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November
23-24, 2002 LIVING UP
IN A DOWN ECONOMY! Selected PRAISING GOD FOR HIS GOODNESS! *** Psalm 7:17 “Oh, how grateful and thankful
I am to the Lord because he is so good. I will sing praise to the name of the
Lord who is above all lords.” [Living
Bible] 1. SIX
REASONS TO BE THANKFUL! 1. FOR
OUR SPIRITUAL HOME HERE! ***
John 13:34-35 "Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the
same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize
that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other."
[MSG]
***1Thes.
1:2 “We always thank God for all of you and pray for you constantly.”[NLT] 2. FOR
OUR SPIRITUAL HOME IN HEAVEN! *** Col. 1:12
“And you will joyfully give thanks to the Father who has made you
able to have a share in all that he has prepared for his people in the kingdom
of light.” [New Century Version] *** Rev. 21:4 “He will wipe all tears from
their eyes, and there will be no more death, suffering, crying, or pain. These
things of the past are gone forever.”
[Contemporary English Version] 3. FOR
THE WORD OF GOD! *** Psalm 119:62
“In the middle of the night, I get up to thank you because your laws
are right.” [New Century Version] *** 2 Tim. 3:16-17 “The whole Bible was given to us by inspiration from God and
is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our
lives; it straightens us out and helps us do what is right. It is God's way of
making us well prepared at every point, fully equipped to do good to everyone.” [LB] 4. FOR
ANSWERED PRAYER! *** Daniel 2:23 “I thank and praise you, O God
of my fathers: You have given me wisdom and power, you have made known to me
what we asked of you….” [NIV] *** Philip. 4:6 “Don't worry about anything,
but pray about everything. With thankful hearts offer up your prayers and
requests to God.” [CEV] 5. FOR
THE OPPORTUNITY TO SERVE! *** John 13:14 “Now that I, your Lord and
Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet.”
[New International Version] c WASHING FEET MEANS WE REACH FOR THE TOWEL
INSTEAD OF THE SEAT OF HONOR! ***Philippians 2: 5-7 “Your attitude should be
the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who,
being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God
something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very
nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.” [NIV] c IN GOD’S ECONOMY THERE IS NO SMALL
SERVICE – IT ALL MATTERS! 6. FOR
THE HONOR OF A WORLD WIDE WITNESS! *** 1 Chron. 16:8 “Give thanks to the Lord, call
on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.” [NIV] *** 2 Cor. 2:14 “Wherever we go, God uses us
to make clear what it means to know Christ. It's like a fragrance that fills
the air.” [God’s Word to the
Nations] *** 2 Cor. 9:15 “Thank God for his Son—a gift
too wonderful for words!” [NLT] c “Christ alone can save the world, but Christ
can’t save the world alone!” Jerry Gibson 2.
THREE WAYS TO GIVE THANKS! *** 1 Thes. 5:18 “No matter what happens,
always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” [New Living Translation] 1. BY SINGING
PRAISE! *** Psalm 28:7 “The Lord is my strength and my
shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.”
[NIV] *** Psalm 7:17 “I will give thanks to the Lord
because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most
High.” [NIV] *** Psalm 69:30 “I will praise the Lord God
with a song and a thankful heart.” *** Psalm 95:2 “Come to worship him with
thankful hearts and songs of praise.”
2. BY SURRENDERING
OUR LIVES! *** 1 Chron. 16:35 “Cry out, "Save us, O
God our Savior; and deliver us… that we may give thanks to your holy name, that
we may glory in your praise."
[NIV] *** Luke 9:23-24 “Jesus said…, "If any of
you wants to be my follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder
your cross daily, and follow me. If you try to keep your life for yourself, you
will lose it. But if you give up [SURRENDER] your life for me,
you will find true life.” [New
Living Translation] HOW DO WE SURRENDER OUR LIVES? * BY LIFE-CHANGING CONVERSION! * BY LIFE-CHALLENGING COMMITMENTS! *** 1 Cor. 11:26 “What you must solemnly
realize is that every time you eat this bread and every time you drink this
cup, you reenact in your words and actions the death of the Master. You will be
drawn back to this meal again and again until the Master returns.” [Message] 3. BY SHARING
OUR OFFERINGS! *** 2 Chron. 29:31 “Hezekiah said, "You
have dedicated your lives to the Lord. Come, bring sacrifices and thank
offerings to the Lord's temple." [GW] *** 2 Cor. 9:15 “Thanks be to God for his
indescribable gift!” [NIV] “Hallelujah! I want to express publicly before his
people my heartfelt thanks to God for his mighty miracles. All who are thankful
should ponder them with me.” Psalm 111:1 [Living Bible] |