In Everything Give Thanks

Well, good morning! It is good to see all of you. We are at light today. I know that's for various reasons. People being out of town and sickness. I will certainly pray for those who aren't here due to sickness. But it is a time to be thankful, and we're going to continue that theme today. A few announcements. Just one quick word. We are having a teen get together next Sunday, which is December 8th.

Adults can come, too. Jennifer and I will be there. I think several of the adults of the teens are going to Air Raid Trampoline Park. That's here in London. So any of you adults who are adventurous and have the wherewithal to enjoy that, you're welcome to come out. We're going to arrive at the Trampoline Park from noon to 2. Then we're going to come back here at the church hall. Adam Stevens is going to grill up some food for us and enjoy some fellowship and some games and maybe some music. Everyone is welcome, but we are going to get together with the teens. Kate is wrestling up some teens to bring up for us to bring up here for that. That should be very enjoyable.

Today in Knoxville, the Cordelew family is visiting. Mr. Sean Cordelew is pastoring a couple of congregations in Indiana. They're traveling through. They've traveled through before around this time, so we're looking forward to that. I know Mr. Philip Ost is also in the process of getting the details for the Atlantis ski trip, which comes through every year. More to come on that there.

At least Grayson and I will hopefully be doing that this year. Did you read anything from Abraham Lincoln's proclamation of Thanksgiving? I thought this is not part of the sermon. I saw this and I thought I'd read it to you as we just finished Thanksgiving. There was a proclamation that was given. Anyone know the year that it was given? The proclamation by Abraham Lincoln? This is a test. October 3rd, 1863. From what I understand. October 3rd, 1863. There was a proclamation made by Abraham Lincoln, a national day of Thanksgiving. Let me just quote it to you. It's not very long. There were actually various proclamations that he made around that time. Proclamations of fasting. But this was a proclamation of Thanksgiving. He writes, quote, Lincoln continues.

The ceremony has prevailed everywhere except in the theater of military conflict, while that theater has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege of the battlefield and of the country. Rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom. Lincoln writes, no human counsel has devised nor has any mortal hand worked out these great things.

They are the gracious gifts, he writes, of the Most High God, who while dealing with us in anger for our sins, has nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea, and those who are so journeying in foreign lands, to set us apart and to observe the last Thursday of November next as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father who dwellest in the heavens.

That was done again on the City of Washington the third day of October in the year of our Lord, 1863, in the independence of the United States. That's pretty remarkable. I know that we have a president currently who has given God more acknowledgment than we've had from the leader for quite some time. For that, we're grateful. But it's just amazing. Can you imagine? There are very few leaders today that we acknowledge our sin and acknowledge God's mercy in these things. But there's something to remember. And as Mr. Cowan said, hopefully we did take time to turn our attention on to thanksgiving. I'm certainly going to build off this sermonette today and continue this theme.

So the title of our sermon study today, In Everything Give Thanks. In our scripture reading, we'll be from 1 Thessalonians 5 verses 16 through 18. If you'll turn there with me, 1 Thessalonians 5 verses 16 through 18.

Here we'll find our subject verse of the day. And it is here we find that the Bible tells us that the people of God are to be distinguishable by certain characteristics. Those who have been redeemed by God, those who have been set aside, set apart in the participating of His unfolding plan and purpose. It is God's will that they have distinguishing characteristics. In other words, there will be certain features in which God's people are marked. Those things in which mark God's people.

Paul is going to write to the Thessalonians here, to God's church there. He's writing to them in order that they might know some of those distinguishing marks. In verse 18, we'll get to our one particular distinguishing mark that God's people are to be thankful people.

So, let's see this. Let's begin in verse 16 and we'll lead to verse 18. 1 Thessalonians 5, beginning in verse 16. Paul writes, Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Let's stop there. In everything, he says, give thanks.

In other words, one of the characteristics of God's people, one of the marks, is that you will find them giving thanks in everything.

And you'll notice that this isn't a suggestion. This is a directive. This is a command here.

