1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,840 I have a simple message to share with you this afternoon. 2 00:00:03,840 --> 00:00:05,080 Man, I was praising gospel hard. 3 00:00:05,080 --> 00:00:05,920 I bruised my hand. 4 00:00:05,920 --> 00:00:07,960 I must have hit the pulpit right here. 5 00:00:07,960 --> 00:00:10,520 I had a Lord, hallelujah Jesus. 6 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:12,520 But that's all right, you know? 7 00:00:12,520 --> 00:00:15,040 I mean, when I was growing up, we'd have church people 8 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:15,880 get stepped on. 9 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:17,840 I don't know if you've ever been in church like that, man. 10 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:19,400 Pray for healing by the end of the service 11 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:20,600 because someone stepped on my toe 12 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:22,960 or someone swung their hand. 13 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:24,960 You gotta be careful in a Holy Ghost service, 14 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:25,800 you know what I'm saying? 15 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:27,440 Someone just swing their hand and you gotta, 16 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:29,640 you gotta be careful, you know? 17 00:00:29,640 --> 00:00:31,840 You might get knocked out or something like that. 18 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:32,680 Praise be to God. 19 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:35,440 Psalm 100, I invite you to join with me now. 20 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:38,680 Book of Psalms chapter 100 and verse four. 21 00:00:38,680 --> 00:00:40,120 Praise be to God and who knows, 22 00:00:40,120 --> 00:00:42,640 maybe we'll have a little bit of a little bit of a shout 23 00:00:42,640 --> 00:00:44,800 before the service is over today. 24 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:45,640 Amen. 25 00:00:45,640 --> 00:00:49,320 Psalm 104, it reads this way, very familiar, 26 00:00:49,320 --> 00:00:50,560 passage of scripture. 27 00:00:50,560 --> 00:00:52,560 This is what the Lord placed in my heart this week. 28 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:56,040 It says, enter, everyone say enter. 29 00:00:56,040 --> 00:00:58,480 Enter his gates with thanksgiving 30 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:02,160 and into his courts with praise. 31 00:01:02,160 --> 00:01:07,160 Be thankful to him and bless his name 32 00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:10,920 for the Lord is good. 33 00:01:10,920 --> 00:01:14,280 His mercy is everlasting 34 00:01:14,280 --> 00:01:19,040 and his truth endures for all generations. 35 00:01:19,040 --> 00:01:21,120 I wanna talk for a few moments this afternoon 36 00:01:21,120 --> 00:01:24,560 about the way of thanksgiving, the way of thanksgiving. 37 00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:26,640 I'm gonna invite you to pray with me at this time. 38 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:27,960 Let's ask God to speak to us. 39 00:01:27,960 --> 00:01:29,640 Father, we come before you today. 40 00:01:29,640 --> 00:01:31,840 We thank you God for many things, 41 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:34,360 but above all, the presence of God 42 00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:37,040 that we feel here in this service today, Lord. 43 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:39,400 We bless you today and we ask God 44 00:01:39,400 --> 00:01:42,600 that as we go into your word, you would speak to us, Lord. 45 00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:45,880 I pray God that every distraction and every force 46 00:01:45,880 --> 00:01:49,040 in opposition to you, Lord, would be removed 47 00:01:49,040 --> 00:01:51,680 and God would be cast out of this place today. 48 00:01:51,680 --> 00:01:54,360 And we ask Lord that you would speak to us, God. 49 00:01:54,360 --> 00:01:57,000 Speak to our hearts, change and transform 50 00:01:57,000 --> 00:01:58,400 as God challenged us. 51 00:01:58,400 --> 00:02:00,680 Annoy my lips of clay, Lord. 52 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:03,600 Put your word in my mouth and be glorified today. 53 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:07,680 In the name of Jesus, we pray everyone say amen. 54 00:02:07,680 --> 00:02:10,080 You may be seated in God's house. 55 00:02:10,080 --> 00:02:13,920 Thanksgiving has almost become, in our culture, 56 00:02:13,920 --> 00:02:15,560 a forgotten holiday. 57 00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:19,960 It's treated like the warmup act for Christmas. 58 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:22,480 In fact, people tend to get more excited 59 00:02:22,480 --> 00:02:25,560 about what happens after Thanksgiving, right? 60 00:02:25,560 --> 00:02:29,680 Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving 61 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:34,680 and more than they do, the actual day of Thanksgiving, 62 00:02:35,880 --> 00:02:38,920 it seems, but overlooking Thanksgiving 63 00:02:38,920 --> 00:02:43,520 isn't just a symptom of hyper-consumerism 64 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:45,960 that seems to plague our society today, 65 00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:48,160 but it's indicative of the human heart. 