7 Reasons We Have to be “Thankful” in this Lifetime

Thankfulness is a very powerful biblical teaching. The understanding and importance of being thankful is so important that in the Old Covenant there was a special offering that was associated with showing thankfulness. I don't know if many of us are fully aware of that. If you go to Leviticus chapter 7 verse 11, we will touch upon a very special offering that was spontaneous.

You know, most offerings, God said on a particular day, you'll do a bull or a lamb or this many animals, but this particular offering was spontaneous. One could do it at any time. There wasn't a day that was designated in which God said, you must do this. Here it is in Leviticus chapter 7 verse 11.

This is the law of the sacrifice of peace offering. Some translations call it fellowship offerings, which he shall offer to the Lord. If he offers it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving on leavened cakes mixed with oil, on leavened wafers anointed with oil, or cakes of blended flour mixed with oil. Now, I covered this in a little more detail a few years ago, so I'm not going to repeat what I said then, but again, this was an optional offering under the law of Moses.

It was not an offering to forgive sin, but simply to praise God and display public gratitude for him. Unlike other offerings, again, this was not ordained to be offered at fixed and regular times. It was a freewill offering. You could do it whenever you wanted to. You weren't commanded to do it.

Again, it's called in some translations a fellowship offering, and the general principle of this offering seems to have been that it should be entirely spontaneous by the offer. Offered as an occasion should arise from feeling thankful, feeling just a sense of gratitude and appreciation for God and his blessings. The Leviticus chapter 19 verse 5 again refers this to this as a freewill, meaning something you could do spontaneously. So that's how important the entire concept of thankfulness is from the Scriptures.

Now in our country, we have a secular holiday that we call Thanksgiving, and it actually has roots going back to biblical principles. You know, the Feast of Tabernacles was a celebration of the fall harvest. It was a celebration that we have enough food here that we're going to be able to survive a long winter and have enough to eat, store enough away so that we can eat until we can get a crop in the ground next time.

And whether it was the Puritans or those who were in this country early on in the modern history, it was a festival of appreciation that they had had an abundant harvest, that they were going to be able to survive those very cold New England winters and live until the next year. As time went on, we had presidents who would declare days of Thanksgiving and fasting, usually they were times of a national crisis. So thankfulness, I'm going to give you a definition, is defined by the dictionaries, having feelings and an expression of gratitude, of being satisfied, of having a feeling of appreciation towards things.

This is not natural for human nature. Raw, carnal human nature has many dark and sinister qualities, and we touch upon them at times. We know that it is enmity against God, Romans chapter 8 and verse 7. And one of the most glaring and obvious selfish qualities that we can have as a human being is a lack of thankfulness, a lack of appreciation for the things that we already have.

In our age, sadly it's even more pronounced than I believe it was in previous times. Let's see Paul remind us of that in 2 Timothy chapter 3, beginning in verse 1, and see what Paul said would be the pervasive attitude and mindset of the last days. Again, 2 Timothy chapter 3 in verse 1. Paul says, but know this, that in the last days, perilous times will come. Think of our political situation in this country.

Think of North Korea shooting missiles that are long enough to reach the United States, if they so intended it. Think of the war in Ukraine and how one plane, or parts of a plane falling in Poland almost sparked the beginnings of World War III. As NATO pondered, whether it was Russian or something else, and it turned out to be parts of a Ukrainian, I think, defensive craft. But think of the perilous times that we live in in so many ways.

