Untitled Sermon (30)

This week Americans everywhere will be celebrating Thanksgiving. And that is what we are going to be thinking about this Morning is becoming people that give thanks. And right after Thursday, people immedietly go from “Thankful for” to “I want more”…

And we take a day of being “grateful” and pivot to a whole month of having a “cart full”.

This morning I want us to think about becoming a people that have generous spirits and grateful hearts. Now I want you to know that by nature I am a bona-fide pessimist. Before I got saved, I had the spiritual gift of gripe, and my wife and son can tell you that I still posses that gift at times. I don't like that about myself, and we tend to think of the sin of being unthankful as one of the smaller sins, but I want to tell you there is more to the story.

Having a heart that is unthankful and ungrateful is really the symptom of a deeper problem. And there is many things to be angry about today, there are many things to gripe about today, but today we are going to learn what these problems really are

- I am going to be starting a new series next week called Free, don’t worry its not going a different direction from Romans its actually right in the middle of our Romans study Chapters 6-8 where Paul lays out the secret to walking in freedom.

But He has this to say in

Romans 7:18–19 ESV

18 For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. 19 For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing.

Hello! Can anybody relate with that … I have the desire to do what is right but I dont, I dont do the good I want but the evil I do not want is what I keep doing.

That is me and that is you..... I have the desire to be generous, to be thankful and content but most of the time I fail miserably at doing it. Why? Because there is something inside of me, and that is my flesh, my old nature that God has not done away with. This principle, this law of sin that is at work in my body, constantly dragging my heart and soul throught he mud.... So next week we begin that series called FREE.

Todays sermons is the preseason to that series because this attitude of gratitude is so linked into the abundant life that Christ has for you and I

NOw turn your bibles over to the Book of Ephesians 5:15-21 as we begin to discover the secret to thankfulness

Now what produces a bitter and unthankful heart?

Well to say an old Fashioned thing in a Relevant Church- SIN,, big sin little sin, small sin or commercial grade sin. Learn this about the devil he doesn’t have any happy old people. When you waste your life away on pleasure and sin there is going to be a rock hard heart

The devil gives his best at first and then there is nothing but misery, regret and shame afterwards

Ephesians 5:8–21 ESV

8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” 15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Light Bearers in a Dark World

There needs to be a disction in our lives, because when you said yes to Jesus you said yes to being light, but most want just enough light to not make them to un

Ephesians 5:

1

Steps to being Thankful-

Controlled by The Spirit

Eph 5:18 Be being Filled with the Spirit

James 4:1-4

James 4:1–4 ESV

1 What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.