66 00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:53,840 Because we, by nature, are not prone 67 00:02:53,840 --> 00:02:57,040 to reflect and give thanks. 68 00:02:58,320 --> 00:03:02,880 People are either too consumed, too busy, 69 00:03:02,880 --> 00:03:07,880 too dissatisfied with life, to appreciate where they are, 70 00:03:09,880 --> 00:03:14,040 not realizing how blessed they actually are. 71 00:03:14,040 --> 00:03:17,600 It's just, we're just not prone to do it. 72 00:03:18,680 --> 00:03:22,440 We get so busy, we get so caught up in life, 73 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:25,960 and sometimes we just fail to stop 74 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:29,240 and recognize where we are, 75 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:32,680 and how good God has been to us. 76 00:03:32,680 --> 00:03:35,840 And so, if that's ever happened to you, you're not alone, 77 00:03:35,840 --> 00:03:39,400 because I think that we all can get so wrapped up 78 00:03:39,400 --> 00:03:44,400 and so, just moving that we can overlook 79 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:46,720 the blessings of God. 80 00:03:46,720 --> 00:03:49,800 I saw a post the other day on Instagram, 81 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:52,600 in fact, it was Brother Kevin on it, 82 00:03:52,600 --> 00:03:54,120 just to give a credit where credit is due. 83 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:55,520 He posted it on his stories, 84 00:03:55,520 --> 00:03:56,720 and I told him, I'm gonna steal that, 85 00:03:56,720 --> 00:03:59,160 because the other day I read this, 86 00:03:59,160 --> 00:04:02,760 and it helps put all of this into perspective. 87 00:04:02,760 --> 00:04:07,680 It read this way, your terrible job 88 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:10,920 is the dream of the unemployed. 89 00:04:13,560 --> 00:04:18,560 Your house is the dream of the homeless. 90 00:04:18,560 --> 00:04:23,120 Your smile is the dream of the depressed. 91 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:28,120 Your health is the dream of those who are ill. 92 00:04:28,400 --> 00:04:33,400 Don't let difficult times make you forget your blessings. 93 00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:36,160 Amen. 94 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:39,000 This line of thinking here, 95 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:42,960 not only puts life into perspective, 96 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:46,800 but it shifts our focus from complaining 97 00:04:46,800 --> 00:04:51,800 about what we don't have to thanking God 98 00:04:51,800 --> 00:04:53,080 for what we do have, 99 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:58,520 which usually, when you stop to consider it, 100 00:04:58,520 --> 00:05:01,200 is more than what we deserve. 101 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:02,440 Someone say, Amen today. 102 00:05:03,440 --> 00:05:05,360 And I think that this attitude, 103 00:05:05,360 --> 00:05:09,440 the attitude of the psalmist who wrote Psalm 100, 104 00:05:09,440 --> 00:05:13,080 presumably David, this was his attitude, 105 00:05:13,080 --> 00:05:17,040 when he sat down and wrote these words. 106 00:05:17,040 --> 00:05:22,040 Psalm 100 was written as a processional psalm. 107 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:29,240 It was meant to be chanted on the way to the temple. 108 00:05:29,600 --> 00:05:34,400 Oftentimes the Jews would march in procession 109 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:39,400 and sing hymns like this one along the way to the temple. 110 00:05:40,500 --> 00:05:42,760 There are certain psalms within the book of psalms 111 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:46,120 that were written for that express purpose, 112 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:49,000 for the purpose of being sung, chanted, 113 00:05:49,000 --> 00:05:53,680 or prayed in procession to the house of God. 114 00:05:53,680 --> 00:05:56,520 And I think that's important for us to understand 115 00:05:56,520 --> 00:05:59,900 that that is indeed how certain songs were written, 116 00:05:59,900 --> 00:06:01,840 how they were intended to be used, 117 00:06:01,840 --> 00:06:04,520 because what it says to us about the mind 118 00:06:04,520 --> 00:06:06,840 of the Jewish believer in those days 119 00:06:06,840 --> 00:06:10,480 is that worship was not just something to be done 120 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:14,880 or thanksgiving when you arrived to the house of God, 121 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:19,880 but from the moment you stepped foot outside of your door, 122 00:06:19,920 --> 00:06:24,240 worship or the service of worship begins at that point. 