WEBVTT 00:00:02.220 --> 00:00:06.679 I would like to speak today on this Sunday when 00:00:06.679 --> 00:00:09.160 we especially remember a day of Thanksgiving. 00:00:09.560 --> 00:00:12.140 I'd like to speak on, Oh, give thanks to the 00:00:12.140 --> 00:00:16.239 Lord, for He is good. We're going to be looking 00:00:16.239 --> 00:00:19.399 at a number of passages. We've already heard 00:00:19.399 --> 00:00:23.739 Psalm 100 when Caleb read it. And I'm now also 00:00:23.739 --> 00:00:29.019 going to read from Psalm 118, verses 1 through 00:00:29.019 --> 00:00:35.570 4. Hear the word of the Lord from Psalm 118. 00:00:36.149 --> 00:00:39.909 Praise the Lord. Blessed is the man who fears 00:00:39.909 --> 00:00:43.990 the Lord, who delights greatly in his commandments. 00:00:45.369 --> 00:00:47.929 I'm sorry, I turned to the wrong one. I apologize. 00:00:48.390 --> 00:00:52.450 Psalm 118. O give thanks to the Lord, for he 00:00:52.450 --> 00:00:56.909 is good, for his mercy endures forever. Let Israel 00:00:56.909 --> 00:01:00.890 now say, his mercy endures forever. Let the house 00:01:00.890 --> 00:01:04.280 of Aaron now say, His mercy endures forever. 00:01:04.640 --> 00:01:09.680 Let those who fear the Lord now say, His mercy 00:01:09.680 --> 00:01:13.540 endures forever. Let's ask God's blessing on 00:01:13.540 --> 00:01:16.439 this time together in the word. Our Father, we 00:01:16.439 --> 00:01:18.840 thank you for the privilege that it is to consider 00:01:18.840 --> 00:01:21.900 this subject. We pray, Lord, that you would make 00:01:21.900 --> 00:01:24.939 us a thankful people. And as we look into your 00:01:24.939 --> 00:01:28.040 word today, help us to learn, to apply ourselves 00:01:28.040 --> 00:01:31.439 diligently to it, Lord. and to see what all you 00:01:31.439 --> 00:01:34.099 have to say. We pray that you would give us ears 00:01:34.099 --> 00:01:37.540 that hear, mouths that speak, Lord, and we pray 00:01:37.540 --> 00:01:40.079 that in all your spirit would be present with 00:01:40.079 --> 00:01:47.260 us. We ask in Jesus' name. Amen. The Bible repeatedly 00:01:47.260 --> 00:01:53.560 commands and urges God's people to remember. 00:01:54.379 --> 00:01:58.239 There are many exhortations to remember God's 00:01:58.239 --> 00:02:01.219 great deeds. That is to remember his covenants, 00:02:01.260 --> 00:02:06.459 his laws, his deliverance, the Sabbath, and Christ's 00:02:06.459 --> 00:02:10.280 sacrifice and promises. He tells us to remember 00:02:10.280 --> 00:02:15.560 all of these things. Over 200 times in the word 00:02:15.560 --> 00:02:18.539 of God, we are commanded by both direct imperative 00:02:18.539 --> 00:02:24.659 and by exhortation to remember. Now, why are 00:02:24.659 --> 00:02:28.460 to we remember? This remembering is so that we 00:02:28.460 --> 00:02:32.620 can recount the great works and deeds of God 00:02:32.620 --> 00:02:36.240 to the next generation, who will then rise up 00:02:36.240 --> 00:02:39.419 and tell their sons and daughters. And so the 00:02:39.419 --> 00:02:42.400 wonderful works of God in time and in history 00:02:42.400 --> 00:02:46.020 will be remembered. And our posterity will learn 00:02:46.020 --> 00:02:51.439 to praise, to trust our triune God, and to give 00:02:51.439 --> 00:02:55.669 him thanks. with a heart that is filled with 00:02:55.669 --> 00:03:00.030 thankfulness. Since the triune God is our creator, 00:03:00.330 --> 00:03:05.610 we owe him worship, and we owe him thanksgiving 00:03:05.610 --> 00:03:10.629 from a grateful heart. This is due him by right 00:03:10.629 --> 00:03:14.169 and by authority, and it is to be done at all 00:03:14.169 --> 00:03:18.969 times. But in this week of thanksgiving, Next 00:03:18.969 --> 00:03:22.030 Thursday being Thanksgiving Day, a day when our 00:03:22.030 --> 00:03:26.069 sovereign nation has chosen to set aside a national 00:03:26.069 --> 00:03:30.110 day of thanksgiving to God Almighty. We are called 00:03:30.110 --> 00:03:34.150 to come with grateful hearts as a nation and 00:03:34.150 --> 00:03:37.870 to render unto our Father what is due to Him. 00:03:38.389 --> 00:03:41.590 Now there have been many national days of thanksgiving 00:03:41.590 --> 00:03:45.479 from our very beginning as a nation. And I commend 00:03:45.479 --> 00:03:47.719 the reading of some of them to you. Some of them 00:03:47.719 --> 00:03:50.759 are quite moving. Some of them are quite profound. 00:03:51.500 --> 00:03:56.840 Here's one from 1779, a proclamation by the United 00:03:56.840 --> 00:04:01.460 States assembled. Whereas it becomes us humbly 00:04:01.460 --> 00:04:04.919 to approach the throne of Almighty God. with 00:04:04.919 --> 00:04:08.479 gratitude and praise for the wonders which His 00:04:08.479 --> 00:04:11.599 goodness has wrought in conducting our forefathers 00:04:11.599 --> 00:04:14.919 in the Western world, for His protection to them 00:04:14.919 --> 00:04:18.199 and to their posterity amid difficulties and 00:04:18.199 --> 00:04:21.500 dangers, for raising us, their children, from 00:04:21.500 --> 00:04:25.120 deep distress. to be numbered among the nations 00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:28.339 of the earth, and for arming the hands of just 00:04:28.339 --> 00:04:31.379 and mighty princes in our deliverance, and especially 00:04:31.379 --> 00:04:35.560 for that he hath been pleased to grant us the 00:04:35.560 --> 00:04:39.160 enjoyment of health, and so to order the revolving 00:04:39.160 --> 00:04:43.670 seasons that the earth has produced. Her increase 00:04:43.670 --> 00:04:47.189 in abundance, blessing the labors of the husbandmen 00:04:47.189 --> 00:04:50.509 and spreading plenty through the land. That he 00:04:50.509 --> 00:04:53.029 has prospered our arms and those of our ally. 00:04:53.310 --> 00:04:56.149 He has been a shield to our troops in the hour 00:04:56.149 --> 00:04:59.550 of danger, pointed their swords to victory and 00:04:59.550 --> 00:05:01.870 led them in triumph over the bulwarks of the 00:05:01.870 --> 00:05:04.680 foe. that he has gone with those who went out 00:05:04.680 --> 00:05:07.040 into the wilderness against the savage tribes, 00:05:07.420 --> 00:05:10.600 that he has stayed the hand of the spoiler and 00:05:10.600 --> 00:05:13.779 turned back his meditated destruction, that he 00:05:13.779 --> 00:05:16.360 has promised our commerce, he has prospered our 00:05:16.360 --> 00:05:19.920 commerce, and given success to those who sought 00:05:19.920 --> 00:05:23.019 the enemy in the face of the deep, and above 00:05:23.019 --> 00:05:26.759 all, That he hath diffused the glorious light 00:05:26.759 --> 00:05:29.939 of the gospel. Whereby through the merits of 00:05:29.939 --> 00:05:33.399 our gracious redeemer. We may become the heirs 00:05:33.399 --> 00:05:37.500 of his eternal glory. Therefore resolved. That 00:05:37.500 --> 00:05:40.060 it be recommended to the several states to appoint 00:05:40.060 --> 00:05:43.680 Thursday, the 9th of December next, to be a day 00:05:43.680 --> 00:05:46.259 of public and solemn thanksgiving to Almighty 00:05:46.259 --> 00:05:50.519 God for his mercies and a prayer for the continuance 00:05:50.519 --> 00:05:54.759 of his favor and protection to these United States. 