Havasu Christian Church
November 24, 2004
Turkey day or Thanksgiving?
INTRO: Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. There are a lot of reasons!
- I Love Turkey! I love it carved right off the bird on Thanksgiving afternoon, I love it leftover in a sandwich, I love it in turkey salad, in turkey hash, in turkey soup; any way you want to fix it, (except mixed in with brussels sprouts) I’m all over it!
- I love the “fixin’s” too! Whether it’s stuffing, mashed potatoes, or Robin’s Pecan pie, (made with oatmeal so it isn’t just nuts and sugar) I’m there!
- I love the company! Whether we have 2 people over, or 25, I enjoy being able to play “host.” It’s fun.
- On top of all that, as if that isn’t enough, there’s FOOTBALL on tv!
- If only there were FIREWORKS! Then it would be a truly amazing holiday!
Unfortunately, it’s easy to let the food, and guests, and the football become the focus of the day. In reality, our focus should be on being THANKFUL!
- We owe God our thankfulness!
- He created EVERYTHING!
1 Corinthians 10:26 FOR THE EARTH IS THE LORD’S, AND ALL IT CONTAINS.
Paul is quoting David from Psalm 24:1 The earth is the LORD’S, and all it contains.
- God, Father, Son and Spirit, made it all!
- Our Thanks to God should be before ALL else!
- Not only did God CREATE it all, He holds it all together!
Colossians 1:16–17 For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.
- When we are living in His will, God supplies all our needs!
Philippians 4:15–20 You yourselves also know, Philippians, that at the first preaching of the gospel, after I left Macedonia, no church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving but you alone; for even in Thessalonica you sent a gift more than once for my needs. Not that I seek the gift itself, but I seek for the profit which increases to your account. But I have received everything in full and have an abundance; I am amply supplied, having received from Epaphroditus what you have sent, a fragrant aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well-pleasing to God. And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be the glory forever and ever. Amen.
- Sometimes He gives us our wants,
- But He always supplies our needs.
- His idea of “need” and mine may be very, very different.
James 1:2–4 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
- My physical needs may NOT be met, so that needs in some other area can be met.
- I may need to learn to trust more.
- I may need to learn to be faithful with what I have, not what I wish I had.
- If I don’t have what I need in this life, I will have what I need in the next!
II Timothy 1:1–5 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus, To Timothy, my beloved son: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day, longing to see you, even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy. For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well.
- Paul was grateful for a clean conscience.
- Paul had done some awful things
- He gave permission to those who stoned Stephen to death.
- He mad a conscious effort to persecute God’s church.
1 Corinthians 15:9–10 For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me.
- But now, because of Jesus, his conscience is clean!
- Jesus has gotten rid of the sin and shame.
- We owe to others a debt of thanks.
- There are many examples of this in Scripture.
- We Just read how Paul was thanking the Philippian church for the gifts they sent to support him in Ministry.
- Paul was also grateful for those who served along side of him.
Romans 16:3–4 Greet Prisca and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who for my life risked their own necks, to whom not only do I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles;
- We should be thankful for what has been taught, to ourselves and others.
- Paul was grateful for what Timothy’s mother and grandmother had taught him.
- Paul tells Timothy to honor Elders who “rule well” especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.
1 Timothy 5:17 The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.
- Always Be Thankful,!
Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.
- Always is a BIG word!
- Being thankful is fortunately a choice!
- Choose to be thankful when you are well.
- Choose to be thankful when you are sick.
- Choose to be thankful in good times.
- Choose to be thankful in hard times.
- Choose to be thankful when your world makes sense.
- Choose to be thankful when your world seems sensless.
- Choose to be thankful when everyone you love is well and prosperous.
- Choose to be thankful when those you love are sick or having financial problems.
- Choose to be thankful when your plans work out just like you thought they should.
- Choose to be thankful when your plans do not work out like you thought they should.
BE THANKFUL IN EVERYTHING!
1 Thessalonians 5:18 in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Conclusion: It’s easy to talk about being thankful. It’s harder to live our lives giving thanks. But you can. I Challenge you, and myself, to live lives of thankfulness!
