Thanks Living

the children of Israel were in the wilderness the scripture says at a certain point in their Journey God arranged it for them to come out of their tents six days of the week and find they said what is it it's Manna in our English Bible and it was just enough for that day couldn't keep it over and I'm glad that God provides for us daily and he's doing this in this place today providing what you need as you accept it gather it up that's what they had to do go gather up what they needed for that day and God's doing that in this place amen Thanksgiving the holiday obviously is over and as you

see Christmas is underway the music the decorations I'm sure things are being planned but thanks living goes on the holiday may be past us but thanks living goes on I saw a sign on a recent vacation that said simply crazy thankful crazy thankful and I guess that's open to interpretation what crazy thankful looks like or how you express it I'm Conjuring up the mental image of Tigger from Winnie the Pooh bouncing all over the place saying thank you thank you thank you I would demonstrate but I'm afraid I'd pull a hamstring and that would ruin my holidays so I'm not going to do that but displays of gratitude they don't have to be tigger-like or over the top necessarily but it is beneficial for us to possess a spirit of Thanksgiving in our lives and that's what I want to bring to you

today this thought of thanks living thanks living would you join with me in offering your thanks to God before you're seated and let's ask him to meet with us through his word Lord thank you so much your presence is flooding this house flooding our hearts and we offer our appreciation to you and ask that you administer and move to every individual here this day through your word in the precious name of Jesus and everyone said amen and those of you enjoying God's presence through your worship and Thanksgiving I promise you if you want it you're going to have a lot more opportunity to do that before you

leave here today if you want to take advantage of it you can be seated in his name when we adopt a Spirit of Thanksgiving let it permeate Our Lives when we have an attitude if you will to live inside of us it does a whole lot of good doesn't it when we allow thankful thoughts to fill our mind it has a positive effect when we are filled with gratitude we can still have joy listen to this we can still have joy and a sense of purpose regardless of what life throws at us and if you've lived long enough you know life definitely throws us some curves but with a mind set of gratitude there is still joy and a sense of purpose Jack Taylor said in his book The Hallelujah Factor the case for continuous Thanksgiving cannot be overstated it is value it is a valuable part of mental emotional and spiritual health continuous

Thanksgiving ongoing he says it can't be overstated it's a valuable part of our mental and also our emotional and spiritual health thanks living I'll submit today as an act of the will it's a choice that we make and I recognize it's not always an easy choice but I believe it's possible when we are confident that God is in control and he knows what's best if you have that confidence today it can help you as Paul wrote in Romans 8 28 and we know we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose so if you

have that knowledge and confidence today it's possible to make the choice even in the toughest of times to live out your thanks we sometimes understand a concept by flipping it around and looking at the opposite of it or the reverse and I want to do that for just a few moments at the outset here when the children of Israel were set free from Egypt in the Old Testament if you don't know their history they went there under good circumstances but things changed and they ended up enslaved in Egypt for about 400 years over 400 years as a nation or a people and because of their cry for deliverance God mercifully sent to them Moses to deliver and he led them out of Egypt and when they got across the Red Sea miraculously on dry ground we're told they started their Journey to the promised land God had told their forefather

and sister Abraham that he and his descendants would have the the land of promise Canaan for an everlasting possession and so they had been set free from Egypt and they were on their way to possess what God had promised them but in Exodus 15 we're told Moses led the Israelites and they went about three days traveling into the desert without finding water you can imagine the difficulty with that and when they came to a place called Mara they could not drink its water because it was bitter it was undrinkable and so the people grumbled they complained they murmured against Moses saying what are we going to drink got us out here in the desert but God instructed Moses take a piece of wood throw it in the water and it became drinkable so in Exodus 7 16 rather they go on and travel from Elam to the desert of sin and