123 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:27,760 And so all along the way to the house of God, 124 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:32,400 which was not just a five, 10, 15, 20 minute drive 125 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:33,800 or even an hour drive, 126 00:06:33,800 --> 00:06:37,280 but it was a long procession that took place 127 00:06:37,280 --> 00:06:41,920 and such processions would continue sometimes, 128 00:06:41,920 --> 00:06:43,480 even days at a time, 129 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:48,480 depending how far they were traveling, of course, by foot. 130 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:51,760 And it just goes to show the kind of mindset 131 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:55,680 that God's people had when they were approaching 132 00:06:55,680 --> 00:06:58,000 the things of God, when they were approaching 133 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:01,440 the house of God, the reverence, the respect, 134 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:05,720 the mindset that they had to put themselves into, 135 00:07:05,720 --> 00:07:08,320 going to the house of God. 136 00:07:08,320 --> 00:07:10,680 This was sacred, this was important, 137 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:13,200 this was a part of their duty, 138 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:15,640 but something done with all of their hearts. 139 00:07:15,640 --> 00:07:19,040 And as I read this psalm, 140 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:21,920 I started picturing in my mind 141 00:07:21,920 --> 00:07:25,600 a reverent procession towards the temple. 142 00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:28,920 I started thinking about these groups of families, 143 00:07:28,920 --> 00:07:32,240 fathers and mothers and husbands and wives 144 00:07:32,240 --> 00:07:34,600 gathered together with their children 145 00:07:34,600 --> 00:07:37,320 with extended members of their family, 146 00:07:37,320 --> 00:07:39,640 all gathering together, 147 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:42,440 maybe meeting at a certain juncture, 148 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:47,440 hey, we're all gonna meet at grandma's house, 149 00:07:47,680 --> 00:07:50,000 so we're gonna get together and then from there, 150 00:07:50,000 --> 00:07:53,880 we're all going to proceed to the temple 151 00:07:53,880 --> 00:07:56,280 for however long it takes. 152 00:07:56,280 --> 00:07:57,800 And I started picturing in my mind 153 00:07:57,800 --> 00:08:02,720 just all of the preparation and the coming together 154 00:08:02,720 --> 00:08:05,760 of the people making their way 155 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:08,200 to the house of God to sacrifice, 156 00:08:08,200 --> 00:08:11,360 to offer up sacrifices, to pray. 157 00:08:11,360 --> 00:08:13,400 And I can just imagine today, 158 00:08:13,400 --> 00:08:16,760 and I want you to imagine with me as well, 159 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:20,000 the anticipation that must have been building 160 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:20,960 in all of them. 161 00:08:20,960 --> 00:08:24,240 This was not something that was just done very quickly, 162 00:08:24,240 --> 00:08:27,080 done without forethought. 163 00:08:27,080 --> 00:08:28,640 This was something that was done 164 00:08:28,640 --> 00:08:31,840 with a lot of intention and preparation 165 00:08:31,840 --> 00:08:35,840 and the anticipation must have built with each step, 166 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:38,320 with every yard, with every foot, 167 00:08:38,320 --> 00:08:40,640 with every kilometer and every mile 168 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:44,040 that they got closer and closer to the house of God. 169 00:08:44,040 --> 00:08:46,000 With each step they took, 170 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:48,720 I can imagine that within those little caravans 171 00:08:48,720 --> 00:08:53,040 of people pilgriming to the house of God, 172 00:08:53,040 --> 00:08:56,200 that the energy, the intensity of worship 173 00:08:56,200 --> 00:09:00,480 probably began to intensify the closer they got 174 00:09:00,480 --> 00:09:02,040 to the house of God. 175 00:09:02,040 --> 00:09:05,200 And maybe as they started walking 176 00:09:05,200 --> 00:09:10,200 closer to the city of Jerusalem and within eye distance, 177 00:09:10,760 --> 00:09:14,080 within visual contact of the temple, 178 00:09:14,080 --> 00:09:17,040 perhaps the energy level went up. 179 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:18,880 And as they got closer, 180 00:09:18,880 --> 00:09:21,720 I said, man, you can feel we're almost there. 181 00:09:21,720 --> 00:09:24,200 This was a big deal for them. 182 00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:26,960 Everything kind of culminates in this one moment. 183 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:28,840 They're going to the house of God. 184 00:09:28,840 --> 00:09:30,200 They're going to worship. 185 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:33,360 And I mean, I wish that all Christians today 186 00:09:33,360 --> 00:09:35,640 would kind of have that type of attitude 187 00:09:35,640 --> 00:09:38,000 when they get ready for the house of God. 188 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:40,000 Unfortunately, we live in a day and age 189 00:09:40,000 --> 00:09:41,760 where it seems like coming to church 190 00:09:41,760 --> 00:09:43,120 is more of an afterthought. 191 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:47,520 But anyhow, so there was a lot of intention 192 00:09:47,520 --> 00:09:50,600 and I imagine that as they got right close 193 00:09:50,600 --> 00:09:52,280 to the gates of the temple, 194 00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:54,880 man, you could just feel the energy. 195 00:09:54,880 --> 00:09:56,040 There was something there. 196 00:09:56,040 --> 00:09:59,720 Anticipation had been building over this moment. 197 00:09:59,720 --> 00:10:01,680 And they were ready to worship. 