September 15, 2025 • 47 mins
Pastor Lance expands on thankfulness as part of a believer's adoration to God; he shows from Scripture what a thankful heart reveals, and he provides 8 biblical reasons we can give thanks always!
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Today is going to be a day in which when you leave today you
will say, I am so glad that I came to church today.
I would hope you say that every Sunday.
I know you don't probably. But on this Sunday I can almost
guarantee that you will be saying, I am so glad that I went
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to church today. We are looking at a verse in
First Thessalonians 5 verse #18 that says in everything give
thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning
you. It is a one of of a trilogy of
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commands that says that we are to rejoice always, we are to
pray without ceasing, and we areto give thanks in everything
because those 3 commands are God's will in Christ Jesus
concerning you. It is the model life.
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It's the model life of of adoration, the life that adores
God, a life that lives accordingto Christ design.
And as we think about what God has said, that we are to be
joyful, prayerful, and thankful,those 3 commands sum up the
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essence of true adoration of thebeliever.
When it comes to being thankful,we usually fall into one of
three categories. Let me explain them to you.
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One category is that we are thankful after the adversity or
after the the affliction or after the adverse circumstance.
We'll call this post thankfulness after everything is
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said and done. I'm thankful for instance, in
the book of Exodus after the party of the Red Sea and Israel
murmured and complained that that Moses had dragged them out
of Egypt to to die in the wilderness.
And Moses said, just stand stilland watch the salvation of the
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Lord. And the waters parted.
They went through on dry land and Pharaoh and all of U.S.
Army were drowned in the sea. Everybody was thankful.
They were so thankful before theparty of the Red Sea, but after
it was over, everybody's saying praises to God.
Read about in Exodus chapter 15,the great song of Miriam, the
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song of praise of song of Moses,right?
And Miriam was the one who led them with dancing in
tambourines, praising God for what he had done.
One of the 10 lepers, after he was healed of leprosy, came back
and gave thanks to God. This is the easiest category of
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thankfulness, isn't it? We go through a situation of the
adverse circumstance and we comeout the other side and we say,
Lord, we are so thankful and rightly so, we should be.
But then there's another category of thankfulness.
Not just those who are thankful after the adversary.
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This was a little bit harder. These are the ones who give
thanks to God before the battle.We're going to call this.
We're going to call this pre thankfulness.
In other words, they give thanksbefore the battle begins.
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These are the people of faith like Daniel.
You remember Daniel, it was saidthat Darius signed a decree that
nobody can bow down or pray to any other God but him.
And so it says that Daniel 6 verse #10 Now when Daniel knew
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that the document was signed, heentered his house.
Now in his roof chamber he had windows open towards Jerusalem
and he continued kneeling on hisknees three times a day, praying
and giving thanks before his Godas he had been doing previously.
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This is before the battle. You give thanks to God.
This was Daniel, a man of great faith and of course you know the
story. He was thrown into the lion's
den and and God spared his life and he became just another great
individual in that land. There's also King Jehoshaphat.
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We talked about him a couple of weeks ago.
He would say, Lord, we don't know what to do, but our eyes
are upon you as the kings of Ammon and the Moabites and the
Edomites came against Israel to fight them.
Listen to what Jehoshaphat did in Second Chronicles chapter 20
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when it says verse 20. They arose early in the morning
and went out to the wilderness of Tacoa, and when they went
out, Jehoshaphat stood and said,Listen to me, O Judah and
inhabitants of Jerusalem, put your trust in the Lord your God,
and you will be established. Put your trust in his prophets
and succeed. When he had consulted the
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people, he appointed those who saying to the Lord and those who
praised him and holy attire as he went out before the army and
said Give thanks to the Lord forhis loving kindness is
everlasting. So Jehoshaphat gathers the
people of Judah around, tells them to trust in the Lord, and
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then gets the choir and puts them in front of the army and
sends them out first to sing praises to God and give thanks
to God for his loving kindness. And of course Israel won the
battle without ever having to lift a finger, because the
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armies of Edom and Moab and Emindestroyed themselves.
But they gave thanks before the battle.
Jesus did the same on the eve ofthe crucifixion, when he broke
the bread and gave thanks. He blessed the cup in the same
manner, by giving thanks Before the battle, before the garden,
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before Calvary, he gave thanks. I wonder if that's you.
You know the battles coming. You know it's on the horizon.
Do you kneel and and give thanksto God for all that he's about
to do? Comprehending the fact that God
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is sovereign. He's in charge, He's in control.
You're not, but God's going to do something.
So you have you have the people who give thanks after the
affliction. Those are post thankful people.
Yeah, those who who give thanks before the battle, those are pre
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thankful people. But the rub is this.
Those who give thanks during thedifficulty, during the hardship,
we call this mid thankfulness. Those who give thanks right in
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the middle of the turmoil. These people are unique.
They're like Jonah we saw last week in the belly of the fish.
In the middle of his of his trial, he offered a sacrifice of
Thanksgiving. It's like the apostles when they
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were beaten in Acts chapter 5 and they gave thanks to God
because they were able to sufferfor his name's sake.
It's like Job, well, he lost everything he said, blessed be
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the name of the Lord, for it's the Lord who gives and the Lord
who takes away. It's like the Apostle Paul in
Silas in Acts 16 when they were in prison and they begin to
sing, sing praises to God and give thanks to him while in
prison. Paul had probably the best
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prison ministry anybody ever had, but he was always giving
praise and thanks to God. Just read the the book of
Philippians where he tells thosein in Philippi to rejoice in the
Lord always. And again.
I say rejoice because he would give Thanksgiving to his God in
the midst of his prison cell. I wonder if that's you.
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That's what Paul says. And 1st Thessalonians 5 verse
#18 in everything, not before everything, not after everything
in everything, give thanks for this is the will of God in
Christ Jesus concerning you. How on earth can anybody ever
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really truly do that? Even though we have examples in
Scripture of those who did, How do we do that?
We told you last week that that Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving
reveals my conversion to Christ.It reveals my commitment to the
will of God. It also reveals my my condition
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spiritually. Nothing reveals your spiritual
condition more than when you give thanks.
Remember, Thanksgiving is not a matter of feeling thankful.
Thanksgiving is a matter of obedience to God.
