Thanksliving
Notes
Transcript
We are continuing our series this morning Thanks and Giving
We will addresses how we can develop a heart of gratitude to God, which in turn leads to generous giving.
Thankfulness is not an occasional act but a lifestyle of intentional and spontaneous appreciation that leads us into the presence of God, empowers us to be grateful in all circumstances, and generates an overflow of generosity.
Last week we look at a passage out of Luke when Jesus healed 10 men with leprosy. Out of ten men only one came back to praise Jesus for healing him. His man was a Samaritan man. The Jew Dislike anyone for Samaria. There was a deep divided between this two people groups.
This one man came back and praised Jesus loudly giving all the glory to God for what Jesus did. You see we need to be like this man and not the other nine. As far as we know the other nine never came back. We do not know way. Maybe they got to busy go back to family or the priest show what happen.
We have to be willing to be like the one man. We have to be willing to praise God and give him thanks every minute of the day.
We have to be willing to develop a heart of constant heart of gratitude.
So that posses a question.
How do we have a heart of gratitude with everything seem to be going wrong in our life? How can we be thankful in the times when we are hurting?
This morning we will be in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 if you have your bible go head and turn there or you can follow along on the screen in a few moments.
Before we look at how we can be thankful in all. I have a question you so think for a moment.
What are you thankful for today?
What are you thankful for today?
Go head a post something in the comments.
what bring you joy? What in your life right now can say thank you God for this.
Look at comments
We all have something to be thankful for in the here and now. There will be a time in the future that you might not have anything to be thankful for. You might be going through a bad time, the lost of a loved one, and many other things.
How can we learn to be thankful in all circumstances?
How can we learn to be thankful in all circumstances?
even the bad. Join me as a i read
16 Rejoice always,
17 pray constantly,
18 give thanks in everything; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
short verse but very to the point. in some translation its says give thanks in all circumstances. This goes back to our question of the day.
How can we learn to be thankful in all circumstances?
How can we learn to be thankful in all circumstances?
Here in Canada we celebrate Thanksgiving on the second Monday in October. Which is totally different for states which is the fourth Thursday of November. This two day are set up fo time to be thankful for what you have. It a time that we set down with family and friends. To reflect on the past year and what we can be thankful for. Lot of time this days are the only time some people think of being thank and what they are thank for.
We are told in the passage today to be thankful in everything or in all circumstances.
Evil, injustice, and cruelty exist every day in this world. Scripture never instructs us to give thanks for wicked, immoral, and sinful circumstances but to give thanks in them.
God’s desire for us is to live a lifestyle of thanksgiving everyday
Nancy DeMoss states, "Thanksgiving really should be thanksliving—a way of life—day in, day out, morning, noon, and night— continually, forever giving thanks to the Lord"
Nancy DeMoss states, "Thanksgiving really should be thanksliving—a way of life—day in, day out, morning, noon, and night— continually, forever giving thanks to the Lord"
a well know Christian radio host and author
(Nancy Leigh DeMoss, quoted in Leslie Bennett, “Thanksgiving … or Thanksliving?” Leader Connection Blog,
Revive Our Hearts, November 10, 2014,
How can we live a life of thanksliving?
How can we live a life of thanksliving?
As followers of Jesus, we are not immune to the trials, pains, difficulties, and sufferings of life.
In fact, life can be very brutal at times. It can be extremely difficult to give thanks to God in such times. Through the power of the Holy Spirit in us, we can give thanks in all circumstance for a several reasons.
God is always with us
God is always with us
6 Be strong and courageous; don’t be terrified or afraid of them. For the Lord your God is the one who will go with you; he will not leave you or abandon you.”
8 The Lord is the one who will go before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or abandon you. Do not be afraid or discouraged.”
God is always with us
God is always with us
Giving thanks is an act of faith rather than not walking by sight. We have to “see” beyond our circumstances and look to Jesus
Jesus knows what we are going through
Jesus knows what we are going through
Second, Jesus understands what we are going
through (Hebrews 4:15).
15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in every way as we are, yet without sin.
Jesus knows what we are going through
Jesus knows what we are going through
In his life on earth and death on the cross, Jesus went through tremendous pain and suffering, and he understands how we feel
The Holy Spirit is in us
The Holy Spirit is in us
4 He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
The Holy Spirit is in us
The Holy Spirit is in us
Finally,
the Holy Spirit is in us, comforting, encouraging, and strengthening us (2Corinthians 1:4). The Holy Spirit ministers to us in the midst of loss and pain.
Will you live a a life of thanksliving or just thanksgiving?
Will you live a a life of thanksliving or just thanksgiving?
We are not to offer thanks to God only occasionally or only when great things are happening; instead, we are to give thanks in all circumstances.
Even when we experience trials, we can give thanks for God’s presence, his understanding, and his comfort.