Thanksgiving

And then there was one

One of the lepers realizes his skin healed.  This man turns on his heals and heads back to Jesus.

15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,

16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.

Can’t you see this guy?  I doubt he stopped when the first sore healed.  Not even the second.  But when he realized the ulcerated sores were gone, he knew it was real.

This guy didn’t set there trying to decide why he once was sick but now was well.  He knew.  He didn’t second-guess the source of his healing.  He knew an answered prayer when he saw one.

So let’s look at how he reacted to answered prayer as compared to David’s guide on Thanksgiving.

So the ten lepers came to Jesus crying out for Him to heal them.  So I think we can agree they meet two of David’s points.  We might call this level 1.  The starting point.

2)   Call upon his name

7)   Seek the Lord and his strength

Let’s go to level 2.  Here are some of the points David mentions that I think are part of level 2.

1)   Give thanks to the Lord

3)   Make known his deeds

4)   Sing unto him

5)   Talk about his wondrous work

6)   Glory in his holy name

 (we will get to level 3 and 4  in a little bit)

Only one leper returns.  All were healed as far as we can tell from the scripture.  But only one stops and heads back to Jesus.

Can’t you see him?  This man runs back down the road yelling out loud and praising God.  The heads of people passing by must have been turning.  I doubt there was one person who passed who didn’t know this man had been heal.

I can think of so many times God answered my cries. Those moments when I had hit bottom and had no idea what I would do.  God acted and I knew it was Him.  I thanked him and my heart sang.  But to be honest, I don’t think I told others, I don’t think I called up praises or documented what God had done.

Those moments fade into my history and don’t become a building block for greater faith.  In fact, as time passes, I think I sometimes start second guessing did God act.  At the time, I know only God could have acted, but later I think maybe just coincidence or something I didn’t know about happened.   Those doubts actually bring down faith rather than building it.

Exercise

Earlier we made a list of times when we cried out to God and He answered.  Look at those moments.  How did you react to God’s answer to your prayer?  Did you run through town praising God and telling people what God had done?  Did you sing songs to God glorifying Him for what he had down?

I would like to spend our Thanksgiving working on treating one of those answered prayers as David would have treated it.  Or as this leper naturally treated it.

Thanksgiving

Quick Recap

Let’s recap for a moment before we move forward on how to live a life of Gratitude

Who

 

Thanksgiving belongs to those who cry out to God in the day of their need.

Thanksgiving is meant to be a major component a Christian’s life because we are people who call on the name of Jesus.

 What

We strive not for prayers or quick whispers of thanks, but for a way of life based on relying on God, recognizing the work of God and praising God for those victories.

 Why

Living a life of gratitude requires a speck of faith and results in a mustard seed of faith.  Jesus told us faith the size of a mustard seed can move a mountain.  A life of Thanksgiving grows mighty faith warriors

Thanksgiving

An Example From David’s Life

David credited God for acting in his life and through this he was able to obey God’s commands.  How do we know?  Look at his words to Saul when he volunteered to fight Goliath.

 1 Samuel 17:36 Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them because he has defied the armies of the living God.

At this point, if you stopped reading here, you would be where most of us stop in reality if not in words.

But David continues with the reason for his faith.

 The Lord who rescued me from the paw of the lion and paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of the Philistine.

David has the faith to go out against a giant who makes mighty soldiers quake because he knows God rescued him in the past and will be there in this day.

This is not about saying the words.  It is about building memorials to God that remind you of each time God acted on your behalf.  It’s about re-enforcing your soul and mind with the answered prayers, the miracles, the sweet God kisses in your life.

Faith is required for Thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving grows faith.  We are on a wheel moving up that mountain until we have enough faith to move that mountain.  Many say, David wrote Psalm 23 regarding his battle with Goliath.

Exercise

Think about a problem you face today that you are praying to God regarding His intervention.  Has God ever in your past answered a similar prayer?  Has he acted in your life even without a prayer but you knew it was Him?  Start saying your prayer with a recognition of what God has done for you in the past.