And you'll notice there are several directives in the Bible. Of course, we find a few here along with the command to give thanks. Again, verse 16, distinguishing mark, you're to be joyful people, rejoicing always. That's a command. Another here in verse 17, prayerful people, praying without ceasing. And then the third directive here, they are to be thankful people. They are in everything to give thanks. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you and I. This is not all there to be, of course, but this directive from Paul is that it is God's intention that His people are this and should at least be these things. It's His will. And again, one of the distinguishing marks is this mark of thanksgiving, it says here. So today we're going to tackle this subject, the Saturday, the Sabbath after thanksgiving. And we're going to take a moment to look at just the profound way in which Paul addresses this subject matter. This whole matter of thanksgiving, and it is quite profound. I think you'll agree after this study. So there's several things to notice. The first thing you will notice is just that it is a command. It's a directive, if you will. It's an instruction. Give thanks in all circumstances. God's people of all people should be thankful people.

And this is not a directive in which Paul is somehow giving, in which it's somehow a new directive. We saw several examples in the sermonette, but this directive of thanksgiving, it is the great chorus line, if you will, in which Paul sings throughout all of his writings. And if you start to look at it, and look for it, you will see it just scattered throughout all of his writings. This great chorus goes out to God's people to have this spirit of thanksgiving. It's in all of Paul's writings. Let's look at one example that we didn't reference in the sermonette, Ephesians chapter 5. Let's keep your marker here, if you will. It'll help you as we come back to 1 Thessalonians 5. But Ephesians chapter 5, if you'll turn there just for a moment, just want to look at a few additional examples to this call of thanksgiving here. We find one such call, Ephesians 5 here, verses 3 and 4. Again, Paul sings this throughout all of his writings. Ephesians 5, verses 3 and 4. He writes just two verses here. But fornication, in all uncleanliness and covetousness, let it not be named among you as fitting for saints, neither filthiness nor foolish talking nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving thanks, the giving of thanks, he writes. So let's stop there. So this is what you're to be marked by. This is the distinguishing mark of Christian faith. You're not to be marked by obscenity. You're not to be marked by coarse jesting, joking. Those things are out of place in the life of a believer. Rather, God's people are to be marked by thanksgiving. It is a high mark, and it's a distinguishing mark. We turn to it in the sermonette, but let's turn to one other here. Romans 1. I just want to take just another moment to look at this. Romans 1, in verses 20 and 21. Just one more example.

He did reference it in the sermonette, but it's just amazing to see how thanksgiving and where it's placed, and where it should be placed in the life of a believer.

It's to be all throughout our lives and distinguish us.

Let's just look at verses 20 and 21. Just two verses again.

Look at this. Romans 1, verse 20. For since the creation of the world, his, God's, invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things which are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.

Because although they knew God, they didn't glorify him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Stop there. And then, as the sermonette referenced, we won't turn there again, but he referenced a wonderful sermonette, 2 Timothy 3.1, where you'll notice, and we read, he was talking about the last days, perilous times, perilous times, perilous things, in perilous times. What are some of the perilous things in the perilous times?

Well, from that list in 2 Timothy 3.1, well, they're going to be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, they're going to be proud, they're going to be blasphemous, unholy, unloving, unforgiving. And what other word is there? Unthankful.

It's almost as if you come across this word, and it almost kind of brings you back a little bit, it makes you pause. It's almost like in the end time, we know, if we think of perilous things, we could all get on board with blasphemous, unloving, unforgiving, those things are very ugly, and we can expect those things in the end. And then you have this other perilous thing. Unthankful. Unthankful. Do we hold thankfulness and unthankfulness in such high regard as some of those other things, as some of those un-thankfulness, do we put it in the same category as just as ugly as blasphemy, or being unholy, or being unforgiving? Well, the Bible does. The Bible puts that in the same ugly category.

Very interesting to think about. The great impact, the great importance that Thanksgiving has in the life of a believer. Before we end today, I think I could echo what Paul is saying. We need to hold thankfulness in much higher regard than maybe some of us have been, myself, for sure. That's been the most striking thing in this study. Do I hold Thanksgiving that high? We should. It's a critical part in keeping a proper understanding of God and His eternal power. Thanksgiving keeps us from futile thoughts. Thanksgiving keeps our hearts from being darkened. Thanksgiving is interjected in all the discussions that Paul writes about. Paul made such an impact in God's work, and it was so important to him. The word in which Paul uses the most in regards to Thanksgiving is the word perisuo, peri, and then s-s-e-u-o. It simply means to gush. In other words, God's people are to be gushing, overflowing with Thanksgiving. This is the call. This is the command here. Some of you like lots of gravy with your Thanksgiving dinner. You know if you're one of these, or you know those individuals you've encountered them, as they're going through the buffet line, they put the turkey, and they put the dressing, and they will put the corn, they will put the cranberry sauce, and then they proceed to make all those things float as ladles upon ladles of gravy are put on the plate. You know who you are. We know who you are. It's always a really disturbing thing when you see one of those gravy connoisseurs coming, and they're going to sit next to you at the Thanksgiving dinner. If you don't like a lot of gravy, that's the last person you want to see. I'm not trying to be divisive, but here today there are the floaters and the non-floaters. You'll have to work that out yourselves. That's the word that Paul uses, perisuo, gushing, overflowing. This is not some little meddling out on the side of the plate, a little side of gravy. No, this is ladle upon ladle Paul's talking about. He tells the people in Thessalonica, he tells the Roman gods people, the people in Ephesus. You are to be overflowing, not with gravy, with thankfulness. Thankfulness. It should mark you, a distinguishing mark. This is the directive. This is the call to God's people.