00:05:55.290 --> 00:05:58.569 To beseech him that he would be graciously pleased 00:05:58.569 --> 00:06:02.310 to influence our public councils and bless them 00:06:02.310 --> 00:06:06.370 with wisdom from on high, with unanimity, firmness, 00:06:06.370 --> 00:06:09.550 and success. That he would go forth with our 00:06:09.550 --> 00:06:12.670 hosts and crown our arms with victory. That he 00:06:12.670 --> 00:06:16.129 would grant to his church the plentiful effusions 00:06:16.129 --> 00:06:19.769 of divine grace and pour out his Holy Spirit 00:06:19.769 --> 00:06:22.899 on all ministers of the gospel. that he would 00:06:22.899 --> 00:06:25.899 bless and prosper the means of education and 00:06:25.899 --> 00:06:28.519 spread the light of Christian knowledge through 00:06:28.519 --> 00:06:32.120 the remotest corners of the earth, that he would 00:06:32.120 --> 00:06:36.339 smile upon the labors of his people and cause 00:06:36.339 --> 00:06:38.920 the earth to bring forth her fruits in abundance, 00:06:39.000 --> 00:06:42.339 that we may with gratitude and gladness enjoy 00:06:42.339 --> 00:06:45.579 them, that he would take into his holy protection 00:06:45.579 --> 00:06:49.319 our illustrious ally. Give him victory over his 00:06:49.319 --> 00:06:52.120 enemies and render him signally great as the 00:06:52.120 --> 00:06:54.480 father of his people and the protector of the 00:06:54.480 --> 00:06:59.180 rights of mankind. That he would graciously be 00:06:59.180 --> 00:07:02.279 pleased to turn the hearts of our enemies and 00:07:02.279 --> 00:07:05.879 to dispense the blessings of peace to contending 00:07:05.879 --> 00:07:08.839 nations. That he would look in mercy down upon 00:07:08.839 --> 00:07:12.379 us, pardon our sins and receive us into his favor. 00:07:12.540 --> 00:07:15.790 And finally, that he would establish the independence 00:07:15.790 --> 00:07:19.970 of these United States upon the basis of religion 00:07:19.970 --> 00:07:23.389 and virtue and support and protect them in the 00:07:23.389 --> 00:07:27.449 enjoyment of peace, liberty, and safety as long 00:07:27.449 --> 00:07:30.670 as the sun and moon shall endure until time shall 00:07:30.670 --> 00:07:35.310 be no more. Done in Congress the 20th day of 00:07:35.310 --> 00:07:40.670 October 1779 and in the fourth year of the independence 00:07:40.670 --> 00:07:44.439 of the United States of America. Samuel Huntington, 00:07:44.480 --> 00:07:47.040 President, attests Charles Thompson, Secretary. 00:07:47.800 --> 00:07:51.699 What an incredible statement of thanksgiving 00:07:51.699 --> 00:07:58.699 and praise. This is our history. Now, it is fitting 00:07:58.699 --> 00:08:02.459 that we do this, that we have this National Day 00:08:02.459 --> 00:08:06.300 of Thanksgiving just before Advent and Christmas 00:08:06.300 --> 00:08:09.800 as we observe it now. For not only do we give 00:08:09.800 --> 00:08:12.860 thanks, at the end of the growing season for 00:08:12.860 --> 00:08:16.399 a good harvest, for food that we have in abundance, 00:08:16.740 --> 00:08:21.899 but our thanksgiving is also pointed to Jesus 00:08:21.899 --> 00:08:26.600 at his incarnation, the one who became man in 00:08:26.600 --> 00:08:29.939 order to save us from our sins, and he was made 00:08:29.939 --> 00:08:33.679 flesh so that he might be the perfect sacrifice 00:08:33.679 --> 00:08:37.519 for sins, thereby redeeming us and reconciling 00:08:37.519 --> 00:08:41.700 us back. to this holy and righteous God. As we 00:08:41.700 --> 00:08:44.519 think of these blessings and many more that we 00:08:44.519 --> 00:08:48.159 receive from his fatherly hand, we say with David 00:08:48.159 --> 00:08:52.940 in Psalm 116, what shall I render to the Lord 00:08:52.940 --> 00:08:57.220 for all his benefits toward me? I will take up 00:08:57.220 --> 00:09:00.220 the cup of salvation and call upon the name of 00:09:00.220 --> 00:09:03.519 the Lord. I will pay my vows to the Lord now 00:09:03.519 --> 00:09:06.950 in the presence of all his people. Psalm 116, 00:09:06.970 --> 00:09:10.210 12 to 14. David then continues with the offering 00:09:10.210 --> 00:09:13.830 of himself in worship as he cries out, O Lord, 00:09:13.990 --> 00:09:18.649 truly I am your servant. I am your servant, the 00:09:18.649 --> 00:09:21.850 son of your maidservant. You have loosed my bonds. 00:09:21.929 --> 00:09:25.789 I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving. 00:09:26.350 --> 00:09:28.990 and will call upon the name of the Lord. I will 00:09:28.990 --> 00:09:32.570 pay my vows to the Lord now in the presence of 00:09:32.570 --> 00:09:35.549 all his people in the courts of the Lord's house 00:09:35.549 --> 00:09:39.549 in the midst of you, O Jerusalem. Praise the 00:09:39.549 --> 00:09:43.350 Lord. Now to render back, that is to render, 00:09:43.549 --> 00:09:47.809 is to give back the thanks that is due to our 00:09:47.809 --> 00:09:51.970 great Father. Thanksgiving begins in the heart. 00:09:52.730 --> 00:09:54.730 It's with a heart that is filled with thanks 00:09:54.730 --> 00:09:57.950 that then proceeds to the action of thanksgiving. 00:09:58.129 --> 00:10:01.149 So we're filled with thankfulness and then we 00:10:01.149 --> 00:10:05.470 give thanks to the Father. It is more than saying 00:10:05.470 --> 00:10:09.450 thank you or just feeling thankful. It is a deeper, 00:10:09.490 --> 00:10:12.950 more sustained state of being, a transformative 00:10:12.950 --> 00:10:16.629 practice from the innermost part of our being 00:10:16.629 --> 00:10:22.679 to God. This psalm speaks of worship. from the 00:10:22.679 --> 00:10:26.519 heart in the presence of God's people. A thankful 00:10:26.519 --> 00:10:30.320 heart that offers thanksgiving in the congregation 00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:34.679 in a covenant renewal with God. This worship 00:10:34.679 --> 00:10:38.059 that we are to give our Father is both private, 00:10:38.100 --> 00:10:42.120 but it is also public. And so, saints, we are 00:10:42.120 --> 00:10:46.039 not to neglect the public worship of God and 00:10:46.039 --> 00:10:49.169 the giving of thanks in the assembly. And the 00:10:49.169 --> 00:10:52.129 renewal of our vows before God in the congregation. 00:10:52.909 --> 00:10:56.850 We need to make this the first priority of each 00:10:56.850 --> 00:11:00.809 week. Gather together on the Lord's day. We renew 00:11:00.809 --> 00:11:04.309 our covenant with him. We give him thanks. And 00:11:04.309 --> 00:11:09.629 he feeds us from his word. Every week. When the 00:11:09.629 --> 00:11:13.970 Holy Spirit comes upon a people. And cleanses 00:11:13.970 --> 00:11:18.299 them from sin. The result is that they are filled 00:11:18.299 --> 00:11:23.019 with joy and gratefulness. These are two of the 00:11:23.019 --> 00:11:26.620 characteristics of a work of God, that God's 00:11:26.620 --> 00:11:29.860 people are thankful and that they are filled 00:11:29.860 --> 00:11:34.659 with joy. Gratefulness is the antidote against 00:11:34.659 --> 00:11:38.860 the doldrums, against joylessness, against envy, 00:11:39.100 --> 00:11:43.679 against bitterness. against complaining and murmuring 00:11:43.679 --> 00:11:48.559 and many other sins. If this congregation is 00:11:48.559 --> 00:11:51.740 to last for many generations, and I pray to God 00:11:51.740 --> 00:11:55.799 that it will, and to affect and transform the 00:11:55.799 --> 00:11:58.639 culture of this town through a robust Christian 00:11:58.639 --> 00:12:02.279 faith, then we, dear people, must learn to be 00:12:02.279 --> 00:12:05.940 thankful and joyful. And it needs to come out 00:12:05.940 --> 00:12:08.759 of our fingertips, as it were. That gratefulness 00:12:08.759 --> 00:12:11.379 and that joyfulness should be evident wherever 00:12:11.379 --> 00:12:15.720 we go. We should be known as the people who love 00:12:15.720 --> 00:12:19.299 God and are a joy to be around. They are filled 00:12:19.299 --> 00:12:23.259 with joy. They're pleasant to be around. They're 00:12:23.259 --> 00:12:27.919 a joyful or even a jolly lot. Now, there are 00:12:27.919 --> 00:12:30.669 a number of good exhortations. in the word of 00:12:30.669 --> 00:12:33.009 God to be thankful and give thanks in God's, 00:12:33.070 --> 00:12:35.070 in his word. And we're going to look at those, 00:12:35.129 --> 00:12:37.490 a number of them. But the first thing that we 00:12:37.490 --> 00:12:40.730 want to do, number one is to whom do we give 00:12:40.730 --> 00:12:44.929 thanks? I just read this morning. So there was 00:12:44.929 --> 00:12:47.570 an email. I get some various news emails and 00:12:47.570 --> 00:12:49.970 I just read a portion of the Thanksgiving letter. 