198 00:10:01,680 --> 00:10:03,640 They were ready to sacrifice. 199 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:04,960 They were ready to give God. 200 00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:08,280 And I believe that that kind of processional worship, 201 00:10:08,280 --> 00:10:10,520 that kind of attitude, that mindset 202 00:10:10,520 --> 00:10:13,680 is something that God is looking for even today. 203 00:10:13,680 --> 00:10:15,600 Someone say, amen. 204 00:10:15,600 --> 00:10:18,080 God's looking for that same kind of attitude. 205 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:21,080 And we've got to, I think today, reprogrammed 206 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:23,120 the way we see the things of God, 207 00:10:23,120 --> 00:10:26,440 the way we see coming even to church 208 00:10:26,440 --> 00:10:28,400 on a Sunday afternoon. 209 00:10:28,400 --> 00:10:31,960 Our own mindset has got to get back to a place 210 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:35,240 where it all kind of revolves around. 211 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:36,960 And you have to excuse me, 212 00:10:36,960 --> 00:10:41,000 but because of my upbringing being sort of born and raised 213 00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:43,480 in the church and kind of my whole life 214 00:10:43,480 --> 00:10:48,480 being revolving around, orienting around Sunday 215 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:51,360 or around gatherings in the house of God. 216 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:53,840 Not just Sundays, but even prayer meetings 217 00:10:53,840 --> 00:10:55,560 throughout the week and Bible studies 218 00:10:55,560 --> 00:10:56,800 and midweek services. 219 00:10:56,800 --> 00:10:59,240 It seemed like, I mean, my whole life was lived 220 00:10:59,240 --> 00:11:00,920 at church in a lot of ways. 221 00:11:00,920 --> 00:11:04,520 I'm sure some of you could relate to what I'm saying. 222 00:11:06,040 --> 00:11:09,160 But there was this mindset that my world, 223 00:11:09,160 --> 00:11:11,840 it doesn't revolve around me, 224 00:11:11,840 --> 00:11:14,800 but it revolves around the things of God. 225 00:11:14,800 --> 00:11:18,560 It revolves around coming into the house of God. 226 00:11:18,560 --> 00:11:22,560 And I just want to, if I can, inject and steal that, 227 00:11:22,560 --> 00:11:24,200 I haven't even got to my point yet. 228 00:11:24,200 --> 00:11:27,200 But I just feel like if anything, we need an awakening 229 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:30,040 of passion for the house of God 230 00:11:30,040 --> 00:11:32,160 and to give God our best worship. 231 00:11:32,160 --> 00:11:34,600 Come on, let's give God a hand praise right now. 232 00:11:34,600 --> 00:11:37,160 How many of you are thankful that you've got a church 233 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:40,000 that you can come to and give God a praise? 234 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:41,680 Shout hallelujah today. 235 00:11:43,800 --> 00:11:45,680 And I think that that's something that we need. 236 00:11:45,680 --> 00:11:50,680 And so as we look at these groups of people singing Psalm 100, 237 00:11:51,400 --> 00:11:52,760 I have to ask this question, 238 00:11:52,760 --> 00:11:55,960 that if Thanksgiving, as the word says, 239 00:11:55,960 --> 00:11:58,840 it says enter his gates with Thanksgiving, 240 00:11:58,840 --> 00:12:03,600 if Thanksgiving is what gets us through the gates, 241 00:12:03,600 --> 00:12:06,840 as the Psalm implies, my question would be, 242 00:12:06,840 --> 00:12:09,840 what gets us to the gates? 243 00:12:09,840 --> 00:12:11,600 We could talk a lot about what we do 244 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:12,920 when we're at the gates, 245 00:12:12,920 --> 00:12:15,980 but unfortunately, many people never get to the gates. 246 00:12:17,200 --> 00:12:19,000 So what is the point of talking about what we do 247 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:20,080 to go through the gates 248 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:23,200 if we never get our spirits to the gates? 249 00:12:23,200 --> 00:12:25,000 So I wanna talk just for a few moments 250 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:26,560 on getting to those gates. 251 00:12:27,440 --> 00:12:28,520 To answer that question, 252 00:12:28,520 --> 00:12:32,360 we have to look at the preceding verses, verses one through three. 253 00:12:32,360 --> 00:12:36,160 I want you to follow along with me verses one through three. 254 00:12:36,160 --> 00:12:41,160 It says, make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you land. 255 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:46,280 Serve the Lord with gladness. 256 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:50,000 Come before his presence with singing. 257 00:12:50,000 --> 00:12:53,360 Know that the Lord, he is God. 258 00:12:53,360 --> 00:12:57,560 It is he who made us and not we ourselves. 259 00:12:57,560 --> 00:13:02,560 We are his people and the sheep of his pasture. 260 00:13:02,720 --> 00:13:05,040 If we break down these verses today, church, 261 00:13:05,040 --> 00:13:07,240 we're going to see that Thanksgiving 262 00:13:07,240 --> 00:13:10,640 is based on at least three things. 