We can ask, why the command? Why the directive to thanksgiving? We can understand some other commands, but why a command, a directive to thanksgiving? Why would that be? Why would he feel the need to put forth such a command throughout all of his writings? Well, if we're honest, we know that displaying this characteristic can be very, very challenging.

Why is that? What is it about thanksgiving that we find so difficult to do? What prohibits thankfulness from overflowing in me? What prohibits thanksgiving from overflowing in you? What is it?

Well, simply put, I think we could all agree it's our circumstances. Wouldn't you agree? It's our circumstances that make thanksgiving so difficult. Because in reading these words, someone will immediately say, Well, I understand what you're saying, but of course you don't know my circumstances. And I think if you knew my circumstances, Paul, you wouldn't put forth such a clear-cut command. In other words, I understand you're making this directive, but my circumstances are different. And my circumstances keep me from this distinctive. Well, I don't know if you noticed, but Paul addresses such a response. Let's go back to 1 Thessalonians 5, if you will. If you kept your marker there, you'll be helped in getting there quicker. 1 Thessalonians 5 and verse 18 again, because you'll notice our circumstances are actually addressed in this directive. 1 Thessalonians 5, let's read verse 18 again, and notice this. Paul addresses our circumstances with this directive he gives. When he writes, 1 Thessalonians 5, 18, In everything, in everything, give thanks. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

In other words, give thanks in all circumstances.

And that's the rub. That's the rub, isn't it? Because not all circumstances are immediately conducive to thanksgiving. We know that. Some of us have spent the last days, the last weeks, the last months, the last years, and they've been some of the most difficult times in our lives. Days, months, years that have been the most lonely. And we've been met with such disappointment, with different failures in our lives, with different circumstances, the loss of a loved one, the weight that comes crushing down upon us. And this disappointment has brought such dark shadows across our path. And when that happens, what do you do? Well, in everything, give thanks. This is God's will. So, if giving thanks is God's directive through Paul, and if giving thanks is His will in our lives, then the inevitable question, how are we supposed to do that? How are we supposed to do that when the clouds come, the darkness comes in our path, and we find ourselves in that position? How are we to do this? Well, the answer is introduced to us in the very next verse. Verse 19. The answer in which we can give thanks in all circumstances, verse 19, is by not quenching the Spirit. You hear this verse quoted quite a bit, don't quench the Spirit. Well, you're seeing the context now of this. The context is of these directives, praying, and it comes immediately, you'll notice, after the directive of thanksgiving, do not quench the Spirit. So the Holy Spirit is brought into the picture as the means to fulfill this directive of thanksgiving. I don't think it's placed there by accident or by coincidence, because this is such a difficult directive to fulfill thanksgiving. Maybe the most difficult in our lives, because if you're like me, it's during the darkest days, thanksgiving leaves me more often than I wish it would, and that's also the time in which then I recoil. I want to recoil from it all. The time I should be praying the most is the time I stop. The time I should be meditating and talking to God and getting close to Him, and during the dark days, that's the time in which my humanness, my nature, just wants to pull back from it all. In doing so, I quench the Spirit. I quench the very thing that I need to stir up. I'm doing just the opposite. It's no coincidence. This directive of thanksgiving is given, and then He says, don't quench the Spirit. It gets right down to it. Because the wonderful thing about the Bible is that what you'll find is, with all these directives, they are never put forth to God's people without also the offering of the power to achieve them. We have such a loving God. He puts forth all this higher righteousness commands. It's so high, but He's so loving, He then always, to God's people, He gives them the ability to achieve the directives He just gave. What a loving Father! So, when Jesus Christ comes to rule and to reign in a life, then God the Father, through Jesus Christ, will provide the power, the Holy Spirit, which enables them to fulfill the will of the Father. And thanksgiving is His will in your life. So, the directive comes, and I want you to be thankful in all circumstances. The response is, how am I supposed to do that? The answer then comes, it is God who works in you, both to will and to do His good pleasure. In fact, if you want to keep your marker here in 1 Thessalonians again, let's go to Philippians 2, verse 13. We want to see this. Philippians 2, verse 13.

