Appreciation

thank you brother ttim I just I just wanted somebody aside from me to come up and talk about thankfulness now I think we would all agree family is very vitally important amen how many have family members you just really don't care for don't raise your hand hopefully you got more family you you love and you want to be around them because being thankful um adds a whole level of of appreciation not just to to what's going on in your world but it what it does to others your your granddaughter when she's sick or families that come and connect themselves to you tonight I I'd like to with the help of the Lord I want to continue um this series I want to go back to the Old Testament now this is going to be some lengthy lengthy and you might want to take a few notes because it's going to go pretty quick God had given Moses have we all heard of Moses okay God gave Moses a huge list of things that the people of God should and should not do instructions if you will about life and living God gave Moses laws for relationships and he he told them what was acceptable to Worship in God and what was not acceptable in worshiping their God it was a very specific and detailed list of the how and the what for in being a chosen child of God it's a whole detailed list of instructions step by step that God's people would have to do they would have to fulfill what it would cost them to remain a child of God he even went so far if if you for you Bible scholars God went so far as to tell Moses exactly the materials how they were to gather them what they were to do with them God even gave wisdom to some men and women to be able to assemble a place to where God could interact with his people God's whole purpose in this keep in mind was because he desired a relationship between him and his people how many how many believe God God wants to know us well it's going to cost us something agreed also though here in this particular day what God was doing with his people was going to be a sign and a symbol for the rest of the world to know you can go into Old Testament and you can read how people would determine they'd say man you don't want to mess with the children of Israel you don't want to mess with those who are God Jehovah's people I I understand they had plagues I understand they killed a lot of F I understand all this stuff happened man you don't want no part of that the symbol that the rest of the world would see was simply that God had not forgotten his people and he gave them all of the requirements to maintain order and connection families individuals laws courts everything that was to be done the nations of the world would know who the children of isra Israel were they would know about their God now allow me if you will just for a moment there is a portion of this instruction this list if you will that God gives to the people and this is what he says in the book of Exodus chapter 25 verse number one the Lord spake unto Moses saying Speak unto the children of Israel that they may bring me an offering everybody say offering of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering verse three this is the offering which ye shall take of them Gold Silver and Brass blue purple Scarlet fine linen and goat's hair verse five Ram skins died red Badger skins and shyam wood oil for the light spices for the anointing oil and for sweet incense no verse seven onx stones and stones to be set in the ephod and in the breast plate and let them make me a sanctuary everybody say a sanctuary that I may dwell among them according to all that I sh thee after the pattern of the Tabernacle and the pattern of all the instruments thereof even so shall ye make it this is a portion of the instructions that God had given to Moses you tell the people this is what I need from them and when they bring the gold the silver when they bring these items I want you guys humans people to build me a sanctuary make a place where I can come and spend time with you and you can spend time with me listen to this God did not leave any of this to chance make it this long make it this tall make it this wide build it with this material cover it with that material connect it with this make sure this is etched there make sure the breastplate is this size make sure that all the stones are correctly placed the people they responded at the words of Moses and here they go they begin bringing this stuff and they built this sacred place that they could move from point A to point B all the instruction God gave to them and said make sure that there are rings in it you could put staffs in and pick it up and carry it from point A to B because you're going to be in transit for some time there was a place in this particular Sanctuary that was called the holy of holies you had of course the altar you had of course the wash pan you had of course the the holy place but then there was a a place that would be used specifically for God to communicate with the high priest and everybody listen to this on the day of atonement the entire nation of Israel would would stand at their tent doors and they would watch the Tabernacle to make sure that the glory of the Lord accepted what had happened in that holy of holies in that holy of holies God gave specific instruction Exodus 2510 they shall make an ark of shyam wood two cubics and a half shall be the length thereof and a cubic and a half the breadth thereof and a cubic and a half the height thereof this is 2510 now 2511 Thou shalt overlay it with pure gold within and without thou shalt overlay it shalt make upon it a crown of gold round about Thou shalt cast four rings of gold for it put them in Four Corners thereof two rings shall be on one side and two rings on the other side of it verse 13 Thou shalt make