The Priority of Thanksgiving

Intro

It is estimated 46 million turkey’s get prepared each year on Thanksgiving…

They believe 50 million pumpkin pies are consumed each Thanksgiving…

The average number of calories consumed by each person on Thanksgiving is 3,150-4,500

The average amount of time it takes the host to prepare the Thanksgiving feast is 9.6 hours

Many Thanksgiving Day traditions exist:

The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Football on Thanksgiving

A traditional Thanksgiving day feast

Run a turkey trot

Join the 76.2 million shoppers fighting their way during Black Friday shopping…

A lot of effort gets put into Thanksgiving… (not all bad)

But do we prioritize Thanksgiving...

Prioritize: designate or treat something as more important than other things

Thanksgiving: the act of rendering thanks or expressing gratitude… especially to acknowledge the goodness of God

Are you thankful for your husband?

Are you thankful for your wife?

Are you thankful for your parents?

Are you thankful for your church?

Are you thankful for your teachers?

Are you thankful for your salvation?

Does it show?

Being thankful is a verb… action...

It’s easy for “thanksgiving” to simply remain a feeling, but it never get expressed in any form...

Biblical thanksgiving requires an action…

Text:

Daniel 6:10 (KJV 1900)

10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

Title: The Priority of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving doesn’t just happen…

The principle of having priorities is Biblical:

Matthew 6:33 (KJV 1900)

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Why? Because there are things that you could seek before God…

Colossians 3:2 (KJV 1900)

2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Why? Because there are things that you could set your affections on instead of thing above…

Mark 12:30 (KJV 1900)

30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.

Why? Because you could love someone or something else with part of your heart, soul, mind and strength other than God…

“What gets scheduled gets done.”

To understand the core of the message, it’s important for you to understand the context of our passage…

Daniel 1 tells us that Daniel and his 3 friends (Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah) or you may know them from their Babylonian names given to them once in captivity: Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego… were taken to the king’s palace.

Their:

language was changed

diet was attempted to be changed

Names were changed

They tried to completely remove their identity from them and instill in them their culture and identity…

But this is the same Daniel spoken of in Daniel 1:8

Daniel 1:8 (KJV 1900)

8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

God blessed them:

Daniel 1:17 (KJV 1900)

17 As for these four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom: and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams.

Chapter 2 - Daniel interprets King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream…

Chapter 3 - King Nebuchadnezzar builds an image of gold…

He heralded to all the nation…

Daniel 3:4–6 (KJV 1900)

4 Then an herald cried aloud, To you it is commanded, O people, nations, and languages, 5 That at what time ye hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, ye fall down and worship the golden image that Nebuchadnezzar the king hath set up: 6 And whoso falleth not down and worshippeth shall the same hour be cast into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.

Shadrach, Meschach and Abenego refused to bow and were cast into the fiery furnace…

God saved them from that sure death…

Chapter 4 - Nebuchadnezzar gives a autobiography of himself and how great he is…

He gives Daniel another dream and Daniel interprets it…

Chapter 5 - evil king Belshazzar takes over and Daniel interprets a dream for him…

Chapter 6 - King Darius is now in charge… (Chapter of the Liars, Laws and Lions)

Daniel 6:1–17 (KJV 1900)

1 It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom; 2 And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage. 3 Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.

4 Then the presidents and princes sought to find occasion against Daniel concerning the kingdom; but they could find none occasion nor fault; forasmuch as he was faithful, neither was there any error or fault found in him. 5 Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God. 6 Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever. 7 All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellers, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions. 8 Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. 9 Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.

10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. 11 Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God. 12 Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king’s decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not. 13 Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day. 14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him. 15 Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed. 16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee. 17 And a stone was brought, and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.

1.) Daniel Prioritized thanksgiving over his situation

Daniel was:

Kidnapped from his homeland in Israel and taken to Babylon

Name changed

Diet changed

Decree sent out, yet he prayed and gave thanks 3 times a day…

a Decree from the king, yet Daniel is in his place giving thanks…

What was his situation?

Daniel was high up in the kingdom…

He “finally made it”…

The corporate ladder had been climbed…

He could have considered his career over his need to give thanks first…

Daniel heard the decree… certainly understood the decree… (quite straightforward)

Yet his mind was not focused on the power of his position…

Or the worth of his wealth…

Or the fact of his fame…

Daniel’s situation was highly favourable and he was “giving up” a lot by kneeling, praying to God and giving thanks three times a day…

Daniel 6:10 (KJV 1900)

10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

1.) Daniel Prioritized thanksgiving over his situation

2.) Daniel Prioritized thanksgiving over his schedule

Clearly he had duties as he was high up in the kingdom…

He had to take time from his “busy schedule” to pray and give thanks three times a day…

If a man who is this high up in the medo-persian empire can find time to thank God three times a day from his knees, so can we…

It had been something that was established in the life of Daniel because the Bible says, “…as he did aforetime.” (10b)

He had an established schedule of thanksgiving and supplications being made to God… 3 times a day…

Could it be said of you that you are faithful to give thanks to God daily… multiple times a day…

In times of distress and difficulty and in times of victory?

You don’t maintain a schedule of thanksgiving to God one day a year…

“Thanksgiving is a day of practice for what we should be doing all year long.”

This is a consistent, daily routine of being thankful to God for the many blessings He provides…

1.) Daniel Prioritized thanksgiving over his situation

2.) Daniel Prioritized thanksgiving over his schedule

3.) Daniel Prioritized thanksgiving over his safety

There was a decree from the king to throw anyone who prays to God other than him for a period of 30 days into the lion’s den

Decree or no decree, Daniel was faithfully praying on his knees giving thanks to God three times a day

Had Daniel been more concerned with his schedule or his safety, he would not have been on his knees giving thanks…

When times got bad and it was literally “do or die”… He didn’t have to stop and think… He didn’t have to start something new… He just kept his schedule of being faithful to be thankful to God…

If we’re not thankful to God in the good times, we’re certainly not going to be thankful in the bad times…

Being thankful is a verb (action) - place effort in

For Daniel it was a prioritized action…

Think about the 10 lepers…

Luke 17:11–19 (KJV 1900)

11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: 13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

Psalm 107:1 (KJV 1900)

1 O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good:

For his mercy endureth for ever.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (KJV 1900)

18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.