We know that it's God's will that we exercise thanksgiving in all circumstances. How are we supposed to do that? Well, notice Philippians 2, 13. Paul writing again. This was a concept he understood. Philippians 2, verse 13. This follows, immediately preceding this verse, is, Let this mind be in you who is in Jesus Christ. And then he leads to this very powerful truth. Philippians 2, verse 13. It says, That's a powerful verse. But I don't feel thankful. That's not the issue. God enables you to be thankful. But my circumstances are so gloomy. We understand that. But it is God who works in you, these things. So, even through the tears, even through the pain, even through disappointment, even through the loss of business, the collapse of relationship, even in the face of devastating health news, whatever it might be, the command is, Come ye thankful people, come and raise this song. That's the command. How? By God's enabling. So, in this way, make no doubt, thanksgiving is a grace from God. It is a grace from God. Thanksgiving is a grace from God.

And Paul understands this. And so his call, he's not going out to the streets, to the man or woman who hasn't entered into this loving relationship with God, and exhorting them, Be thankful, be thankful. No, this is a call specifically to God's people. It's a call to those who have been given the supernatural ability, the Holy Spirit, to fulfill supernatural directives. This is whom the call goes to. I'm going to ask you to do the supernatural, and I'm going to give you the supernatural ability to do it. And for some of you here, in your particular circumstances, this is a call to thanksgiving that supersedes what you would be able to achieve yourself. This call to thanksgiving, it is to perform the supernatural. Absolutely. It's a call that can only be achieved when God's people stir up the supernatural power of God's Holy Spirit to achieve thanksgiving. Why are so many of God's people absolutely stalled out at this time of year? Well, I'll tell you. It's because the directive comes, be thankful, and that the man or woman does not turn to the power of the Holy Spirit within them. Rather, they quench it by various means, and often they pull away from God. During the times, they should be stirring. So, if you're stalled out this morning, I'm here to tell you it may mean that you're quenching the Spirit. You're not bowing to the lordship of Jesus Christ. You may be here and you have me or any preacher haranguing you about thanksgiving. Be thankful, and it's the last thing on your mind. It's the last thing you want to do. There's no way I can be thankful. You're correct. There's no way you can be thankful. In your particular circumstances, you cannot do this. But the Apostle Paul would want to tell you that if you would receive, acknowledge, reach out to Jesus Christ, that through his Father you will tap into that which will enable you to fulfill this directive. I wonder if you've ever considered that. If you're having a particular struggle, whatever the directive is, Thanksgiving, whatever it may be, if you're struggling following it, I wonder if you've considered that that might be that you're not looking for, reaching, praying for, asking for the enabling power to help make it possible. This higher level of righteousness that we're called to, we cannot do alone. Period. It's like this. It's like this. You could ask me to write a play, and you could bring in a play by Shakespeare, and you could give me examples of various soliloquies, and you could say, now, Jay, I'd like you to write a play as profound as Shakespeare. And I'd say, I can't do it. Right. You could roll in a picture of Rembrandt and the wonderful self-portraits that he would do. And you could give me a paint and a little pad there, and you could say, now, I'd like you to paint that. You know, get me a portrait like Rembrandt. I can't do it. Likewise, every Sabbath we come to you and we say, here's the life of Jesus Christ. I want you to live like Jesus Christ. Can't do it. Can't do it.

However, if only the genius of Shakespeare could come and live in me, well, then I could take that pen and write the most best poems that you could ever see. Or, if only the genius of Rembrandt could come and live in me, well, then I could paint one of those wonderful portraits. Well, what if the power of Jesus Christ came to live in you?