staves of sham wood and overlay them with gold Thou shalt put the staves in the Rings by the sides of the ark that the ark may be born with them verse 15 the staves shall be in the rings of the Ark they shall not be taken from it Thou shalt put into the ark the testimony which I shall give thee Thou shalt make a mercy seed of pure gold two cubics and a half shall be the length thereof and a cubic and a half the breadth thereof and verse 18 and thou shalt make two cherubims of gold of beaten work shalt thou make them in the two ends of the mercy seat and make one cherub on the one end the other cherub on the other other end even of The Mercy Seat shall you make the cherubims on the two ends thereof verse 20 and the cheram shall stretch forth their wings on high covering the mercy seat with their wings and their faces shall look one to another toward The Mercy Seat shall the faces of the Chans be verse 21 Thou shalt Put The Mercy Seat above upon the ark and in the ark Thou shalt put the testimony that I shall give thee 22 and there I will meet with thee and I will commune with thee from Above The Mercy Seat from between the two cherubims which are from the Ark of the testimony of all things which I will give thee in commandment under the children of Israel everybody read that story anybody that's new this is God talking to Moses not only did he tell him I need you to build this place I need you to make it in this Dimension with this material for this purpose but there will be a place there that I want to commune with you in fact he says I I I'll give you the Commandments from here I'll I'll speak to you from that place I will spend time with you at that place it's called The Mercy Seat now inside of the Ark we know there were three items but here according to the Exodus story he said what you will put in there are the testimonies of God God H how many you remember what the three items were anybody yell them out the rod that budded Mana the text Baby the T Comm okay you can call it that you want to the law thank you Lord listen carefully th believe it or not this is unth thankfulness Stay With Me On The Mercy Seat is where God wanted to spend time that's where he would communicate but notice Mercy was above what the law the provision and the sustenance and when the angels that were on top of that that had been and beaten into for pure gold the wings that touch one another they were to look down upon the mercy seat and that was their position in goal it is here friend that we read in Exodus that everything that God told the people that they would need to do Moses was sure to follow it to the letter why is it important to follow God to the letter why is that important can't we just go 99 and a half% isn't it enough just to kind of be there isn't it enough just to do twoth thirds of it listen to me carefully see we live in a culture today that that kind of wants to roll the dice that kind of want to say you know what if I can just get to church once in a while I think that's a good thing I've even heard people say very proudly yeah I ain't no religious guy but me and Jesus got our own thing going like okay guess you got your own Mercy Seat happening not really sure listen to me everything had to be done according to plan you do realize listen carefully this you'd have to realize that if the rest of the world ever knew that the children of Israel did everything that God required of them and the Shak the glory of the Lord the orb of the spirit of God did not rest upon that Mercy Seat the rest of the world would know it what do you think they would have said H see everybody was afraid of the Israelites why because what they knew who their God was they had heard of the plagues they had heard of the death angel they had heard of all these things and they're like there is no way will ever be able to touch them because God gave the law to the detail men could follow it and make sure that everything was done according to the law so that God would fulfill his promise it was the ark of God that would dwell in the midst of the people and it was on that Mercy Seat where the purpose of God would be given as long as the people of God did what they were supposed to do God would make sure the promises were complete he would make sure that their purpose was always understood otherwise if they ever backed away from what God told them to do if they ever negated on one of the things of God understand this then they would succumb to the weakness of their flesh and in so doing they would stop following after God and therein is where the problem begins listen carefully the children of Israel it did not take them very long at all in fact there were two boys of the priest Hine Phineas that they had gone into a battle and and and they were they were getting beat up pretty good let's go there we'll paraphrase and in the midst of getting beat up pretty good they were afraid so as as as the children of Israel are being pushed back by the Philistines and this war is Raging they simply backed up and they said you know what we need out here on the battlefield we need the ark and they fetched the ark they fetched the box if we can get the box out here if we can get the mercy of God out here if we can get his provision if we can get his shik out here on the battlefield we won't have to do anything we'll let them realize who we are listen to this and the scripture tells us in the story in this account that when they brought the Ark of the Covenant out the Philistines were afraid and they said that they said this is the children of God this is the one man the the plagues the stuff that was done y'all we don't want to mess with them but they encourage listen the sound that came the Bible says when they brought the ark to the