Thanksgiving Can Change Your Life
Good morning. Here. We are didn't quite expect to be here. But after learning about a few people who are in the church were at church last week testing positive. We thought it was said everybody's best interest that we choose to go virtual for the next two weeks. So the first Sunday that we will be back for in-person worship will be November 29th. So remember that November 29th when we will be back for in-person worship and we will resume Sunday school and everything else at that point and we also will resume youth group that night. So remember that that all that stuff will resume November 29th, which happens to be the first Sunday of Advent. I'm also going to say that we need some volunteers to help start decorating for Christmas. What we really need is three fluffers to fluff it the branches for the tree has Connie and Scott put that up and we are going to go ahead and get started on some of that Christmas decorating early since we won't be back to church till after we had planned on starting to decorate. So if you're available to help, please contact the church office and let us know or just contact Connie or myself directly.
We have a lot of birthdays on this next week Dan Michaels on the 16th Susie lider on the 17th. Nick leider Sterilite Billie Myers and Katie Taylor all on the 18th and Keith break D on November 20th to get a chance with these people a message and let them know that you're wishing them a happy birthday. We pray that God blesses each of them on their birthday and this next year. Going through our Joys and concerns certainly want to keep lifting up those in our care facilities Bill and Bonnie are some and Marcia King who are in Woodcrest and refractive who is in Swiss Village keep praying for them and keep calling them whenever you think of them. Also, we want to pray for continued healing for Ron stookie. We all just want to be left in him up in prayer for his brother Bill passing away this last week pray for the family in the midst of all that they're going through Russell and Mary Jane Nichols, Jeff Nussbaum and Tim Dean and we also want to remember a Kathy Riley and sounds they are mourning the loss of her mother who also passed away this last week. And we certainly want to remember our service members age Andrew Strauss having the boys and Vinny Marino and our very own personal stylist. Men prayer. Lord you are indeed great and I pray that as we continue to talk about Thanksgiving Lord that you will just press Upon Our Hearts and our minds Lord how greatly you have blessed each of us. Lord I pray that you will be with those that we discussed on our Joys and concerns. In Lord, I know there are many others who aren't able to express that in person today Lord that have concerns and burdens on their hearts Lord. I pray you will speak to those Lord. I pray that as we listen to your words day that you will speak to each of our hearts. So we may learn what you want is to learn today in your name. We pray. Amen.
So title of my message today is Thanksgiving can change your life.
You know, it's my hope and prayer through this study as we continue to go through this in the month of November that when we gather together with our family for Thanksgiving later this month. That we will remember to do more than just eat and watch football. Psalm 118 verse 1 says Give thanks to the Lord for he is good his love endures forever.
Are the Thanksgiving holiday gives us the perfect opportunity to transform our lives from those of grumbling and dissatisfaction to lives of joy and gratitude.
Alan Perkins says a thankful spirit is one of the key distinguishing marks of a Christian. It sets us apart from the world. It makes us different. Why do you think being a thankful person is so important? Let's look at some of the benefits of being a thankful person. The first one I want to look at is that being a thankful person can increase your personal happiness? Most of us think that our happiness is determined by our circumstances. They've been taught that our happiness is some tile dependent on how well things are currently going for us. The really are happy happiness is determined by our attitude is really how we see things to always see the glass as half-empty or do we see it as half-full? The Apostle Paul wrote these words from prison. Yes. I did say prison in Philippians chapter 4 verse 4. He wrote rejoice in the lord always. I will say it again rejoice. Paul was happy despite being in prison and he learn to thank God and everything he did he was able to find happiness in the midst of less-than-ideal circumstances because of the perspective he chose to have on life. That is a key Point understand our happiness is determined more by our perspective on life than it is by our circumstances. If we can learn to be a grateful person despite, our circumstances are chances of for happiness improve greatly.
The second benefits of being a grateful or thankful person is that it can improve your ability to witness for Christ. You're having a notice platitude of thankfulness. Enjoy will certainly make us better Witnesses for Christ. However, the sad fact is that most of the time you will find that Christians can be some of the most negative sour people in the world. We act like we've been baptized in vinegar not by the holy spirit. It's no wonder that people want to have nothing to do with us. Windermere, joyful, thankful people then we attract the loss with our spirit of gratitude because it stands in stark contrast to what the world is custom to. Most of the world is so dark and depressing and flat-out ungrateful. Have you looked at the world lately? Have you watched the news people are so discouraged and if we can learn to be different if we can learn to display a thankful Spirit, we will attract them. It will clearly see that we have something they don't know begin to ask questions. 1st Peter chapter 2 verse 12 says live such good lives among the pagans that though they accuse you of doing wrong. They may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day that he visits us. Living a life of thankfulness will attract lost people.
Being a grateful person will also improve your other relationships.
You ever notice how the Apostle Paul began most was letter in the Bible to the church and Romy wrote in Romans chapter 1 verse Tate first. I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you. The church in corn has he wrote and 1st Corinthians chapter 1 verse 4. I always thank God for you. The church in Ephesus, he wrote in Ephesians chapter 1 verse 16. I have not stopped giving thanks for you remembering you in my prayers. It's a church in Philippi. He wrote in Philippians chapter 1 verse 3. I think my God every time I remember you. Search in case I he wrote in Colossians chapter 1 verse 3. I always thank God when I pray for you. Call made sure that he let people in the church's know that he was thankful for them. Imagine how much better our church in our relationships would be if we were expressed our thanks for each other. Think how much better all the relationships in your life could be if the other people involved in those relationships knew how truly thankful and grateful you were for them.