263 00:13:10,640 --> 00:13:15,320 Thanksgiving is based, number one, on the joy of the Lord. 264 00:13:15,320 --> 00:13:17,960 Someone say, joy. 265 00:13:17,960 --> 00:13:19,880 The joy of the Lord. 266 00:13:19,880 --> 00:13:22,240 Pay attention now to these words 267 00:13:22,240 --> 00:13:26,920 that open this processional Psalm of worship. 268 00:13:26,920 --> 00:13:30,520 Words like make a joyful shout, amen. 269 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:33,920 Words like serve with gladness 270 00:13:33,920 --> 00:13:38,080 and expressions like come with singing. 271 00:13:38,080 --> 00:13:41,760 These are all expressions of deep seated, 272 00:13:41,760 --> 00:13:46,760 abiding joy that exists in the heart of God's people. 273 00:13:46,760 --> 00:13:49,640 Joy is such an important element. 274 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:52,560 Joy is such a non-negotiable thing 275 00:13:52,560 --> 00:13:56,360 that we need active in our life as a byproduct 276 00:13:56,360 --> 00:13:57,720 of being connected to God. 277 00:13:57,720 --> 00:13:59,680 We need joy. 278 00:13:59,680 --> 00:14:04,200 We need to have the joy of the Lord in our hearts. 279 00:14:04,200 --> 00:14:09,200 Joy is not simply the result of having favorable 280 00:14:09,840 --> 00:14:13,320 or happy circumstances in our life. 281 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:15,120 Contrary to what a lot of people think, 282 00:14:15,120 --> 00:14:18,680 joy is not just the byproduct 283 00:14:18,680 --> 00:14:21,120 of your current state of affairs. 284 00:14:21,120 --> 00:14:24,160 It's not even an emotional reaction 285 00:14:24,160 --> 00:14:28,680 to something that God has done for you recently. 286 00:14:28,680 --> 00:14:31,120 Joy goes much deeper than that. 287 00:14:31,120 --> 00:14:32,760 Joy goes beyond that. 288 00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:36,240 Joy transcends your current circumstance. 289 00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:39,440 Joy transcends your current awareness 290 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:40,480 of what is going on. 291 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:44,320 Joy transcends your time and your season. 292 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:46,880 Joy goes much deeper than that. 293 00:14:46,880 --> 00:14:51,640 Joy is rooted in an understanding of who God is 294 00:14:51,640 --> 00:14:54,840 and what he has done and where you are 295 00:14:54,840 --> 00:14:56,920 in relation to where he is. 296 00:14:56,920 --> 00:15:01,920 Joy is the fruit of a life that is planted in God. 297 00:15:02,800 --> 00:15:05,280 Jock, amen, somebody, amen. 298 00:15:05,280 --> 00:15:10,280 Joy is the outgrowth of a divine revelation 299 00:15:10,280 --> 00:15:12,240 of God's goodness. 300 00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:17,240 It is God's gift to those who place their full 301 00:15:17,280 --> 00:15:19,600 and total trust in him. 302 00:15:19,600 --> 00:15:24,320 Joy is the product of being connected to the vine. 303 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:29,200 Joy is the outgrowth of knowing who your God is. 304 00:15:29,200 --> 00:15:33,720 Joy is something that the world cannot give you 305 00:15:33,720 --> 00:15:37,320 and something that the world cannot take away 306 00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:39,440 like we sung in that old song. 307 00:15:39,440 --> 00:15:44,200 Joy unspeakable and full of glory 308 00:15:44,200 --> 00:15:47,760 is that first thing that will promote 309 00:15:47,760 --> 00:15:51,280 and generate thanksgiving in our hearts. 310 00:15:51,280 --> 00:15:55,800 It's what helps us to open up our mouth in praise 311 00:15:55,800 --> 00:15:58,640 and to lift up our hands in celebration. 312 00:15:58,640 --> 00:16:01,000 Now, because our lives are perfect 313 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:03,120 and everything is going our way, 314 00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:06,680 but because we recognize that what we have 315 00:16:06,680 --> 00:16:10,720 is not of this world, but it goes beyond this world. 316 00:16:10,720 --> 00:16:14,600 I wonder if somebody came off for God of praise right now. 317 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:17,520 Is there somebody that's got joy in your heart? 318 00:16:17,520 --> 00:16:21,400 Is there somebody that's got some joy on the inside 319 00:16:21,400 --> 00:16:23,320 that can give God some praise? 320 00:16:23,320 --> 00:16:25,320 Come on, clap your hands. 321 00:16:25,320 --> 00:16:27,880 Come on, somebody open up your mouth. 322 00:16:27,880 --> 00:16:30,520 We need the joy of the Lord. 323 00:16:30,520 --> 00:16:33,520 If you gotta stop your feast something, honey. 324 00:16:33,520 --> 00:16:36,200 If you gotta leave for joy, do it. 325 00:16:36,200 --> 00:16:41,200 But joy always manifests itself in our life. 326 00:16:42,440 --> 00:16:46,680 The thing about joy is you can't have joy in Sid's deal. 327 00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:51,680 You can't have joy and not express it in some way. 328 00:16:52,040 --> 00:16:55,520 Joy has a way of expressing itself. 329 00:16:55,520 --> 00:17:00,520 Joy has a way of just revealing itself in our life. 330 00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:04,040 And it is something that we need 331 00:17:04,040 --> 00:17:06,040 if we're going to live thankful, 332 00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:09,440 if we're going to live in a state of gratitude 333 00:17:09,440 --> 00:17:12,040 for what God has done for us. 334 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:15,000 Let me tell you something, it's very hard. 335 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:16,680 And this is revealing, very important. 