Playlist Song for the Day

Psalm 23            2:38            Steve Ivey            Album:  30 Celtic Hymns

Thanksgiving

My Thanksgiving playlist

El Shaddai     Amy Grant      I Can Only Imagine – Ultimate Power Anthems of the Christian Faith

What A Friend We Have In Jesus        Amy Grant       Legacy…

I Love To Tell The Story      Barbara Mandrell Precious Memories

In the Garden       Barbara Mandrell Precious Memories

Glory, Glory, Glory      Bishop Noel Jones & The City of Refuge Sanctuary Choir Welcome to the City

Victory In Jesus       Bo Steele Victory In Jesus – Single

The Little Drummer Boy        Burl Ives Have A Holly Jolly Christmas Holiday

Love Song for a King     Caleb Rowden      Love Song for a King

Sing      Carpenters The Singles, 1969 – 1973

Praise You with the Dance        Casting Crowns Casting Crowns Inspirational

The Old Rugged Cross    Chris Rice Peace Like a River: The Hymns Project

Amazing Grace     Elvis Presley Elvis – Ultimate Gospel

Psalm 118: Easter Alleluia (For the Great Vigil, With Easter Gospel According to John)    Gary Daigle, Rory Cooney & Theresa Donohoo This Very Morning

Cry Of My Heart/Lord I Lift Your Name On High      Highland Village, TX Baptist Church Worship Band Songs From The Village 2000

Cry Of My Heart        Invitation Music       The World’s Most Loved Classic Worship Songs

Psalm 118: This Is the Day     John Angotti          Joy Beyond Our Dreams

Altar of God      Josh Bates     Glory Revealed

I Love You, Lord   The Maranatha Singers    Songs 4 Worship: Holy Ground

Oh Happy Day     The Oak Ridge Boys Oak Ridge Boys Collection Inspirational

Revelation Song    Phillips, Craig & Dean      Fearless

O, How I Love Jesus (LP Version)    Randy Travis Glory Train, Songs of faith, worship & praise

Hallel    Richie Furay    In My Father’s House Inspirational

Give Thanks to the Lord     Richie Furay      In My Father’s House

Lord, I Lift Your Name On High    Rick Warren   The Invitation

Psalm 23 2:38 Steve Ivey 30 Celtic Hymns

Family of Love, Family of God    Take 6    Songs for a purpose driven life

The Heavens Declare (Psalm 19:1-4, 7-9)  Todd Fields Word of God Speak: The Worship Session

Victory In Jesus   Travis Cottrell Jesus Saves (Live)

We Bow Down    Twila Paris Twila Paris – Greatest Hits

The Heavens Declare (Psalm 19: 1-4, 7-9; NIV)     Word Of God Speak

Thanksgiving

Pulling it all together to live a life of Thanksgiving

Be a person who cries out to Jesus, who calls on the name of Jesus.

Start by accepting Christ as your savior and as the Lord of your life.

Place your worries and and fears on the alter before Christ and do not pick them up again.

When God acts in your life, answering prayers, or providing blessings,  recognize what He has done and thank Him,

Record the answered prayers and remember them when you face troubles.  Pray to God reminding yourself of all He has done in the past to strengthen you faith for the present.

Remember the deeds of God in the Bible and hold to them as evidence of what God can do in your life.

Tell people in your life what God has done.  Your personal testimony of answered prayers.

Sing praises to God for His mighty deeds.  Sing of your Lord’s loving kindness.

Celebrate His love and the gifts He has given you.  Like David dance for joy.

Fall to your face and worship God for He is worthy to be worshipped.

Bring offerings of Thanksgiving to Him.  Give Him the best of you time, your talents and your resources.  Give Him what He wants most.  Love others as Christ loves you.

This is not a one time event but should be a way of life.

Exercise

Plan a time to share with other Christians.  Create a time when you can share with one another what Christ has done in your life.  Make it a party, a party with singing and praising God.  Make it a party Celebrating the blessings of God on your life.

Then take this love that is in your heart, take the talents, time and resources and love those who cross your path.  Love them as Jesus loves you.

Thanksgiving is a Celebration of all God has done for you.  Thanksgiving requires faith.  But a person who focuses their lives on recognizing  the gifts given by God and on giving God praise for those gifts will grow into a mighty person of faith.

Thanksgiving

If I am to bring an offering what does Jesus want?

So in the ancient times the people offered sacrifices of thanksgiving to God.  We no longer have a specified offering.  But Jesus did tell us what He wanted from us if we loved Him.

