Living The Thankful Life
Sermon
LET'S GET COMMITTED
First Lesson Sermons For Sundays After Pentecost
A condition known as "amnesia" may be produced if a person bumps his/her head very hard. An individual's memory of his own name, others' names, family members, birthdays, where he lives, and so on, can be fully or partially blotted out because of this memory loss.
Too many people in the spiritual arena of life seem afflicted with this condition. The mind's sensitivity to the past benefits of God appears to be forgotten. Ingratitude is a form of spiritual amnesia and a very real spiritual menace.
God's very own people are apt to suffer from this form of disease. They may forget God's past mercy. They may forget God's past grace. They may forget God's past experience. They may forget God's past gifts. They may forget God's past deliverance. They may forget God's past concern. They may forget God's past forgiveness.
However, God doesn't suffer from amnesia. God remembers his people by never underestimating the value and worth of an individual, giving encouragement, crediting the person with good choices, helping correct grievances, never showing favoritism, allowing free will, and treating people with respect.
God models gratitude and thanksgiving before his creation, and we need to copy the model.
In his book, A Serious Call To A Devout And Holy Life, William Law wrote:
Would you know who is the greatest saint in the world? It is not he who prays most or fasts most; it is not he who gives most; it is not he who gives most alms, or is more eminent for temperance, chastity, or justice; but it is he who is always thankful to God who wills everything that God willeth, who receives everything as an instance of God's goodness, and has a heart always ready to praise God."1
Moses covers this subject in detail in his lengthy and great sermon to Israel, reminding them to give thanks. We need to give thanks for daily substance. "For the Lord your God is bringing you into a land flowing with streams, with springs and underground waters welling up in valleys and hills" (Deuteronomy 8:7 NRSV). He tells them their sustenance includes life--giving water. Be thankful!
Their daily sustenance included their food, "a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, a land where you may eat bread without scarcity, where you lack nothing ..." (Deuteronomy 8:8--91 NRSV).
Moses tells them not to get amnesia about their hard life in Egypt with its lack of enough available food. They could have biscuits and honey all day if they desired!
Ask God for the Wholesome Loaf - not the extras of life but the basic of life. Ask God for the wholesome loaf - it gives us thought of reliance upon God. Ask God for the wholesome loaf - no need to buy. Ask God for the wholesome loaf - then share the loaf.
Give thanks for faith that lodges in Christ. Romans 1:8 states: "First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the world" (NRSV).
"Faith is the act of trust by which one being, a sinner, commits himself to another, a savior" (Horace Bushnell).
"Faith in Christ is not an exercise of the understanding merely; it is an affection of the heart ... to those who believe Christ is precious" (Dr. Gardner Spring).
As we give ourselves to Jesus, we must leave ourselves in his care and head out to our work as a child of his household.
Give thanks to God for deliverance from anxiety. Paul wrote, "But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads in every place the fragrance that comes from knowing him" (2 Corinthians 1:14 NRSV).
Give thanks to God for adjustments. Golfer Loren Roberts tells the readers of his book, Focus, the Name of the Game, that the high soft lob shot to get out of a jam is made by attempting to hit the ball higher than what the club is designed to do. Adjustments are made by opening the stance and aiming more to the left, which opens the club face to compensate. He states, "The more you aim your body left the more the club face will open if you continue to aim at the target."
He continues his advice, "This means when you swing the club back, it goes outside, so essentially you are swinging as if you are trying to hit a big slice. Swing down and through, and on this shot you want the right hand to release. Once you get through the ball, let the hand release."2
He reminds his readers that practice is the key.
The Christian is adjusting his/her life to God's target constantly. Life itself is a moving target, but God knows exactly where the hole is in our life. What adjustments do you need to make under his tutorship?
Give thanks for overcoming power - overcoming temptation. Romans 7:25 says, "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh I am a slave to the law of sin."
Give thanks for core values in life. Look up Daniel 1:8. Marshall Field gave twelve rules for obtaining core values in life:
1. the value of time;
2. the success of perseverance;
3. the pleasure of working;
4. the dignity of simplicity;
5. the worth of character;
6. the power of kindness;
7. the influence of example;
8. the obligation of duty;
9. the wisdom of economy;
10. the virtue of patience;
11. the improvement of talent;
12. the joy of originating.3
Our core values must be developed on rock solid principles that come right from God's Word.
Give thanks for friendship. Can you imagine traveling forty years in an unknown wilderness? Every day would be an adventure. Each morning a new challenge would arise: Where are we going? How are we getting there? How much trouble will we meet? Who's out to get us?
I believe new friendships were developed in the wilderness those forty years, friendships that lasted a lifetime.
Someone defined friendship as "the person who comes in when every other person has gone out." That style of friendship is offered by Christ to anyone who desires him.
God can heal your amnesia today. Let him bring to your mind the wonderful memories to life! Live the thankful life.