What might you be able to achieve? Again, with all the Bible's directives, also comes the power to fulfill them. And it's not just any power. It's from God the Father himself, his essence, the Son, given to you to achieve not any kind of regular thanksgiving. Now, this is supernatural. This is the supernatural kind of thanksgiving here. I'm not going to spend too much time on it, but there is an important distinction to make here. Because we do have what's called natural gratitude. Maybe you've heard of that. Natural gratitude. Natural gratitude is that which most everyone is able to achieve. Natural gratitude says, you know, they look at the economy, from this thanksgiving to last thanksgiving to this thanksgiving, and they say, I'm thankful the economy didn't crash.

Or natural gratitude says, I've got this cup of coffee, and it's cold outside. Oh, I'm thankful for this. Natural gratitude says, I'm thankful that my son hasn't got his chickens yet. We're all capable of natural gratitude. That one just came to mind. Most everybody, by virtue of life, is able to appreciate those good things. Unless you have some condition, you're not able to recognize life, employment, freedom, a warm bed, a cold drink, sunshine.

Unless there's some condition, all of us know that those things naturally give us the potential for gratitude. Natural gratitude, we could say, it deals with stuff, it deals with things, it deals with benefits that we're accruing on a daily basis. But Paul is speaking about a different kind of gratitude here. This is not natural gratitude. This is what we could call gracious gratitude, if you will. Gracious gratitude. That's what we're called to. Again, natural gratitude starts with the stuff, the things, the benefits we enjoy. Gracious gratitude starts with God. Gracious gratitude starts with God. Gracious gratitude recognizes the character, the goodness, the love, the power, the excellency of God Himself.

Regardless of enjoyment in this physical life. Gracious gratitude recognizes and starts with God. It ultimately recognizes what God has done for us through His Son. That's gracious gratitude. That's what we want to get today. So, gracious gratitude recognizes I have reason to be thankful whether it's a good day or a bad day.

Whether it's raining or sunny. Whether I am employed or unemployed. Whether I have a health concern or whether I'm concern free. I have reason to be thankful and grateful to God. It starts with God. Gracious gratitude. And that, that's the distinguishing mark. Gracious gratitude. That's what separates us as a people.

It's not that we don't have natural gratitude, sunny days, warm drinks. Absolutely. But it is He or she also has gracious gratitude. This is a unique, special kind of thanksgiving. It starts with who God is and what He's done for us through His Son. That is what we overflow with. That is what we gush with. Latal upon ladle, you know. To those who don't have gracious gratitude. And those who believe that their life is just a series of chants.

You will find them, then, inevitably, welcoming times that are favorable. And saying, I'm thankful. But then also, swinging on the pendulum and resenting those things which are objectionable or unpleasant. Makes sense. After all that individual, if they have a life view that they don't acknowledge where they came from, they don't know ultimately where they're going, they will say, I'm in a bit of trouble right now. I resent that. I'm unthankful. Oh, it seems that my trouble is gone and I have a time of peace. Therefore, I'm thankful. Good things, I'm thankful.

Bad things, I'm unthankful. But the distinction here of a true believer recognizes that we're not at the mercy of arbitrary impersonal forces. And somehow we're just bobbing around on the sea of chants. Rather, the true believer understands that in all things and all things that come in our lives, ultimately it's under the parental guidance of our Father. All is under the guidance of our loving Heavenly Father. So therefore, I can be thankful for all things.

If all things are under our parental guidance, I can be thankful for all things. So that understanding helps us to overflow with thankfulness. For example, the news is overwhelming in our country. The true believer can give thanks. How? Because she understands that God sits enthroned over the military. He sits enthroned over the political, social, economic forces of our day. The true believer, for example, can face illness, disappointment, bereavement, difficulty, and sorrow. Face all of those things in the awareness that all things, in all things, that God, the God who has promised to look after even the sparrow, is profoundly involved in the life of the true believer.

That's the foundation. And if you grasp this, your life, be ready for a revolutionary impact to come into your life. A wonderful revolution will come. I think we're going to be shocked to know just how much God is involved in our lives, the lives of His children. Intimately involved. Gracious gratitude will revolutionize your life. For example, gracious gratitude will turn your eyes to God and away from your circumstances. It happens every time. If you're becoming myopic on your physical circumstances, maybe they're difficult, pray for gracious gratitude. It'll lift your eyes above what's happening in front of you, your current life circumstances.

And you'll realize that your proper focus is on the life to come. Gracious gratitude gives you that. And you realize this is not the best life. It's not supposed to be. This is not supposed to be the best life. I hope it's not. It shouldn't be. And we have to understand that. So the real joy comes in this life and understanding this is just preparing for the true life to come.