00:12:50.750 --> 00:12:54.070 that warren buffett wrote to all of his shareholders 00:12:54.070 --> 00:12:56.809 warren buffett is one of the richest men in the 00:12:56.809 --> 00:12:59.870 united states he's been very successful and in 00:12:59.870 --> 00:13:02.429 through there he recounts a number of the blessings 00:13:02.429 --> 00:13:05.450 that he has enjoyed and with his family and and 00:13:05.450 --> 00:13:08.610 he goes on and it's and a lot of that it was 00:13:08.610 --> 00:13:12.230 very good but then he comes he said he said i 00:13:12.230 --> 00:13:17.090 thank lady luck i thank lady luck and at the 00:13:17.090 --> 00:13:22.730 end The way he closed out the letter was that 00:13:22.730 --> 00:13:28.090 on this day of Thanksgiving, thank America. It's 00:13:28.090 --> 00:13:31.450 just, oh, it just, here's a man that has been 00:13:31.450 --> 00:13:33.929 inordinately blessed. I mean, just incredibly 00:13:33.929 --> 00:13:40.629 blessed by God. And he refuses to give God the 00:13:40.629 --> 00:13:44.850 thanks. And so we must understand if we are to 00:13:44.850 --> 00:13:48.460 be thankful people, and we are, If we know that 00:13:48.460 --> 00:13:50.799 thankfulness and thanksgiving is a good thing, 00:13:51.059 --> 00:13:56.759 who do we give thanks to? We give thanks to our 00:13:56.759 --> 00:14:01.519 great Father, the Lord of creation, to whom is 00:14:01.519 --> 00:14:05.740 due all thanksgiving, all praise and adoration. 00:14:06.639 --> 00:14:09.840 Mr. Buffett, you need to give your thanks to 00:14:09.840 --> 00:14:13.129 God. It's not America who's made you great. It's 00:14:13.129 --> 00:14:16.370 not Lady Luck who has just blessed you. It is 00:14:16.370 --> 00:14:20.970 God the Father Almighty who disposes all things. 00:14:21.090 --> 00:14:25.029 And to Him we give our thanksgiving no matter 00:14:25.029 --> 00:14:29.330 what state we are in. 1 Chronicles 16 verse 29 00:14:29.330 --> 00:14:34.009 says, Give to the Lord the glory that is due 00:14:34.009 --> 00:14:38.419 to His name. Bring an offering and come before 00:14:38.419 --> 00:14:42.519 him. Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. 00:14:42.759 --> 00:14:46.460 And in a very similar way in Psalm 29 too. Give 00:14:46.460 --> 00:14:49.700 unto the Lord the glory that is due to his name. 00:14:50.279 --> 00:14:55.639 Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. And 00:14:55.639 --> 00:15:00.179 how great is our God. Hear this great creedal 00:15:00.179 --> 00:15:04.649 and confessional summation. A compilation from 00:15:04.649 --> 00:15:07.950 many scriptures of who he is and how great and 00:15:07.950 --> 00:15:14.230 marvelous he is. There is one God. The only living 00:15:14.230 --> 00:15:19.370 and true God. He is infinite in being and perfection. 00:15:21.110 --> 00:15:25.789 He is a most pure spirit. invisible, immutable, 00:15:26.070 --> 00:15:30.129 immense, eternal, incomprehensible, almighty, 00:15:30.710 --> 00:15:35.549 most wise, most holy, most free, and most absolute. 00:15:36.009 --> 00:15:39.370 Our God works all things according to the counsel 00:15:39.370 --> 00:15:42.850 of his own immutable and most righteous will 00:15:42.850 --> 00:15:48.350 for his own glory. He is most loving and gracious 00:15:48.350 --> 00:15:52.669 and merciful and long -suffering. He is abundant 00:15:52.669 --> 00:15:56.009 in goodness and truth. He forgives iniquity, 00:15:56.009 --> 00:15:59.870 transgression, and sins. He is the rewarder of 00:15:59.870 --> 00:16:03.649 those who diligently seek him. And he is also 00:16:03.649 --> 00:16:07.419 most just and terrible. in his judgments he hates 00:16:07.419 --> 00:16:10.559 all sin and he will by no means clear the guilty 00:16:10.559 --> 00:16:14.100 meaning that he does not just look away for sin 00:16:14.100 --> 00:16:18.600 requires atonement through blood God has all 00:16:18.600 --> 00:16:22.799 life all glory and goodness and blessedness in 00:16:22.799 --> 00:16:26.399 and of himself he alone is and unto himself all 00:16:26.399 --> 00:16:30.860 sufficient he does not stand in need Of any creatures 00:16:30.860 --> 00:16:33.879 which he has made. And he manifests his glory 00:16:33.879 --> 00:16:39.120 in, by, unto and upon them. Upon his creatures. 00:16:39.799 --> 00:16:44.240 He is the only fountain of all being. Of whom, 00:16:44.399 --> 00:16:49.299 through whom and to whom are all things. And 00:16:49.299 --> 00:16:52.460 he has the most sovereign dominion over all. 00:16:52.539 --> 00:16:56.139 To do whatever he pleases to do in his sight. 00:16:56.799 --> 00:16:59.940 All things are open and manifest. His knowledge 00:16:59.940 --> 00:17:02.799 is infinite, is infallible and is independent. 00:17:03.120 --> 00:17:07.019 He is most holy in all of his counsels, in all 00:17:07.019 --> 00:17:11.359 of his works and in all of his commands. To him 00:17:11.359 --> 00:17:15.640 is due from both angels and men and every other 00:17:15.640 --> 00:17:19.619 creature whatsoever worship, service and obedience 00:17:19.619 --> 00:17:25.059 he is pleased to require of them. This. Brothers 00:17:25.059 --> 00:17:30.779 and sisters, is our God. In the unity of the 00:17:30.779 --> 00:17:33.359 Godhead, there are three persons of one substance, 00:17:33.440 --> 00:17:36.619 power, and eternity. There is God the Father, 00:17:36.819 --> 00:17:40.460 God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost. The Father 00:17:40.460 --> 00:17:42.859 is of none, neither begotten nor proceeding. 00:17:43.140 --> 00:17:45.920 The Son is eternally begotten of the Father, 00:17:46.039 --> 00:17:48.720 and the Holy Ghost eternally proceeding from 00:17:48.720 --> 00:17:51.960 the Father and the Son. And it has pleased God, 00:17:52.019 --> 00:17:54.960 the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, to manifest 00:17:54.960 --> 00:17:59.079 the glory of His eternal power, of His wisdom, 00:17:59.079 --> 00:18:02.059 and of His goodness, to create out of nothing 00:18:02.059 --> 00:18:05.660 the world and all that is therein, all things 00:18:05.660 --> 00:18:09.680 visible and invisible in the space. of six days 00:18:09.680 --> 00:18:15.420 and it was all very good and in so doing he created 00:18:15.420 --> 00:18:21.400 mankind in his own image male and female and 00:18:21.400 --> 00:18:26.480 he commands all of mankind to worship him alone 00:18:26.480 --> 00:18:30.599 with all of our heart our soul our mind and our 00:18:30.599 --> 00:18:35.980 strength beloved this is to whom We give thanks. 00:18:36.160 --> 00:18:41.920 It is to Him that we give thanks. For He is worthy 00:18:41.920 --> 00:18:47.220 and to be revered. Number two, let's look at 00:18:47.220 --> 00:18:49.539 a few texts that command the giving of thanks 00:18:49.539 --> 00:18:52.700 and that show us how. We have already read Psalm 00:18:52.700 --> 00:18:55.859 104 and 5. But there I just repeat it again. 00:18:56.400 --> 00:19:00.730 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving. And into 00:19:00.730 --> 00:19:04.309 his courts with praise. As we come before God. 00:19:04.549 --> 00:19:08.150 As we meet together. As we live our daily lives. 00:19:08.289 --> 00:19:11.809 How do we approach God? We enter his gates with 00:19:11.809 --> 00:19:15.809 thanksgiving. With the giving of thanks. We are 00:19:15.809 --> 00:19:19.089 thankful to him. And bless his name. For the 00:19:19.089 --> 00:19:21.920 Lord is good. His mercy is everlasting and his 00:19:21.920 --> 00:19:24.740 truth endures to all generations. See how David, 00:19:24.799 --> 00:19:27.279 when he wrote this psalm, he tied in the fact 00:19:27.279 --> 00:19:30.440 that we give thanks with the truth about God. 00:19:30.579 --> 00:19:34.759 That he is good, his everlasting mercy, and his 00:19:34.759 --> 00:19:38.779 truth endures to all generations. Also, Paul 00:19:38.779 --> 00:19:43.119 admonishes. In a number of places in the epistles. 