For men will be lovers of themselves. You can think of same-sex marriage. You can think of a lot of different ways that people are just so self-absorbed. We certainly live in the me generation. Lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, constantly using God's name in vain, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good traders, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power from such people turn away. On the outside, they like to appear like they have their act together, like they're happy, normal people. You know, think of a lot of, think of a recent Hollywood starlet and star who had a very public, nasty divorce. You know, on the outside it looked like, oh, you know, this beautiful couple. Life is so good for them. But you find out in the inside, their relationship was rotten, and their attitudes are rotten and selfish and self-destructive. And that's what we see in our world today. People look good on the outside, but on the inside, as Jesus would say, they're full of dead men's bones, having a form of godliness but denying its power. Our houses of Congress, they have chaplains who pray before the sessions begin. That's been going on since the foundation of our country. So they have an individual get up there and say a very nice prayer, and then afterwards they all act like animals and hate each other. Instead of getting things done, they get in a little political divide, and they bite back and slander each other, and they do everything to destroy the country rather than help the country to solve the incredible problems we have. So that's the form of godliness that goes on in our world today. As Paul mentions here, in the last days, people would even be more ungracious and unappreciative, thankless, and more ungrateful than ever before. I believe that we can only expect it to get worse and worse. One of the difficulties of social media is that people feel so safe sitting in their mother's basement at age 40, firing off these nasty, snarky comments, racist and other ignorant comments on the internet, on Twitter, if that even will exist in 30 days, or on some of these other social media. People are so emboldened to be jerk-like because they feel like there's a barrier, there's a shield to protect them, to protect the consequences of the things that they say, since they appear to get away with it. Well, thankfulness, as I said earlier, is a godly quality, and we are God's people, and we have more to be thankful for than anyone else on Earth. So today in this sermon, I would like to give you either seven or nineteen reasons we have to be thankful in this lifetime. The reason I say that is I just upgraded to Microsoft Word 2021, and its formatting automatically changes numbers, so I don't know if I have seven points or nineteen points. I guess we'll find out as we go along here today. Alright, so here's the first reason. Be thankful that we were given life and the privilege to experience existence.

Before you were born, before I was born, we were unaware of existence. We did not exist. Save for the grace of God. When we breathe our last breath in this physical life, we once again enter non-existence, and if it isn't for the grace of God, that non-existence would continue forever. Praise be to God that He's given us a precious gift, the gift of life. John chapter 11 and verse 39, if you'll turn there with me, the story of Jesus who lingered when He was told Lazarus was sick, and Lazarus died. So Jesus did that on purpose, and He wanted to raise Lazarus from the dead, and He wanted to set an example for those who were in the audience, and I think it's a good example for us, showing the appreciation, the value that Jesus gave to life. So much so that He wanted to raise His dead friend, Lazarus, and once again give Him physical life. John chapter 11 and verse 39. It says, Jesus said, take away the stone. And Martha, the sister of Him who was dead, said to Him, Lord, by this time there's a stench, for He has been dead four days. Now that's important because the point is, is that He's really dead.

Right? He didn't sleep, and He didn't slip into a deep sleep three hours ago, and they put Him behind a rock. He's been dead-dead for four days, and it doesn't smell very nice either. Verse 40, Jesus said to her, did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God, then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying, and Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, Father, I thank you that you have heard Me.

Silently, Jesus said, had said in His mind, Father, raise Him from the dead. Verse 42, and I know that you always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by, I said that I did this audibly. I said, Father, I thank you that you have heard Me audibly for their sake, because we have such a connection and relationship from my mind to your mind. I receive an immediate response. It's what Jesus is saying. Again, verse 42, and I know that you always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing here, standing by, I said this, that they may believe that you sent Me. Now when He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And we, of course, know that Lazarus was resurrected from the dead. So Jesus set an example here of showing thanks and appreciation for the gift of existence, for the gift of life itself. It is so rare in our universe. We're searching for it through the most powerful telescopes that have ever been made, and we can't find any kind of life. That's how precious.

That's how unique existence, the ability to have consciousness, the ability to be aware that you're alive, and being made in God's image and be able to create things and do things because of that gift of God, is something that we should all be deeply thankful for. When the Father, when Jesus asked for the Father to resurrect Lazarus, He did so. And I want you to notice that He even gave thanks before Lazarus was brought back to life, even beforehand. Before Jesus ate food, oftentimes He would give thanks. He had an attitude of thankfulness. He often would show a gratitude or an appreciation for kindnesses shown towards Him and things done towards Him. Even the little things He didn't take for granted, the little blessings that Jesus received, He didn't take for granted. As I said earlier, there was a time before we were born we have no memory because we didn't have an existence. God gave us that miracle of life and it's precious.

How precious is it? Just one small example. Since the United States had a Supreme Court ruled that abortion was acceptable, Roe v. Wade, in 1973 there have been over 63 million abortions. 63 million individuals who never had that opportunity to experience the precious gift of life because they were executed in their mother's womb. The greatest Holocaust in human history. A Holocaust so great that it makes Hitler, Stalin, Mao together look like elementary school children with the number of lives that have been extinguished and exterminated because of human greed and selfishness. Human life is precious. Our existence is precious and something we need to be deeply thankful for. Number two, be thankful that there is a gracious creator God and that we can call him Father. There's a loving God, a merciful God, unlike many of the gods of the pagan myths, if you've ever read about the pagan myths and the gods who just most of them were really mean. Most of them were constantly punishing humans, coming down and trying to have children with with females and vindictive and angry, but we know the true God and he's a loving God. He's a gracious God. Let's go to 1st Chronicles chapter 16 and verse 7. See what David said and did. 1st Chronicles chapter 16 and verse 7. It says here, 1st Chronicles chapter 16 and verse 7. On that day, David first delivered this psalm into the hand of Asaph and his brethren to thank the Lord. Oh, give thanks to the Lord. Call upon his name. Make known his deeds among the peoples. Sing to him. Sing psalms to him.