there the whole community of Israelites it says murmured grumbled against Moses and Aaron they didn't have enough food to eat they said oh I wish we'd have just died by the Lord's hand in Egypt can you imagine he said there at least we sat around pots of meat and ate all the food we wanted now you've brought us out in this Wilderness to starve this assembly to death we're going to die out here because there's not enough food to go around we've been better off in Egypt and so God sent Quail from the heaven and then that manna that I referenced earlier they found six days out of the week on the ground to sustain them so they go on Exodus 17 the whole Israelite Community from the desert of sin to a place called refer them they camped there and there was no water here for them to drink so what do you

think they did they quarreled quarreled with Moses said give us water and Moses said why are you quarrel with me why are you putting the Lord to the test the implication was don't you remember what he did for you just recently don't you recognize he's brought you this far and he's promised you the future that you're going to have why are you put him to the test but the people were thirsty there and they grumbled murmured against Moses they said why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us our children our livestock die of thirst that's all they could think about and so God said we'll strike this rock with your Rod Moses water gushed out and they had enough for them to drink clearly there was discomfort and hardship for the people of Israel as they started this journey but instead of being grateful for the freedom

they had instead of being so thankful that they were no longer enslaved in Egypt instead of being thankful for the promised land that was ahead of them and we know when God makes a promise he's going to be good with it he's going to make it good right so instead of being thankful for that promise they murmured and complained you would have at least thought this is my logic that after the bitter Waters of Mara had been made drinkable and after the quail and Manna you would have at least thought by rephitum they would have had their realization hey God's got this he brought us through those other situations and we're okay so why don't we just have some trust in him here in reference even though once again we're without water you

would have thought that but no no no no no no they grumbled they complained they murmured that was their Outlook that was their way of life when it came to Crossing this desert and sometimes if we're not careful as Christians disciples Believers of Jesus Christ we can March to the Cadence of what I call murmur murmur Mumble Mumble gripe gripe gripe if we don't watch it we can fall into that pattern murmur murmur Mumba Mumble gripe gripe gripe and just to drive that home I've asked the pride of Seckman High's marching band Brett Ray to give me a little percussion Cadence there can you

do that murmur murmur Mumble Mumble we didn't go to rehearsal so if this doesn't work forgive us murmur murmur Mumble Mumble gripe gripe gripe murmur murmur Mumble Mumble gripe grape gripe murder grape grape gripe and that's what Israel did they came over to in Exodus 15 they got there and Mara bitter Waters there's not water to drink so they went all the way traveling over to the desert of sand and there wasn't enough food for them to go around they couldn't get their bellies full oh but instead of a gratitude toward their Heavenly Father it was murmur murmur Mumble Mumble grape grape gripe murmur murmur Mumble Mumble pipe crepe crap murmur murmur Mumble Mumble grape grape gripe kind of gets on your nerves doesn't it so they came back to refer them God took care of them back there but now they've got no water

to drink and you guessed it Mumble grape grape gripe murmur murmur Mumbo Mumble gripe gripe crime murmur murmur Mumble Mumble Cripe Cripe pipe that's all they could seemingly do that's the Cadence of their lives and in the scripture First Corinthians 10 10 the scripture says that Israel serves as an example for us Paul wrote it he said don't murmur don't complain don't Grumble like some of them did because it did not end well so when things go wrong for the Christian I know it's it's easy and comfortable to complain God knows I've done my share of it in my lifetime but it's so easy when we come up to a place where there's a shortage or we have things going awry in our lives we just march to that Cadence don't we murmur murmur Bumble Mumble gripe gripe Cripe and we come over to another season of life and and we're

suffering loss and things aren't coming together like we had planned maybe after Decades of living and here we go murmur murmur Mumble Mumble gripe Cripe Cripe murmur murmur Mumble Mumble gripe gripe cry it's just a Cadence that we walk to if we're not careful it's a rhythm of Our Lives it's a spirit with inside of us that we must guard against that's what Israel did to their detriment the scripture says that's what they did they marched to that Cadence the Bible says learn from them don't do like they did it's not helpful to respond to hardship by crumbling complaining griping belly aching whining there there's no help to that marching to this Cadence of murmur murmur Mumble Mumble gripe gripe gripe murmur murmur Mumble Mumble gripe gripe it's not the best path to walk it's not the best Cadence for your life