Think about it husbands. Are you thankful for your wife? And does she know it? Wives are you thankful for your husband? Does he know it? Parents. Are you thankful for your children? Do they know it? Kids, are you thankful for your parents? What have you done to show that to them how have you told them that Christians are you thankful for your savior? And does he know it? It seems simple but being thankful. Is very important in any relationship, but I'll tell you another way that a grateful heart can. Benefit you it will strengthen your relationship with God. Which really is the top benefit someone once said that God lives in two places he lives in heaven and he lives in a humble grateful heart. You know, there's something inside each of us that needs to give thanks to God. When I spend time giving thanks to God for all I have I just feel closer to him. I think if you give thankfulness to God, you will also feel closer to him. 1st Thessalonians, 5:18 says give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
It's God's plan. No matter how strange or chaotic things might seen or the X might seem it is all apart of God's plan somehow and his will for us is to give thanks to him. He made us for that. Watch this falling funny video. That is a very relevant good illustration of the times were in.
So how do we develop a thankful spirit so that we can truly be thankful for everything despite whatever. Our circumstances might be why I think one of the first steps of if we want to be thankful. We need to remember that everything we have is from God. Yeah, we need to acknowledge that everything we have is God's and it's not ours. Psalm chapter 24 verse 1 says the Earth is the Lord's and everything in it. When we do this. It reminds us that it is a privilege that God has loaned us everything that we have. It's all his he's just giving us the privilege of using it. You know, the story is told of a poor man who was given a loaf of bread. He thinks the baker but the baker said to him don't thank me. Thank the Miller who made the flower so he went and thanked him and he's told him don't thank me. Thank the farmer who planted the wheat. So the poor man went and thank the farmer but farmer said don't thank me. Thank the Lord he gave the sunshine the rain the fertility of the soil and that's why you have bread tea. It's a good story that illustrates everything. We have ultimately received from God and we owe him the thanks for it. James chapter 1 verse 17 says every good and perfect gift is from above coming down from the father of the Heavenly lights who does not change like shifting Shadows.
Another thing if we want to be thankful. We need to avoid complaining. Dr. Dale Robbins rights. I used to think that people complained because they had a lot of problems but I have come to realize that they have problems because they complain complaining doesn't change anything or make situations any better. It amplifies frustration. It spreads discontent Discord and can invoke an invitation for the devil to cause Havoc with our lives.
The short of it is the complaining makes us Miserable as it says in Psalm 77 verse 3, I complained and my spirit was overwhelmed.
Complaining is the archenemy of Thanksgiving the two cannot coexist in the same heart. And so I challenge you to try to quit complaining for a whole month. Just try it when you feel tempted to complain instead of filing your complaint lift up a praise. Thank God for what he's giving you think about what he's blessed you with. If you do it will change your life Philippians chapter 2 verse 14 reminds us do everything without complaining or arguing.
One last thing that you can do to produce a spirit of Thanksgiving is to develop the daily discipline of giving thanks.
In order to be thankful people we need to start to give thanks everyday. Not just once a year on Thanksgiving. We need to discipline ourselves to find something each day that we should be thankful for and express our thanks to God Thanksgiving must become a daily habit. If it is to become a permanent part of Who We Are Ephesians chapter 5 verses 19 and 20 reads speak to one another with Psalms hymns and spiritual songs sing and make music in your heart to the lord always giving thanks to God for the father God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Always is the key word there. Not just on Thanksgiving all day everyday and Daniel chapter 6. We read the Daniel got down on his knees three times every day and prayed and gave thanks to his God. How many of us do that? The only time in our lives we give thanks is on Thanksgiving Day once a year because the government mandates it as a holiday and call it Thanksgiving. Do you remember the old him?
It says when upon life's Billows your tempest-tossed when you are discouraged thinking All Is Lost count your many blessings name them one by one and it will surprise you What the Lord Has Done. count your many blessings Thanksgiving is a daily discipline. You would do well to remember that. I read recently that if you own one Bible, you are abundantly blessed because a third of the people in the world do not have access to a Bible. If you awoke this warrant morning with more Health than illness and you are more blessed than 1 million people who will not survive till the end of this week. If you have never experienced the danger of war the loneliness of imprisonment the agony of torture or the pangs of starvation. You're more fortunate than 500 million people on earth. If you have food in your refrigerator clothes on your back and a roof over your head and $20 in your pocket and a place to sleep. Then you are richer than 75% of the world.
Oh, God, please forgive us when we wine. Please pray with me. Heavenly Father we pray that you will enable us to live our lives in a manner that shows that we are truly grateful for all that you've busted with. Or maybe not be grumbling. Whiny people but Lord instead. Could we be grateful thankful people? Lord that when people see how thankful and grateful we are for everything you've blessed us with despite what our circumstances maybe Lord may they be drawn to you. May they be led to ask questions that will lead them into a relationship with you. Lord I pray that you would give us what we need to live a life that way cuz Lord we most certainly cannot do it under our own power. We thank you so much for what you've done and Lord. I pray that this Thanksgiving we would turn it into a daily habit and not just a once-a-year holiday. We pray this all in your most. Holy name. Amen. Now those are benediction. I want to ask you a couple of questions.
Which do you tend to talk about more your blessings or your disappointment? Define it easier to count your blessings or is it easier to count your afflictions? May the Lord be with you and bless you miss face shine upon you and may we all learn to live with a thankful grateful spirit. Amen and have a blessed week.