Talk of all his wondrous works. Glory in his holy name. Let the hearts of those rejoice who seek the Lord. You see, as an individual, David is recorded in Scriptures as publicly and openly offering thankfulness to God. He does this more than any other person recorded in Scripture. Just look at the book of Psalms. I look at his examples in Kings and Chronicles. No one even comes close in the Bible who praised God more often than David himself. Let's look at a Psalm.

He'll turn to Psalm chapter 107. Let's look at a Psalm that contrasts what God has done for us. What God has done because of calling us and because of our conversion, this makes it possible to refer to God as Father and have a relationship with Him. Psalm chapter 107 verse 1, if you'll turn there kindly.

Psalm 107, O give thanks to the Lord for he is good. For his mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so. What are they saying? They're saying, O give thanks to the Lord for he is good. This is what the redeemed should be saying, according to this Psalm. Whom he has redeemed from the hand of the enemy.

We know that Satan is our enemy. We were all in slavery to him before God called us and gathered us out of lands from the east and from west, from the north, and from the south. God's people are scattered all over this particular planet.

They wandered in the wilderness in a desolate way, and before God took the blinders off our eyes, that's what we were doing in this world, stumbling around, trying to figure everything out, trying to figure out if there was of God, trying to figure out if the Bible was true, trying to figure out if God had any expectations for our lives. They found no city to dwell in. There's no city in this physical world that has the answers. There's no physical city in this world that can provide us with contentment or fulfillment or happiness. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them. We were spiritually bankrupt before God called us, had freed us from being enslaved to Satan. Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble. They repented, and he delivered them out of their distresses, and he led them forth by the right way that they might go to a city for a dwelling place, O that men would give thanks to the Lord for his goodness and for his wonderful works to the children of men. So we can see here that David was so thankful that there is a gracious God, a Redeemer, one who takes us out of darkness and brings us into the truth, brings us into light.

In contrast, again, to this loving God. If you've ever spent any time reading about the gods of the pagans, they were angry, vengeful, selfish. They wanted to be appeased constantly, even to the point of the sacrifice of children in order to appease these pagan gods. But we should be thankful that there is a gracious Creator God. And because we've been redeemed, he's more than just God. We can have an intimate relationship with him and refer to him as Father. All right, number three. Be thankful that God sent his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to earth to reconcile us to him. Of course, human beings sin, and sin separates us from having a relationship with God. Someone had to pay the ultimate price so that you and I could be the children of God. Let's go to Luke chapter 2 and verse 25. Luke chapter 2 and verse 25. God did send his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to earth to bring salvation and reconciliation to all of us. Story of the infant Christ being brought to the temple. His parents had some requirements to fulfill from the law of Moses regarding the birth of a child. We'll pick it up here in verse 25.

And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel. Waiting for the time when Israel could be great. Waiting for the time when the Messiah would rule over Israel, and it could be a great people, a great nation. Continuing here, and the Holy Spirit was upon him, and it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

Been waiting a long time, this man. Verse 27, and so he came by the Spirit into the temple, and when he saw the parents, and when the parents brought up the Christ child to do to him according to the custom of the law, he took him up in his arms and blessed God, holding the infant Christ Jesus in his arms. He blessed God.

And he said this, Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace. Now I can die satisfied. I can die in peace knowing that you have kept your promise, and you are providing a Messiah for your people. Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation.

Jesus Christ came to earth to be more than just a great leader, a political king, a Messiah. He also came to provide salvation for all people, and not just for people of Hebrew descent. Let's continue. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people, Israel. It was the life and the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ that brought salvation to this world to both Jew and Gentile. How thankful are we for the physical and spiritual healing offered to us by Jesus Christ? How thankful are we that Jesus Christ came and paid the penalty for our sin? How thankful are we that he removed the dead barrier so that we can go to the Father and call him Father and have a personal and intimate relationship with him? Let's quickly go through Luke 17. Since it was covered in the sermonette, we'll just read through this quickly. This parable probably hasn't been covered in five years, and then we cover it twice in one Sabbath, but that's okay. Luke chapter 17 verse 12, because I'm going to pull something a little different out of it, and I will go through this rather quickly. Luke chapter 17 verse 12, Mr. Mango brought out some excellent points. And this is when he entered a certain village, and there he met 10 men who were lepers and who stood afar off. Verse 13, and they lifted up their voices and said, Master, have mercy on us. So when he saw this, he said to them, Go show yourselves to the priest. And so it was, as they went, they were cleansed. This is interesting because Jesus doesn't dab them with mud. He doesn't put oil on their heads. He doesn't have them touch his robe. It is purely their act of faith.