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It's like forgiveness. You don't forgive because you
feel like forgiving. If that's the case, you probably
never forgive anybody. You forgive because you obey the
command of God to forgive. The same is true with a thankful
heart. You give thanks to God because
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it's a command and you adore Himand you worship Him and you want
to obey the commands of God. Turn with me if you would to the
book of Colossians, the book of Colossians in the 3rd chapter.
This how you know Thanksgiving reveals your condition
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spiritually when Paul says in verse 12, chapter 3.
So as those who have been chosenof God, holy and beloved, put on
a heart of compassion, kindness,humility, gentleness and
patience, bearing with one another and forgiving each
other, whoever has to complain against anyone, just as the Lord
forgave you, so also should you beyond all these things, love,
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which is the perfect bond of unity.
And then he says this, Let the peace of Christ rule in your
hearts, to which indeed you werecalled in one body, and be
thankful. Let the peace of of Christ rule
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in your hearts. Let the fact that you are now no
longer the enemy of God, but that you're the friend of God.
You're at peace with God. Having been justified by faith,
we have peace with God. Let the fact that you're at
peace with God be the governing factor in every decision you
make. In other words, the word rule
means to umpire to make the final call.
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In other words, let Christ make the final call in every decision
you make and then be thankful. Let the peace of Christ rule in
your hearts, and then he says, let the word of Christ reside in
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your heart. He says, let the word of Christ,
which He dwell within you with all wisdom, teaching and
admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs, singing with thankfulnessin your hearts to God.
How do you sing with thankfulness in your heart to
God? Because the word of Christ is at
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home. It richly dwells in your heart.
The word of God is not a stranger to you.
When the word of God is a stranger to you, you have no
song of Thanksgiving. But when the word of Christ is
no longer a stranger, it's at home in your heart.
It resides as supreme in your heart.
You sing with Thanksgiving. So Paul says let the peace of
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Christ rule in your hearts and be thankful.
Let the word of Christ reside inyour heart so you can sing with
thankfulness. And then he says, let the name
of Christ reign in your hearts. He says verse 17, whatever you
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do in Word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks through him to Godthe Father.
In other words, whatever you do in Word or in deed, no matter
what you're doing, no matter where you're going, Christ
reigns supreme. The name of Christ, the nature
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of Christ, the character of Christ who He is, reigns
supreme. And when He does, you give
thanks. That's why we say that
Thanksgiving reveals our condition spiritually.
When the peace of Christ rules, when the word of Christ resides,
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and when the name of Christ reigns, thankfulness just spews
out. Now having said that, how is it
possible for anyone at any time,no matter how adverse the
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circumstance, no matter how bad the battle, no matter how severe
the suffering, can one be thankful?
Well, This is why you will be soglad you came today.
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I'm going to give you 7 principles that will help you
understand how I can obey the command of God to be thankful in
everything so that my life of adoration becomes a model that
exemplifies Jesus Christ my Lord.
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Follow through with me very carefully.
Number one, I am thankful always, at all times in
everything for a throne that is graceful.
A throne that is graceful. You know the verse Hebrews
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chapter 4, verse #16 Therefore, let us draw near with confidence
to the throne of grace so that we may receive mercy and find
grace to help in time of need. There is a throne, it's heaven's
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throne, and it's where the King himself sits.
It's called the throne of grace.And I'm able to go there
confidently when I am in need ofGod's grace to be poured out in
my life. We are saved by grace, for, you
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know, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And that though he was rich, yetfor your sakes he became poor.
Why set you through his poverty might become rich?
2nd Corinthians 8 verse #9 For by grace are you safe to faith?
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We're saved by grace. We're strengthened by grace.
Second Timothy 2 verse #1 Be strong in the grace that is in
Christ Jesus. You can read Titus chapter 2
verses 11 the following We we are sanctified by grace.
Everything about our lives comesbecause of free sovereign favor
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that God gives to the ill deserving.
That's that's Benjamin Warfield's definition of grace,
God's free favor, free sovereignfavor that he gives to the ill
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deserving. The Bible is so replete with
God's wonderful grace. Listen to what the Lord says to
the pen of Isaiah and Isaiah 30 verse #18 Therefore the Lord
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longs to be gracious to you. Imagine that the Lord longs to
be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to
have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of
justice. How blessed are all those who
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long for Him. The Lord waits on high to have
compassion upon you. He wants you to come to the
throne of grace because He longsto show you His loving kindness.
He wants to be gracious to you. And so the right of Hebrews
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tells us we can go to that throne with confidence, knowing
that God will bestow grace upon us.
There's a throne that is graceful.
That's why I can be thankful in everything, because I need God's
grace to sustain me. I need God's grace that's
sufficient for me from day-to-day.
I need God's grace to strengthenme from day-to-day.
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I can't make it without God's grace.
And there's a throne that is graceful, where the God of grace
sits and waits because he so desperately longs.
To be gracious to you, let's know what Peter says.
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Peter said that this way in first Peter 5 verse #10 he says
after you have suffered for a little while.
How long is that? I have no idea because heaven
has no clock, has no calendar, so I don't know how long a
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little while is. The peace is after you've
suffered a little while. The God of grace, the God of
grace who sits on the throne of grace, who longs to be gracious
to you, the God of grace who calls you to his eternal glory
in Christ, will Himself perfect,confirm, strengthen, and
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establish you. That's what God wants to do.
He wants first of all, to perfect you.
He wants to to restore that which is missing.
He wants to take that which is broken and put it together.
He wants to establish you. He wants to make you solid as
granted. He wants to strengthen you.
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He wants to fill you with strength.
He wants to settle you so you have a firm foundation.
What God wants to do, someone comes along as well.
I know the God of grace. I've I've gone to the throne of
grace. I, I've begged for grace and,
and and and I haven't received grace.
Well, Peter answers that when hesays this.
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God is opposed to the proud, buthe gives grace to the humble.
If you're not experiencing God'sgrace, it's because of your own
pride for the humble person God just longs to be gracious to.
So there's a throne that is graceful so I can give thanks in
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everything because that throne is always available for me to
approach confidently #2 Not onlyis there a throne that is
graceful, there is a hope that is delightful, a hope that is
delightful. Hope is not guesswork.
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Hope is not speculation. Hope is assurance.
In the Bible, it's it's a conviction that God will fulfill
every promise. It's the anticipation of every
promise that God gives will be accomplished in the life of His
own. Listen to what Paul says in
Romans chapter 8. He says in Romans 8 verse #24
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For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen as not
hope for who hopes for what is already sees.