00:19:43.799 --> 00:19:46.500 Commanding and exhorting that we should give 00:19:46.500 --> 00:19:50.640 thanks. Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 1. Therefore 00:19:50.640 --> 00:19:54.420 be imitators of God as dear children. And walk 00:19:54.420 --> 00:19:57.880 in love as Christ also has loved us. And has 00:19:57.880 --> 00:20:01.119 given himself for us an offering. And a sacrifice 00:20:01.119 --> 00:20:05.880 to God for a sweet smelling aroma. But. Fornication 00:20:05.880 --> 00:20:08.259 and all uncleanness and all covetousness, let 00:20:08.259 --> 00:20:11.660 it not even be named among you, as it is fitting 00:20:11.660 --> 00:20:16.660 for saints, neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, 00:20:16.880 --> 00:20:20.440 nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but 00:20:20.440 --> 00:20:26.559 rather giving of thanks. Rather than all of these 00:20:26.559 --> 00:20:29.359 other things, these sins, these should not be 00:20:29.359 --> 00:20:34.460 named among us, but instead let us give thanks. 00:20:34.960 --> 00:20:37.180 We are to be known for our giving of thanks. 00:20:37.420 --> 00:20:41.880 1 Thessalonians 5, verse 16. Rejoice always, 00:20:42.059 --> 00:20:46.720 pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks. 00:20:46.980 --> 00:20:51.519 For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for 00:20:51.519 --> 00:20:55.700 you. For each one here, it is the will of God 00:20:55.700 --> 00:20:58.779 that we rejoice, that we pray without ceasing, 00:20:58.819 --> 00:21:03.299 and that in everything we give thanks. Also Philippians 00:21:03.299 --> 00:21:06.960 4, 6 and 7. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything 00:21:06.960 --> 00:21:10.779 by prayer and supplication. With thanksgiving, 00:21:10.900 --> 00:21:13.940 let your prequests be made known to God. And 00:21:13.940 --> 00:21:16.339 the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, 00:21:16.640 --> 00:21:19.059 will guard your hearts and minds through Christ 00:21:19.059 --> 00:21:22.660 Jesus. Are you filled with anxiety? Do you have 00:21:22.660 --> 00:21:26.079 a lot of anxiousness? Do you do a lot of worrying? 00:21:26.180 --> 00:21:29.200 Are you worried about things? Here we are told 00:21:29.200 --> 00:21:32.500 and commanded not to be anxious, but that in 00:21:32.500 --> 00:21:35.180 everything we come to the Lord in prayer, we 00:21:35.180 --> 00:21:38.420 make our supplications before him, we give them 00:21:38.420 --> 00:21:41.279 to the Lord, we ask him to work on our behalf 00:21:41.279 --> 00:21:43.440 regarding these things that we're anxious about, 00:21:43.579 --> 00:21:47.660 but we do it accompanied by thanksgiving. We 00:21:47.660 --> 00:21:50.599 let our requests be made known to God, and then 00:21:50.599 --> 00:21:53.740 God gives us peace, peace that passes all understanding, 00:21:54.000 --> 00:21:56.180 and he will guard our hearts and minds through 00:21:56.180 --> 00:22:00.720 Jesus. And then Colossians 1 verse 10. As we 00:22:00.720 --> 00:22:02.859 walk worthy of the Lord and are strengthened 00:22:02.859 --> 00:22:05.519 with all might according to his glorious power. 00:22:05.720 --> 00:22:09.500 We are to be giving thanks to the Father who 00:22:09.500 --> 00:22:12.640 has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance 00:22:12.640 --> 00:22:17.259 of the saints in the light. Over and over again 00:22:17.259 --> 00:22:20.240 as Paul is instructing the Gentile churches. 00:22:20.339 --> 00:22:23.640 As he is writing to them. As he is spiritually 00:22:23.640 --> 00:22:27.329 forming them in Christ. It's again, be thankful, 00:22:27.470 --> 00:22:29.710 be thankful. Come with thanksgiving. Make your 00:22:29.710 --> 00:22:31.930 prayer with thanksgiving. Live with thanksgiving. 00:22:32.029 --> 00:22:34.750 Don't be known by your evil speaking or by your 00:22:34.750 --> 00:22:37.890 callous and coarse jesting, but rather be known 00:22:37.890 --> 00:22:41.329 that you are a thankful people and come before 00:22:41.329 --> 00:22:45.650 him in that way and let that be spread abroad. 00:22:46.380 --> 00:22:50.619 In Psalm 18, Psalm 18 is a song on the day that 00:22:50.619 --> 00:22:54.240 the Lord delivered David from the hand of all 00:22:54.240 --> 00:22:57.680 his enemies and from the hand of Saul. David 00:22:57.680 --> 00:23:00.980 begins Psalm 18 with this affirmation of love. 00:23:01.059 --> 00:23:03.380 He says, I will love you, O Lord, my strength. 00:23:03.680 --> 00:23:06.500 And then he goes on in a quite lengthy way. He 00:23:06.500 --> 00:23:09.259 speaks of the distress that he was in and in 00:23:09.259 --> 00:23:12.859 a very great and marvelous poetic form of how 00:23:12.859 --> 00:23:16.420 God answered him. He shows how God armed him 00:23:16.420 --> 00:23:18.799 with strength and enlarged his path and gave 00:23:18.799 --> 00:23:22.059 him victory. And as David ends the psalm, after 00:23:22.059 --> 00:23:24.420 recounting all that God had done in delivering 00:23:24.420 --> 00:23:27.200 him and in destroying his enemies, he concludes 00:23:27.200 --> 00:23:31.240 with these words. Therefore, I will give thanks 00:23:31.240 --> 00:23:35.920 to you, O Lord, among the Gentiles and sing praises 00:23:35.920 --> 00:23:40.740 to you, to your name. So it is very clear, Old 00:23:40.740 --> 00:23:42.799 and New Testament, all through the scripture. 00:23:43.579 --> 00:23:46.640 We are to give thanks. God's people are to be 00:23:46.640 --> 00:23:52.220 a thankful and thanksgiving people. So number 00:23:52.220 --> 00:23:55.779 three, how then do we give thanks? Well, when 00:23:55.779 --> 00:23:59.259 we give thanks, we remember why we are grateful. 00:23:59.500 --> 00:24:03.519 That often begins by considering from whence 00:24:03.519 --> 00:24:06.359 we have come or the pit that we were in or the 00:24:06.359 --> 00:24:09.759 situation at a certain time. Psalm 18 was that 00:24:09.759 --> 00:24:11.859 way, and I don't have the time to go through 00:24:11.859 --> 00:24:15.759 it all. But David began by just remembering the 00:24:15.759 --> 00:24:18.799 deep distress that he was in. I mean, he was 00:24:18.799 --> 00:24:22.200 being hunted down like a wild animal by Saul, 00:24:22.400 --> 00:24:25.700 who was the king and a very popular king at one 00:24:25.700 --> 00:24:28.700 time in Israel. And he was being chased everywhere 00:24:28.700 --> 00:24:31.180 through the wilderness because Saul had become 00:24:31.180 --> 00:24:34.299 very jealous and was filled with an evil spirit. 