336 00:17:16,680 --> 00:17:21,480 It's very hard to be thankful when you're not joyful. 337 00:17:23,520 --> 00:17:28,520 David said, I was glad when they said unto me, 338 00:17:28,520 --> 00:17:35,520 let us go into the house of the Lord. 339 00:17:35,520 --> 00:17:38,520 A lot of Christians today say, 340 00:17:38,520 --> 00:17:43,520 I was sad when they said unto me. 341 00:17:46,520 --> 00:17:48,520 At least that's how they look. 342 00:17:48,520 --> 00:17:52,520 Looked like someone fed him a lemon on the way into church. 343 00:17:53,520 --> 00:17:55,520 Oh, I'm talking the truth right now. 344 00:17:55,520 --> 00:18:00,520 Other Christians say I was bad when they said unto me. 345 00:18:04,520 --> 00:18:09,520 And then you know some of them are mad when they said unto me. 346 00:18:11,520 --> 00:18:13,520 But how many of you are glad? 347 00:18:13,520 --> 00:18:18,520 Anybody glad to be in the house of the Lord today? 348 00:18:19,520 --> 00:18:22,520 Well, why don't you show that you're glad to be? 349 00:18:22,520 --> 00:18:25,520 Well, why don't you show that you're glad to be here? 350 00:18:25,520 --> 00:18:26,520 Amen? 351 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:30,520 Hey, I don't know about you, but nobody had to force me here. 352 00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:33,520 I'm here on my own volition. 353 00:18:33,520 --> 00:18:37,520 I'm here because, is anybody here because you want to be here? 354 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:39,520 Hey, hallelujah. 355 00:18:40,520 --> 00:18:43,520 I feel like we need to start asking people when they come into church, 356 00:18:43,520 --> 00:18:46,520 you know, wink at me if you're here because you don't want to be here. 357 00:18:46,520 --> 00:18:48,520 Is somebody forcing you to be here? 358 00:18:49,520 --> 00:18:51,520 Are you sure this is where you want to be? 359 00:18:51,520 --> 00:18:56,520 You know, because we're here on our own volition. 360 00:18:57,520 --> 00:18:59,520 I'm here because I want to be here. 361 00:18:59,520 --> 00:19:00,520 Amen. 362 00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:05,520 Nehemiah said that the joy of the Lord is your strength. 363 00:19:05,520 --> 00:19:08,520 And when you allow the joy of the Lord to fill your heart, 364 00:19:08,520 --> 00:19:11,520 it will propel your life with thanksgiving. 365 00:19:12,520 --> 00:19:15,520 Any joyful person I've seen is always a thankful person, 366 00:19:15,520 --> 00:19:19,520 but it's hard to be thankful if you're not joyful. 367 00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:21,520 You've got no joy in your heart. 368 00:19:21,520 --> 00:19:27,520 It's hard to compel people to praise God when there's no joy in their hearts. 369 00:19:27,520 --> 00:19:31,520 It's like twisting arms, pulling teeth, you know. 370 00:19:31,520 --> 00:19:33,520 But when there's joy there, 371 00:19:33,520 --> 00:19:36,520 whoo, hallelujah, you ain't got to cheer me, 372 00:19:36,520 --> 00:19:39,520 but I don't need a cheerleader when I come to the house of God. 373 00:19:40,520 --> 00:19:42,520 A lot of people need that these days, you know. 374 00:19:42,520 --> 00:19:47,520 They got to sing just the right song, just the right beat, 375 00:19:47,520 --> 00:19:51,520 and then you got to wear my favorite color, you know, all that stuff. 376 00:19:51,520 --> 00:19:54,520 You know, we've got a lot of Christian days. 377 00:19:54,520 --> 00:19:57,520 I'm starting to feel like we need to bring out the pom-poms, you know, 378 00:19:58,520 --> 00:19:59,520 and do some cheerleading. 379 00:19:59,520 --> 00:20:01,520 I don't need anybody to cheerlead me. 380 00:20:01,520 --> 00:20:02,520 You know what I've got? 381 00:20:02,520 --> 00:20:05,520 I've got an internal cheerleader. 382 00:20:05,520 --> 00:20:09,520 I've got the joy of the Lord in my heart. 383 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:10,520 Amen. 384 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:13,520 The world didn't give it, and the world can't take it away. 385 00:20:13,520 --> 00:20:15,520 This joy that I have. 386 00:20:15,520 --> 00:20:17,520 Come on now, somebody. 387 00:20:19,520 --> 00:20:26,520 So we need joy, and it was joy that as the people of God went to the house of God to worship, 388 00:20:26,520 --> 00:20:28,520 move them closer to the gates, 389 00:20:28,520 --> 00:20:30,520 thanksgiving is based on the joy of the Lord. 390 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:34,520 It's also based on the makings of the Lord. 391 00:20:34,520 --> 00:20:37,520 I'll explain that in just a second here, the makings of the Lord. 392 00:20:37,520 --> 00:20:43,520 The psalmist is very conscious of his place in the universe and the origin of life. 393 00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:47,520 He recognizes, again, we're talking about what leads to thanksgiving. 394 00:20:47,520 --> 00:20:54,520 He recognizes the fact that he exists because God ordained it, 395 00:20:55,520 --> 00:21:01,520 and that everything he has is a result of God's sovereign power. 396 00:21:04,520 --> 00:21:05,520 He said, 397 00:21:05,520 --> 00:21:13,520 He is God. He made us. 398 00:21:15,520 --> 00:21:20,520 You know, it's safe to assume that most Christians are creationists. 399 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:29,520 In the classical sense of Genesis chapter one, in the beginning, God created. 