But if we hope for what we do not see with perseverance, we
wait eagerly for it. Then he goes on to say verse
#828 for we know that all thingswork together for good to those
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who love God in a called according to his purpose.
Why he tells you he says for those who he foreknew verse 29.
He predestined to become conformed to the image of his
son. See, there's a hope that's
delightful. What's the hope?
The hope is not going to be conformed to the image of his
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Son, and God will use any measure to make sure that my
life represents him to the best way possible.
And God will stop at nothing to to make you, to mold you, to
form you, to be this best representative on earth.
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So God does that. There's a hope that is
delightful because it's a thronethat is graceful #3 There is an
advocate that is needful, an advocate that is needful.
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What is John saying in first John chapter 2?
He says in verse #1 My little children, I am writing these
things to you so that you may not sin.
And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus
Christ the righteous. You know, so many times in the
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midst of our trial, in the midstof our tomorrow, there is sin
that occurs, but we have an advocate that's absolutely
needful. Now, here's here's the key
point. We have a advocate in heaven and
we have an advocate in our heartbecause the word for advocate is
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paracletos. Same word used of how Christ
describes the Spirit of God. When he says that I'm going to
send to you another comforter, another paracletos, another
advocate. So you have an advocate in your
heart, right? An advocate in your heart who
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soothes you in your difficulties, and an advocate in
heaven who speaks in our defense.
We have an advocate that's needful.
That's why I can give thanks andeverything because there's a
throne that that's graceful thatI can approach at any time.
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And there's a hope that's delightful because God's doing
something unique and special in my life that I have no idea what
He's going to do, but I hope in the hope of His promises.
And I have an advocate that willsoothe me from the inside my
heart and speak for me on the outside in heaven, because Satan
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is the accuser of the brethren, and Christ is my great defense.
That's how I know I can give thanks in everything.
But it gets better. Not only is there a throne that
is graceful, hope that is delightful, and advocate is
needful, there is a new life that is meaningful.
If any man be in Christ, he is anew creation.
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All things have passed away. Behold, all things have become
new. There's a new life that's
meaningful. How can I give thanks and
everything? Because Christ gave me his life.
Christ, who is my life? Colossians 3 verse #3 He's my
life. And listen, it is a meaningful
life. So it's so important to realize
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that there's a new life that's meaningful.
I've been saved by His grace. I'm a child of the living God.
Therefore, listen. Listen.
As Christians, we don't find meaning in our education.
We don't find meaning in our job.
We don't find meaning in our marriage.
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We don't find meaning in our children.
We don't find meaning in my bankaccount.
Those are all temporary things that come and go.
You find meaning only in Jesus Christ our Lord.
He gives you meaning. He gives you significance.
He gives you everything you longfor because He's the God of the
universe and He's your God. And therefore you don't find
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meaning in your work, in your money, in your marriage.
You bring meaning to your work. You bring meaning to your
marriage. You bring meaning to your
workplace, to your school. You bring meaning to everybody
you come in contact with becauseyou have a new life.
So now you have a new life that's meaningful.
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So in the midst of whatever it is you're going through, realize
that you're a child of the living God whose life is
completely and totally meaningful, not because of you,
but because of Christ. And I'm going to bring meaning
to that environment, that difficulty, that hardship, to
whoever it may be and whoever itaffects.
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That's how I can give thanks. Thank you, Lord, for a new life
in Christ. Thank you for a throne that I
can approach, Thank you that I have an advocate in my heart and
in heaven. And thank you, Lord, that my
hope is fixed on you. This is the will of God, that
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you give thanks in everything. How there's a throne that is
graceful, a hope that is delightful, an advocate is
needful, a new life that is meaningful #5-A king who is
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powerful. A king who is powerful.
Psalm 6211. Power belongs to God.
He is the king of all kings. He is the Lord of all Lords.
And Isaiah 96, he's called the AL Gabor, the Almighty God in
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the Book of Revelation 9 times. He's called the Pantocrator the
Almighty. He's my king and my king is all
powerful. Jeremiah 3217 says, Behold, thou
has made the heavens and the earth by thy great power,
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therefore nothing is too difficult for thee, nothing he
is able to do. Ephesians 320 exceeding
abundantly above all that we ever ask or think, according to
the power that works in US. There's a power that works in us
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because we serve a king who is powerful.
That's why 2nd Corinthians 69 says the eyes of the Lord search
to and fro throughout all the earth, so that he might
strengthen, give power to those whose hearts are completely His.
That's what God wants to do. That's how God does that, so I
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can give thanks in everything because there's a throne that is
graceful, there's a hope that isdelightful.
There's an advocate that was needful, a new life that is
meaningful, a king who is powerful.
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Number six, there's a father whois merciful, a father who is
merciful, the Bible says over inSecond Corinthians chapter 1,
blessed be the God and Father ofour Lord Jesus Christ, the
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Father of mercies. God doesn't have mercy.
God is mercy. That's there's a big difference
there. God doesn't have love.
He is love doesn't have grace. He is grace.
That's who He is the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
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who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be
able to comfort those who are inany affliction with the comfort
with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
He, he's called the Father of mercies, and so how can I give
thanks and everything is becauseI have a Father in heaven who's
absolutely, truly merciful to me.
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God's grace is for those who areguilty.
God's mercy is for those who aremiserable.
And that's why God's mercy is sogreat.
Ephesians 2. Four.
He is rich in mercy. Hebrews 27 Christ is called our
merciful and faithful high priest in Psalm 136.
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Every verse ends with his mercies endure forever because
there's a Father who is merciful.
Listen to what the psalmist did.Psalm 69, verse #13 But As for
me, my prayer is to You, O Lord,at an acceptable time.
O God, in the greatness of Your mercy, answer me with Your
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saving truth. Deliver me from the mire, and do
not let me sink. May I be delivered from my foes
and from the deep waters. May the flood of water not
overflow me, nor the deep swallow me up, nor the pit shut
its mouth on me. Answer me, O Lord, for Your
mercy is good according to the greatness of your compassion.
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Turn to me, the psalmist did He approached the God of mercies so
that the waters would not overflow him, the grave would
not swallow him. Who else do you go to but the
Father of mercies? And then over in, in Psalm 86,
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first number one, incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for
I am afflicted and needy. Preserve my soul, for I am a
godly man. O you my God, save your servant
who trusts in you. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for
to you I cry all day long. Make me glad or make glad the
soul of your servant. For to you, O Lord, I lift up my
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soul. For you, Lord, are good and
ready to forgive and abundant inmercy to all who call upon you.