John 14

15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.

Now we know what Jesus wants is for us  to keep His commandments.  But what does that mean?  How do we keep the commandments of Jesus?  What are these commandments?  A few verses later, Jesus tells us.

John 15

12 This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.

13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

14 Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

15 Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

16 Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

17 These things I command you, that ye love one another.

 

A simple command and yet maybe the hardest command that exists.  What Jesus wants from us is for us to love one another as He loved us. He loved us enough to come from heaven to earth.  He loved us enough to give his life on the cross as a sacrifice for us.  He loved us enough to send the Holy Spirit as a comforter and teacher.  He loves us enough to hear and answer our prayers.

And if we want to show our thanks for all Jesus has done, He asks us to love one another.

Exercise

What do you think it means to love someone like Jesus?  Does it mean forgiving them when they mess up?  Does it mean caring for others even when we might not want to do so?  We are told by Jesus when we feed the hungry, cloth the naked and care for the prisoners we are doing these things for Jesus.

Yesterday we looked at our time, and money and talents as something we could give God.

Today look at who you could show love, the kind of self sacrificial love Jesus gave to you.  Make a plan for how you can be more loving to another person.

Playlist song

Family of Love, Family of God        Take 6           Songs for a purpose driven life

 

Thanksgiving

And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks

Saw the King and I–the Rogers Hammerstein musical-the other day.  Throughout the play, the issue of servants prostrating themselves before their king is discussed.  The Western Anna resists the act while those raised in Siam readily show this level of respect.  In the end Anna wins and the new king ends the practice.  But I am going to suggest that here in the West we should consider falling down at our King’s feet.

Prostration demonstrates either submission or adoration.  In the case of our healed leper, he ran back to the man who healed him.   He prostrated himself at Jesus’ feet out of love for what Jesus had done.  I think this man would have been ready to completely submit himself to Jesus.  Christ gave this man back his life.  Before he was a prisoner of his illness; trapped inside a rotting body.  Jesus freed him to live a life among healthy people.  Jesus freed him to love and be loved; to work, to play, to live.

We owe Christ our greatest Thanks, but so seldom do we actually contemplate just how much.  We belong on our faces praising Christ and thanking for our salvation, for the fact he hears our prayers, for the miracles in our lives, and  for the Holy Spirit who is always with us.

In reality, we treat all Jesus has done for us as our birth right.  We go through life to some degree just accepting God’s gift like spoilt kids who think His gift of Grace is no big.  We owe him our everything, but we are like the 9 lepers who did not return to think Jesus.

Luke 17

17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?

18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.

19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

Exercise

1) Has your faith made you whole?  Have you thanked Jesus for your Salvation and for the answered prayers in your life.  We have been writing and thinking about what God has done in our life. Review what you have written and add other reasons you are thankful.  Now find a quite place for the next few days and fall prostrate before God both in submission and admiration.  Thank Him for what He has done and ask Him to give you a greater faith.
2) Write in your journal does your gratitude to Jesus reach the level of servitude and admiration.  Would you do anything for the one who saved you? Or you more like the other nine?

Playlist

We Bow Down      Twila Paris Twila Paris – Greatest Hits

Thanksgiving

What the heck does this mean?

Last instruction in level two ‘Glory in His name”  Research was required.  What does it mean to glory?

Well, I have the answer.  We do it a lot more often then you would think.  Just maybe not for God.

Visualize the Super bowl champions when they return home.  The excitement, the joy, the pride, the praises we shout for the winners.  We glory in our team; we rejoice in their victory.  We celebrate their accomplishments.

Now lets think about what that would look like if we Glory in His name.  Think of the phrase in His name as sort of meaning who He is and what He does.  So glory means to exult; to rejoice in triumph.  I have two perfect examples of what I think it looks like.

David:

1 Chronicle 15

25 So David, and the elders of Israel, and the captains over thousands, went to bring up the ark of the covenant of the Lord out of the house of Obededom with joy.

26 And it came to pass, when God helped the Levites that bare the ark of the covenant of theLord, that they offered seven bullocks and seven rams.

27 And David was clothed with a robe of fine linen, and all the Levites that bare the ark, and the singers, and Chenaniah the master of the song with the singers: David also had upon him an ephod of linen.

