not saying anyone should give, spend or waste all of their resources…I am saying that during this season of Thanksgiving (And Beyond) we can best be thankful but being generous.

The spirit of Thanksgiving can create in us an abundance mindset. When we focus on the positives in our life, we feel thankful. The more thankful we feel, the more joyful we feel. Joy is contagious. It overflows. We must to share it with others.

Thanksgiving reaches completion when we share our blessings with others.

Who knows the effect your thankfulness and subsequent giving will have on the lives of others?

God set up this remarkable system of joy and blessings, gratitude and generosity, giving and receiving and then God backs it up with a lifetime guarantee.

Gratitude and generosity feed on one another.

Jump start the joy cycle in your life today by looking for ways to share your blessings with others.

Give out of gratitude and your sense of gratitude will continue to grow. So today I want to challenge you and me to celebrate Thanksgiving by being Generous.

Be generous by giving to the operation of the Church. Be generous by finding ways to help the less fortunate. Angel tree families, Abba Compassionate ministries, Be generous by giving to missions. The list goes on...

Be Generous because you can.

Communion/Benediction.