He's abundant in mercy to those who call upon him.
Verse 11 Teach me your ways, O Lord, I will walk in your truth,
unite my heart to fear your name.
I will give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
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and will glorify your name forever.
For your loving kindness or yourmercy toward me is great, and
You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
This is so good. It's the mercy of God, the
Father of mercies. That's why I can be thankful in
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everything. I have a Father who is
absolutely merciful. The Bible says He's abundant in
mercy. Psalm 90.
Psalm 90, verse #14 O, satisfy us in the morning with Your
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mercy, that we may sing for joy,and be glad all our days.
And then he says something very,very interesting.
Let's know what He says. Make us glad according to the
days you have afflicted us and the years we have seen evil.
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The psalmist says. In the morning you show mercy,
in the morning you give mercy, and we shout for joy, and our
hearts are glad. But Lord, make us glad according
to the days in which we were afflicted.
You see, there's something aboutaffliction that draws you so
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close to the Lord that without affliction you would never
experience it. There's something about
suffering, hardship, difficulty,pain that does something that
nothing else on earth can do. It drives the believer to the
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Father of mercies. Why?
Because there the throne of grace, mercy is dispensed.
So there's a throne that is grateful, There is a hope that
is delightful. There is an advocate that was
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needful, a new light that's meaningful.
A king was powerful, a father was merciful.
And the number seven, I'm sorry,did I say 7 earlier?
There's really eight. Sorry.
You go pastor, there's really 10.
No, that's not true. There's an unspeakable gift that
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is wonderful thanks being to Godfor his unspeakable gift, the
gift of eternal life. It's not eternal life is not
longevity of life, although it does last forever.
Eternal life is, is knowing Christ, John 17 verse #3 this is
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eternal life that they may know the one true God and Jesus
Christ who now has sent eternal life is quality of life.
And so there's an unspeakable gift that's wonderful.
How wonderful is it? It's the gift of God's eternal
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life. And so I can give thanks to God
in everything, because what I'm experiencing right now is only a
a blip on the screen of eternity.
I will one day spend all my glory days with my God because
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He's given me the gift of eternal life that comes only
through His Son, Jesus Christ. So how can I give thanks and
everything? How does someone like Erica
Kirk, after the assassination ofher husband this past week, how
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does she give thanks and everything?
What would you tell her? How would you encourage her to
give thanks? How would you encourage a loved
one who is going through great bouts of suffering?
You show them there's a throne that's absolutely graceful,
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There's a hope that's delightful.
There's an advocate who is needful.
There is a new life that is meaningful.
There's a king who is powerful, a father who is merciful, an
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unspeakable gift that is wonderful.
Lastly, there's a Lord who is faithful.
A Lord who is faithful, Paul says in First Thessalonians 524,
Faithful is he who calls you, and he also will bring it to
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pass. Psalm 33, four says, For the
word of the Lord is righteous inall his works.
All of them are done in faithfulness.
Isaiah 11 verse #5 says faithfulness is the belt around
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His waist. In other words, faithfulness
ties all of His attributes together.
And then Psalm 37 three says feed securely on His
faithfulness. In other words, your food.
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Spiritually speaking, this is faithfulness.
Hebrews 10/23 says he who promised is faithful, and then
Second Thessalonians chapter 3 verse #3 says the Lord is
faithful and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil. 1
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the Lord who is faithful. The psalmist Psalm 119 said
this. I know, O Lord, that your
judgments are righteous. So I ask you, do you know that?
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Do you know that God's judgmentsare righteous?
He's a righteous God. All of his judgments are done in
righteousness. And God is a faithful God, so
his righteous judgments are faithful judgments.
So the psalmist says in Psalm 1/19/75.
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I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are righteous and in
faithfulness You have afflicted me.
The psalmist knew his afflictionwas because of God's
faithfulness. Well, why would God and His
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faithfulness afflict you? The psalmist answers that
question too. Verse 67.
Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I keep Your
word. Lord, You are so faithful to
afflict me. Why?
Because before I was afflicted, I just did whatever I wanted to
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do. I went my own way.
But now because of affliction, Ikeep your word.
And then he says in verse 71, Itis good for me that I was
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afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.
Without affliction, you'll neverlearn the statutes of God.
So God is doing everything He can to bring you closer to Him.
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And so unfaithfulness, because His judgments are always
righteous. He afflicts you so that you'll
no longer go your own way, but that you'll keep His word and
that you'll learn all you can about him, because without that
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affliction you would not learn. So if you are astute, you know
that that was an acrostic for the word thankful, so that in
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everything you can give thanks, you can obey that command.
Isn't it interesting that Paul never tells him what I told you
today? But he didn't have to.
He didn't tell them how to rejoice always.
He just told them to rejoice always.
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Didn't tell them how to pray without ceasing and didn't tell
them how to give thanks in everything, even though this is
God's will for you. Because the First Thessalonians
213 and that is when they heard the Word of God, they knew it
was God's holy word and they just put out the welcome mat and
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received it as God's word and they welcomed it with joy.
I want all of us to be able to give thanks and everything
because this is the will of God for you and for me.
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And May God give us the grace toaccomplish that.
Let's pray together. Lord God, we thank you for this
day, Lord, so much, so much to address and talk about.
So little time seems to do it, to do it all.
And yet, Lord you, you've given us your precious word.
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I pray and word for everyone in the room today.
I don't know what but hardship or pain or difficulty things are
going, people are going through in this, in this, in this room.
But Lord, you know, and you longto be gracious to them.
You wait on high to show compassion upon them.
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That's you. That's what you do.
And our prayer, Father, is that we would be a thankful people no
matter what the situation, no matter what the circumstance, no
matter how bad the turmoil, no matter how deep the water, how
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gross the grave maybe truly givethanks to you and everything,
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning each and
every one of us. So we thank you for today as we
leave, maybe leave differently than when we arrived.
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Maybe say I'm so glad to have come today to worship the King
in Jesus name, Amen.
Today is going to be a day in which when you leave today you
will say, I am so glad that I came to church today.
I would hope you say that every Sunday.