it's not the best Rhythm don't march to that beat the Apostle Paul said in so many words but instead do as the scripture says and be thankful today if you're marching to that beach if you're finding yourself relating even the littlest amount in your life and your experience why don't you change the temple today why don't you turn around the Rhythm why don't you stop that Cadence and let it come to a halt right now and be thankful as Paul wrote in Colossians chapter 3 verse 15. be thankful adopt a spirit of Thanksgiving adopt an attitude that says I appreciate what God has done for me me what's the old song say when I think of his goodness and all he's done for me my soul wants to cry out Hallelujah Hallelujah somebody today

come on take on a spirit of appreciation take on an attitude that says I'm grateful I'm thankful For What the Lord Has Done in my life Hallelujah first Thessalonians 5 18 in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you in everything all through life day in and day out in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you the Goldsmith's company in Goldsmith Hall in London initiated many centuries ago a practice of stamping an official mark on a silver or a gold item to authenticate it to let everyone know as it was being exchanged or used in society that it was genuine and it was adopted by other government assessment offices over time and used and then it also has acquired down through the centuries in our English language a figurative sense

of meaning of anything that's genuine or real if you say that's a Hallmark of some quality or a Hallmark of some product then you know that it's high quality and genuine and one of the marks are symbols of a follower of Christ is Thanksgiving not the only one but it is one Alan Perkins said this a thankful spirit is one of the key distinguishing marks of a Christian listen it sets us apart from the world it makes us different Israel grumbled and complained right they were known for it and I'm sure Moses had his aggravating talks with God in his own spirit and way but a thankful spirit is one of the key distinguishing marks Alan Perkins says of a Christian sets us apart from the world it makes us different it's God's will that we be thankful if you

want to know his will for your life I can't tell you the specifics but I know this be thankful God's word says with Thanksgiving we are to worship with Thanksgiving we are to pray with Thanksgiving we are to sing with Thanksgiving we are to speak with Thanksgiving we are to sacrifice and with Thanksgiving we're even to eat right so the next time you're pounding down those White Castles do it with a thankful heart friends and family may not be thankful but you do it with a thankful heart every aspect hear this every aspect and activity of life should be seasoned with Thanksgiving every aspect every activity of life should have the flavor of gratitude with it and behind it and in it you

should mix it in with all of life all your activities every phase every season the good the bad the up the down just mix in that gratitude let it permeate there let the aroma and the flavor be there in your life it's God's will that we do that and when God sees a lifestyle of thanks living in someone I believe he puts his Hallmark on that person says yeah that's the real deal that's a genuine follower of mine ten lepers the scripture says in Luke's gospel were outside a village as Jesus was entering in and if you know the Old Testament Practice lepers had to separate themselves and cry out unclean folks had to stay away from them so from a distance they see Jesus entering the village and they cry out Jesus have mercy on us Jesus just I guess he yelled back because there was some distance he said go show yourselves

to the priest that was an Old Testament a custom that I'm very glad doesn't isn't done anymore because the priest had to inspect folks leprosy that would might have been my job you never know you know down I'm down on the totem poles brother Williford would have said Nathan would you take care of that please and I would have but uh I would have wore my mask for sure then but that was their their Old Testament Practice they had to inspect leprosy and things to make sure they were uh healing and becoming clean and then eventually pronounce them so Jesus just you

know there was still that transition here he said go show yourselves to the priests and as they went they were cleansed of their leprosy and they noticed it and one of them when he saw he was healed came back to Jesus to say thanks and Jesus reacted this way were there not ten cleansed where are the other nine and one Bible commentator said this that the language is that of Wonder and admiration Jesus was impressed in fact that's the way he expressed it he said well there was 10 here we're the other nine he was really moved and impressed that one man came back to say thank you