400 00:21:29,520 --> 00:21:31,520 Someone say amen for that. 401 00:21:32,520 --> 00:21:34,520 How many of you are creationists, right? 402 00:21:34,520 --> 00:21:41,520 We're all creationists. We should believe that we're not here by evolution or because of a big bang. 403 00:21:41,520 --> 00:21:46,520 And if someone says, yeah, there was a big bang, God said, let there be light and bang. 404 00:21:46,520 --> 00:21:48,520 The light turned on. 405 00:21:49,520 --> 00:21:55,520 We don't struggle with the concept of God making us in his image and likeness, 406 00:21:55,520 --> 00:22:04,520 but we may fail to consider how God continues to make us every day. 407 00:22:05,520 --> 00:22:07,520 Can I tell you that God never stops creating. 408 00:22:09,520 --> 00:22:13,520 He never stops creating. He never stops making. 409 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:18,520 God didn't just make one thing at the beginning and that was it. 410 00:22:18,520 --> 00:22:22,520 He continues to make. He continues to work. 411 00:22:22,520 --> 00:22:25,520 He continues to create. 412 00:22:25,520 --> 00:22:28,520 He is the potter. Amen. 413 00:22:28,520 --> 00:22:30,520 We are the clay. 414 00:22:31,520 --> 00:22:38,520 And if we are clay in his hands, then in his hands, he continues to build, to make and to mold. 415 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:41,520 The clay doesn't mold itself. 416 00:22:42,520 --> 00:22:47,520 And likewise, you don't make yourself. 417 00:22:49,520 --> 00:22:51,520 You don't make yourself. 418 00:22:51,520 --> 00:22:57,520 Who you are and where you are today, my friend, is a result of his making. 419 00:23:01,520 --> 00:23:04,520 His making. Someone say his making. 420 00:23:05,520 --> 00:23:08,520 And the more aware of that you become. 421 00:23:09,520 --> 00:23:16,520 Because let me tell you, this is something that Satan throughout your life will be working to turn around. 422 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:30,520 We'll be working to thwart, to twist, because if there's one thing he wants you to be convinced of talking about the adversary is that you and what you have was made by you. 423 00:23:31,520 --> 00:23:37,520 Because you are the source of this is what he wants you to believe. 424 00:23:37,520 --> 00:23:48,520 But where you are and who you are today is a result of his making. And the more you understand that, the more grateful you will become. 425 00:23:50,520 --> 00:24:00,520 And you ultimately get to a place where you realize, listen, that even the bad and the painful things are making you. 426 00:24:00,520 --> 00:24:12,520 God doesn't just use good things to make us. He uses even in fact, I think that the bad and the painful things work to make us who we are even more than the good things. 427 00:24:12,520 --> 00:24:17,520 Because all things, someone say all things, all things work together. 428 00:24:18,520 --> 00:24:25,520 Like the Bible says, for the good to them that love God and are called according to his purpose. 429 00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:39,520 This is why Paul said in everything in 1 Thessalonians 518, in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 430 00:24:41,520 --> 00:24:45,520 It takes trust in God to thank him. 431 00:24:45,520 --> 00:24:52,520 It takes trust to thank God during the seasons and the times that you don't understand. 432 00:24:52,520 --> 00:25:09,520 It takes trust in him, in his sovereign power, in his sovereign will to know that despite what's going on in my life, he is still worthy of the praise that all things are working together for the good. 433 00:25:09,520 --> 00:25:24,520 And that my life is the product of his making. Even the evil, like Joseph said when his brothers came back in Egypt to him, he said, were you meant for evil? 434 00:25:24,520 --> 00:25:27,520 God meant for good, amen. 435 00:25:27,520 --> 00:25:39,520 Even the bad, even the hurtful, even the traumatic, all of these things help to make us who we are today in God. 436 00:25:39,520 --> 00:25:45,520 And why is this important when we think about what promotes thanksgiving in our heart? 437 00:25:45,520 --> 00:25:51,520 Because there are times where we have to consider everything that we are today. 438 00:25:51,520 --> 00:26:11,520 And when we consider all that we are and how far God has brought us from and how much we have grown and how many things have taken place, that ought to cause thanksgiving in our heart to say that if it had not been for the Lord who was on my side, 439 00:26:11,520 --> 00:26:22,520 He took the good and He took the bad. He took the sweet and He took the spicy. He took all of those things to build me into who I am today. 440 00:26:22,520 --> 00:26:37,520 Even the things that I thought had no value, even the things that I thought were worthless, the things that I thought would not add anything to me, God even took those things and He worked it for my good. 441 00:26:37,520 --> 00:26:49,520 Hallelujah, because somebody say amen today. He took all of it. He took all of it. He took it all and He made something out of it and He made it. 442 00:26:49,520 --> 00:27:01,520 He took beauty and He took beauty for ashes and He turned my joy or my mourning into joy and He gave me the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. 