I know you don't probably. But on this Sunday I can almost
guarantee that you will be saying, I am so glad that I went
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to church today. We are looking at a verse in
First Thessalonians 5 verse #18 that says in everything give
thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning
you. It is a one of of a trilogy of
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commands that says that we are to rejoice always, we are to
pray without ceasing, and we areto give thanks in everything
because those 3 commands are God's will in Christ Jesus
concerning you. It is the model life.
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It's the model life of of adoration, the life that adores
God, a life that lives accordingto Christ design.
And as we think about what God has said, that we are to be
joyful, prayerful, and thankful,those 3 commands sum up the
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essence of true adoration of thebeliever.
When it comes to being thankful,we usually fall into one of
three categories. Let me explain them to you.
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One category is that we are thankful after the adversity or
after the the affliction or after the adverse circumstance.
We'll call this post thankfulness after everything is
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said and done. I'm thankful for instance, in
the book of Exodus after the party of the Red Sea and Israel
murmured and complained that that Moses had dragged them out
of Egypt to to die in the wilderness.
And Moses said, just stand stilland watch the salvation of the
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Lord. And the waters parted.
They went through on dry land and Pharaoh and all of U.S.
Army were drowned in the sea. Everybody was thankful.
They were so thankful before theparty of the Red Sea, but after
it was over, everybody's saying praises to God.
Read about in Exodus chapter 15,the great song of Miriam, the
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song of praise of song of Moses,right?
And Miriam was the one who led them with dancing in
tambourines, praising God for what he had done.
One of the 10 lepers, after he was healed of leprosy, came back
and gave thanks to God. This is the easiest category of
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thankfulness, isn't it? We go through a situation of the
adverse circumstance and we comeout the other side and we say,
Lord, we are so thankful and rightly so, we should be.
But then there's another category of thankfulness.
Not just those who are thankful after the adversary.
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This was a little bit harder. These are the ones who give
thanks to God before the battle.We're going to call this.
We're going to call this pre thankfulness.
In other words, they give thanksbefore the battle begins.
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These are the people of faith like Daniel.
You remember Daniel, it was saidthat Darius signed a decree that
nobody can bow down or pray to any other God but him.
And so it says that Daniel 6 verse #10 Now when Daniel knew
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that the document was signed, heentered his house.
Now in his roof chamber he had windows open towards Jerusalem
and he continued kneeling on hisknees three times a day, praying
and giving thanks before his Godas he had been doing previously.
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This is before the battle. You give thanks to God.
This was Daniel, a man of great faith and of course you know the
story. He was thrown into the lion's
den and and God spared his life and he became just another great
individual in that land. There's also King Jehoshaphat.
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We talked about him a couple of weeks ago.
He would say, Lord, we don't know what to do, but our eyes
are upon you as the kings of Ammon and the Moabites and the
Edomites came against Israel to fight them.
Listen to what Jehoshaphat did in Second Chronicles chapter 20
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when it says verse 20. They arose early in the morning
and went out to the wilderness of Tacoa, and when they went
out, Jehoshaphat stood and said,Listen to me, O Judah and
inhabitants of Jerusalem, put your trust in the Lord your God,
and you will be established. Put your trust in his prophets
and succeed. When he had consulted the
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people, he appointed those who saying to the Lord and those who
praised him and holy attire as he went out before the army and
said Give thanks to the Lord forhis loving kindness is
everlasting. So Jehoshaphat gathers the
people of Judah around, tells them to trust in the Lord, and
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then gets the choir and puts them in front of the army and
sends them out first to sing praises to God and give thanks
to God for his loving kindness. And of course Israel won the
battle without ever having to lift a finger, because the
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armies of Edom and Moab and Emindestroyed themselves.
But they gave thanks before the battle.
Jesus did the same on the eve ofthe crucifixion, when he broke
the bread and gave thanks. He blessed the cup in the same
manner, by giving thanks Before the battle, before the garden,
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before Calvary, he gave thanks. I wonder if that's you.
You know the battles coming. You know it's on the horizon.
Do you kneel and and give thanksto God for all that he's about
to do? Comprehending the fact that God
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is sovereign. He's in charge, He's in control.
You're not, but God's going to do something.
So you have you have the people who give thanks after the
affliction. Those are post thankful people.
Yeah, those who who give thanks before the battle, those are pre
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thankful people. But the rub is this.
Those who give thanks during thedifficulty, during the hardship,
we call this mid thankfulness. Those who give thanks right in
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the middle of the turmoil. These people are unique.
They're like Jonah we saw last week in the belly of the fish.
In the middle of his of his trial, he offered a sacrifice of
Thanksgiving. It's like the apostles when they
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were beaten in Acts chapter 5 and they gave thanks to God
because they were able to sufferfor his name's sake.
It's like Job, well, he lost everything he said, blessed be
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the name of the Lord, for it's the Lord who gives and the Lord
who takes away. It's like the Apostle Paul in
Silas in Acts 16 when they were in prison and they begin to
sing, sing praises to God and give thanks to him while in
prison. Paul had probably the best
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prison ministry anybody ever had, but he was always giving
praise and thanks to God. Just read the the book of
Philippians where he tells thosein in Philippi to rejoice in the
Lord always. And again.
I say rejoice because he would give Thanksgiving to his God in
the midst of his prison cell. I wonder if that's you.
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That's what Paul says. And 1st Thessalonians 5 verse
#18 in everything, not before everything, not after everything
in everything, give thanks for this is the will of God in
Christ Jesus concerning you. How on earth can anybody ever
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really truly do that? Even though we have examples in
Scripture of those who did, How do we do that?
We told you last week that that Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving
reveals my conversion to Christ.It reveals my commitment to the
will of God. It also reveals my my condition
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spiritually. Nothing reveals your spiritual
condition more than when you give thanks.
Remember, Thanksgiving is not a matter of feeling thankful.
Thanksgiving is a matter of obedience to God.
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It's like forgiveness. You don't forgive because you
feel like forgiving. If that's the case, you probably
never forgive anybody. You forgive because you obey the
command of God to forgive. The same is true with a thankful
heart. You give thanks to God because
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it's a command and you adore Himand you worship Him and you want
to obey the commands of God. Turn with me if you would to the
book of Colossians, the book of Colossians in the 3rd chapter.
This how you know Thanksgiving reveals your condition
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spiritually when Paul says in verse 12, chapter 3.