00:24:34.579 --> 00:24:39.099 And so David was in dire straits. So also we, 00:24:39.180 --> 00:24:42.559 when we give thanks, let us remember why we are 00:24:42.559 --> 00:24:45.980 grateful. And we remember what we have come from. 00:24:46.000 --> 00:24:48.700 We remember what we have gone through. Here we 00:24:48.700 --> 00:24:52.400 are enjoying this wonderful fellowship, the wonderful 00:24:52.400 --> 00:24:56.180 blessings. that we have experienced in the fellowship 00:24:56.180 --> 00:24:59.259 of this congregation. And as we do so, and as 00:24:59.259 --> 00:25:02.119 we give thanks, we remember what it was like. 00:25:02.279 --> 00:25:04.720 We remember the times of desert in our life. 00:25:04.759 --> 00:25:07.480 We remember the times when we were crying out 00:25:07.480 --> 00:25:11.160 to God, Lord, will you please gather together 00:25:11.160 --> 00:25:15.319 a people, a people that will worship you and 00:25:15.319 --> 00:25:19.880 honor you and a place where we can be at home. 00:25:20.079 --> 00:25:24.250 We remember that. We remember the times. when 00:25:24.250 --> 00:25:26.710 we were going through deep waters. Maybe it was 00:25:26.710 --> 00:25:28.990 as a family. Maybe it was a really difficult 00:25:28.990 --> 00:25:32.450 financial situation that we were in. Maybe it 00:25:32.450 --> 00:25:35.869 was a time when we suffered the loss or the death 00:25:35.869 --> 00:25:38.710 of a child or of a really dear friend or of a 00:25:38.710 --> 00:25:42.609 father or a mother. We remember those times and 00:25:42.609 --> 00:25:47.309 we become thankful. We exercise thankfulness 00:25:47.309 --> 00:25:50.670 that God has brought us now to the place where 00:25:50.670 --> 00:25:53.960 he has. Maybe you're going through a hard time 00:25:53.960 --> 00:25:56.839 right now. Maybe you're going through a time 00:25:56.839 --> 00:26:00.500 of great difficulty, a time of pain or a time 00:26:00.500 --> 00:26:05.299 of loss. You can, with thankfulness, know that 00:26:05.299 --> 00:26:09.140 God is at work, that you can rest in his sovereignty 00:26:09.140 --> 00:26:12.920 and you can look forward to the time when you 00:26:12.920 --> 00:26:14.579 will look back on the time that you're going 00:26:14.579 --> 00:26:17.680 through right now with thankfulness for how God 00:26:17.680 --> 00:26:21.460 rescued you. So I point you. to him, even if 00:26:21.460 --> 00:26:23.940 you're going through a very difficult time right 00:26:23.940 --> 00:26:29.000 now. How do we give thanks? Our prayers are to 00:26:29.000 --> 00:26:32.559 be filled with the giving of thanks to him. Colossians 00:26:32.559 --> 00:26:35.740 1, 3, we give thanks to the God and Father of 00:26:35.740 --> 00:26:38.039 our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 00:26:38.180 --> 00:26:40.579 since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus 00:26:40.579 --> 00:26:43.880 and of your love for all the saints. Thank the 00:26:43.880 --> 00:26:46.289 Lord. For your brothers and sisters here that 00:26:46.289 --> 00:26:48.630 God has blessed you with. When you pray, when 00:26:48.630 --> 00:26:51.549 you pray for people in the congregation, thank 00:26:51.549 --> 00:26:54.569 the Lord for them. Let your prayers be filled 00:26:54.569 --> 00:26:59.470 with thankfulness. In 1 Timothy chapter 2, as 00:26:59.470 --> 00:27:02.589 Paul is exhorting how thanksgiving is to be done, 00:27:02.670 --> 00:27:05.329 especially in the public congregation, he begins 00:27:05.329 --> 00:27:08.490 with, Therefore I exhort, first of all, that 00:27:08.490 --> 00:27:12.309 supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving 00:27:12.309 --> 00:27:20.380 of thanks. be made for all men. Excuse me. How 00:27:20.380 --> 00:27:23.400 do we give thanks? Our singing is to be a way 00:27:23.400 --> 00:27:26.359 of giving thanks. This is emphasized as we look 00:27:26.359 --> 00:27:28.440 at the various times of singing, both in the 00:27:28.440 --> 00:27:32.119 Psalms as well as in the epistles. Be filled 00:27:32.119 --> 00:27:35.400 with the Spirit, Paul says in Ephesians 5, speaking 00:27:35.400 --> 00:27:38.279 to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual 00:27:38.279 --> 00:27:42.140 songs, singing and making melody in your heart 00:27:42.140 --> 00:27:47.180 to the Lord. giving thanks always for all things 00:27:47.180 --> 00:27:49.839 to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus 00:27:49.839 --> 00:27:52.460 Christ, submitting to one another in the fear 00:27:52.460 --> 00:27:55.980 of the Lord. Our singing is to be a way of thanksgiving. 00:27:56.579 --> 00:27:59.640 This is another reason why it's so important 00:27:59.640 --> 00:28:02.940 to learn to sing. It's important to be able to 00:28:02.940 --> 00:28:06.079 come together and sing to the Lord, speaking 00:28:06.079 --> 00:28:09.519 to one another. And so if you don't know how 00:28:09.519 --> 00:28:12.980 to sing, then ask the Lord for the gift of it. 00:28:13.359 --> 00:28:15.640 Go somewhere maybe where you can learn. Or come 00:28:15.640 --> 00:28:18.000 to the psalm sings here. Psalm and hymn sings. 00:28:18.279 --> 00:28:21.700 And as many of us have already. Learn to sing 00:28:21.700 --> 00:28:24.299 together. This is again brought out in Ephesians 00:28:24.299 --> 00:28:27.599 chapter 5. Verse 19. Let the word of Christ dwell 00:28:27.599 --> 00:28:32.279 in you richly. In all wisdom. Teaching and admonishing 00:28:32.279 --> 00:28:35.079 one another. In psalms and hymns and spiritual 00:28:35.079 --> 00:28:38.500 songs. Singing with grace in your hearts to the 00:28:38.500 --> 00:28:43.019 Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed. do 00:28:43.019 --> 00:28:47.279 all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks 00:28:47.279 --> 00:28:52.119 to the Father through him. We give thanks through 00:28:52.119 --> 00:28:56.500 Jesus to the Father for all these things. Our 00:28:56.500 --> 00:29:00.680 whole walk of life is to be the giving of thanks 00:29:00.680 --> 00:29:04.339 to the Father who has given us a great inheritance. 00:29:05.599 --> 00:29:08.720 Colossians speaks of this inheritance in this 00:29:08.720 --> 00:29:11.859 wonderful prayer. Paul says, for this reason, 00:29:11.900 --> 00:29:14.839 we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease 00:29:14.839 --> 00:29:17.660 to pray for you and do ask that you may be filled 00:29:17.660 --> 00:29:20.640 with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom 00:29:20.640 --> 00:29:23.160 and spiritual understanding. And then here are 00:29:23.160 --> 00:29:26.200 the requests that they would walk worthy of the 00:29:26.200 --> 00:29:29.059 Lord, fully pleasing him, being fruitful in every 00:29:29.059 --> 00:29:30.940 good work and increasing in the knowledge of 00:29:30.940 --> 00:29:33.319 God, that they would be strengthened with all 00:29:33.319 --> 00:29:37.019 might according to his glorious power for all 00:29:37.019 --> 00:29:41.859 patience. and long -suffering with joy. And then 00:29:41.859 --> 00:29:44.299 he prays that they would give thanks to the Father 00:29:44.299 --> 00:29:47.920 who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance 00:29:47.920 --> 00:29:51.559 of the saints in light. And then again reminding 00:29:51.559 --> 00:29:55.539 them in this prayer, reminding them as he is 00:29:55.539 --> 00:29:58.180 praying for them, he says he has delivered us 00:29:58.180 --> 00:30:01.279 from the power of darkness and conveyed us into 00:30:01.279 --> 00:30:04.500 the kingdom of the Son of his love in whom we 00:30:04.500 --> 00:30:07.099 have redemption. through his blood, the forgiveness 00:30:07.099 --> 00:30:09.640 of sins. And there we have, remember when we 00:30:09.640 --> 00:30:12.480 talked about God, who does not just look away 00:30:12.480 --> 00:30:16.880 from sin, we have the perfect answer in the provision 00:30:16.880 --> 00:30:21.039 of Jesus Christ, whom God sent, who reconciles 00:30:21.039 --> 00:30:24.339 us to God, who forgives our sin, who cleanses 00:30:24.339 --> 00:30:29.420 us and washes us clean. Number four, what accompanies 00:30:29.420 --> 00:30:34.369 thankfulness? What happens when one lives a thankful 00:30:34.369 --> 00:30:39.829 life and is full of thanksgiving? Generosity, 00:30:40.009 --> 00:30:43.869 large heartedness, blessing others, even the 00:30:43.869 --> 00:30:46.490 giving of gifts and of ourselves and grace toward 00:30:46.490 --> 00:30:51.549 others. All of these come to us. Our blessings 00:30:51.549 --> 00:30:55.049 that God comes as we are a thankful people. We 00:30:55.049 --> 00:30:58.089 become a generous people. A large hearted people. 