He says, Go show yourself to the priest. And if you have the faith between now and when you get to that priest, and he examines you that your disease is gone, it's going to be gone. Continuing here. And go show yourselves to the priest. And so it was, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned with a loud voice, glorified God, and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks.

And you know what? He was a Samaritan. One of the most despised people of that culture. It's the one who you would expect to be lacking in gratitude, who was the one who came back. The one who could say, Oh, I'm abused. I've been abused my whole life. Everyone and everything's unfair. I'm angry. I'm bitter. See this chip in my shoulder? It's your fault. He had every right out of those ten to feel that way. But he was the one who came back and thanked Jesus.

17, verse 17. So Jesus answered and said, We're not their ten cleansed, but where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner? Where are all the native Hebrews? Where are all those who grew up hearing the Torah? Where are all those who were taught the law of Moses since they were small children? Jesus says, I can't find them. But this simple, humble Samaritan, the most despised human being of our culture, comes back and gives thanks.

Verse 19. And he said this to him, arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well. So again, where were all of the healed individuals of natural Hebrew descent? To draw on analogies from this, are other people, like maybe people out in the world, more thankful and appreciative to God than we are?

Have we just become complacent? Do we think we're entitled? Do our prayers, our prayers laced with, give me this, give me that, do this for me, do that for me? Or is it laced with an affectionate appreciation and praise of God and His presence constantly in our lives?

Do we think we're entitled to receive blessings? Do we lack appreciation for our life? Have we grown numb to our calling? The gifts we've been given, both the physical gifts and the spiritual gifts that God has given us to serve others? In our attitude, is the glass always half empty in our life? Or is it half full? Do we look at our lives and say, I just have so much? So many blessings that are hard to count. Or would do we look at our life and say, how come this person's got a bigger home than I do? How come this person in the church has a nicer car?

How come this person gets the promotions and I never get the... How come this person gets healed and I'm still struggling with an illness? So what is our level of thankfulness for what we do have rather than comparing ourselves with others? Number four, be thankful that we have the opportunity for eternal life beyond this mere physical existence. Earlier I talked about physical life, and physical life is a gift. But as we know from Scriptures, it ceases. It gets to the point, because of sin, that it no longer exists. We didn't exist before we were born. Without the grace of God, we won't exist again when we die.

That short little time span of eternity would have been known in our lives as physical existence. But God offers us so much more. What God offers us is an opportunity for eternal life beyond this mere physical existence. Romans chapter 6 and verse 21 see what Paul says about this. We sometimes read this at funerals, because it's a very powerful scripture about the contrast that life offers us.

Romans chapter 6 and verse 21. Paul begins talking about the fruit of living the wrong way of life, the consequences and things that we suffer before we were called. What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed? Again, of living a former life of sin, the things that we produce were not productive, were not good. For the end of those things is death. The end of sin, the result of sin, is always death unless we have a Savior.

Verse 22. But now have been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness and no longer the fruit of degeneracy, the fruit of sin, now the fruit of holiness in its place. And the end, ever-lasting life. For the wages of sin is death.