for the healing that he had received clearly Jesus implied that gratitude is significant clearly he was looking for it from all ten and it's easy I think for us to infer that when God sees a Believer expressing Thanksgiving when he sees a follower of his expressing thanks whether it's in worship or prayer or conversation with others he puts his seal of approval on that individual he says yeah that's that's the one I can certify that's genuine he certifies that Thanksgiving is a characteristic of a genuine disciple gives it his Hallmark and says yeah that's what I have in mind for my people I had to put up with that with Israel in the Old Testament and I said to the New Testament Church don't do that don't murmur don't Grumble don't complain trusted me have confidence that all things do work together for good to

them that love God and who are the called according to his purpose that's what he intends when you give thanks to the Lord and claim he is good and his Mercy endures forever God asserts you're doing the right thing when you give thanks to God call on his name make his deeds known God puts his Hallmark on you when we sing unto the Lord with Thanksgiving God says yep that's what I want that's what I love to hear worship and praise seasoned and flavored with Thanksgiving for all that I've done the times I've healed you and provided for you watched out for you

and counseled you and gave you wisdom and above all saved your soul that's what he's looking for when you give thanks at the remembrance of God's holiness God claims you as his own why because it's God's will that we give thanks it's God's will that we come before his presence with Thanksgiving it's God's will that we enter his gate with it and when we consciously choose to live with gratitude it makes life better doesn't it and best of all it pleases God so if for no other reason today adopt the spirit of Thanksgiving because God wants you to do it because it pleases him do it because it's his desire the psalmist said it is a good thing to give thanks to the Lord you

want to do something good today give thanks to the Lord it's a good thing to give thanks to the Lord it's acceptable in his eyes it's something that he admires and wants out of his people it is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord and it's a good thing to live thanks unto the Lord it's good to live out your Thanksgiving and your worship your prayers your language your acts of service your sacrifice of time and money you know we all those things you know it's true we could do all that kind of stuff just grumbling and griping the whole time well we've got to go come down the front and get my offer I guess God wants it so I'll go ahead and give it to him you

know or oh I got to come down to the church on off night and give some of my time grape grape right that's the Cadence sometimes if we're not careful or go down to the old church prayer on Monday night and I'll talk to God but murmur murmur Grumble Grumble grape grape grape you know oh I Gotta Give Worship in this church service they want me to actually say something out loud to God great great we can do that I'm not suggesting any of you do that this is just for our admonition today you know your heart I don't but hey when you do those things that pleasing to God when you

give thankfully serve thankfully talk thankfully work thankfully not only on the fourth Thursday of every November but when you do it all life long all through your days it sets you apart it differentiates you God puts his Hallmark on you and says yep I identify that individual is one of my own that's my will in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you you you you you you you in him it's his will that we give thanks amen the altar of incense in the Old Testament Tabernacle made of wood overlaid with gold was positioned closest to the Ark of Covenant of the Covenant where God's presence was represented and the incense was to be burned every morning this is in the Old Testament every evening as a Perpetual offering meaning it was to be ongoing by burning it in the morning

in the evening you you had that Aroma all day long you had the fragrance of the incense going in a continuous way it allowed for that in the distinct fragrance filled the atmosphere Hebrews 13 15 says this let us continually offer this is a lifelong proposition continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name Hebrews says this should be ongoing constant and I know we have to sleep we have to eat and all the Practical things of life but you get the idea I'm reaching for a spirit today a mindset an attitude and it says let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God that is the fruit of our lips so we do need to say it out loud now and again don't we giving thanks to his name it's perpetual given all through life anytime anywhere in any situation Ephesians

5 20 says giving thanks always for all things to God I don't know how it could be any more plain than that do you giving thanks always for all things to God ongoing it's a process it's a lifestyle that we're to live and I know I know I know we don't always feel like it and I'll I'll cut you some slack if you're sick those of you might be watching online running fever not feeling the best you're probably your hands probably half up today I get all that I'm not condemning us I know we're human and so forth and so on and we're not always thankful for everything that happens in life in a strictest sense I realize that but go ahead and keep burning that spiritual incense of Thanksgiving that let the aroma be there the fragrance from your life and heart keep offering the fruit of your lips giving thanks to his name

