NORTH YORK CHURCH OF CHRIST

Pastor Roger Marcos
Oct. 8, 2017
Delivered at North York Church of Christ

Thanksgiving Is Not A Day.It is indeed the Way you LIVE your life!

It is not always easy to give thanks, but this is the very thing we must do in order to see God's will accomplished in our lives. This is how we move into higher realms of faith for ourselves, for our City, and for our Country.

Thanksgiving has great power to bring joy and break the power of the enemy. Whenever you give thanks to God, despite the most difficult circumstances, the enemy loses power in your life.

When you give thanks in the midst of difficulty, you bring pleasure to God's heart. He is looking for Christians who live in a realm of praise and thanksgiving where the enemy no longer has an ability to hold or manipulate YOU. Satan is defeated when we have a thankful heart because thankfulness during difficulty is a sacrifice pleasing to God.

Are You Thankful? Are You Thankful for Your Present Circumstances? Are you thankful for your salvation, your friendships, and your job? Thankfulness is a key to your life. It is the key that turns your situation around because it changes you, your outlook, and your attitude. There Is Power in a Thankful Heart.

Our Text Says: ¹⁶ Rejoice Evermore (always). ¹⁷ Pray without ceasing. ¹⁸ In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5.16-18 - "Be joyful always; pray continually- other translation.

1. Thanksgiving Brings Contentment: a happy heart, healthy heart, normal heart, and JOY.

Phil. 4:11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in WHATEVER State I am, “to be content. Verse 19 God supply all your needs.

Thanksgiving Day in Canada has been a holiday on the second Monday of October since 1957. It is a chance for people to give thanks for a good harvest and other fortunes in the past year.

Content- a state of peaceful happiness.

What Do People Do?

Many people have a day off work on the second Monday of October. They often use the three-day Thanksgiving weekend to visit family or friends who live far away, or to receive them in their own homes. Many people also prepare a special meal to eat at some point during the long weekend. “NO WORK” “NO WORK!” enjoy the holiday.-the more you stress and get sick.

A. Always Be Thankful... Then there is always JOY in heart. Phil. 4:12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.

• J - Jesus First
• O - Others Second
• Y - Yourself Third

It is a statement both simple and true-when Jesus is first in your life, you can have joy that goes beyond your circumstances. If you know Jesus, you have discovered the central reality of the universe. Build your life on Jesus Christ?and you will never be disappointed.

We need to realize that genuine thankfulness is inextricably bound up with trust. We will never truly thank God until we first truly trust Him. We will not be grateful to God for all that we have until we first recognize that we’re dependent on Him for all that we have.

Begin to thank God for all the blessings he has given you instead of dwelling on the negative.

Discontent dries up the soul. Look at what Elizabeth Elliott, who lost her husband on the mission field and has faced multitudes of hardships, says about loving God's will and being content. "To love God is to love His will. It is to wait quietly for life to be measured by one who knows us through and through. It is to be content with His timing and His wise apportionment. It is to follow in the steps of the Master, as did Paul, who was able to say that he had learned contentment no matter what the circumstances. His circumstances when he wrote that? Prison. No easy lesson, but great gain which is the sum of godliness plus contentment

Illustration: ,. Alistair Maclean quotes a story from Tauler the German mystic. One day Tauler met a beggar. “God gave you a good day, my friend,” The beggar answered, “I thank God I never had a bad one.”Then Tauler said, “God gave you a happy life, my friend.” I Thank God, said the beggar,” I am never unhappy.” Tauler, in amazement said, WHAT DO YOU MEAN? “Well,” said the beggar, when it is fine, I THANK GOD; when it rains; I THANK GOD, when I am hungry, I THANK GOD, when I have plenty, “I THANK GOD; and since God’s WILL is my will, and whatever pleases HIM, pleases me WHY SHOULD I SAY I AM UNHAPPY WHEN I AM NOT?

Tauler, looked at the beggar in astonishment, WHO ARE YOU? He asked, “I am a king” said the beggar. WHERE THEN IS YOUR KINGDOM? Asked Tauler, and the beggar answered quietly; “IN MY HEART.” Both worry and Peace, not comes from circumstances, but coming from the heart.

The prophet Isaiah said a long ago, Isa. 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!

I Timothy 6:6" NOW GODLINESS WITH CONTENTMENT IS GREAT GAIN.

B. When We Are Being Thankful... Paul the apostle wrote that we should not let our minds dwell on negative thoughts.

Instead, we should dwell on those things that are pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, and praiseworthy. Philippians 4:8

When we make a practice of thanking God for His many blessings, we will be focusing on the good things He has given us, and He can begin to bring healing and strength to us.

With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God. I will give glory to your name forever. Ps. 86:12

Acts 17:28 IN HIM WE LIVE AND MOVE AND HAVE OUR BEING.

Colossians 3.15-17... Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. AND BE THANKFUL. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs WITH GRATITUDE IN YOUR HEARTS TO GOD. 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.

Ways to Practice an attitude of thankfulness in everyday life:

1. Thank and Praise God for Everything in Your Life. Thank Him for even the difficulties. It is a sacrifice to do this. But He can turn troubles to triumph.

Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.ps. 150:6

Only God Can Turn: A Mess into a message, A Test into a testimony, A trial into A Triumph

“Therefore, by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is -- the fruit of our lips, GIVING THANKS HIS NAME" (Hebrews 13:15).

⁴ Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. Ps 100:4

2. Don't Allow Yourself to Complain about Anything. During the difficult times, be very careful to watch your tongue. Instead of complaining, think of ways you can verbally offer God the sacrifice of thanksgiving.

Phil. 2:14 Do all things without complaining and disputing.

Conclusion:

Thanklessness DISHONORS God and LEADS to proud humanism.

Whatever you do, do not fail to be thankful to God.