So as those who have been chosenof God, holy and beloved, put on
a heart of compassion, kindness,humility, gentleness and
patience, bearing with one another and forgiving each
other, whoever has to complain against anyone, just as the Lord
forgave you, so also should you beyond all these things, love,
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which is the perfect bond of unity.
And then he says this, Let the peace of Christ rule in your
hearts, to which indeed you werecalled in one body, and be
thankful. Let the peace of of Christ rule
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in your hearts. Let the fact that you are now no
longer the enemy of God, but that you're the friend of God.
You're at peace with God. Having been justified by faith,
we have peace with God. Let the fact that you're at
peace with God be the governing factor in every decision you
make. In other words, the word rule
means to umpire to make the final call.
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In other words, let Christ make the final call in every decision
you make and then be thankful. Let the peace of Christ rule in
your hearts, and then he says, let the word of Christ reside in
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your heart. He says, let the word of Christ,
which He dwell within you with all wisdom, teaching and
admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual
songs, singing with thankfulnessin your hearts to God.
How do you sing with thankfulness in your heart to
God? Because the word of Christ is at
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home. It richly dwells in your heart.
The word of God is not a stranger to you.
When the word of God is a stranger to you, you have no
song of Thanksgiving. But when the word of Christ is
no longer a stranger, it's at home in your heart.
It resides as supreme in your heart.
You sing with Thanksgiving. So Paul says let the peace of
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Christ rule in your hearts and be thankful.
Let the word of Christ reside inyour heart so you can sing with
thankfulness. And then he says, let the name
of Christ reign in your hearts. He says verse 17, whatever you
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do in Word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks through him to Godthe Father.
In other words, whatever you do in Word or in deed, no matter
what you're doing, no matter where you're going, Christ
reigns supreme. The name of Christ, the nature
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of Christ, the character of Christ who He is, reigns
supreme. And when He does, you give
thanks. That's why we say that
Thanksgiving reveals our condition spiritually.
When the peace of Christ rules, when the word of Christ resides,
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and when the name of Christ reigns, thankfulness just spews
out. Now having said that, how is it
possible for anyone at any time,no matter how adverse the
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circumstance, no matter how bad the battle, no matter how severe
the suffering, can one be thankful?
Well, This is why you will be soglad you came today.
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I'm going to give you 7 principles that will help you
understand how I can obey the command of God to be thankful in
everything so that my life of adoration becomes a model that
exemplifies Jesus Christ my Lord.
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Follow through with me very carefully.
Number one, I am thankful always, at all times in
everything for a throne that is graceful.
A throne that is graceful. You know the verse Hebrews
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chapter 4, verse #16 Therefore, let us draw near with confidence
to the throne of grace so that we may receive mercy and find
grace to help in time of need. There is a throne, it's heaven's
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throne, and it's where the King himself sits.
It's called the throne of grace.And I'm able to go there
confidently when I am in need ofGod's grace to be poured out in
my life. We are saved by grace, for, you
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know, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
And that though he was rich, yetfor your sakes he became poor.
Why set you through his poverty might become rich?
2nd Corinthians 8 verse #9 For by grace are you safe to faith?
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We're saved by grace. We're strengthened by grace.
Second Timothy 2 verse #1 Be strong in the grace that is in
Christ Jesus. You can read Titus chapter 2
verses 11 the following We we are sanctified by grace.
Everything about our lives comesbecause of free sovereign favor
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that God gives to the ill deserving.
That's that's Benjamin Warfield's definition of grace,
God's free favor, free sovereignfavor that he gives to the ill
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deserving. The Bible is so replete with
God's wonderful grace. Listen to what the Lord says to
the pen of Isaiah and Isaiah 30 verse #18 Therefore the Lord
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longs to be gracious to you. Imagine that the Lord longs to
be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to
have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of
justice. How blessed are all those who
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long for Him. The Lord waits on high to have
compassion upon you. He wants you to come to the
throne of grace because He longsto show you His loving kindness.
He wants to be gracious to you. And so the right of Hebrews
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tells us we can go to that throne with confidence, knowing
that God will bestow grace upon us.
There's a throne that is graceful.
That's why I can be thankful in everything, because I need God's
grace to sustain me. I need God's grace that's
sufficient for me from day-to-day.
I need God's grace to strengthenme from day-to-day.
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I can't make it without God's grace.
And there's a throne that is graceful, where the God of grace
sits and waits because he so desperately longs.
To be gracious to you, let's know what Peter says.
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Peter said that this way in first Peter 5 verse #10 he says
after you have suffered for a little while.
How long is that? I have no idea because heaven
has no clock, has no calendar, so I don't know how long a
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little while is. The peace is after you've
suffered a little while. The God of grace, the God of
grace who sits on the throne of grace, who longs to be gracious
to you, the God of grace who calls you to his eternal glory
in Christ, will Himself perfect,confirm, strengthen, and
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establish you. That's what God wants to do.
He wants first of all, to perfect you.
He wants to to restore that which is missing.
He wants to take that which is broken and put it together.
He wants to establish you. He wants to make you solid as
granted. He wants to strengthen you.
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He wants to fill you with strength.
He wants to settle you so you have a firm foundation.
What God wants to do, someone comes along as well.
I know the God of grace. I've I've gone to the throne of
grace. I, I've begged for grace and,
and and and I haven't received grace.
Well, Peter answers that when hesays this.
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God is opposed to the proud, buthe gives grace to the humble.
If you're not experiencing God'sgrace, it's because of your own
pride for the humble person God just longs to be gracious to.
So there's a throne that is graceful so I can give thanks in
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everything because that throne is always available for me to
approach confidently #2 Not onlyis there a throne that is
graceful, there is a hope that is delightful, a hope that is
delightful. Hope is not guesswork.
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Hope is not speculation. Hope is assurance.
In the Bible, it's it's a conviction that God will fulfill
every promise. It's the anticipation of every
promise that God gives will be accomplished in the life of His
own. Listen to what Paul says in
Romans chapter 8. He says in Romans 8 verse #24
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For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen as not
hope for who hopes for what is already sees.
But if we hope for what we do not see with perseverance, we
wait eagerly for it. Then he goes on to say verse
#828 for we know that all thingswork together for good to those
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who love God in a called according to his purpose.
Why he tells you he says for those who he foreknew verse 29.
He predestined to become conformed to the image of his
son. See, there's a hope that's
delightful. What's the hope?