So when the devil comes and tempts you to despair, and he says, you're finished, you're done for, you can't trust God, you can't trust in his plan, pray for gracious gratitude because it's the antidote. It's the antidote to Satan's attacks. So we say, oh, no, devil, it's not over. Even though my outward man or woman is perishing, that is true. I know that my inward man, the inward man, is being renewed every day. And you start to think about it and you think, and I'm even thankful because a lot of this outward perishing, it's actually doing something wonderful for my inner man, inner woman, you know.

It's renewing me. And I know I've heard your stories and I've heard how thankful you are going through the most tremendous physical trials ever. And yet you see something happening in you. That's gracious gratitude working. I'll have you know, devil, that my light affliction, it's just for a moment. It's just in this lifetime. But it's working for me a more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. I don't look at the things which are seen. I look at that which is not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary.

This is just temporary, Satan. You're not going to convince me otherwise. The things which are not seen are eternal. That is the spirit of thankfulness, gracious gratitude. That's what it's all about. That, which I was referencing there. We won't turn there, but that's 2 Corinthians 4.16. You can look that up later. That's what that's all about. 2 Corinthians 4.16. And who wrote that? Paul did. You see it all throughout Paul's writings. It's one of his major themes. Thanksgiving. So the gracious gratitude, it teaches us that this is just for a moment. It's just this physical lifetime. But what's being worked out is far more exceedingly and eternal in the weight of glory.

And that God is working out His eternal purposes for us. And it is God at times which allows and even covers us with a dark cloud. I wonder if you can acknowledge that today. If you are in a dark cloud, understanding it is a holy and good God who is allowed, or who even covers us with a dark cloud from time to time.

But very important to understand, it is the understanding that God always does what's right. God never gets His timing wrong. And you are in His loving, capable hands. He's promised to look after the sparrow. How much more will He look after you? How much more is He just profoundly involved in your life? That's the wonderful revolution that gracious gratitude will bring in your life. Comfort and warmth in knowing that God is completely in charge of the entire world. Absolute rule. And He will bring to fruition His eternal plan. He reigns, and all will be brought under the vastness of His plan. So let Him reign in you. God is working out His purposes in you in everything. Even in those things which God has brought into your life, which do not immediately go into the category of good. And even those things give thanks. That's what we're learning today.

The spirit of thanksgiving is not in giving us the best government we think is best. The spirit of thanksgiving is not in making sure that our family life is always intact. The spirit of thanksgiving is not making sure that everyone lives to be 100 years old.

The spirit of thanksgiving is not shielding us from every heartache or disease. If it were, we wouldn't have much to speak about today. Because we could say, riddled in pain, in disappointment, in so many things. And yet, we're going to give God thanks in all circumstances. How could that ever be? Because the ultimate goodness in which He works is to conform in us to the image of His Son, preparing us to stand in a day of glory. And at that time, all the things that ravish us will fall away, like scaffolding. God's going to kick away the scaffolding, if He will. It's all going to fall away. But you may be stalling today, because all you're involved in is the scaffolding.

I hope not.

You are not some piece of plankton soup merely adrift in the universe. If you feel stalled out, we won't turn there, but you can write down Psalm 139. If you feel stalled out with any of God's directives, man, go to Psalm 139 and you can read how God has created you. Intricately made you in the mother's womb. He gave you just the color eyes He wanted you to have, and He placed your nose just crooked, you know? So beautiful, just the way He wanted you to make you so unique, you know?

The color of your hair, just the right shade.

He's given you your own particular DNA, and He's established all the days of your life. He wrote them in His book even before they came to be.

Well, we'll conclude with that. Today is the day in which we do need to bow our heads. Pray to God to receive gracious gratitude today.

Pray, one of the first things to pray is that God will stir up your heart, stir up that Holy Spirit that's in you. That's the first thing to pray. If you're stalling out, ask for. Pray that God would be merciful to you and give you an extra measure of His Spirit at this time, if you're feeling low, don't recoil. Do just the opposite. Go to the One to whom we'll give you the ability to fulfill His will in your life. Pray, help me to be fully empowered, to be overflowing by thanksgiving. As you eat those leftovers, perhaps you'll have some leftover gravy.

As you're ladling it on, maybe say a prayer of thanksgiving to God.

Pray that it overflow and gush from you. Let's let this year, let's let thanksgiving be our mark. That's what marks us. It's overflowing in thanksgiving.

Let that truly be the mark of God's people in everything. Give thanks.