00:30:58.269 --> 00:31:01.190 Where we bless others. We give gifts and we give 00:31:01.190 --> 00:31:04.690 ourselves and we have grace. What accompanies 00:31:04.690 --> 00:31:06.829 thankfulness? Singing and praise. We've already 00:31:06.829 --> 00:31:11.519 talked about that. Also worship. Psalm 95, 1 00:31:11.519 --> 00:31:14.680 and 2, O come, let us sing to the Lord. Let us 00:31:14.680 --> 00:31:17.299 shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. 00:31:17.579 --> 00:31:20.900 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving. 00:31:21.200 --> 00:31:24.640 Let us shout joyfully to him with psalms. We 00:31:24.640 --> 00:31:28.160 cannot worship God properly if we are not a thankful 00:31:28.160 --> 00:31:32.740 people. Because thanksgiving is integral to worship. 00:31:33.369 --> 00:31:36.890 It's part of it. We cannot worship a right if 00:31:36.890 --> 00:31:41.430 we have a bitter or an ungrateful heart. And 00:31:41.430 --> 00:31:44.029 what else accompanies thankfulness? The fruits 00:31:44.029 --> 00:31:46.769 of the Spirit. The fruits of the Spirit come. 00:31:46.910 --> 00:31:49.670 What are those fruits? They are love. They are 00:31:49.670 --> 00:31:53.349 joy, peace, and long -suffering, and kindness, 00:31:53.589 --> 00:31:57.769 and goodness, and gentleness, and self -control. 00:31:58.309 --> 00:32:02.119 These are the fruits. of the spirit that come 00:32:02.119 --> 00:32:05.980 as we submit to God, as our sins are washed away 00:32:05.980 --> 00:32:10.900 and we are a thankful people. Let's speak for 00:32:10.900 --> 00:32:14.359 a bit on the confession of sin because the confession 00:32:14.359 --> 00:32:18.299 of sin is so important so that peace and love 00:32:18.299 --> 00:32:21.240 and joy can be restored and we can again give 00:32:21.240 --> 00:32:25.240 thanks. So when you sin against God or you sin 00:32:25.240 --> 00:32:29.640 against each other, be quick. to confess and 00:32:29.640 --> 00:32:33.339 to repent, to turn to God and to do the works 00:32:33.339 --> 00:32:36.220 befitting repentance. Why do we want to hang 00:32:36.220 --> 00:32:39.740 on to our sins for so long? It simply corrodes, 00:32:39.759 --> 00:32:42.779 it corrupts, and it's because we become selfish 00:32:42.779 --> 00:32:45.480 or we're self -righteous. When you do something 00:32:45.480 --> 00:32:48.279 against your wife, don't go to bed with it and 00:32:48.279 --> 00:32:54.460 just let it stir up like a canker or like a cancer 00:32:54.460 --> 00:32:58.319 in you. It will destroy your happen is it will 00:32:58.319 --> 00:33:00.539 destroy your peace and it will break fellowship 00:33:00.539 --> 00:33:03.119 between you and your wife or between you and 00:33:03.119 --> 00:33:06.740 your husband. So do not hold on to it. When we 00:33:06.740 --> 00:33:10.960 sin, let us come quickly. Confess the sin to 00:33:10.960 --> 00:33:13.539 the Lord. Confess to each other. Let us be clean 00:33:13.539 --> 00:33:17.079 and clear and right. Yes, that takes humility, 00:33:17.180 --> 00:33:21.559 but God gives grace to the humble. So do that. 00:33:21.619 --> 00:33:25.819 Set yourself to do that. When you sin, be quick. 00:33:26.619 --> 00:33:30.480 to confess and to repent. When fellowship is 00:33:30.480 --> 00:33:33.859 broken between you and God or between you and 00:33:33.859 --> 00:33:37.099 someone else, do not be bitter or stew in your 00:33:37.099 --> 00:33:41.460 mind, but confess, repent, be restored and healed 00:33:41.460 --> 00:33:44.980 and back in fellowship and then give thanks. 00:33:45.500 --> 00:33:49.480 We cannot be a thankful people if we are harboring 00:33:49.480 --> 00:33:53.259 this kind of sin and destruction and holding 00:33:53.259 --> 00:33:56.759 it close to us. Now the scripture also, number 00:33:56.759 --> 00:33:59.500 five, gives us warnings about those who are not 00:33:59.500 --> 00:34:03.140 thankful. There are two that I'd like to look 00:34:03.140 --> 00:34:07.420 at. The first one is in the downward slide of 00:34:07.420 --> 00:34:10.980 a people into gross idolatry and immorality that 00:34:10.980 --> 00:34:14.639 is chronicled in Romans 1. It's a very incredible 00:34:14.639 --> 00:34:18.320 and it's very sad to see that great downward 00:34:18.320 --> 00:34:21.400 slide that happens in the latter part of Romans 00:34:21.400 --> 00:34:28.559 chapter 1. But it begins, Paul says, with unthankfulness. 00:34:28.980 --> 00:34:31.800 He says, for since the creation of the world, 00:34:31.860 --> 00:34:35.119 his invisible attributes are clearly seen, being 00:34:35.119 --> 00:34:37.360 understood by the things that are made, even 00:34:37.360 --> 00:34:40.119 his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are 00:34:40.119 --> 00:34:44.099 without excuse because although they knew God, 00:34:44.280 --> 00:34:49.380 they did not glorify him as God, nor were thankful. 00:34:50.989 --> 00:34:54.389 but became futile in their thoughts, and their 00:34:54.389 --> 00:34:57.429 foolish hearts were darkened. And one thing leads 00:34:57.429 --> 00:34:59.769 to the next, which leads to the next, until you 00:34:59.769 --> 00:35:03.449 see this great downward progression and destruction 00:35:03.449 --> 00:35:09.530 at the end. Romans chapter 1. Number two, ungratefulness 00:35:09.530 --> 00:35:14.150 leads to conflict and the devouring of one another. 00:35:14.849 --> 00:35:19.840 Galatians 5 verse 15 says very candidly, But 00:35:19.840 --> 00:35:22.699 if you devour, if you bite and you devour one 00:35:22.699 --> 00:35:26.579 another, beware lest you be consumed by one another. 00:35:27.159 --> 00:35:31.320 We see this in human relationships, especially 00:35:31.320 --> 00:35:35.559 in marriage, but also in so many other applications. 00:35:36.079 --> 00:35:38.619 When we're constantly snipping at each other, 00:35:38.659 --> 00:35:40.639 biting each other, we're like that yappy dog, 00:35:40.780 --> 00:35:43.480 always just finding something wrong. We become 00:35:43.480 --> 00:35:47.159 very picky or we're always finding fault. We're 00:35:47.159 --> 00:35:48.460 just looking at another and say, oh, you didn't 00:35:48.460 --> 00:35:50.909 do that quite right. It will destroy marriages 00:35:50.909 --> 00:35:53.789 and it will destroy congregations. If we are 00:35:53.789 --> 00:35:56.630 filled with the spirit of nitpicking at each 00:35:56.630 --> 00:35:59.010 other and biting and devouring and pulling down 00:35:59.010 --> 00:36:03.329 and hating to see someone else prosper, it is 00:36:03.329 --> 00:36:07.889 utterly destructive. And ungratefulness leads 00:36:07.889 --> 00:36:13.369 to all of this. It destroys gratefulness. All 00:36:13.369 --> 00:36:16.070 human relationships and especially marriage. 00:36:16.329 --> 00:36:20.210 So let us be warned. About not being thankful. 00:36:20.429 --> 00:36:24.969 When we look at the digression. The terrible 00:36:24.969 --> 00:36:29.130 downfall of the people in Romans chapter 1. And 00:36:29.130 --> 00:36:32.369 when we see the examples of biting and devouring 00:36:32.369 --> 00:36:35.909 one another. Let's look now at just a few additional 00:36:35.909 --> 00:36:38.929 applications. As we've looked at the word of 00:36:38.929 --> 00:36:41.590 God. And the principles regarding being thankful. 00:36:43.150 --> 00:36:47.289 How can we apply this? How can we remind ourselves? 