The hope is not going to be conformed to the image of his
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Son, and God will use any measure to make sure that my
life represents him to the best way possible.
And God will stop at nothing to to make you, to mold you, to
form you, to be this best representative on earth.
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So God does that. There's a hope that is
delightful because it's a thronethat is graceful #3 There is an
advocate that is needful, an advocate that is needful.
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What is John saying in first John chapter 2?
He says in verse #1 My little children, I am writing these
things to you so that you may not sin.
And if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus
Christ the righteous. You know, so many times in the
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midst of our trial, in the midstof our tomorrow, there is sin
that occurs, but we have an advocate that's absolutely
needful. Now, here's here's the key
point. We have a advocate in heaven and
we have an advocate in our heartbecause the word for advocate is
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paracletos. Same word used of how Christ
describes the Spirit of God. When he says that I'm going to
send to you another comforter, another paracletos, another
advocate. So you have an advocate in your
heart, right? An advocate in your heart who
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soothes you in your difficulties, and an advocate in
heaven who speaks in our defense.
We have an advocate that's needful.
That's why I can give thanks andeverything because there's a
throne that that's graceful thatI can approach at any time.
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And there's a hope that's delightful because God's doing
something unique and special in my life that I have no idea what
He's going to do, but I hope in the hope of His promises.
And I have an advocate that willsoothe me from the inside my
heart and speak for me on the outside in heaven, because Satan
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is the accuser of the brethren, and Christ is my great defense.
That's how I know I can give thanks in everything.
But it gets better. Not only is there a throne that
is graceful, hope that is delightful, and advocate is
needful, there is a new life that is meaningful.
If any man be in Christ, he is anew creation.
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All things have passed away. Behold, all things have become
new. There's a new life that's
meaningful. How can I give thanks and
everything? Because Christ gave me his life.
Christ, who is my life? Colossians 3 verse #3 He's my
life. And listen, it is a meaningful
life. So it's so important to realize
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that there's a new life that's meaningful.
I've been saved by His grace. I'm a child of the living God.
Therefore, listen. Listen.
As Christians, we don't find meaning in our education.
We don't find meaning in our job.
We don't find meaning in our marriage.
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We don't find meaning in our children.
We don't find meaning in my bankaccount.
Those are all temporary things that come and go.
You find meaning only in Jesus Christ our Lord.
He gives you meaning. He gives you significance.
He gives you everything you longfor because He's the God of the
universe and He's your God. And therefore you don't find
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meaning in your work, in your money, in your marriage.
You bring meaning to your work. You bring meaning to your
marriage. You bring meaning to your
workplace, to your school. You bring meaning to everybody
you come in contact with becauseyou have a new life.
So now you have a new life that's meaningful.
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So in the midst of whatever it is you're going through, realize
that you're a child of the living God whose life is
completely and totally meaningful, not because of you,
but because of Christ. And I'm going to bring meaning
to that environment, that difficulty, that hardship, to
whoever it may be and whoever itaffects.
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That's how I can give thanks. Thank you, Lord, for a new life
in Christ. Thank you for a throne that I
can approach, Thank you that I have an advocate in my heart and
in heaven. And thank you, Lord, that my
hope is fixed on you. This is the will of God, that
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you give thanks in everything. How there's a throne that is
graceful, a hope that is delightful, an advocate is
needful, a new life that is meaningful #5-A king who is
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powerful. A king who is powerful.
Psalm 6211. Power belongs to God.
He is the king of all kings. He is the Lord of all Lords.
And Isaiah 96, he's called the AL Gabor, the Almighty God in
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the Book of Revelation 9 times. He's called the Pantocrator the
Almighty. He's my king and my king is all
powerful. Jeremiah 3217 says, Behold, thou
has made the heavens and the earth by thy great power,
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therefore nothing is too difficult for thee, nothing he
is able to do. Ephesians 320 exceeding
abundantly above all that we ever ask or think, according to
the power that works in US. There's a power that works in us
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because we serve a king who is powerful.
That's why 2nd Corinthians 69 says the eyes of the Lord search
to and fro throughout all the earth, so that he might
strengthen, give power to those whose hearts are completely His.
That's what God wants to do. That's how God does that, so I
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can give thanks in everything because there's a throne that is
graceful, there's a hope that isdelightful.
There's an advocate that was needful, a new life that is
meaningful, a king who is powerful.
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Number six, there's a father whois merciful, a father who is
merciful, the Bible says over inSecond Corinthians chapter 1,
blessed be the God and Father ofour Lord Jesus Christ, the
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Father of mercies. God doesn't have mercy.
God is mercy. That's there's a big difference
there. God doesn't have love.
He is love doesn't have grace. He is grace.
That's who He is the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
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who comforts us in all our affliction so that we will be
able to comfort those who are inany affliction with the comfort
with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
He, he's called the Father of mercies, and so how can I give
thanks and everything is becauseI have a Father in heaven who's
absolutely, truly merciful to me.
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God's grace is for those who areguilty.
God's mercy is for those who aremiserable.
And that's why God's mercy is sogreat.
Ephesians 2. Four.
He is rich in mercy. Hebrews 27 Christ is called our
merciful and faithful high priest in Psalm 136.
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Every verse ends with his mercies endure forever because
there's a Father who is merciful.
Listen to what the psalmist did.Psalm 69, verse #13 But As for
me, my prayer is to You, O Lord,at an acceptable time.
O God, in the greatness of Your mercy, answer me with Your
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saving truth. Deliver me from the mire, and do
not let me sink. May I be delivered from my foes
and from the deep waters. May the flood of water not
overflow me, nor the deep swallow me up, nor the pit shut
its mouth on me. Answer me, O Lord, for Your
mercy is good according to the greatness of your compassion.
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Turn to me, the psalmist did He approached the God of mercies so
that the waters would not overflow him, the grave would
not swallow him. Who else do you go to but the
Father of mercies? And then over in, in Psalm 86,
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first number one, incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me, for
I am afflicted and needy. Preserve my soul, for I am a
godly man. O you my God, save your servant
who trusts in you. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for
to you I cry all day long. Make me glad or make glad the
soul of your servant. For to you, O Lord, I lift up my
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soul. For you, Lord, are good and
ready to forgive and abundant inmercy to all who call upon you.
He's abundant in mercy to those who call upon him.