That's one option. That's one thing that can happen. But the gift of God is eternal life and Christ Jesus, our Lord. Brother, there are only two options available for everyone who has ever lived a physical human life. Option number one is eternal death when this physical life ceases. Again, we were unaware of their existence before birth. We will be unaware of our existence upon our death. So that's option number one. Not a very happy, positive option or thought. Option number two is receiving the gift of eternal life because of our Savior Jesus Christ and what he did for us. Now, you know, people talk about immortal souls. If we have immortal souls, then Paul is wrong. If we have immortal souls, then we already have eternal life. It wouldn't be a gift. If your soul lives forever, wafts around wherever in no man's land, the twilight zone, wherever you would call that, and it just continues to exist, then eternal life would not be a gift. You would already possess it. But eternal life is a gift. Again, the scriptures say that the options are either eternal death upon the cessation of this physical life or eternal life upon the resurrection, the return of Jesus Christ. And it is totally an undeserved gift that we should be thankful for. Let's go to Luke chapter 10 and verse 19. Luke chapter 10 and verse 19. Jesus wanted to give people eternal life. It excited him that people, their names were written in the book of life and they would have an opportunity for salvation. In this story here, he said, had sent out 70 missionaries and they have come back and they did some wonderful things. They're all excited. Luke chapter 10 and verse 19. Behold, Jesus said, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this that the spirits are subject to you. That's powerful. That's impressive that evil spirits have to do what you say. Jesus said, but you know, there's something even more wonderful and important than that. Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this that the spirits are subject to you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven. You have the opportunity for eternal life. That is a gift. You have the promise of a wonderful future. Verse 21, in that hour Jesus rejoiced in the Spirit and said, I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and revealed them to babes. That's what we are. In the eyes of God, we're his children, still learning, still struggling, still fumbling around sometimes, still making mistakes, but hopefully growing through the experiences that we have. Even so, Father, for it seems so good in your sight.

Jesus was thankful that the Father was calling some to receive salvation. He thought that was more important than just miracles, just driving out evil demons and evil spirits. What was more important is that their names were written in the book of life. Are we thankful that we've been offered eternal life as an undeserved gift? As I mentioned earlier, science is proving that life is extremely rare in our universe. We as a people, as a race and as a society, we feverishly search for life. We search through the James Webb Space Telescope, the Hubble Space Telescope, and we search and we search and we look for Goldilocks planets, you know, ones kind of like Earth that might have an atmosphere that might be able to support life. And we search and we search and we search and you know what we find? Nothing! Because life is the result of a creator, a creator instilling existence in something that wasn't and now possesses life. And we've been given that opportunity not just to have this mere physical life extended. And you know there are some religions in the world that believe that in the millennium physical people just live forever.

Right? They just go on and on. They're physical and they just go on and on and on and on as physical people forever. The last time I stubbed my toe, I didn't think it was really a great thing to be physical. And of course you know why God gave you toes, so you could find furniture in the dark. But who would want to live for eternity as a physical being? I learned the last three weeks that there are some pretty powerful aspects of being physical that are not nice, that do not make you happy, that do not give you fulfillment. So God's gift isn't just some extension of physical life. He's offering a new form of existence as a spirit being spirit life that is eternal and that lasts forever.

Alright, number five. Be thankful for the material and physical blessings we have been given as individuals. That can be tough in our consumer-oriented society.

You watch TV. Everyone seems to have a big car. Everyone's got the latest Apple product. Everyone seems to have a wonderful marriage and a six-figure income. How come I don't? Everyone seems to be doing all of these things and having all of these happy things happen in their lives and being able to buy all of these things.

My favorite commercials, that one during the Christmas time where the wife comes out and the husband bought like a new Mercedes and there's a big red bow. Oh, honey! My wife would say, are you nuts? But we live in such a consumer-oriented society. It can be so easy to get wrapped up and again look at our lives as if there's always something lacking because we don't think we have what the person next door has. Philippians chapter 4 verse 6, if you'll turn with me. Philippians chapter 4 verse 6. What happens when we allow ourselves to get wrapped up in this consumer-oriented world that we live in, where everyone else seems to be doing so well, everyone else seems to be making a boatload of money, enjoying vacations to the to Litchfield, Ohio, and doing all of these great and wonderful things.

What that causes people is a sense of frustration, a sense that I'm not good enough, a sense that how come it's not me? Sometimes even a sense it can create a sense of anxiety along with the frustration. Philippians chapter 4 and verse 6, Paul says, be anxious for nothing. Don't let anything, the lack of anything, make you anxious. But in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, not the mopey wine, God how come, why don't I just, why doesn't this happen for me?

How come this other person seems to be blessed? Woe is me. Let me play the martyr for a while, God. Not having that approach in our prayers, but as he says here, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, thank you, Lord, for what you have given me. Thank you for the precious things that I have. Let your requests be known, made known, God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding.

Well, guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Brethren, when we pray, our thoughts and words should be filled with an attitude of thankfulness, not the gimme's, not judging someone else, not comparing ourselves to someone else, but an attitude of thankfulness as we make our immediate needs known. This is an attitude that God respects and that God is pleased with. In our prayers, do we sometimes sound like whining, spoiled children who forget all the things they've been given because they don't have that one special toy, that one special thing through anxiety and anxiousness that we're obsessed about and thinking about?