battlefield it said the Earth shook there was a rumbling Roar from the Israelites because the Ark of God had come God should have listen to this should have performed formed like he had done throughout all the other times but because they did not do it according to what God's law was the scripture says that the Philistines overtook them and killed them took the ark and fled with it pause God was always going to be God to his children but if they ever did not do according to what the law according to the command of God then they would face the Wrath if you will that would come to them come on if anybody's a Bible reader and a schol you go back to Old Testament man they're on the mountain one day and they're on the valley they're up and they're really moving and then a whole generation said they did not follow the things of God and then a young king would come along say let's figure this out and they'd go back up on and on it went through the eons of time thankfulness is what we're talking about the the ark's gone Philistines are trying their best to deal with his ark and they have no clue what to do with it the mercy of God the provisions inside the testimony of God Philistines didn't treat it right and there it is this box let's call it and the children of Israel have walked away from they have allowed it to be taken from them until follow me now David the young king decides we're going to go get the box the Bible says that David went with his Entourage and he tried to recover in fact the Philistines said take it we don't want nothing more to do with this thing it we can't rest we can't come on read your history we we know what to do it things are falling off the wall stuff's breaking thank God no it went no more to do with this box take it so the bo ible says that David and his Entourage with all of their desire to want to do what God told them to do they went to recover the ark and when they got there they picked it up and they took off now woohoo somebody say Victory somebody say Victory they have just recapped they took the box back but because the law of God was still in effect listen to this because the law and the promises and the provisions of God were still in effect when they're walking along and they're thrilled to death we're going to get this thing back to where it belongs we are going to be oh man we're going to be all of that we know what we're doing and lo and behold do anybody remember the threshing floor to where that Ark that was being carried begin to kind of Wiggle somebody say wiggle it do that wiggle I'm sorry that hurt anyway and the the young man walking up beside it all he simply did was tried to be I just want to be a blessing I'm just trying to be a bless and he reached out to steady the ark and what happened fell down dead now let me ask you a question is there any way to stop the blessings of God more than somebody dying trying everybody backs hands are off sitting there on the ground what are we going to do now David said we better stop I'm going pray y'all take time and go read this story David said we better do some homework we better do some research we better figure out what the law says we better make sure we got this and lo and behold one of the the men that that was one of the children of Israel his name was OED Dum can we put this in your house certainly store it right there won't bother anything there's another story about bad Edom the blessing of God that was on him but tonight we're talking about thankfulness First Chronicles everybody knows this right you've got Samuel's writings you've got King's writings and then you've got Chronicles this is another look at what the Kings and Prophets did 1 chronicles 16 so they brought the Ark of God set it in the midst of the tent that David had pitched for it they offered burnt sacrifices and peace offerings before God verse two when David had made an end of offering the burnt offerings the peace offerings he blessed the people in the name of the Lord listen to this verse three and he dealt to everyone of Israel both man and woman everyone a loaf of bread a good piece of Flesh and a flagon of wine he appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the Ark of the Lord and to record to thank to praise the Lord God of Israel pause David said we finally get this thing where it needs to be and God has not killed any of us we have restored it to a place of separation and a place where we can come in and we can once again pursue the things of God and everybody is thrilled 100% so much so it's interesting here how the writer said that the meat the the bread and the flag that was given that should have gone to the man of the house but because of this particular occasion the women receive the same story for another day the Bible says though I need the preachers the Levites the ministers I need you to record and to thank and to praise the Lord God of Israel it's time now to be thankful for what God has restored give me a moment here verse five Asaf the chief and next to him Zachariah jel and shimar moth and jel and meiah and eliab and benah and OED and jel with Su trees with Harps but ASAP made a sound with symbols benah also with jezel the priest of the TR with trumpets continually before the Lord but excuse me before the Ark of the Covenant of God then on that day you got all these instruments you got all these cool things going on the Bible said on that day verse 7 David delivered first this Psalm to thank the Lord into the hand of Asa and his Brethren guys it's time to be thankful guys it's time to be thankful now the scripture says it was a Psalm what's the psalm translate h come on y'all some of y'all ready to sing right now aren't you van you ready aren't you huh now y'all listen to this song