The Key to Connection

Good Morning

Good Morning and Welcome to Freedom Chapel. My name is Pastor Terry, my wife Michelle and I serve as the lead pastors here at Freedom Chapel. Along with an amazing staff: We exist to bring hope to our community we do that by being a Place to Belong, Church for the Whole Family.

If you are new with us this morning would you please take the time fill out that little flap on the side of your bulletin. If you put it in the black boxes by the back door we will make a donation in your name to a local charity and send you cookies. Church can we show our guests some love this morning.

ONE DAY TO FEED THE WORLD

Today is the day when we turn in our One Day offering. Four weeks ago we invited you to join us in giving one days wages to Convoy of Hope as we partner in feeding Kids all over the world. Despite the challenges 2020 presented, Convoy of Hope celebrated exciting milestones. Last year, they provided hope and nutritious meals to more than 387,000 children every school day through their strategic feeding programs. They added close to 87,000 kids to their programs since 2019.

It is truly amazing that $120 feeds one child for an entire year.

I like to know where my money is going.

By the numbers 92.3% of all funds raised in 2020 went directly to programs serving and empowering vulnerable people all over the world. It is truly astonishing what God is doing through this Ministry and that is why we faithfully support them every year.

Your One Day Changes their everyday.

Christmas is Coming!

We have a lot of things coming up in the next month. Including Our Family Movie Night. my amazing wife Michelle and her team are hard at work preparing for this wonderful Freedom Chapel tradition.

Speaking of Christmas I am preparing a series that you are not going to want to miss. Beginning November 28th Preaching Christmas Series called Like a Child

I don’t think I have ever been this excited about Christmas. Invite your friends this is going to be fun.

Today is our annual Family Thanksgiving Meal. So with that being said I felt it necessary to teach on Gratitude.

The title of today’s message is The Key to Connection. Let’s Pray!

The Key to Connection

Is it just me or has complaining become and art form? We live in a world that is becoming more and more negative by the day and it is really hard not to find myself caught up in that negativity.

The Weather- Too Hot — It’s too Cold— It’s too Dry--- It’s too Wet.

Restaurant: I can’t believe how long it is taking to get my food.....That waiter has not checked on me in forever… that waiter just keeps hovering like back off man....

Or how about this

My House is too small.... If I just had more Room....

My Car.......

Walking into my kitchen and I complain because there is nothing to Eat.

Ladies how many of you pulled 20 things out of the closet this morning only to say............

I have nothing to wear...

Let’s be real for a second by nature we are wired to be Ungrateful— After all we live in a nation where the we are bombarded with advertisements and commercials that tell us we should want more, want better, and want it now.

The sad truth is most of us live in a climate controlled home, with food refrigerators and freezers full of food that we probably will never eat, have closets full of clothes we have worn maybe once, eat out more than we should, and when we come home we park our cars inside a portion of our home that enclosed called a garage.

We have all these things at our fingertips yet we live disconnected and unhappy lives full of negativity.

As I have thought over this message the more I am coming to realize that true issue that has locked us into a place of unhappiness is a lock of ungratefulness.

Gratitude is the Key to Connection

If you have your Bible turn with me to Luke chapter 17.

Luke 17:11–13 ESV

11 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance 13 and lifted up their voices, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.”

Leviticus 13: Tells us all about Leprosy. A person with Leprosy was instructed to be cast away from society, to wear torn cloths and to cove the lower portion of their faces. When ever someone came near they were instructed to yell Unclean. This kept them from spreading the disease to others.

Leprosy left it’s victims with oozing sores, portions of their flesh eaten away.

These men would have spent years without being touched or hugged.

Luke 17:14–18 ESV

14 When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed. 15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; 16 and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus answered, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? 18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?”

Today I want to share with you.

3 STATEMENTS THAT WILL HELP YOU CHOOSE GRATITUDE

1.· I KNOW EVERY GOOD THING I HAVE COMES FROM GOD.

Anything good you have came from God!

But Pastor I worked for it------

Who gave you the abilities you have?

God is a giver of Good Things!

· God gave Noah a plan for the ark—Ability to build—Save his family.

· God gave Israelites bread from heaven in the morning and fire by night

· God gave David a stone to kill Goliath. Jonah a fish to swallow—shore.

· God gave the Virgin Mary the faith to obey and give birth to Jesus.

· God gave the Wise men a star to lead them.

· God gave the world—the Prince of Peace, lamb of God—Savior.

· God gives you—a peace that passes understanding—Holy Spirit to convict, strengthen, encourage. Gives you his Word to guide you.

· Given you health to bless you. Friends to love you. Life to enjoy.

Here are the things we tend to forget or over look.

God is completely good which means God will never not be good.

God is constantly good which means God could never be less than good.

God is unchangeably good which means Everything our God does is good.

I KNOW EVERY GOOD THING I HAVE COMES FROM GOD.

Statement number 2

2. · I WILL NOT LET WHAT I WANT ROB ME OF WHAT I HAVE.

Ecclesiastes 6:9 ESV

9 Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Gratitude turns what we have into enough.

We Are Not happy people who are grateful—We Grateful people who are happy.

Do you realize how blessed we are to live where we live.......

The vast majority of us have....

3 meals a day

A Job—minimum wage 3x

A Bed,

Clothes wear

Upgraded things, Health, Friends

A Car to drive

The opportunity to Worship freely

Right now I am really missing Peru.

I haven’t been in two years and I am longing to go back....

Because I need to be reminded how good I have it!

I need to be reminded that what I have is enough.

Philippians 4:11–13 ESV

11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Statement 3

3.· I’LL TURN EVERY BLESSING I HAVE INTO PRAISE.

The reality is this: Every blessing I don’t turn back to praise turns into pride!

Psalm 63:4–5 ESV

4 So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name I will lift up my hands. 5 My soul will be satisfied as with fat and rich food, and my mouth will praise you with joyful lips,

For just a moment think about what it would be like if you lost every thing you own and had to work to get it all back.

Your House.

Your Car.

Your Friends.

Your Job.

When we adopt Gratitude....

My Old Truck becomes a Blessing

My wreck of a house reminds me I have three amazing kids I get to raise.

My busy schedule of Music lessons, concerts, practices, and school activities become reminders that my Kids are healthy and full of life.

When I look around the church and realize that it has gotten so big that I don’t know everyone, Gratitude reminds me that it could be one of the thousands of churches that are dying and closing down all over the country.

Psalm 103:2–5 ESV

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, 3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

I want to share with you a little of where I have been since Easter and where God has taken me.

If I want true Connection with God I am going to have to choose Gratitude.

This Week I Choose to.....

1. I KNOW EVERY GOOD THING I HAVE COMES FROM GOD.

2. I WILL NOT LET WHAT I WANT ROB ME OF WHAT I HAVE.

3. I’LL TURN EVERY BLESSING I HAVE INTO PRAISE.

Please Stand with me this morning.....

Holy Spirit What is it that you want me to take away from today’s Message......