I don't have this. I don't have this. I don't have this. Instead of that, think about the hundreds of things and blessings that you do have. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 and verse 16. 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 and verse 16. Again, one of Paul's epistles, he says, Rejoice always pray without ceasing. What does he mean when he says rejoice? Always have a mindset and an attitude of rejoicing, of being happy. Have a smile in your face.

Again, as I've said so many times before, it's the one fruit of the Spirit, joy, that someone can detect from you ten feet away. They can see rather your joy furrowed out. And if we look like we've been sucking on lemons all week before we come in this building, then it's probably going to affect our relationships with each other.

Again, we need to be positive. As he says here, we need to be rejoicing always. Pray without ceasing doesn't mean enter a monastery and drop to your knees and pray 24-7. It means have a prayerful attitude, much like Jesus did when he resurrected Lazarus. He had a relationship with God. That mind-to-mind, Jesus had a constant daily dialogue going on with the Father. It wasn't anything formal. It wasn't setting a clock and dropping to his knees for 30 minutes, so he did pray on his knees.

His relationship was deeper than that. His relationship was mind-to-mind, and that's what Paul is talking about here. Having a prayerful attitude in mind through the day, asking God to intervene as you're going to the doctor's office.

Maybe you're concerned about a diagnosis, asking God to intervene in your behalf.

You feel yourself getting upset because you're in traffic and people are honking and someone gave you some strange sign with their finger and you don't want to talk about it or think about it much. Rather than getting angry, say, Lord, help me to calm down, help me to realize this person is just ignorant and selfish and not to allow them to affect my attitude and mindset. These are the kind of things that Paul's talking about when he says, pray without ceasing. It's a relationship with God that's mind to mind and it's carried 24-7. It's carried throughout our days and throughout our lives. Verse 18, in everything give thanks. He doesn't say, when you feel like it, give thanks. When it's convenient for you, give thanks.

Sometimes, give thanks. No, he says, in everything give thanks because the reality is, is no matter what you're experiencing, what horrible event you could be going through or you are going through, it could be worse. That's what Paul is teaching us here. Could it be that there's an unseen law that God blesses those who show him they appreciate what they've been given? Could it be that the Creator withholds his blessings from those who take God for granted? No matter how often they pray for something. No matter how often they go to Sabbath services because their hearts are not filled with thankfulness.

Just a small example, I'm always stunned at the selfishness of Americans, particularly. Just a small example. The USA has 335 million people and yes, unfortunately, we have a lot in poverty and we do have a lot of programs to try to help people in poverty. We have programs to help them to get food and eat their homes and do lots of things. Again, I was a board member of Community Action for seven years, so we helped the community in Wayne and Medina County, those who are living with incomes that are below poverty level and helping them with very difficult things. So we have a nation of 335 million and unfortunately, far too many live in poverty. In India alone, 374 million poor do not have proper nutrition, sanitation, housing, and cooking fuel. Millions upon millions live in an area that would be the size of your garden shed. That's their home. That's what they exist in. In India alone, 445 million lack both gas, electrical power, and clean drinking water. How would you like to go home and you have no power? And I don't mean just for 20 minutes. You have no power in your home. How would you like to get up every day and walk five miles to get clean water somewhere to drink for your children? Like many people who exist on the earth today, how would you like to get up in the morning and you don't have one goal? And that's to go down to the marketplace and hope you sell enough of the handcrafty things you make or the fish that you caught to be able to turn that into some cash and buy food to feed your family today. And then tomorrow you get to do that all over again. That's the way many people live. In this world today, billions of people live that way. So we of all people should be thankful for the material and the physical blessings we've been given as individuals and collectively even as a church congregation. We're very blessed to have a building. Yes, sometimes it's cold, sometimes it's wet, but we are very blessed to have our own building and to be able to keep the Sabbath in peace and harmony and fellowship with one another and enjoy the material blessings that truly are a gift from God. Number six, be thankful for the church and the spiritual brothers and sisters God has given us as a gift. Our brothers and sisters are a gift to us. And just like in physical life, we do not get to choose our physical brothers and sisters, do we? When we came into existence, they're there. We don't get to choose them. Sometimes they're cranky, sometimes they don't smell good, sometimes they might bully us. Sometimes our physical brothers and sisters may have undesirable characteristics. Well, you know what? The same is true of our spiritual brothers and sisters. We don't get to choose who they are. Jesus Christ chooses. God the Father draws them, and Jesus Christ nurtures them. He brings them into the church. He forgives them. His sacrifice reconciles them to the Father, and now they have an opportunity for a new life. Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 17. Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 17. Paul writes, therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is, and do not be drunk with wine in which is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit. If you're going to be filled with something, be filled with the Spirit of God.