David produced give thanks unto the Lord call upon his name make known his deeds among the People Sing unto him sing Psalms unto him talk ye of all his wondrous Works Glory ye in His holy name let the heart of them Rejoice that seek the Lord seek the Lord and his strength seek his face continually remember His Marvelous works that he hath done his wonders and judgments of his mouth oh ye seed of Israel his servant ye children of Jacob his chosen ones he is the Lord Our God his judgments are in all the Earth be mindful all always of this his Covenant the word which he commanded to a thousand Generations even of the Covenant which he made with Abraham and of his oath unto Isaac and hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law to Israel for an Everlasting Covenant saying unto thee I will give the land of Canaan the lot of your inheritance when ye were but few even a few and strangers in him and when they went from Nation to nation and from one Kingdom to another people he suffered no man to do them wrong yay he reproved Kings for their sake saying touch not mine anointed and do my prophets no harm sing unto the Lord all the Earth show forth from day today his salvation declare his glory among the Heathen His Marvelous Works among the Nations for great is the Lord and greatly to be praised he also is to be feared above all God gods for all the gods of the people are Idols but the Lord made the heavens the glory and honor are in his presence strength and gladness are in his place give unto the Lord the kindreds of the people y'all tired yet give unto the Lord glory and strength give unto the Lord Glory do unto his name bring an offering come before him Worship the Lord in the beauty of Holiness fear before him all the Earth the world also shall be stable but it not be moved or be not moved let the heavens be glad let the Earth rejoice and let men say among the Nations the Lord reth let the sea Roar and the fullness thereof let the fields rejoice and all that are therein then shall the Trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the Lord because he cometh to judge the earth oh give thanks unto the Lord for he is good for his mercy endureth forever and say ye save us oh god of our Sal salvation gather us together Deliver Us from the Heathen that we may give thanks to thy holy name and glory in thy praise blessed be the Lord God of Israel forever and ever listen and the people said amen and praised the Lord see I went through the history of why this box was made to give us a complete understanding of the value of the things of God and if we'll never let those things go and we feel like we're in a moment of destitution we feel like we're in a moment where everything's fell apart you listen you can get it back through your thankful heart what David declared at this moment was this come on y'all take the bread y'all take the meat you take the wine and as you go we're going to sing we're going to sing come on ell come on harp come on symbols come on trumpets what are you singing about about I'm thankful that the Lord God has made a way I'm thankful that the provider has come through I'll declare it to Every Nation I'll declare it everywhere I go I'll talk about it in the high places and in the Low Places I'll declare it on a mountain I'll sing about it in a valley why I'm thankful that God restores it's Wednesday night teaching I if if brother Tim would allow me I will tell you this about his testimony there's a reason he gives thanks is because his family's been through a few things but he's in the house of the Lord huh there's been opportunity to be negative and down out and give up but he's in the house of the Lord when he said he was thankful for his family I promise you he isn't simply thankful for his family but he's thankful that his family's blessed come on he's thankful that his family has been kept they didn't always have everything in order perhaps they didn't always have everything perfect and in line but instead he's looking at God's good why because he's blessed us in spite of that I stand here tonight on this midweek Bible study to Simply remind us in everything we need to give thanks why because in all The Good the Bad and the Ugly if you'll get the presence of God in your life you've got a right to be thankful come on what David was indicating at this moment is he was saying when you walk away from here give thanks to God when you get home go in with thankfulness when you get up off your nap give thanks to God while you're enjoying the meat and the bread give thanks to God why because we should have been destroyed but God has restored us we're thankful for that can I tell Chattanooga something Cornerstone Apostolic Church something as a church family we've been through a few things haven't we come on we've walked roads we've seen things we we didn't want to see we we've moved we've readjusted we've done it here we've done it there but one thing I can say is the Lord God's been good to us we ought to be thankful I said we ought to be thankful what could have or should have killed us or destroyed us or made us go away it didn't it's made us stronger come on some of y'all are fighting battles right now you've never fought before you know why because the enemy realizes you recognize the fact from the hand of the Lord that God's a good God and he's worthy to be praised and glorified I've come on a Wednesday night to tell somebody I'm going to remind you something every day when you wake up give him thanks come on in the hardest Battle of your life give him thanks recognize the fact if you get the presence of God there he's worthy of all of your thankfulness the most important thing that David told the people the Bible said he finished his song blessed be the