Pastor Shannon D. Morgan
Paragould First Assembly of God
November 23, 2003
Text: 1 Chronicles 16:7-36
Type: Thanksgiving Message
Regain Your Focus
(Building an Attitude of Gratitude)
Introduction:
1) 1 Chronicles 16:7-36 records a beautiful Psalm of David expressing heartfelt gratitude to God.
2) In order to understand David’s gratitude we must understand the events that transpired prior to this song of praise.
3) The ark of the covenant was stolen by the Philistines.
• The ark contained the two stone tablets, a jar of manna, and Aaron’s staff that had budded. (But that is a different story.)
• It signified God’s word, provision, and power for his people.
• It represented the reality of God’s presence with his people and God’s presence resided on the ark.
4) When the Philistines stole the ark of the covenant they in essence stole the reality of God’s presence from God’s people. God’s people lost their focus.
(application) It is easy in daily life to lose our awareness of God’s presence. The enemy wants to rob you of that awareness. Satan will use anything he can to distract you from intimate relationship with Christ and make you lose your focus.
- If he can make you lose your focus, then he can make you ineffective.
5) The Philistines stole the ark and that was serious business with God. (For the sake of time we are not going to read about it right now, but you can check it out in 1 Samuel 5).
• They placed it in the temple of Dagon.
• God sent an angel, knocked their god over, and broke his hands and his head off. (Explain how Dagon fell over and got his name)
(application) You know its going to be a bad day when you have to begin by taping your God back together. (Where’s the duck tape?)
• As if that wasn’t bad enough, they still didn’t get the message. God smote them with tumors. (KJV – emerods, from which the word hemorrhoids is derived)
(Comedian Steve Geyer illustrated the Philistines in this story, “We got he the ark of the covenant. Ah! Give it back! Give it back!”)
6) After seven months of self-torture, the Philistines sent the ark back.
- It was placed ten miles from Jerusalem at a place called Kiriath Jearim and forgotten about.
7) Saul became Israel’s first king and he neglected to bring it back to Jerusalem. (center of worship)
- God’s people lost their focus for a long time.
- God’s presence wasn’t at the center of their lives.
- The ark was gone and no one missed it.
(application) When God isn’t at the center of your life, then things get out of balance.
8) David became king and he was a man after God’s own heart.
• He directed the ark’s return to Jerusalem and God’s presence again became the center of life for His people.
• David rejoiced that God’s presence was again the focus of his people.
• Text: 1 Chronicles 16:7-36
That day David first committed to Asaph and his associates this psalm of thanks to the LORD:
8 Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;
make known among the nations what he has done.
9 Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.
10 Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
11 Look to the LORD and his strength;
seek his face always.
12 Remember the wonders he has done,
his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced,
13 O descendants of Israel his servant,
O sons of Jacob, his chosen ones.
14 He is the LORD our God;
his judgments are in all the earth.
15 He remembers his covenant forever,
the word he commanded, for a thousand generations,
16 the covenant he made with Abraham,
the oath he swore to Isaac.
17 He confirmed it to Jacob as a decree,
to Israel as an everlasting covenant:
18 "To you I will give the land of Canaan
as the portion you will inherit."
19 When they were but few in number,
few indeed, and strangers in it,
20 they wandered from nation to nation,
from one kingdom to another.
21 He allowed no man to oppress them;
for their sake he rebuked kings:
22 "Do not touch my anointed ones;
do my prophets no harm."
23 Sing to the LORD, all the earth;
proclaim his salvation day after day.
24 Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous deeds among all peoples.
25 For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise;
he is to be feared above all gods.
26 For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.
27 Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and joy in his dwelling place.
28 Ascribe to the LORD, O families of nations,
ascribe to the LORD glory and strength,
29 ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name.
Bring an offering and come before him;
worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.
30 Tremble before him, all the earth!
The world is firmly established; it cannot be moved.
31 Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
let them say among the nations, "The LORD reigns!"
32 Let the sea resound, and all that is in it;
let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them!
33 Then the trees of the forest will sing,
they will sing for joy before the LORD,
for he comes to judge the earth.
34 Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.
35 Cry out, "Save us, O God our Savior;
gather us and deliver us from the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name,
that we may glory in your praise."
36 Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting.
Then all the people said "Amen" and "Praise the LORD."
9) When we are focused on God and seeking him daily then we become acutely aware of His presence in our lives.
10) The natural response to His presence is thanksgiving and an attitude that reflects gratitude.
11) In David’s song of thanksgiving we see three steps to regain focus. (Building an attitude of gratitude)
1st step . . .We regain our focus by . . .
I. Singing praise to him. (v. 9) “Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.”
A. Singing praise is the exact opposite of murmuring complaints.
B. If you know God’s forgiveness then you have every reason to be positive and optimistic.
C. (Psalm 32:1-2) Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. 2 Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.
D. If you lose your focus you will lose your gratitude.
(illustration) The suicide attempt of a woman in New York.
- No one could talk her off of the ledge.
- As a last resort the police department called in its most seasoned negotiator.
- “I’m sorry that no one loves you.”
- “I’m sorry that you don’t have anywhere to live.”
- “I’m sorry that you haven’t eaten in days.”
- The woman responded to each assertion of the pastor by affirming her blessings.
- “Then why are you going to commit suicide?” the pastor asked.
- After a brief moment of contemplation the woman
responded, “I can’t remember why.”
Sometimes we get focused on the wrong things. Gratitude hinges on your focus.
2nd step . . .We regain our focus by . . .
II. Giving Him glory. (v.10) “Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.”
A. Colossians 3:17 “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”
B. We glorify Christ when our lives are congruent with His word.
(application) You can’t sin in His name.
3rd step . . . We regain our focus by . . .
III. Seeking His face. (v. 11) Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always.
A. Many people seek God’s hand based on their need. (His provision)
- His blessings.
- Answers to needs and prayers.
- The only time they seek Him is when they are in trouble.
B. We also need to seek his face based on relationship.
- Spend time with Him just because you love Him, you want to know Him, and you want to be close to Him.
(application) That is the focus that brings an awareness of His presence in your life.
Conclusion:
• When you are aware of God’s presence in your life, then the natural response is an attitude of gratitude. Thanksgiving becomes a way of life, not an annual holiday.
• David also shows us two important reasons to give thanks to God:
1) Horizontal Reason: (24-26) Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous deeds among all peoples.25 For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.26 For all the gods of the nations are idols, but the LORD made the heavens.
• Evangelistic Reason – we give thanks to honor God before men.
• When our words and actions display gratitude to
God it glorifies him before men.
- It makes people want what you have.
• God loves people and people need God.
- God is the producer, a lost world is the consumer, the product is his love.
- We are the advertisement.
(application) You say God doesn’t need advertising. Yes he does and we are the only billboards he has.
(Matthew 5:16) Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deed and praise your Father in heaven.
2) Vertical Reason: (v. 25) For great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; he is to be feared above all gods.
(v. 29) Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name. Bring an offering and come before him; worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.
• Because he is worthy.
• Heartfelt thanks is his due.
• When you see the “splendor of his holiness” (v. 29), you can’t help but reverence him. You can’t help but desire him.
3) Why give thanks?
• To honor God before men (horizontal reason).
• Because he is worthy (vertical reason).