Speaking to one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. That's what we do during every song service. We get up, we sing hymns together, we are speaking one to another through fellowship before the service begins. We'll be speaking to one another again after the service ends, enjoying a wonderful meal together. This is what Paul is talking about. This is communal. This is church. This is interacting with our spiritual brothers and sisters. Verse 20, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of the Lord. So, brethren, are we thankful that we have others who love us, though they may be flawed and have problems because they're human beings? God's people do have problems. God's people are flawed. God's people are a work in progress. Are we thankful we have people who can encourage us? I'm so thankful for the cards, phone calls, and text messages. We have a mantle in our living room. The whole mantle is filled with cards. Some of you sent two cards. I guess I wasn't getting well fast enough. I don't know.

You sent two cards. What a wonderful blessing to know that there are people who care for you, who are trying and striving to encourage you. Are we thankful that we have people who can support us? Are we thankful for all things, as the phrase he uses here, including each other? 1 Thessalonians chapter 3 and verse 6.

1 Thessalonians chapter 3 and verse 6. Paul is a pastor here. He shows his personal emotion and affection for the congregation. He sent Timothy out, and now Timothy comes back with some really encouraging news. What's going on in Thessalonica? And he repeats. He tells these things to Paul. It encourages Paul.

And he writes, But not that Timothy has come to us from you and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always have good remembrance of us, greatly desiring to see us as we also to see you. Paul said, I desire to see you. I wasn't able to make this trip. I had to send Timothy, but I long to see you. Thessalonica is a congregation to see you as God's people. Verse 7, Therefore, brethren, in all our affliction and distress, we were comforted concerning you by your faith. For now we live if you stand fast in the Lord. Verse 9, For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy which we rejoice for your sake before our God?

Paul said, I personally am thankful for you. Paul felt I rejoice in you. That's how I felt as I would connect on Zoom and see people fellowchipping, just having a great time loving one another, talking to one another about their lives, and a service that, which again, was just so well organized and the messages were of high quality, and it is just so satisfying. So I understand how Paul felt here. Thinking of them brought him joy and thankfulness. Do we have this attitude towards one another? Yes, in spite of the fact that some of us are weird. Some of us have rather strange foibles. Some of us have rather obvious, glaring weaknesses.

In spite of that, can we look beyond those things and see the potential that someone has, rather than just the way they are now, what they're struggling with now? Colossians chapter 3 and verse 12, Paul touches upon what I was just mentioning. Sometimes we do have to bear with one another. Sometimes God's people can be obnoxious. Sometimes they can be obsessive compulsive. But in spite of those challenges and weaknesses, can we see beyond that and love people and see their potential as God sees their potential, rather than just the way that they are now? Colossians chapter 3 and verse 12, therefore, as the elect of God holy and beloved, put on tender mercies. In the way that you relate to other people in the congregation, be tender, not abrupt, not like a bowl in a China shop. Tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, long-suffering, bearing with one another. And yes, sometimes someone will get on your nerves. Just bear with it.

Cut them some slack. Again, have tender mercies and kindness and humility towards each and every person, no matter what they're struggling with personally, bearing with one another and forgiving one another. If anyone has a complaint against another, even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. We have personal dysfunctions. We have weaknesses. Yet, in spite of those Jesus Christ forgives us totally and completely. And we should have that same attitude of Jesus Christ towards others in our congregation, who also may be a bit odd or have obviously glaring character issues or personal problems. Continuing here, again, if anyone has a complaint against another, even as Christ forgave you, so you must do. But above all these, put on love. Because if we have an attitude of love, we'll overlook those weaknesses and flaws in other people. And hopefully they will overlook the weaknesses and flaws in us. Put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts.

Don't get anxious. Don't get angry. Don't get bitter. Don't get judgmental. When you're having a difficulty with someone, let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which you were called in one body, and be thankful.

Brethren, we are all the elect of God, personally selected by him to be in his church at this time, hand-picked by God to be in his church at this time. None of us are perfect. We must all learn to be patient with one another and bear the weaknesses of others just as we hope they will bear our weaknesses and our personal flaws. Alright, number seven. There were only seven. There weren't 19.

