WHY I AM THANKFUL!

Psalm 105:1-5 O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. ² Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works. ³ Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. ⁴ Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore. ⁵ Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;…

1 Thessalonians 5:15-18 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. ¹⁶ Rejoice evermore. ¹⁷ Pray without ceasing. ¹⁸ In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Unknown - "If you haven’t all the things you want, be grateful for the things you don’t have that you wouldn’t want."

Henry Ward Beecher - "The unthankful heart... discovers no mercies; but let the thankful heart sweep through the day and, as the magnet finds the iron, so it will find, in every hour, some heavenly blessings!"

Your outlook on life is based on a perspective, and our perspective is a choice!

You can choose to be…

·      Proverbs 29:22 An angry man stirreth up strife, and a furious man aboundeth in transgression.

·      Proverbs 11:29 He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.

·      Proverbs 15:12 A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him: neither will he go unto the wise.

[Part 1] 

1.      I am THANKFUL even though I ignored God for so many  years, He still loved me and sought me.

John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together,...

2.    I am THANKFUL even though I broke God’s commandments and was His enemy, Jesus Christ took my sin upon Himself.

Romans 5:8 God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

1 Peter 2:21-24 ...Christ also suffered for us,.. ²² Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: ²³ Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: ²⁴ Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

3.        I am THANKFUL salvation is a free gift that can't be earned.

Ephesians 2:8-9 By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

4.        I am THANKFUL Christ forever removed the penalty of my sin and guilt and set me free!

1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:

Psalm 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us. (Micah 7:19)

John 8:32 Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

5.    I am THANKFUL when I came to Jesus, He promised me a home in heaven and He is coming to take me there one day!

John 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God,...

Acts 1:9-11 And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. ¹⁰ And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; ¹¹ Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. ¹⁴ For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. ¹⁵ For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. ¹⁶ For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: ¹⁷ Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. ¹⁸ Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

[Part 2] Sunday PM

6.    I am THANKFUL while I remain here, God has given me an abundant life with many blessings!

John 10:10 I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Psalm 68:19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation.

7. I am THANKFUL God’s mercy, compassion and faithfulness never fails.

Lamentations 3:22-23 It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

8.   I am THANKFUL I can talk with God when, where and as often as I want!

Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Jeremiah 33:3 Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

9.  I am THANKFUL I can live my life with peace of mind and heart!

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

10.        I am THANKFUL with Jesus as my Savior, I am never alone!

Isaiah 41:10 Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.

11.     I am THANKFUL God is my Heavenly Father!

Matthew 7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

12.     I am THANKFUL every good thing I have in my life is a result of God’s immutability!

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

13.    I Am THANKFUL I don't have to worry or lose sleep over problems!

1 Peter 5:7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

Psalm 127:2 It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows: for so he giveth his beloved sleep.

Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing [anxious]; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

14.    I am THANKFUL this church is a place where God's people gather, God’s Truth is proclaimed and God's goodness is rehearsed!

1 Timothy 3:15 The house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.

Acts 14:27 And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them...

WHAT IS THE GREATEST THREAT AMERICA FACES TODAY?

Isaiah 1:1-4 The vision of Isaiah the son of Amoz, which he saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah. ² Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. ³ The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. ⁴ Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. [18-20] Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. ¹⁹ If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: ²⁰ But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

We are blessed to live in the greatest country in the World. America has been known as "the land of the free and the home of the brave." We have freedoms that no other nation on earth has.

No nation, outside of Israel, has ever been so blessed by God. But our liberties, our way of life, the very future of our nation are confronted by a number of threats today. The freedoms we enjoy are eroding away!

There are differing opinions of What Is America’s Greatest Threat. Is it... Global Warming; Economic instability; Border security; Political division and dishonesty; a calamity of multiple natural disasters?

1.   IS ISLAMIC TERRORISM America’s Greatest Threat? No longer are terroristic acts of Jihadist' groups limited to other countries.

Terrorism threatens a society by creating an atmosphere of fear and trepidation. It holds people hostage. We are told that dozens of Jihadist "sleeper" cells pose a significant threat to our nation. We are on our guard fearing, bombs, anthrax, mass shootings, etc…

One Middle east author writes, “Islam is more antagonistic to the Christian faith than Communism ever was. In Communist China today, Christianity thrives. But confession of Christ by a national in an Islamic country is regarded as high treason” (G. J. O. Moshay).

Islam’s ultimate goal is to rule the world. Islamic theology provides two methods for accomplishment of this goal. ^#1. By Conversion or ^#2. By Coercion. For Muslims, the world is divided into two camps: Islam and Infidels. If non-Muslims will not be assimilated into Islam by Conversion or Coercion, there's but one option – death.

Islamic terrorism is a great threat, but it is NOT America’s greatest threat.

2.   IS IMMORALITY America’s Greatest Threat?

Dr. Charles Stanley, commenting on America’s moral decline said, “We’re eroding from within – the heart, the home, our children. We don’t need some foreign nation to destroy us. We’re destroying ourselves.”

There is a storm raging across America. Alcoholism, drug abuse, abortion, teen pregnancy, homosexuality, school violence, child abuse, pornography, rape, robbery and murder permeate our nation. America is drowning in a cesspool of immorality.

Immorality is a great threat and will bring upon us terrible consequence, but it is merely symptomatic of what the greatest threat facing America is.

3.   America’s greatest threat is WE HAVE FORGOTTEN GOD! Isaiah 1:2-4 “Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. ³ The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. ⁴ Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward.”

God made Israel great and elevated them above all other nations only to be rewarded with forgetfulness and rebel. God illustrates this by pointing out that even the dumbest of animals, destitute of reason and conscience, demonstrate greater submission than Israel.

How much different is America today? We have a great heritage and have been greatly blessed. It's not by America’s own goodness but by the grace of God that we have security, freedom and wealth.

George Washington – “Never has a people had more reason to acknowledge a Divine interposition in their affairs, then those of the United States; and I should be pained to believe that they have forgotten that agency, which was so often manifested during our Revolution, or that they failed to consider the omnipotence of that God who is alone able to protect them.”

Patrick Henry – “It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists but by Christians, not on religions, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

What do I mean when I say America has forgotten God?

1.   We live as if God does not exist...

2.   Our worship is not exclusively His...

3.   We have failed to recognize His gracious, abundant and providential blessings.

4.   We have accepted the world’s culture and philosophies while rejecting the unchanging, ever true Word of God.

CONCLUSION: What can we do to eliminate this threat?

We need to answer God’s plea for repentance. Isaiah 1:18 Come now, and let us reason together, says Jehovah; though your sins are as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be like wool.

God told Israel that He was willing to pardon and to restore the relationship they previously enjoyed if they would simply repent.

·     I believe our greatest need today is for personal repentance.

·     We are not capable in our own strength of facing the threats facing our world and nation today.

·     We need God!

2 Chronicles 7:14