00:36:48.300 --> 00:36:52.139 to remember and to be thankful. Well, the first 00:36:52.139 --> 00:36:54.880 one simply is, and I've mentioned this briefly 00:36:54.880 --> 00:36:59.900 already, recount what God has done. Take great 00:36:59.900 --> 00:37:02.719 glory in what God has done in the great deeds 00:37:02.719 --> 00:37:07.019 of the past. Because God has done over and over 00:37:07.019 --> 00:37:09.079 and over again, He has done great and mighty 00:37:09.079 --> 00:37:13.130 deeds. I just read of the, at the beginning I 00:37:13.130 --> 00:37:15.610 read in this proclamation of Thanksgiving how 00:37:15.610 --> 00:37:18.849 they were recounting the mighty deeds that led 00:37:18.849 --> 00:37:22.210 to the fourth year of being a nation. How God 00:37:22.210 --> 00:37:26.250 so marvelously guided us and protected us. And 00:37:26.250 --> 00:37:29.610 they were recounting that. We also must recount 00:37:29.610 --> 00:37:33.789 what God has done. Recount the stories of the 00:37:33.789 --> 00:37:37.150 difficult times in your past or in your fathers 00:37:37.150 --> 00:37:39.989 or grandfathers that you know about. And see 00:37:39.989 --> 00:37:44.150 what God did and praise him for bringing him 00:37:44.150 --> 00:37:50.050 or you through those times. And praise him for 00:37:50.050 --> 00:37:53.469 the good times that you now enjoy. As I look 00:37:53.469 --> 00:37:56.250 back over our own lives, I remember specific 00:37:56.250 --> 00:38:01.750 times of great, great difficulty. And how the 00:38:01.750 --> 00:38:04.809 Lord sustained us. There was one time when... 00:38:05.239 --> 00:38:09.099 Had a severe financial setback. We hardly had 00:38:09.099 --> 00:38:11.820 any food in the house. And someone from our church 00:38:11.820 --> 00:38:15.599 brought a large turkey. They blessed us with 00:38:15.599 --> 00:38:20.239 a large turkey. We ate for meals. Several meals 00:38:20.239 --> 00:38:24.159 from that turkey. And it was such an overwhelming 00:38:24.159 --> 00:38:27.320 blessing. Then the Lord blessed and prospered. 00:38:27.320 --> 00:38:30.019 And now we look back and we tend to forget. But 00:38:30.019 --> 00:38:32.599 we need to recount that. And remember, this is 00:38:32.599 --> 00:38:36.059 what God did. And he blessed this family. He 00:38:36.059 --> 00:38:39.659 used this family to bless us and to sustain us 00:38:39.659 --> 00:38:42.619 with this gift of, I don't know, 25 or 30 pound 00:38:42.619 --> 00:38:45.860 turkey. It was really incredible. We need to 00:38:45.860 --> 00:38:49.320 remember those things and pass them on. What 00:38:49.320 --> 00:38:52.980 are the stories of your past? What can you tell 00:38:52.980 --> 00:38:56.619 your children or your grandchildren? Or do you 00:38:56.619 --> 00:38:58.960 know any of the stories from your forefathers? 00:38:59.280 --> 00:39:03.139 Or have any been handed down to you? What difficult 00:39:03.139 --> 00:39:05.699 things did you come through where God brought 00:39:05.699 --> 00:39:09.860 you out with a mighty hand and an outstretched 00:39:09.860 --> 00:39:14.320 arm? Use that time to spur thanksgiving and praise 00:39:14.320 --> 00:39:18.780 for what God has done, how he brought you through. 00:39:18.980 --> 00:39:21.579 And then there are the stories of history and 00:39:21.579 --> 00:39:23.980 there are the stories in the word of God. Read 00:39:23.980 --> 00:39:27.039 the story, but don't just read the story internally 00:39:27.039 --> 00:39:30.960 and silently. Tell your family about it. Tell 00:39:30.960 --> 00:39:34.039 your children or others about the wonderful works 00:39:34.039 --> 00:39:38.059 of God. Psalm 78 brings this out in a multi -generational 00:39:38.059 --> 00:39:41.940 way. How that? He commanded them that they are 00:39:41.940 --> 00:39:43.980 to tell these stories so that their children 00:39:43.980 --> 00:39:45.920 would then rise up and tell their children who 00:39:45.920 --> 00:39:48.159 would then rise up and tell their children of 00:39:48.159 --> 00:39:52.730 the mighty deeds of God. Trials are indeed a 00:39:52.730 --> 00:39:55.869 part of life, and God is working his purposes 00:39:55.869 --> 00:39:59.769 out through trials. James 1 tells us to count 00:39:59.769 --> 00:40:02.250 it all joy when we fall into various trials, 00:40:02.469 --> 00:40:05.889 knowing that the testing of your faith produces 00:40:05.889 --> 00:40:13.679 patience. And it's true. It certainly does. There 00:40:13.679 --> 00:40:16.360 may be ways for you to set up monuments or establish 00:40:16.360 --> 00:40:18.800 records that can be told, maybe even writing 00:40:18.800 --> 00:40:22.000 histories or even just making a photo album of 00:40:22.000 --> 00:40:26.480 times that the Lord brought you through. Times 00:40:26.480 --> 00:40:29.280 when your great -grandchildren can look back 00:40:29.280 --> 00:40:32.699 and know at least a little bit about you and 00:40:32.699 --> 00:40:36.619 what happened and how God was great. Tell these 00:40:36.619 --> 00:40:38.940 stories to your children and your grandchildren. 00:40:39.980 --> 00:40:43.239 Second application is, how do we cultivate thankfulness? 00:40:43.360 --> 00:40:45.480 When we are to pray without ceasing, how do we 00:40:45.480 --> 00:40:49.420 pray without ceasing? We know that God has called 00:40:49.420 --> 00:40:51.739 us to work, and absolutely, we need to work. 00:40:51.920 --> 00:40:53.860 I mean, there's duties that need to be done. 00:40:53.920 --> 00:40:56.380 There's many things. We're called to work and 00:40:56.380 --> 00:40:58.900 to provide for ourself and our family. So how 00:40:58.900 --> 00:41:03.559 can we be constant in prayer? How can we continue 00:41:03.559 --> 00:41:07.280 in this? Well, one of the ways... to cultivate 00:41:07.280 --> 00:41:10.119 thankfulness and to pray without ceasing is to 00:41:10.119 --> 00:41:13.400 learn how to have sentence prayers, to be God 00:41:13.400 --> 00:41:16.320 conscious throughout the day. When you experience 00:41:16.320 --> 00:41:19.260 a blessing, oh, thank you, Lord, for this. When 00:41:19.260 --> 00:41:21.519 you come home and you're tired and you sit down 00:41:21.519 --> 00:41:24.739 in your chair, oh, Lord, thank you for this. 00:41:25.000 --> 00:41:27.460 When you sit down in the meal, we thank God for 00:41:27.460 --> 00:41:30.039 the food, but really thank him for it, for the 00:41:30.039 --> 00:41:33.099 good food, and thank those who helped to prepare 00:41:33.099 --> 00:41:39.650 the food for you. Learn how to pray sentence 00:41:39.650 --> 00:41:43.469 prayers all the time. I mean, it happens sometimes. 00:41:43.630 --> 00:41:46.809 I do some mechanical things. I'm not a mechanic 00:41:46.809 --> 00:41:49.409 by trade, but living on a ranch, you have to 00:41:49.409 --> 00:41:52.030 do things. You know how it is. You're trying 00:41:52.030 --> 00:41:53.909 to get this bolt in, and it drops out of your 00:41:53.909 --> 00:41:57.230 hand, and where did it go? You just cannot find 00:41:57.230 --> 00:41:59.630 it. There's a sentence prayer. Lord, please help 00:41:59.630 --> 00:42:02.150 me find this bolt. Yeah, God cares even about 00:42:02.150 --> 00:42:04.849 the very little things of life. Learn to just 00:42:04.849 --> 00:42:08.010 breathe a quick prayer to God, to be God conscious 00:42:08.010 --> 00:42:10.809 all the time. And I think that that's one of 00:42:10.809 --> 00:42:14.730 the ways that we can fulfill that commandment. 00:42:14.750 --> 00:42:17.809 But also cultivate thankfulness in doing it. 00:42:17.929 --> 00:42:21.070 You crawl into bed at night. Oh, I feel so comfortable. 00:42:21.389 --> 00:42:24.019 Thank you, Lord, for this bed. Thank you for 00:42:24.019 --> 00:42:26.480 this warm covers. Thank you for this wood fire 00:42:26.480 --> 00:42:28.900 in the morning. Thank you for a stove that I 00:42:28.900 --> 00:42:31.559 can cook this meal on. Thank you for this little 00:42:31.559 --> 00:42:34.159 one that you've entrusted me with. Thank you 00:42:34.159 --> 00:42:36.840 for this coat, Lord, that keeps me warm outside 00:42:36.840 --> 00:42:39.780 and it feels so good. Thank you for a warm vehicle 00:42:39.780 --> 00:42:43.000 to get into. Thank you for electricity that we 00:42:43.000 --> 00:42:45.679 can have here as we enjoy the heat and the light 00:42:45.679 --> 00:42:48.320 and can enjoy a warm meal here just a little 00:42:48.320 --> 00:42:51.000 bit later. Thank you, Lord, for all of these 00:42:51.000 --> 00:42:54.559 things and let us be God conscious and thereby 00:42:54.559 --> 00:42:58.239 giving him thanks in all of the little things 00:42:58.239 --> 00:43:02.920 of life that will keep us oriented toward God 00:43:02.920 --> 00:43:07.440 as well as help to guard from sin. Cultivate 00:43:07.440 --> 00:43:11.659 thankfulness with sentence prayers. Now, at the 00:43:11.659 --> 00:43:14.179 beginning of the sermon, I made this statement. 