don't waver in doing that I think the Hebrew writer was saying don't stop don't give it up but just continue letting that sweet smelling Savor To God Be smelled and let it permeate the atmosphere that incense was offered regularly consistently but it was made of a special composition that gave it a distinct smell in fact all the ingredients were necessary for the in the prescribed amount to make this there couldn't be any imitation you can read this I believe it's in it's either Exodus or Leviticus pardon me for not knowing it right off top of my head but you

can you can read this compound and it was exact and specific and no imitation was allowed had to be the real thing that they burned there and I gleaned from that and forgive me if you think I'm stretching this too much but I gleaned from that that meaningful thanks comes from the heart it is sincere all those ingredients of that incense had to be there no imitation and so I think that our Thanksgiving does need to be sincere don't just do it because you're being yelled at to do it today but do it because it's in your heart do it because it's there it's not out of obligation but willingly given morning noon and night at home at church at work wherever you

go be willing to give Thanksgiving and just as that incense lingered before the presence of God was distinct you know it was a particular formula I believe your personal thanks is also distinctive that guy know it is nobody can thank God like you can for what he's done for you you've got your story you know what he's done I don't know all the details of your life I don't have that feeling that impact that you've got within of what he's done how he's turned you around last Tuesday we had our Thanksgiving service and and there were individuals up here talking about what God had done for them and and brought them out of and I was rejoicing with them I was feeling so good and excited about what God has done but I guarantee you

I don't feel it like they feel it I guarantee I I'm not experiencing the impact of what he did for them as individuals that's why I say your thanks is distinctive your thanks excuse me is unique and noteworthy the Outlook the mindset that you have full of Thanksgiving and even when you voice your thanks in public the psalmist said I will give you thanks in the great assembly guess what you're in the great assembly today I will give you thanks in the great assembly even when you do that your thanks is special even though we thank God together I know this your individual Thanksgiving is noted by God it stands out it's meaningful significant important momentous God is able to decipher it from the crowd we often in a Pentecostal Services let's all Express thanks and I guess to the uneducated the unfamiliar it sounds

like a roar of noise but God hears every Thanksgiving he he can decipher it he oh yes I know what I did for that one I hear him thanking me I know what I did in her life and I hear her thanking me today I know but I brought him out of and yes I hear that thanks it's individual it's distinctive it's significant and God in his wisdom instructs us let us come before his presence with Thanksgiving he tells us to do that so it's his will come before his presence with Thanksgiving and I could just let it go at that but let's explore it a little bit the Hebrew word for Thanksgiving means to confess in the sense of acknowledging benefits confess in the sense of acknowledging benefits to give thanks praise to celebrate so we are to come before his presence confessing and demonstrating our appreciation of what he's done

and who he is in our lives the Bible calls for this specifically in Psalms 107 verse 8. I think this is the only verse I have for you today it says this all that men would give thanks to the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful Works to the Children of Men that's God's will all that men would give thanks to the Lord and for his goodness and his wonderful Works to the children of men and as if for emphasis you can find that verse four times in the 107th Psalm it's as though God was saying you know get the point home oh that everyone would give thanks to the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful Works to the human race oh that people would acknowledge the Lord for his Blessing oh that everyone would confess that the Lord is good oh that everybody would Proclaim great is the Lord and greatly to be praised

this is God's heart today all that all would celebrate the Lord's benefits not just to us collectively but even in our lives individually oh that everybody would Proclaim his goodness all that everybody would celebrate his Works to the human race or that everybody would say he's done so much for me I cannot tell it all thanks be to God the Bible tells us also to enter his gates with Thanksgiving and church is not the only place where we can offer thanks but it sure is one of the best places isn't it aren't you glad for the liberty and freedom you have in this church to worship to express yourself nobody's gonna it was said earlier I believe no one's going to think you