Number seven. The seventh reason to be thankful. Be thankful that God has given us a new life purpose and a goal. A goal that lasts for eternity. You know, someone who does personal coaching, I can tell you how lonely many people are.

Many people, a lot of seniors, have no purpose. They're frustrated. All they do is checking off the days in the calendar until they die. They have no reason to really get up in the morning. Nothing excites them. Nothing fires up their passion. They're just existing. Millions and millions of people in our world like that. But God has given us something powerful and precious that is intended to last in eternity. Second Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 17. Second Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 17.

Paul writes, therefore, if anyone is in Christ, if they really get it, he is a new creation. There's something different about your existence. There's a spiritual element added to your existence. People who aren't spiritual only see life in black and white, kind of a monochrome. They only see life from the physical perspective. They determine everything. They think. Their decisions are made from a physical perspective. But when you add physical human existence with God's Holy Spirit, you see your existence in your purpose and living color. You now see your existence in stereo because that spiritual essence adds an entirely new dimension to your purpose, your reason for being, and the reason that you want to exist and go on and on. And that is so important. Again, therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away.

Behold, all things have become new. When you look at life from a spiritual perspective, everything becomes different. You realize that when you live in the life of eternity, which happens when you receive God's Holy Spirit, nothing in your life is an accident. Everything in your life from that point on is for a purpose. The good things, the bad things, the joyful things, the horrible things, all have meaning and purpose as you are being prepared for another level of existence as a spirit being in the kingdom of God. All things have become new. You now see your existence and your purpose from a spiritual dimension, not simply limited to this physical, selfish world. Verse 18, now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to himself through Jesus Christ and has given us the ministry of reconciliation. Our examples in the community, shopping at Walmart, meeting someone in our neighborhood should be someone who is a peacemaker, someone who reflects the fact that their life has meaning and purpose, that God has reconciled with them, that existence can be wonderful. Verse 19, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. So that's kind of our mission. And he continues here in verse 20. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf be reconciled to God. So get right with God, and then in our personal lives, help other people to get right with God. If we're in conflict with them, get right with them. Forgive. Put out an olive branch. Show that we care for them. Give a dynamic example of living Christianity in action by someone who is filled with the Spirit of God. Verse 21, for he made him Jesus who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him. Brethren, God has given us a new and exciting purpose in this life when he gave us his Holy Spirit. Have we forgotten about that? I've said before that a gift that's unopened is useless. Someone gives you a beautiful, wonderful gift. Oh, thank you so much. And you take that gift, and you put it up on your closet shelf, and you forget about it.

What good is that gift? Well, God gave us a gift. He gave us the gift of this Holy Spirit. It has to be opened. It has to be used. We have to be thankful for it. We have to show appreciation, and then it can begin to transform our lives from being merely, purely physical and selfish and carnal, and everything is about me to one that is spirit-filled, joyful, giving, sharing, realizing that it's all about God's plan for the world and for us. So today, we've seen that we all have much to be thankful for. Allow an attitude of thankfulness to become a daily part of your life, part of your persona. It should be part of who and what we are. If you do, you'll have fewer problems because you'll view obstacles from a totally different perspective. Instead of viewing problems through a sense of lackness, there's something missing. You'll view your problems with the satisfaction of knowing of the blessings that I do have.

And yes, I'm going to work in this, and I'm going to overcome this issue, and I'm going to overcome this difficulty, but in the meanwhile, while I work through this problem, this issue, I am going to have an attitude that is thankful for what I do have. I might have 10 problems, but there are 10,000 problems I don't have. So I'm going to again be thankful for what I've been given in this life. If we're willing to allow thankfulness to become part of our daily life, you'll have more joy because you'll see the glass of your life is half full all the time rather than half empty and complaining about what you don't have. You'll see greater potential in other people because you appreciate them being part of your family. You'll be thankful for them even in spite of their flaws and their weaknesses. Finally, you will experience a greater level of personal fulfillment.

Now and forever, because being thankful is a purely godly trait, a trait that the Father has. It's a trait that helps us through the difficult times, changes entirely the way that we view everything in this world if we do it from the prism of thankfulness rather than the prism of entitlement. And that everyone owes me, the government owes me, my neighbor owes me, the church owes me.

If we have an attitude of entitlement, nothing good will happen in our lives.

So, brethren, I'd like to conclude just by reading a scripture, Psalm 79, verse 13.

The Psalm says, So we, your people and sheep of your pastor, we give you thanks forever, and we will show forth your praise to all generations.

And I might add, amen.