00:43:14.599 --> 00:43:17.059 When the Holy Spirit comes on a people, they 00:43:17.059 --> 00:43:20.869 are filled with... This is one of the characteristics 00:43:20.869 --> 00:43:24.030 of a work of God, that God's people are thankful 00:43:24.030 --> 00:43:28.670 and that they are filled with joy. And that thankfulness 00:43:28.670 --> 00:43:31.469 and joyfulness should be evident wherever we 00:43:31.469 --> 00:43:40.030 go. What hinders this? What stops you or me from 00:43:40.030 --> 00:43:43.869 being known as a thankful and a joyful person? 00:43:47.800 --> 00:43:50.199 Maybe it is that you have not learned how to 00:43:50.199 --> 00:43:52.400 walk through trials with joy. Maybe you're going 00:43:52.400 --> 00:43:54.380 through a trial and you don't know how to do 00:43:54.380 --> 00:43:57.280 it with joy. Maybe you're overburdened with the 00:43:57.280 --> 00:44:00.639 cares of life and have not learned that Jesus 00:44:00.639 --> 00:44:03.480 tells you to cast all of your cares upon him. 00:44:03.639 --> 00:44:06.780 So maybe you haven't given them to the Lord. 00:44:07.980 --> 00:44:12.940 Perhaps, as you hear this sermon, Maybe you have 00:44:12.940 --> 00:44:15.539 not experienced the new birth. Maybe you don't 00:44:15.539 --> 00:44:17.940 know what it is to love God with all of your 00:44:17.940 --> 00:44:22.559 heart and mind and have been made alive through 00:44:22.559 --> 00:44:25.199 the operation of the Spirit. And so to you, I 00:44:25.199 --> 00:44:28.159 would say, repent and believe. Turn to Christ. 00:44:28.280 --> 00:44:32.039 Trust in Him with all of your heart. Maybe you 00:44:32.039 --> 00:44:35.480 think that being joyful is putting on a show. 00:44:35.599 --> 00:44:39.500 You're just doing that for show. No. No, it's 00:44:39.500 --> 00:44:41.579 to come. I mean, that can happen, but it's a 00:44:41.579 --> 00:44:45.360 false joy. It's a spurious joy. It's a pasted 00:44:45.360 --> 00:44:48.960 on smile. It's a smiling on the outside when 00:44:48.960 --> 00:44:51.139 you're filled with rottenness on the inside and 00:44:51.139 --> 00:44:56.440 it will show. Maybe you don't understand God's 00:44:56.440 --> 00:44:59.159 covenant mercies and his sovereignty so that 00:44:59.159 --> 00:45:02.079 you think that you have to be the Holy Spirit 00:45:02.079 --> 00:45:05.820 or that you're so intense. That you look through 00:45:05.820 --> 00:45:09.099 life only as an evangelistic enterprise in which 00:45:09.099 --> 00:45:12.420 you go around all day, burdened all the time, 00:45:12.480 --> 00:45:15.539 and you become a killjoy, a morose, the equivalent 00:45:15.539 --> 00:45:18.800 of the old man holding the sign all the time 00:45:18.800 --> 00:45:22.179 by the road. The end is near. Maybe you're that 00:45:22.179 --> 00:45:26.150 kind in your heart or in your mind. I do not 00:45:26.150 --> 00:45:28.710 speak against attempting to persuade men. Indeed, 00:45:28.909 --> 00:45:32.329 as Paul said in 2 Corinthians 5 verse 11, knowing 00:45:32.329 --> 00:45:34.250 therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade 00:45:34.250 --> 00:45:37.510 men, but we are well known to God and I trust. 00:45:37.960 --> 00:45:41.000 are well known in your consciences. But how should 00:45:41.000 --> 00:45:44.559 we persuade? I am arguing that we persuade not 00:45:44.559 --> 00:45:47.619 by a fake face that has a pasted on smile or 00:45:47.619 --> 00:45:51.139 by walking around all the time breathing denunciations, 00:45:51.139 --> 00:45:55.139 but by being genuinely joyful, a pleasure to 00:45:55.139 --> 00:45:58.480 be around, filled with grace, delight in God's 00:45:58.480 --> 00:46:01.719 goodness, his sovereignty, and enjoying his great 00:46:01.719 --> 00:46:04.800 creation and his good gifts. It's a total worldview 00:46:04.800 --> 00:46:08.869 shift. If we can look that that is the way God's 00:46:08.869 --> 00:46:12.110 people are to be, to be characterized like that. 00:46:12.710 --> 00:46:16.289 When we look at evangelism and serving God through 00:46:16.289 --> 00:46:20.260 fear of hell. or fear of not pleasing God, or 00:46:20.260 --> 00:46:23.519 fear of anything, then we are driven to live 00:46:23.519 --> 00:46:27.260 with that mindset. But God desires, yes, faithful 00:46:27.260 --> 00:46:30.079 witnesses. And we are faithful witnesses when 00:46:30.079 --> 00:46:33.280 we love God, when His commandments are not grievous, 00:46:33.320 --> 00:46:37.500 because our obedience flows out of an infectious 00:46:37.500 --> 00:46:42.940 love for God. First John five and verse three, 00:46:43.000 --> 00:46:44.960 for this is the love of God that we keep his 00:46:44.960 --> 00:46:48.579 commandments and his commandments are not burdensome. 00:46:49.300 --> 00:46:53.219 Someone asks you, how are you doing? Oh, better 00:46:53.219 --> 00:46:57.960 than I deserve. Or I'm rejoicing in the goodness 00:46:57.960 --> 00:47:00.840 or the mercy or the faithfulness or the nearness 00:47:00.840 --> 00:47:03.559 or the kindness of God and the love of his people. 00:47:04.539 --> 00:47:11.059 Live with joy to everywhere you go. When the 00:47:11.059 --> 00:47:14.800 Lord comes to Zion. And redeems his people. And 00:47:14.800 --> 00:47:18.039 they follow after righteousness. Isaiah prophesies 00:47:18.039 --> 00:47:21.519 in chapter 51 verse 3. That the Lord will comfort 00:47:21.519 --> 00:47:25.679 Zion. He will comfort all her waste places. He 00:47:25.679 --> 00:47:28.679 will make her wilderness like Eden. And her desert 00:47:28.679 --> 00:47:32.079 like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness 00:47:32.079 --> 00:47:36.019 will be there. They will be found in it. Thanksgiving 00:47:36.019 --> 00:47:39.940 and the voice of melody. This is the characterization 00:47:39.940 --> 00:47:43.980 of the people of God. Let us go for this, dear 00:47:43.980 --> 00:47:47.980 brothers and sisters. This, her desert like the 00:47:47.980 --> 00:47:50.760 garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be 00:47:50.760 --> 00:47:55.340 found in it. Thanksgiving and the voice of melody. 00:47:55.920 --> 00:47:59.420 Brothers and sisters, we have come to Mount Zion. 00:47:59.860 --> 00:48:03.239 We are living in the time that Isaiah prophesied. 00:48:03.300 --> 00:48:07.440 For Jesus has come. He has made Jew and Gentile 00:48:07.440 --> 00:48:12.000 one in Christ. And we are receiving this. kingdom 00:48:12.000 --> 00:48:16.719 this glorious kingdom go read Hebrews 12 verse 00:48:16.719 --> 00:48:20.280 22 through 24 again how that we have come to 00:48:20.280 --> 00:48:24.659 Mount Zion and to the heavenly Jerusalem so let 00:48:24.659 --> 00:48:29.320 us then in the words of Psalm 100 make a joyful 00:48:29.320 --> 00:48:33.519 noise to the Lord all you lands serve the Lord 00:48:33.519 --> 00:48:38.119 with gladness come before his presence with singing 00:48:38.679 --> 00:48:43.840 Know that the Lord, he is God. It is he who has 00:48:43.840 --> 00:48:48.760 made us and not we ourselves. We are his people 00:48:48.760 --> 00:48:53.400 and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his 00:48:53.400 --> 00:48:57.420 gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with 00:48:57.420 --> 00:49:01.619 praise. Be thankful to him and bless his name 00:49:01.619 --> 00:49:04.860 for the Lord is good. His mercy is everlasting 00:49:04.860 --> 00:49:08.869 and his truth endures. to all generations. Let's 00:49:08.869 --> 00:49:08.949 pray.