Thanks - Living
• We have allowed some very important days to be commercialized to DEATH !
• Our problem seems to center around our understanding of what LOVE is.
• Thanksgiving like Love is not a holiday, It is a WAY of LIFE .
There are two principle ways that I can show God that I have a grateful heart.
I.) I Can PROVE My Gratitude To God With Thanksgiving.
PS 100:1 “Shout with joy before the Lord, O earth! 2 Obey Him gladly; come before him, singing with joy. 3 Try to realize what this means--the Lord is God! He made us--we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. Go through His open gates with great thanksgiving; enter His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and bless His name. 5 For the Lord is always good. He is always loving and kind, and His faithfulness goes on and on to each succeeding generation.” (LB)
Thanksgiving in the Biblical sense:
1.) …Includes WORSHIP : Adoration and Singing. (v. 3) [With other believers!]
2.) …Involves TELLING others about God’s greatness, mercy and power!
PS 107:2 Has the Lord redeemed you? Then speak out! Tell others He has saved you from your enemies. (LB)
3.) …Contains GIVING .
LEV 22:29 When you offer the Lord a sacrifice of thanksgiving, you must do it in the right way, (LB)
I must study in order to find out what offering is acceptable to Him!
4.) …Comprises GRATFULNESS to God for His unspeakable gift of Jesus.
2 COR 9:15 Thank God for his Son--His Gift too wonderful for words. (LB)
II.) I Can Prove My Gratitude By “Thanks - LIVING”.
JOHN 14:15 "If you love Me, obey Me; … JOHN 14:21 The one who obeys Me is the one who loves me; and because he loves Me, my Father will love him; and I will too, and I will reveal Myself to him." 22 Judas (not Judas Iscariot, but his other disciple with that name) said to Him, "Sir, why are You going to reveal Yourself only to us disciples and not to the world at large?" 23 Jesus replied, "Because I will only reveal Myself to those who love Me and obey Me. The Father will love them too, and We will come to them and live with them.” (LB)
Thanks-Living :
1.) … Involves OBEYING the Word of God. “obey Me”
(Jesus) “And why call ye Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Lu 6:46 (LB)
2.) … Includes STUDYING God’s Word.
I can only obey what I KNOW and understand!
3.) … Includes letting my LIFE testify for Jesus! The way I LIVE proves my love for God!
EPH 4:1 I beg you--I, a prisoner here in jail for serving the Lord--to live and act in a way worthy of those who have been chosen for such wonderful blessings as these. (LB)
4.) … Involves LOVING God’s children.
JOHN 13:35 Your strong love for each other will prove to the world that you are My disciples." (LB)
(Paul) “No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1THESS 5:18 (LB)
