Next Level Thanksgiving

Intro

Deuteronomy 8:7–14 “For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land, a land of brooks of water, of fountains and springs, flowing out in the valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, a land in which you will eat bread without scarcity, in which you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron, and out of whose hills you can dig copper. And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. “Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes, which I command you today, lest, when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks multiply and your silver and gold is multiplied and all that you have is multiplied, then your heart be lifted up, and you forget the Lord your God”

PRAY!!!!

Verse 14 makes it clear that God wants you to remember from whom your blessings come from. Sometimes we get so used to blessings, that we take them for granted and “forget the Lord your God.”

We’re going to look at the 3 levels of Thanksgiving

Level 1. Thankfulness for what God has given you

God’s Gifts + Gratefulness = Praise!

practice thankfulness! God’s gifts alone don’t bring joy, it’s when you add thankfulness that you get joy that should turn into praise

You gotta learn to dance with the one who brung ya!

We have to quit being so quite, the word says “Let the redeemed say so.”

Psalm 107:2 “Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he has redeemed from trouble”

Verse 10 says:

Deuteronomy 8:10 “And you shall eat and be full, and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.”

When God’s blessings fall on you, you can’t be quite. it says “you shall bless the Lord” in other words you will praise Him!

Practice Gratitude, be looking for His blessings on you, they are everywhere when your looking.

David shows us Next level of Thankfulness:

Psalm 23:1–6 “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Verse 5 says:

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies”

Level 2. Thankfulness even when your in a rough place

This is the type of thankfulness Horatio Spafford had when he wrote:

“When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll; Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well with my soul.”

tragedy came in great measure to this happy home. When four years old, their son, Horatio Jnr, died suddenly of scarlet fever. Then only a year later, in October 1871, a massive fire swept through downtown Chicago, devastating the city, including many properties owned by Horatio. That day, almost 300 people lost their lives, and around 100,000 were made homeless. Despite their own substantial financial loss, the Spaffords sought to demonstrate the love of Christ, by assisting those who were grief-stricken and in great need.

Two years later, in 1873, Spafford decided his family should take a holiday in England, knowing that his friend, the evangelist D. L. Moody, would be preaching there in the autumn. Horatio was delayed because of business, so he sent his family ahead: his wife and their four remaining children, all daughters, 11 year old Anna, 9 year old Margaret Lee, 5 year old Elizabeth, and 2 year old Tanetta.

On 22nd November 1873, while crossing the Atlantic on the steamship, Ville du Havre, their vessel was struck by an iron sailing ship. Two hundred and twenty six people lost their lives, as the Ville du Havre sank within only twelve minutes.

All four of Horatio Spafford’s daughters perished, but remarkably Anna Spafford survived the tragedy. Those rescued, including Anna, who was found unconscious, floating on a plank of wood, subsequently arrived in Cardiff, South Wales. Upon arrival there, Anna immediately sent a telegram to her husband, which included the words “Saved alone….”

Receiving Anna’s message, he set off at once to be reunited with his wife. One particular day, during the voyage, the captain summoned him to the bridge of the vessel. Pointing to his charts, he explained that they were then passing over the very spot where the Ville du Havre had sunk, and where his daughters had died. It is said that Spafford returned to his cabin and wrote the hymn “It is well with my soul”

This level is when you trust God even when your walking in the darkest valley David wrote:

Psalm 23:4 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”

You Just keep focused on the one who’s sitting at the table with you, not on your enemies!

God never said All the things that happen are good, but that all things work together for the good of those who love Him. Just keep you eyes on Him. Always remember:

“I will fear no evil for you are with me” (v.24)

Gods never gonna leave you.

Deuteronomy 31:8 “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.””

Matthew 28:20 “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.””

Then there’s the 3rd level.

Level 3. The Ultimate Level Of Trust And Thanksgiving

This is the ultimate level, the level where you thank God no matter what, even if you lose your life in the process, when you get to the place, where like Paul you say “what does it matter” as long as Christ is glorified in me~

Paul tells us that when he is prison other so called “Christians” were going around stirring the pot, trying to get him in even deeper trouble, even to the point of getting him killed, but Paul says “what does it matter.”

Philippians 1:17-21 “The others proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but intending to increase my suffering in my imprisonment. What does it matter? Just this, that Christ is proclaimed in every way, whether out of false motives or true; and in that I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance. It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be put to shame in any way, but that by my speaking with all boldness, Christ will be exalted now as always in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, living is Christ and dying is gain.”

Job 13:15 “Though he slay me, yet I will trust him.”

This is big boy and girl trust! This is trusting and thanking Him even when its the darkest of dark

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

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In Closing: When you’re with your family and loved ones this week, “don’t forget your Lord” from whom all blessings flow.

PRAY!!