Thankful

Temple Baptist Church - 11-19-2017

Psalm 100

Introduction: 

A.  One of the signs of these last days is that of ingratitude.  2 Timothy 3:2says, “For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy.”  Unfortunately, it is a characteristic of the professing Christian as well as the religious lost person.  The word thanks is found in many places and in several forms in the Bible:  Thanks – 71x  Thank – 26x  Thankful – 3x  Thanksgiving – 27x.  

B.  We live in the day of “entitlements.”  People believe that they are entitled to things without working for them.  Instead of being thankful, people are expectant.  They have been taught that this world and this nation owes them something.  We areENTITLED TO GET A JOB, TO BE PRODUCTIVE, AND TO PROVIDE FOR OUR FAMILIES!

C.  Most people are not thankful because they do not take the time to reflect upon just how good the Lord has been to them!  They take the blessings of God for granted.

D.  Here is a short breakdown of Psalm 100: a Psalm of praise.

1.  The Purposing of Thanksgiving – “Make”

2.  The Praise of Thanksgiving – “a joyful noise”

3.  The Person of Thanksgiving – “unto the Lord”

4.  The People of Thanksgiving – “all ye lands”

5.  The Presence of Thanksgiving – “come before His presence”

6.  The Pondering of Thanksgiving – “He is God … He hath made us

7.  The Place of Thanksgiving – “His gates … His courts”

8.  The Perpetuity of Thanksgiving – “For the LORD is good; his mercy iseverlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” 

E.  Just a few things that I am thankful for:

1.  I Thank God For My Salvation.

a.  At age 28, He came to me when I could not come to Him.

b.  He gave me the faith to be exercised.

c.  He granted me repentance.

d.  His mercy keeps me from hell.

e.  His grace gives me Heaven.

f.  His power to keep me saved.

g.  His watch care to keep me safe.

h.  His chastening to keep me straight.

2.  I Thank God For His Grace.

a.  Grace to live.

b.  Grace to suffer.

c.  Grace to stand.

d.  Grace in sorrow.

e.  Grace when it is my time to die.

3.  I Thank God For His Longsuffering And Mercy.

a.  When I am good He loves me.

b.  When I am not so good He loves me.

c.  When He chastens me it is with love and compassion.

4.  I Thank God For My Family.

a.  I thank God for my wife.

1)  For her faithfulness.

2)  For her forbearance (she has to put up with me 24/7 while you only put up with me forabout 5 hours/week!)

b.  I thank God for my family.  I am proud of them.

c.  I thank God for my family in Kentucky. 

5.  I Thank God For Mine And Barbara’s Health.

a.  I am getting older and still feel good and am able to work.  As far as the doctors are concerned, I am cancer free.

b.  Barbara has been cancer free for 19+ years now thanks to the Lord.

6.  I Thank God For My Nation.

a.  I love America!  I am an American by both birth and choice!

b.  I love her freedom.

c.  I love her prosperity.

d.  I love her mountains, plains, deserts, farmlands, for the north to the south, and from the east to the west.  This is my country!

7.  I Thank God For His Inerrant Word.

a.  Its calm assurance.

b.  Its open prophecy.

c.  Its power to save.  (It still works!)

d.  Its comfort in troublesome times.

e.  It is inerrant, infallible, inspired, powerful, wonderful, and it is free!

8.  I Thank God For Calling Me Into The Ministry.

a.  That God could use a sinner such as I.  Unworthy and unprofitable!

b.  To let me preach in a time such as this.  There are more sinners to preach to; more sin to preach against; more opportunity to shine for the Lord than at any other time since the beginning of time. 

c.  The school from which I graduated.  Tabernacle Baptist Bible College.  It was a good school: faithful to God’s Word and the doctrines of the faith.  It was a place of old-fashioned worship where God was praised and pleased.

d.  Godly pastors and laymen who faithfully taught us the Word of God.

9.  I Thank God For The Church That God Called Me To Pastor.  Temple Baptist Church of Laurens, SC.  The greatest church on the face of the earth!

a.  For 7 people to start with.  I couldn’t have handled 8!

b.  For godly deacons and their familys who have never given me one ounce of trouble.  Who have stayed by the stuff and continue to faithfully serve their Lord.  (Deacon jokes are like mother-in-law jokes, but I have none to tell!)

c.  For a church full of people who are not only members of Temple Baptist Church, but are my friends.  They follow instead of fight!  I am theirs and they are mine.  I am proud of them.

10.  I Thank God For His Many Blessings.

a.  Food on the table.

b.  A good bed to sleep in.

c.  Two cars and a truck to drive.

d.  Shoes on my feet and clothes on my back.

e.  We could camp here for a while!

11.  I Thank God For A Heavenly Hope.

a.  All of this and Heaven too.  Glory!!

b.  The blessed hope of His soon appearing.

c.  The blessed hope of my disappearing.

d.  Ruling and reigning with Him.

e.  Living in the New Jerusalem in a mansion.

f.  Spending an eternity with my blessed Saviour and those who have been redeemed throughout all ages.

           

Conclusion:  This year, let us be thankful for God’s many blessings!