## Thanksgiving

## Psalm 92:1

Read text: Ps. 92:1

This Thursday, we in America will celebrate a holiday tradition that began when the first European settlers came to this country nearly 400 years ago. The setting aside of a time to thank God is an important part of our national life and spiritual heritage.

As we contemplate this practice and examine scripture, we see both the command of God to be thankful and the benefits of the practice of thanksgiving. Being thankful will cure our depression, increase our joy, it will boost our faith, encourage others, and it will bring joy unto God. Consider with me this morning just a few of the things for which we should be thankful.

I. We Ought To Be Thankful For Our Salvation.

Colossians 1:12, "Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints of light."

A. Within ourselves we have no righteousness.

Ro. 3:10, "As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one."

1. Righteousness comes from our faith in the shed blood of Christ and His atoning work on Calvary.

2 Corinthians 5:21, "For he hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him."

2. Only because God loved us so much do we have the inheritance of the Father.

3. It isn't something we deserve nor is it something that we can earn…we have been "…made meet to be partakers…"

B. Often we take lightly the price that has been paid for our redemption.

1 Peter 2:24 "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."

1. We must remember that the free gift of salvation is free…

2. But we should never to forget that it cost God His own dear Son on Calvary's cross.

3. Salvation is free, but it isn't cheap!

C. Are we thankful for our salvation?

1. Thankfulness produces action.

a. When someone receives a gift it is customary for that person to send a thank you card or note.

b. All too often we are more careful not to offend people than we are to say thank you to God.

c. Have we responded to God in thanksgiving?

2. Do we thank God for what He has done for us?

3. What about that person who led you to Christ, have you ever thanked them?

2 Corinthians 9:15, "Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift."

D. It is all of grace, none of us deserve what God has given unto us.

II. We Ought To Be Thankful For Our Family.

Joshua 24:15, "But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

A. God established the family.

1. In so doing, He also established roles within the structure that must be maintained if the structure is to stand

2. The reason that families breakdown is that one or more of the family members refuse to submit to God's will for their lives and assume their God-given position within the family.

3. It is not God's will that the family should fall apart; rather, He wants the family to bring glory unto Him.

B. We take our family for granted.

1. It is a sad fact that most people are nicer to a stranger than they are to their own family members.

2. Remember, thankfulness produces action.

3. Husbands are you thankful for your wives?

a. Tell them once in a while

b. Show them all of the time

4. The same is true for wives and children

C. Let's be thankful for our families, because they are ordained of God.

III. We Ought To Be Thankful For Our Local Church.

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

A. We need our local church.

1. To receive instruction and exhortation from God's Word on how to live a life that is pleasing to God.

2. To accomplish the work which God has for us to do.

3. To find strength and encouragement from the fellowship with other believers.

B. Are we thankful for the church or do we just tolerate it?

1. Some folks can hardly wait for the services to be over.

a. Many refuse to come Sunday nights or Wednesday evenings.

b. There are some who are just "Pew potatoes" just come and sit not getting involved in any way.

2. Remember, thankfulness produces action.

a. Thankfulness will cause you to be here every Sunday that you possibly can.

b. Thankfulness will cause you to take part in the various activities of the church.

c. Thankfulness will cause you to get up a little earlier so you can be here for Sunday School classes.

d. Thankfulness will cause you to actively support the ministries of this church through tithes and offerings.

e. Thankfulness will cause you to come to prayer meetings and pray for the power of God to come upon our church.

C. Jesus Christ loved the church and gave Himself for it; we need to be thankful for our local church.

Thanksgiving is a time when we ought to reflect upon God's goodness and His grace. Are our lives characterized by thankfulness? Have we thanked God for our salvation, for our families, and our church?

Perhaps you are here this morning, and you don't know the blessedness of salvation through Christ, you need to come.

Maybe you are here and you haven't shown your thankfulness to your family, as you should, you need to come.

What about this church? Do you need to get involved is serving God through this ministry? Have you been faithful?

Don't Take The Blessings Of God For Granted ... Be Thankful!