Verse 11 Teach me your ways, O Lord, I will walk in your truth,
unite my heart to fear your name.
I will give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with all my heart,
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and will glorify your name forever.
For your loving kindness or yourmercy toward me is great, and
You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.
This is so good. It's the mercy of God, the
Father of mercies. That's why I can be thankful in
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everything. I have a Father who is
absolutely merciful. The Bible says He's abundant in
mercy. Psalm 90.
Psalm 90, verse #14 O, satisfy us in the morning with Your
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mercy, that we may sing for joy,and be glad all our days.
And then he says something very,very interesting.
Let's know what He says. Make us glad according to the
days you have afflicted us and the years we have seen evil.
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The psalmist says. In the morning you show mercy,
in the morning you give mercy, and we shout for joy, and our
hearts are glad. But Lord, make us glad according
to the days in which we were afflicted.
You see, there's something aboutaffliction that draws you so
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close to the Lord that without affliction you would never
experience it. There's something about
suffering, hardship, difficulty,pain that does something that
nothing else on earth can do. It drives the believer to the
(37:13):
Father of mercies. Why?
Because there the throne of grace, mercy is dispensed.
So there's a throne that is grateful, There is a hope that
is delightful. There is an advocate that was
(37:36):
needful, a new light that's meaningful.
A king was powerful, a father was merciful.
And the number seven, I'm sorry,did I say 7 earlier?
There's really eight. Sorry.
You go pastor, there's really 10.
No, that's not true. There's an unspeakable gift that
(37:56):
is wonderful thanks being to Godfor his unspeakable gift, the
gift of eternal life. It's not eternal life is not
longevity of life, although it does last forever.
Eternal life is, is knowing Christ, John 17 verse #3 this is
(38:20):
eternal life that they may know the one true God and Jesus
Christ who now has sent eternal life is quality of life.
And so there's an unspeakable gift that's wonderful.
How wonderful is it? It's the gift of God's eternal
(38:42):
life. And so I can give thanks to God
in everything, because what I'm experiencing right now is only a
a blip on the screen of eternity.
I will one day spend all my glory days with my God because
(39:05):
He's given me the gift of eternal life that comes only
through His Son, Jesus Christ. So how can I give thanks and
everything? How does someone like Erica
Kirk, after the assassination ofher husband this past week, how
(39:27):
does she give thanks and everything?
What would you tell her? How would you encourage her to
give thanks? How would you encourage a loved
one who is going through great bouts of suffering?
You show them there's a throne that's absolutely graceful,
(39:49):
There's a hope that's delightful.
There's an advocate who is needful.
There is a new life that is meaningful.
There's a king who is powerful, a father who is merciful, an
(40:10):
unspeakable gift that is wonderful.
Lastly, there's a Lord who is faithful.
A Lord who is faithful, Paul says in First Thessalonians 524,
Faithful is he who calls you, and he also will bring it to
(40:32):
pass. Psalm 33, four says, For the
word of the Lord is righteous inall his works.
All of them are done in faithfulness.
Isaiah 11 verse #5 says faithfulness is the belt around
(40:56):
His waist. In other words, faithfulness
ties all of His attributes together.
And then Psalm 37 three says feed securely on His
faithfulness. In other words, your food.
(41:17):
Spiritually speaking, this is faithfulness.
Hebrews 10/23 says he who promised is faithful, and then
Second Thessalonians chapter 3 verse #3 says the Lord is
faithful and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil. 1
(41:47):
the Lord who is faithful. The psalmist Psalm 119 said
this. I know, O Lord, that your
judgments are righteous. So I ask you, do you know that?
(42:10):
Do you know that God's judgmentsare righteous?
He's a righteous God. All of his judgments are done in
righteousness. And God is a faithful God, so
his righteous judgments are faithful judgments.
So the psalmist says in Psalm 1/19/75.
(42:30):
I know, O Lord, that Your judgments are righteous and in
faithfulness You have afflicted me.
The psalmist knew his afflictionwas because of God's
faithfulness. Well, why would God and His
(42:53):
faithfulness afflict you? The psalmist answers that
question too. Verse 67.
Before I was afflicted, I went astray, but now I keep Your
word. Lord, You are so faithful to
afflict me. Why?
Because before I was afflicted, I just did whatever I wanted to
(43:14):
do. I went my own way.
But now because of affliction, Ikeep your word.
And then he says in verse 71, Itis good for me that I was
(43:36):
afflicted, that I might learn your statutes.
Without affliction, you'll neverlearn the statutes of God.
So God is doing everything He can to bring you closer to Him.
(43:58):
And so unfaithfulness, because His judgments are always
righteous. He afflicts you so that you'll
no longer go your own way, but that you'll keep His word and
that you'll learn all you can about him, because without that
(44:19):
affliction you would not learn. So if you are astute, you know
that that was an acrostic for the word thankful, so that in
(44:39):
everything you can give thanks, you can obey that command.
Isn't it interesting that Paul never tells him what I told you
today? But he didn't have to.
He didn't tell them how to rejoice always.
He just told them to rejoice always.
(44:59):
Didn't tell them how to pray without ceasing and didn't tell
them how to give thanks in everything, even though this is
God's will for you. Because the First Thessalonians
213 and that is when they heard the Word of God, they knew it
was God's holy word and they just put out the welcome mat and
(45:22):
received it as God's word and they welcomed it with joy.
I want all of us to be able to give thanks and everything
because this is the will of God for you and for me.
(45:43):
And May God give us the grace toaccomplish that.
Let's pray together. Lord God, we thank you for this
day, Lord, so much, so much to address and talk about.
So little time seems to do it, to do it all.
And yet, Lord you, you've given us your precious word.
(46:07):
I pray and word for everyone in the room today.
I don't know what but hardship or pain or difficulty things are
going, people are going through in this, in this, in this room.
But Lord, you know, and you longto be gracious to them.
You wait on high to show compassion upon them.
(46:30):
That's you. That's what you do.
And our prayer, Father, is that we would be a thankful people no
matter what the situation, no matter what the circumstance, no
matter how bad the turmoil, no matter how deep the water, how
(46:51):
gross the grave maybe truly givethanks to you and everything,
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning each and
every one of us. So we thank you for today as we
leave, maybe leave differently than when we arrived.
(47:14):
Maybe say I'm so glad to have come today to worship the King
in Jesus name, Amen.
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