443 00:27:01,520 --> 00:27:22,520 God did all of these things to make me who I am today. And so what helps me to be thankful is when I consider that the totality of my life, the good, the bad, everything, what it all adds up to is that God has never failed me. 444 00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:34,520 David said, I was young but now I'm old and I've never seen the righteous forsaken or his seed begging for bread. He said, I've lived through every season and I have seen the good, the bad, and the ugly. 445 00:27:34,520 --> 00:27:42,520 But this I know is that God has been good and God has been faithful and God has been merciful and God has never let me down. 446 00:27:42,520 --> 00:27:53,520 Is there a witness in the house of God today? Is there somebody today that can be thankful to the Lord and say, thank you God that you can be all this time. 447 00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:59,520 Come on and clap your hands and give the Lord some praise today. 448 00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:14,520 God made it. He made it all happen. He's made it happen even now. And so what helps us get to a place of greater things giving in our heart is the joy of the Lord. It's the making, it's the knowledge of the making of the Lord. 449 00:28:14,520 --> 00:28:23,520 And thirdly, as I'm just about done, I didn't want to be too long today, but this is the third thing, is the blessing. Someone say the blessings. 450 00:28:23,520 --> 00:28:39,520 The blessings of the Lord. The blessings of God. The psalmist said, we are the sheep of his pastor. We are the sheep of his pastor. 451 00:28:39,520 --> 00:28:59,520 And this, this imagery takes me back to Psalm 23 where he says, the Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. The Lord is my shepherd. How many of you is he your shepherd? 452 00:28:59,520 --> 00:29:11,520 I said, how many is he your shepherd? He leaves me beside still waters. He makes me to lie down in the green pastor's soul. 453 00:29:11,520 --> 00:29:35,520 Psalmist here is reminded of the fact that God is the source of all the blessings that he is enjoying in his life, the pastures where he feeds from, the nourishment and the provision that is supplied to his life is there by the grace of God. 454 00:29:35,520 --> 00:29:59,520 It's there because there is a shepherd. Hallelujah. There is a shepherd. I'd like to invite the piano player to come up. The sheep is totally dependent on the shepherd to nurture, to guide, to protect and to provide everything. 455 00:29:59,520 --> 00:30:17,520 Everything the sheep enjoys comes from the shepherd. And all you've got to do today is look around your life and see that God has been good. 456 00:30:17,520 --> 00:30:39,520 He is our good shepherd. He has provided everything you need. Maybe not your every wish and want. Everything you need. Paul said, I've learned to be content. I've learned what it is to have and what it is to not have. 457 00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:50,520 To be blessed and abased. I've learned, he said, how to be content in all things. 458 00:30:50,520 --> 00:31:10,520 And even him saying, I've learned tells me that contentment, contentment with where you are, being satisfied, being content, being joyful, being thankful, being appreciative of where you are. Sometimes there's a learning process. 459 00:31:10,520 --> 00:31:32,520 We have to train our minds to focus on the good. Sometimes just one little thing that goes wrong, you know, it could just take your mind off all the things that are going right. 460 00:31:32,520 --> 00:31:58,520 Somebody say, Amen today. And this ought to produce things giving out of minds. You know, I don't know what this is about the Christian today, but people are always just always looking for the next one. 461 00:31:58,520 --> 00:32:11,520 No sooner than you get a blessing, you're always like, now you're waiting for the next one. God's like, chill out. I just blessed you. How about you enjoy it for a little bit? 462 00:32:11,520 --> 00:32:38,520 What is the next thing? What's next? And I think that what has fed into that, as I close what has fed into that is just consumeristic mindset that we have. How many of you have bought an iPhone and then like three months later already outdated? 463 00:32:38,520 --> 00:32:55,520 I just got the latest one. Now there's a 15 and a 14 and there's that itch you get. I don't know if you got some techies in here, you get that tech bug. You're just like, you got to get the next one out. 464 00:32:55,520 --> 00:33:16,520 I don't want to be outdated and obsolete. You know, I want the next thing. Sometimes we take that attitude with God. God doesn't work like that. God doesn't work like that. 465 00:33:16,520 --> 00:33:31,520 He's going to bless us and he already has, but I came to tell somebody you're already blessed. Would you stand with me today? You're already blessed. Someone say I'm blessed. 466 00:33:31,520 --> 00:33:55,520 Blessed is not a thing. Blessed is not a something. Blessed is a someone. I'm going to close my head fat man. If I didn't say anything else, that was the price of the mission today. It's not a something. It's a someone. 467 00:33:55,520 --> 00:34:12,520 Every time you look in the mirror, every time you're blessed. I don't care what your bank account looks like. You're blessed. I don't care what your doctor's report says. You're blessed. Doesn't matter what people don't care what your haters are saying. You're blessed. 468 00:34:12,520 --> 00:34:32,520 I'm blessed. I'm blessed. I'm blessed in the city. I'm blessed in the field. Fred Hammond didn't originate that by the way to the bottom. I'm blessed when I come and when I go. I'm blessed. Everyone say bless.