28 Thus all Israel brought up the ark of the covenant of the Lord with shouting, and with sound of the cornet, and with trumpets, and with cymbals, making a noise with psalteries and harps.

29 And it came to pass, as the ark of the covenant of the Lord came to the city of David, that Michal, the daughter of Saul looking out at a window saw king David dancing and playing: and she despised him in her heart.

My second example is back to our one leper in Luke 17

15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,

16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.

Exercise

Have you ever had a moment of this type of exuberant joy over a blessing from God.  Did you dance and sing and fall on your face before God?  If you have not, why not?  Has God done things in your life deserving this level of celebration?  Think about holding a Party or a Thanksgiving Celebration where you would exult God for who He is and what He has done.  Plan a celebration glorifying God.  Maybe it will be just you and your family, you and a friend, or just you.  But celebrate God for who He is and what He has done.  Include Dancing, singing and shouting praises.

 

Play list

Glory, Glory, Glory

 

Thanksgiving

He came from Heaven to Earth

God’s Deeds laid out in the old Testament provide us with a foundation to know God is mighty, God keeps His promises, and God disciplines and forgives His people.  Praise God, His Love Endures Forever. Thank you God for giving us these detailed explanations of what you did in the past because it reassures us that you are the same today.

But moving forward.

Thank you God for the New Testament which shows us just how much you loved us.

Jesus left heaven where the angels worshiped and obeyed his every command.  He left heaven for one purpose.  He left heaven to seek those who were lost.

Through Jesus the whole world was created.  Yet he came to earth in the form of a baby subject to parents and  other adults.  He followed the rules and studied with the Rabbis.  Jesus played and worked and lived in the world he created.  Then at the appropriate time, he taught us what it meant to live as one with Him, with the Father.

I am thankful he cared enough to step down out of heaven for my sake; for your sake.  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have ever lasting life.

Thank you God for coming to show us the way, coming to be our sacrifice, coming to create a bridge where we can be one with You,

Thank you: the baby in the manger, the great teacher, the passover lamb, the risen savior, the Holy Spirit

John 1

King James Version (KJV)

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.

He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Exercise
Write in your journal what you think heaven is like.  Do you think it was a big deal for Jesus to leave heaven to come to earth and to live in human skin?  Write a thank you note for what Jesus did by stepping down from heaven to become a sacrifice covering your sins if you have asked Him into your life.  Write a detailed note expressing true feelings.
Playlist (what else could it be)

Lord, I Lift Your Name On High       Rick Warren      The Invitation

Thanksgiving

Last but not least Psalm 107

107 O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;

And gathered them out of the lands, from the east, and from the west, from the north, and from the south.

They wandered in the wilderness in a solitary way; they found no city to dwell in.

Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainted in them.

Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them out of their distresses.

And he led them forth by the right way, that they might go to a city of habitation.

Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.

10 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;

11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:

12 Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.

13 Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.

14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.

15 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

16 For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.

17 Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.

18 Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.

19 Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.

20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

21 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing.

23 They that go down to the sea in ships, that do business in great waters;

24 These see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in the deep.

25 For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.

26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths: their soul is melted because of trouble.

27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man, and are at their wit’s end.

28 Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he bringeth them out of their distresses.

29 He maketh the storm a calm, so that the waves thereof are still.

30 Then are they glad because they be quiet; so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.

31 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

32 Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

33 He turneth rivers into a wilderness, and the watersprings into dry ground;

34 A fruitful land into barrenness, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein.

35 He turneth the wilderness into a standing water, and dry ground into watersprings.

36 And there he maketh the hungry to dwell, that they may prepare a city for habitation;

37 And sow the fields, and plant vineyards, which may yield fruits of increase.

38 He blesseth them also, so that they are multiplied greatly; and suffereth not their cattle to decrease.

39 Again, they are minished and brought low through oppression, affliction, and sorrow.

40 He poureth contempt upon princes, and causeth them to wander in the wilderness, where there is no way.

41 Yet setteth he the poor on high from affliction, and maketh him families like a flock.

42 The righteous shall see it, and rejoice: and all iniquity shall stop her mouth.

43 Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the lovingkindness of the Lord.