____________
1. James Hewett, editor, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publisher, Inc., 1988), p. 264.
2. Scott Simpson, Larry Mize, Loren Roberts, Focus, The Name Of The Game (Nashville: Countrymen, 1999), p. 110.
3. God's Little Devotional For Teens (Tulsa: Honor Books, 1999), p. 77.
Too many people in the spiritual arena of life seem afflicted with this condition. The mind's sensitivity to the past benefits of God appears to be forgotten. Ingratitude is a form of spiritual amnesia and a very real spiritual menace.
God's very own people are apt to suffer from this form of disease. They may forget God's past mercy. They may forget God's past grace. They may forget God's past experience. They may forget God's past gifts. They may forget God's past deliverance. They may forget God's past concern. They may forget God's past forgiveness.
However, God doesn't suffer from amnesia. God remembers his people by never underestimating the value and worth of an individual, giving encouragement, crediting the person with good choices, helping correct grievances, never showing favoritism, allowing free will, and treating people with respect.
God models gratitude and thanksgiving before his creation, and we need to copy the model.
In his book, A Serious Call To A Devout And Holy Life, William Law wrote:
Would you know who is the greatest saint in the world? It is not he who prays most or fasts most; it is not he who gives most; it is not he who gives most alms, or is more eminent for temperance, chastity, or justice; but it is he who is always thankful to God who wills everything that God willeth, who receives everything as an instance of God's goodness, and has a heart always ready to praise God."1
Moses covers this subject in detail in his lengthy and great sermon to Israel, reminding them to give thanks. We need to give thanks for daily substance. "For the Lord your God is bringing you into a land flowing with streams, with springs and underground waters welling up in valleys and hills" (Deuteronomy 8:7 NRSV). He tells them their sustenance includes life--giving water. Be thankful!
Their daily sustenance included their food, "a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, a land where you may eat bread without scarcity, where you lack nothing ..." (Deuteronomy 8:8--91 NRSV).
Moses tells them not to get amnesia about their hard life in Egypt with its lack of enough available food. They could have biscuits and honey all day if they desired!
Ask God for the Wholesome Loaf - not the extras of life but the basic of life. Ask God for the wholesome loaf - it gives us thought of reliance upon God. Ask God for the wholesome loaf - no need to buy. Ask God for the wholesome loaf - then share the loaf.
Give thanks for faith that lodges in Christ. Romans 1:8 states: "First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed throughout the world" (NRSV).
"Faith is the act of trust by which one being, a sinner, commits himself to another, a savior" (Horace Bushnell).
"Faith in Christ is not an exercise of the understanding merely; it is an affection of the heart ... to those who believe Christ is precious" (Dr. Gardner Spring).
As we give ourselves to Jesus, we must leave ourselves in his care and head out to our work as a child of his household.
Give thanks to God for deliverance from anxiety. Paul wrote, "But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads in every place the fragrance that comes from knowing him" (2 Corinthians 1:14 NRSV).
Give thanks to God for adjustments. Golfer Loren Roberts tells the readers of his book, Focus, the Name of the Game, that the high soft lob shot to get out of a jam is made by attempting to hit the ball higher than what the club is designed to do. Adjustments are made by opening the stance and aiming more to the left, which opens the club face to compensate. He states, "The more you aim your body left the more the club face will open if you continue to aim at the target."
He continues his advice, "This means when you swing the club back, it goes outside, so essentially you are swinging as if you are trying to hit a big slice. Swing down and through, and on this shot you want the right hand to release. Once you get through the ball, let the hand release."2
He reminds his readers that practice is the key.
The Christian is adjusting his/her life to God's target constantly. Life itself is a moving target, but God knows exactly where the hole is in our life. What adjustments do you need to make under his tutorship?
Give thanks for overcoming power - overcoming temptation. Romans 7:25 says, "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, with my mind I am a slave to the law of God, but with my flesh I am a slave to the law of sin."
Give thanks for core values in life. Look up Daniel 1:8. Marshall Field gave twelve rules for obtaining core values in life:
1. the value of time;
2. the success of perseverance;
3. the pleasure of working;
4. the dignity of simplicity;
5. the worth of character;
6. the power of kindness;
7. the influence of example;
8. the obligation of duty;
9. the wisdom of economy;
10. the virtue of patience;
11. the improvement of talent;
12. the joy of originating.3
Our core values must be developed on rock solid principles that come right from God's Word.
Give thanks for friendship. Can you imagine traveling forty years in an unknown wilderness? Every day would be an adventure. Each morning a new challenge would arise: Where are we going? How are we getting there? How much trouble will we meet? Who's out to get us?
I believe new friendships were developed in the wilderness those forty years, friendships that lasted a lifetime.
Someone defined friendship as "the person who comes in when every other person has gone out." That style of friendship is offered by Christ to anyone who desires him.
God can heal your amnesia today. Let him bring to your mind the wonderful memories to life! Live the thankful life.
____________
1. James Hewett, editor, Illustrations Unlimited (Wheaton: Tyndale House Publisher, Inc., 1988), p. 264.
2. Scott Simpson, Larry Mize, Loren Roberts, Focus, The Name Of The Game (Nashville: Countrymen, 1999), p. 110.
3. God's Little Devotional For Teens (Tulsa: Honor Books, 1999), p. 77.