Lord God of Israel forever and ever and the people said amen which means what so let it be done I agree I connect so on a Wednesday night month of November Chattanooga Tennessee let me ask you a question are you thankful that he restores huh are you thankful that he hasn't forgot about you he be thankful that his hand still reaching for you and be thankful that healing virtue can still flow some of you sitting here tonight maybe at home watching online some of you have racked with pain in your body and you wonder is God still there I want you to know open your mouth thank you Lord God and watch him show up some of you in a financial problem or you're in a family situation I want you to know look up and say Lord You're Still worthy of Praise you're still worthy Lord to give thanks to what we can learn from this lesson tonight is simply this in everything I'll give thanks the good day the Bad Day when I'm wrong when I'm down when I'm out when I'm up when all the things happen in life I can say thank you God you've been good to me for you Bible scholars that would wish to take the time I challenge you go back and find out what happened to OED Edom his family was blessed his home was blessed everything he came in contact was blessed why simply because the presence was there come on some of y'all think you got family members that don't want anything to do with what you've got they think you're crazy and a lunatic you keep praying you keep showing up why because the presence of God will bring blessing to people we found out this past Monday night sister Stacy shared with us that we're starting a a u um backslider a prodigal sons and daughters thing we're trying to we're going to pray for them what do you think's going to happen happen when they get into the presence of somebody praying for them come on I I know somebody personally that backslid walked away from God decided it wasn't his cup of tea anymore didn't have time for it and for an event years later for an event that was held at the church he came it was like a wedding or something he just simply wanted to come and honor his family years later 10 12 years have gone by when he walked in he saw a board on the back wall had his name on it we're praying for prodigal he stopped looked at it and he simply said I can't give I don't know what if they're praying I'm done I'm done Lord God whatever it is cuz I know if Grandma's praying I know if great uncle's praying I know if pastor's wife praying I know if Sunday school teachers praying I believe that if Heaven's bombarded by my name there I can't run no further I can't go no more why because listen to me friend God restores and if we're thankful for what God restores the indication here is this uh you get God in the right position you get him in your home you get him in your life and you begin to give thanks to him in All situations you too can stand in the presence of all your heartache and pain and you can say amen I agree let it be done thank thankfulness now again I I know when we when we talk about the good things of God we we want to we want to consider more of the New Testament stuff because the new testy stuff is the stuff that's the ooy goo okay when we get into Old Testament stuff it's it's more challenging to study and to figure it out now therein to me lies the blessing uh-uh did it say that they did it that oh my and it was what uhuh and I get into the New Testament said big I'm like well that's cool Stay With Me the important thing that we understand here 2023 God is blessing restoring and putting families and hearts and homes back together what we learn is this every part of our lives God's in it every step you take God's there every problem you go through brother drum would you come every situation that unfolds every issue that begins to crumble around you God is there the problem friend is not God problem is us not recognizing him as God understand when when it comes to thankfulness we talked just a smidge about this last week how do you explain thankfulness to someone well you know that's when you say thank you I I know that but how do you explain the emotion the feeling The Connection huh what what had happened from the time they made this box with angels on and the glory of God what had happened is time had brought to them challenges and even in Ministry Hof n even the two boys decided we're doing what we're supposed to do we're just doing it for what wrong reason and the wrong way they simply believe that if we can just get the box out here there so 2023 for us we get caught in a trial we get messed up in a tribulation we get thrown to the wolves in a certain choice or decision we make many times we stop being grateful and thankful because of that the presence of God does not cannot work but if we can simply remain thankful God you can bring it back you can restore it what we learn is that in every situation he is worth being thankful for if we during again it's a shame that in in our great nation that Thanksgiving is one day out of a year and the world kind of gets really kind about with pecan Pai and turkeys and now in our culture we've got people offended because turkeys are talked about for things Thanksgiving I understood pumpkin spice was offending some because of the nutmeg in it I I don't mind saying turkey in my house don't stand chance he ain't going to eat me come on her I'm going to get him first battle on oh now we're talking Church huh listen to me that we we we live in when you forget about the blessings and the goodness of God your life becomes of all men most miserable anybody know somebody that's bitter it's angry frustrated don't care anything about anybody come on you don't have to point to your neighbor you don't even have to look at them