Summary: A look at why God should be praised at Thanksgiving

A Thanksgiving God

Psalm 103:1-5

Open:

What a wonderful time of the year. Everybody loves

thanksgiving, a time for families to gather and spend

time with one another. Have a great meal, just like what

we are going to share in today, after church. The sad

thing is though to most Americans that is all

thanksgiving means to them. Just a bunch of relatives

and a bunch of turkey. (or to some a bunch of turkeys

and bunch of turkey).....Sure most could tell you that

thanksgiving has something to do with Pilgrims and

Indians, but that’s about it. Just imagine what those

Pilgrims went through to obtain the freedom to worship

God in the way that they chose. They braved the

unknown, sickness, hostile enviroment, whatever

seemed to stand in their way. Why? So that they could

worship the Lord God almighty, the God of power and

might. And I am sure that when they had made it

through the first winter and had seen God provision of

harvest for their hard work, they had to give him thanks

with praise and joy. Of course we Pentecostals have

picked up on what they started, you can’t truly have

thanksgiving and praise without food. You see these

Pilgrims understood without a shadow of a doubt that

our God is a thanksgiving God. We have so much to be

thankful for. As God’s people we are so incredibly

blessed. And I am not even talking about being thankful

for living in this great country of ours. Our God is a

thanksgiving God no matter where in this world you

live. No matter what your situation, no matter what

financial your financial position. Our God is worthy and

deserves our praise.

One thing I can assure you, those Pilgrims knew and

understood first hand what Psalm 103 is all about.

Psalm 103 is a psalm of thanksgiving to GOd for his

incredible blessings he pours into our lives.

This morning I want to show you five reasons why our

God is a Thanksgiving God

Interesting how this psalm begins: Verse1

David is saying that every aspect of him praises God,

even my inmost being.

How many of you have a time in your life when you

were so overwhelmed with emotions that you couldn’t

help what happened................

This is what I feel David is trying to express to us. That

he is bubbling with thanksgiving, that he he is so full of

joy that it is flowing fom within.

I want to tell you something if you can’t get excited

about what God has done for you than there is

something wrong with your spiritual walk. When was

the last time that you shouted, clapped your hands,

danced, laughed or cried when you thought about all

that God has done for you.

If has been a while it’s time that you take inventory and

let God know how you feel.

Verse 2 reminds us that we need to tell God often about

his deeds in our lives, because we are forgetful people.

And man this is the truth. Things are going along great

and we cruise, if we don’t remind ourselves of what

God is doing, we begin to think we doing it all.

Tell God of goodness daily in your life!

Five reasons God is a thanksgiving God

1. Verse 3

He forgives

Without this first reason there is no other use for any

other promise or blessing in the word of God.

If he can not forgive or will not forgive us then we

might as well pack it in now and get ready for the heat.

Eph. 1:7

This the most important thing that God does for us he

forgives us. Each and everyone of us can receive this

gift from him because he knows each person here today.

2. Verse 3b

He heals us

Ex. 15:26

Where does sickness come from? All sickness is a result

from the wickedness of sin. It is no coincidence that

here in this verse that David first says you forgive and

heal.

3. Verse 4

He redeems us

Redeem: release or freedom on payment of a price.

Deliverance by a costly method.

(He paid a debt he did not owe, I owed a debt I could

not pay)

Psalm 49:7, 15

God and God alone redeems us, no matter what the

world says there is nothing that you and I can do to earn

salvation. He paid the price and bought our freedom, it

is only up to us to accept it.

4. Verse 4b

Crowns you

The picture that I get out of this is one of a King

crowning his heirs.......

5. Verse 5

He satisfies us

Psalm 37:4

God is such a great father that even the desires of our

heart he will grant to us. Those things that we care

about, those things that only he may know about. He

knows our attitudes and thoughts and the position of

our heart. One thing we have to understand about

desires; as we go after him, our desires will be his

desires.

And isn’t it so true that when we see those desires God

places in our hearts fulfilled we become refreshed and

renewed. We feel like we can take on the world. And

actually we can with him at our side.

Close:

You see we don’t even have to talk about all the

wonderful blessings that he gives us, because we live in

the USA, to know that he truly is a thanksgiving God.

Stand to your feet and give him praise this morning