strange you just praise him like you can praise him thank him like you can thank him nobody can do it like you can do it and so just go ahead and recognize this if there's if there's a place to give thanks it's right here if there's a place to worship God we can do it anywhere anytime but if there's any place it's right here where you are on this Sunday God is in the sanctuary he is I believe his hand is cut to his ear and he's listening for praise today listening for Thanksgiving out of his children on this Sunday we are at inner times of worship giving thanks we were to worship by recognizing God's blessings and benefits and that's what David did in Psalm 103 Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits bless the Lord O My Soul he was talking to himself so I guess we'd say it bless the Lord I say

to myself and forget not all his benefits and then David goes down a list he says who forgives all your iniquities see if you can identify who heals all your diseases who redeems your life from destruction who crowns you with loving kindness and Tender Mercies who satisfies your mouth with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagles that's David's list but I know each of us have our own list each of us today can say Bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all his benefits and at the top of the list is our Salvation I know the spiritual the Eternal blessings mean the most but it's okay to also thank him for physical and material blessings as well don't forget his benefits don't forget his blessings it's God's will today

for you to give thanks it's God's will for us to come before his presence with Thanksgiving it's God's will for us to enter his gates with Thanksgiving in our hearts and on our minds and maybe you've already done that this past week over the few days recently but I encourage you recall your blessings today just give it a little bit of thought right where you're seated think about how he's helped you think about how he's provided for you think about how he's watched out for you physical blessings and material blessings and financial blessings maybe a particular job that you

didn't I love brother Tim Brady's story about his job at yellow Fred he said brother Reaver I should have never had that but God knew he needed it God gave it to him and he worked there a long long time and retired with honor and dignity God knows how to take care of us it's okay to think back now and then I know the future's ahead of us and we got to go forward and clip but every once in a while hit the pause button and remember what God has done bless the Lord O my soul and forget not all of his benefits recall what he's done in your life recall what he has provided recall how he's healed recall how he saved you

and in closing today many of you here today that's where it goes a church of this age many of you didn't know one of our former members sister Velma Cooper she came through the bus ministry as I recall she and her family some several of her children and she was a wonderful and faithful member of this church and uh sister Cooper when God moved on her she would express it and uh usually at a high pitch and a high volume in fact she scared many of us when it would be kind of quiet maybe to the extent it is now and all of a sudden where it came and I got depriving myself on the times I didn't jump or get scared it was a little bit of a personal point of Pride for me but I remember distinctly she would uh just yell out at that high pitch high volume I can't do it but thank you

Jesus that was one of her expressions and just something welled up on the inside of her thank you Jesus and I don't remember in the old church we had uh two aisles and so I was seated a lot of times over this way and I can distinctly remember her coming around the corner of one aisle and you know somebody Didn't Know Better probably thought she was drunk but she wasn't she was living out her Thanksgiving she kind of staggered under the power of God and she'd be saying thank you Jesus you woke me up this morning and started me on my way thank you Jesus and she'd go down there you

put food on my table clothes on my back thank you Jesus you made a way where there was no way and she would just go on she didn't care what anybody thought she didn't care what anybody had to say she was thinking he was living out her thanks living out her Thanksgiving and today I can't tell you how to do it but scripturally I can call on everybody to give your thanks would you stand in his presence I can scripturally call on everybody to give your thanks for the Bible says oh give thanks unto the Lord oh give thanks unto the god of Heaven o give thanks unto the god of gods oh give thanks unto the Lord of lords oh give thanks to your heavenly father oh give thanks to the one who created your soul oh give thanks to the one who redeemed you

from sin how you do it I can't tell you but I know this in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you and as we sing and worship I told you earlier if you want more time to praise if you've got it right now I'm opening the front of this building inviting you to come and bring your personal Thanksgiving your personal worship and I know we can't all squeeze in but as many as possible I encourage you to do it if you're willing come and offer thanks this is what God wants this is what he desires this is his will that we wrap up this Thanksgiving weekend saying God I want a grateful heart I want a spirit of appreciation I want to possess a mindset of Thanksgiving that's it with hands raised come confessing his benefits come acknowledging His blessings in your life today

and know that he is going to accept it put his Hallmark on you it'll be a sweet spelling Savor in his presence today