there's a reason for that they've stopped giving things they stop being grateful the opposite of thankfulness is what un well we know that the opposite of thankful is what look it up somebody look it up antonym come on English fellow guy back there what is the opposite huh unth okay well there you have it come on what is something that is 180 degrees away from being thankful what is it hateful bitter what else disappointed what else does it say unappreciative opposite what well there you have it Opposite in the definition of opposite the art of Being opposite so everything that's contrary 180 from thankfulness go ahead brother daral you're showing your intelligence come on ungrateful all of the stuff that none of us want everybody's looking it up now all the stuff that we know people can be and we don't want to be around them I've used this story multiple times in my past Ministry there's nothing more aggravating to me than to do something for someone and them not say thank you that just aggravates me why should it matter why does it matter not long ago I did something bought somebody meal I think or something they ate good we got up and left and they never said Thank you guess what I said to myself when I got in my vehicle I probably most likely I'm pretty much sure that I won't do that again or next time I'll handle it different when we go to the restaurant to eat I'll say thank you for joining me thank you for allowing me to buy your meal thank you I'm done guys listen the month of thanks the month of November which includes Thanksgiving if we just simply wait for that to be nice or we wait for that to respond is it any wonder that some of some of our world is in such chaos Fusion story tonight said simply this David Bible says he danced twirled worshiped gave what he 110% because he was thankful that things had been restored I don't have time tonight to talk about the daughter of Saul what she said said the end of that story is she did bear no children she couldn't multiply because there was no connection and relationship there that me it's thankful tonight would you stand to your feet just lift your hands come on you can think of a hundred things right now to give thanks for why don't you begin come on last week I had you write them down this week I'm going to have you remember him just thank him for them right now perhaps your list has grown come on thank you Lord come on with an honest heart thank you Jesus oh come on thank you Jesus somebody just thank him that's right come on he is worth being thankful for come on thank him add to your list tonight Lord I'm I'm thankful for restoration promise I'm I'm thankful for deliv Deliverance promise I'm thankful Lord God that you allow me to remember Lord the good things thank you Lord oh come on somebody take some time thank him I thank you Lord I Thank You Lord I Thank You Lord I Thank You Lord God oh come on that's right lift your voice to him thank you Jesus thank you Jesus you are good good you are God you are worthy wonderful is your name glorious is your name excellent is your name come on he's a restorer yes he is a provider that's right he is oh come on thank him for his grace and his love thank him for his provision every day thank him for the benefits of knowing him come on go into the presence of God with thankfulness thank you Jesus God you're good God you're good God you're good God you're good God you're good Jesus you're good I Love You Lord come on are you thankful won't you grab somebody's hand close to you just pray with them right now oh God together Lord we lift holy hands to you thankful to know you oh come on thankful Lord come on throw that hand to Heaven thank you Jesus hey yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah I thank you Lord I Thank You Lord oh I thank you Jesus what you designed what you inspired what you gave God it's in you Lord Jesus oh come on that's right be thankful I'm thankful to Know You Lord I'm thankful to Know You Lord glorify the name of Jesus the name of Jesus the name of Jesus the name of Jesus thank you Lord I Thank You Lord oh I love you Jesus Hallelujah from the book of of Exodus tonight we read the precise and exact details of God's law God's plan God left nothing to the imagination nothing to chance told them to bring gold and silver to bring materials and animal skins all the right items needed notice this God left nothing out can you understand then the power of you thanking God for all the details if God was so careful with Moses to say make sure it's Badger skin died red make sure it's shid and wood that's overlaid with gold make sure it's the proper precious stones to be put in the bread rest plate come on he didn't say go find what you can at a yard sale he didn't say go scratch around in a dumpster but he gave him specific detail listen to me if God was so precise with how to and we ought to be precise with thank you thank you for my eyes blinking Lord y'all know some people's eyes don't blink right sometimes I'd just overwhelmed with gratefulness God I thank you for two hands I thank you for opposing appendages huh a that imagine not having a thumb huh wouldn't pick your nose or nothing sorry there's so much to be thankful for Jesus thank you for our time together tonight thank you Lord for the church family in everything Lord we want to give you thanks thank you for all the details promises you made Lord thank you for restoring thank you Lord for bringing back thank you Lord for accepting our thankfulness I love you and I bless your name help us God be with us the remainder of our week Lord Let Your Presence remain let it abide with each one of us I pray bless every home every heart in this room and those online in the name of Jesus we pray somebody say amen