Thanksgiving

Temple Baptist Church - 11-21-2010

Psalm 103

Introduction:

A. It is the most wonderful time of the year for this preacher. I love cool weather! I love Thanksgiving through Christmas! I love to fellowship! I love to eat! I love to remember all that God has done for me! I thought, I need to find something new for Thanksgiving this year but—the more I thought about it—the more I realized that Thanksgiving is simply that, Thanksgiving! I understand more than ever the ramifications of 1 Thessalonians 5:18 which says, “In everything give thanks!” Even in the hard times; even in the bad times; even in the confusing times; God is more than good to His children and they are blessed.

B. As we come back to Psalm 103 again this year, I realize that it says it all. I do not know anything that needs to be added to these verses. God’s salvation has a lot of wonderful “benefits” that go along with it and we need to concentrate upon them in the next few days. Yes, thank God for turkeys! Thank God for our families! Thank God for our friends! All I can say is “Thank God!”

C. Here are a few things found in these verses that we need to be constantly reminded of:

1. Thank God For His Wonderful Redemption! Vs. 3 The most important thing in this life is to know that you know that you know that you are saved! The knowledge that your sins have all been washed away in the crimson flow of Calvary. To know the wonder of a cleansed heart. To know the forgiveness of all of your sins. To know that heaven is your home. To know the wonder of a changed life. To know Christ!

2. Thank God For Health And Strength! Vs. 3 I feel great this morning at 62. I have a few little problems but, in general, my health is good and I feel it. God has been gracious to me in giving me a strong, healthy, resilient body with a great immune system. I rarely get sick or feel bad. Thank God for healing all of my diseases. One day I will get sick and not get over it in this world but thank God He will heal me completely in the next.

3. Thank God For Saving Me From Self-destruction! Vs. 4 I have heard many say that they would be dead and in hell if it had not been for salvation. I do not know where I would be right now if God had not saved me but I do know this: I would not be where I am now. He changed my life, placed new desires in me, renovated my family, gave my two sons a dad who has loved and lived for the Lord. My body is strong because the Lord helped me to give up tobacco, alcohol, turnips, and beets! I still hate the last two on the list. Thank you Lord for saving my life as well as saving my soul.

4. Thank God For Your Lovingkindness And Mercy! Vs. 4 I believe that all of us can say that the Lord has been better to us than we deserve. He has not rewarded us after our iniquities. I have never been good enough to go to heaven and never will be. I am going because He loved me and died for my sins! Never think that you are someone spiritually. It is all of God and it is all of Grace!

5. Thank God For His Provision! Vs. 5 The Lord has sure been good to me, even in the physical things of life. It is God that gives to you the very air that you breathe! Every good gift and every perfect gift! These things come from God. He gave you your health, your home, your job, your car, your food, your every blessing in life. All is made by God and given by God. We are the richest nation on earth and have far more than we deserve. No wonder people are swimming rivers and sneaking across the borders to come to this great land!

6. Thank God For His Divine Intervention In Our Lives! Vs. 6 I am so glad that my life is in the hands of One who can help. He protects and shields us from evil things. Yes, life is hard, but I look back over the last three years and know that my family and church could have been destroyed. We are here and well! We have trusted in the Lord and have not had to compromise one inch in either our integrity or our doctrine. God has brought us this far and He will take us all of the way home. December is just 3 weeks away and someone is going to find our just who God is! We can trust Him!

7. Thank God For His Longsuffering! Vs. 8-9 He sure has to put up with a lot when He puts up with me. I am not proud of it but it is a fact! Thank you, Lord, for being there with me and for me when I did not deserve it. You are gracious; you are merciful; you are longsuffering; and you are compassionate—and I love you for it!!

Conclusion: I believe that I have said enough for this morning and you probably “get it” by now. This Thanksgiving, as you enjoy the things of this life, give glory and honor and praise to the One who made it all possible!