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Alright as I mentioned we're taking a break just from our normal Psalms series this week and the reason being is I wanted to preach on Thanksgiving and you know it's a it's a holiday We're celebrating tomorrow, and it's a holiday that I really enjoy I think it's a great holiday, and I actually think it's a very biblical holiday to have it's not one That's you know mandated in the Bible, so I say it's biblical I don't mean like well God said that we have to celebrate Thanksgiving, but really when you read the Bible We're supposed to be giving thanks to the Lord every day of our lives anyways, so when we take a day aside to be thankful and to be appreciative and and to reflect on all that God has blessed us with I Think that's great. I think that's a great day, and I think it's one of the best holidays that we celebrate in this country It's just it's very in line with the spirit of Christ, and it's one that that we ought to Keep Holy in the sense of Keeping the holiday about the right things Remember what it's for and I'm not talking about the pilgrims This is nothing to do with when America was discovered or anything like that I mean just the spirit of giving thanks of thanksgiving And you know I mean look into those stories, and there's a lot of good things Who knows if it's true or whatever, but on the history that that you learn in grammar school who knows well I don't even know what they're teaching these days probably the exact opposite anyway Probably teaching how wicked everybody was that came over and how bad it was for the for the Indians that were here or whatever but Not going down that rabbit trail tonight because that's not what the sermons about at all it's actually just about the spirit of Thanksgiving being thankful and The Title my sermon is the joy of Thanksgiving say well past words Why we start in James chapter 4 because before we get into the joy of Thanksgiving? I want to contrast that with the despair of Covetousness and the despair of just basically being in the discontent and the opposite of Finding this Thanksgiving is the exact opposite. It's going to bring the exact opposite, so You know I think everybody Whether you're a Christian or not wants to have joy and wants to have peace in their life, right? Those are good things. I mean those are those are things that are appealing to everybody So how do we get that and I say we're going to get that through Thanksgiving? But we're going to start off looking at how do we not have peace and how do we not have joy and? James Chapter 4 does a good job of explaining this because Because of lusts and because of covetousness look at verse number one in James chapter 4 From whence come wars and fightings among you come they not hence even of your lusts that war in your members So the Bible says here that wars and fightings are Generated and derived from your lusts now you say, but what does lusts have to do with anything? The Bible also teaches that your lusts is Covetousness, and this is an important principle And you don't have to turn over in Romans 7 verse number 7 if you want to just write that reference down Romans 7 7 says what shall we say then is the law sin God forbid they had not known sin But by the law for I had not known lust Except the law had said thou shalt not covet so there we see lust and covet being used interchangeably Saying hey, I wouldn't even know lust except the Bible said thou shalt not Covet so we're going to be looking at some different passages some that are going to talk about covetousness and some that are just talking about your lusts and Your fleshly lusts or desires its covetousness because if you're if you're lusting after You know flesh and in the sense of like fornication right that could be a lust well You're coveting something that you're not supposed to have and being covetous is Desiring or wanting things that you can't have either You can't have them because God's Word says no Or you can't have them because like maybe it's something financial that wouldn't normally be a sin But if you don't have the resources to buy something or whatever and you're just lusting after something you can't have That's a sin, too. That's called being covetous And this is a really really big problem in the United States of America today because we live in a world That is just trying to cram covetousness down your throats especially during this time of year Especially during the time of year where you're supposed to just take stock be thankful for what you have what happens after Thanksgiving Black Friday, and what's Black Friday about spend all kinds of money and Just covet after all of these goods and all this merchandise and all this product and go crazy to the point of you know That what what? You know many people probably want to do is just forget about Thanksgiving all together and just make it all one big shopping week Right me sell us you got Cyber Monday Black Friday, you know pretty much just the whole thing is just about spending money and Things and goods and what can you get look that is not what Thanksgiving is about and that's dead true now What Christmas is about either? But people turn these holidays on their head through Covetousness and you know what's gonna ruin holidays more than anything covetousness These lusts these desire, I mean the Bible just said whence come wars and fightings among you they come from your lusts They come from these desires the things that you want to have he says in verse number two you lost and have not So you want this stuff you lost after it, but you don't have it You kill and desire to have and cannot obtain you fight in war yet. You have not because you ask not So you're going about it the wrong way You're less than after all this stuff But you don't have because you ask not and then he says in verse 3 you ask and receive not because you ask amiss That you may consume it upon your lust he's saying you know when you're lusting after these things We know that the Bible says you know Jesus says ask he shall receive and this is something that that you know as a believer in Jesus Christ as a born-again child of God we could go to God and we can ask him for things and he'll hear us and He'll give us the petitions that we ask of him, but when we don't receive some things he gives it to us He doesn't give it to us because we're not asking for the right things as you ask amiss You know God's not just gonna go ahead and just give you Everything that you ask for regardless of what it is Because he's a loving father When a father loves his children, he doesn't he's not just a yes, man on every single thing that the kids say and That's how God the Father is okay? It's not it's not a contradiction when he says ask, and you shall receive because he's referring to all the good things He wants us to have wisdom. He wants us to have joy wants us at peace He wants us to have so many good things in our life that really are good for you that you really want To but sometimes we ask for things we may ask for things that are not really good for you Sometimes children ask for things that are not really good for them and as parents we have to you know take that into consideration before we just give unto them and Thankfully we have a Father in heaven that knows so much infinitely more than we do about what's good for us That when we ask him for things he knows whether or not it's a good thing or a good thing He knows whether or not it's a good thing for us to have them, and if you're asking for things You're just going to consume it upon your lusts Then he's not going to give it to you Here you pray to God. God give me a million dollars Right and you know there's some people that measure their godliness by how much money they have and that's wicked and weird and wrong And that's a prosperity gospel, and that's people saying oh man look at me Oh, God's blessed me because I'm doing so well and they measure how godly they are about how much money they have and that's the False prophets that teach that because they don't care about the people they just care about the money and they fleece the flock for their own gain and Then we'll teach people on top of that see I must be doing everything right because look at how much God's blessed me No, it's because you're a thief and you're stealing from the people and you don't care about the people That's why you have so much money. It's not because God's blessing you. It's because you're a crook. You're a criminal You're a wicked person But that's how they try to deceive people even more to following that and them thinking oh, I could be like you know this God, man And and whatever and they'll tell you yeah, give me all your money, and you could be like me I go on and on about how wicked that is But look when we go to God God knows that money isn't gonna solve your problems Money isn't gonna buy you happiness, but isn't isn't the answer to what you need in this life Even if you think it is and I brought this up in the past many times You know when we have people that come to the church is asking for money asking for money Oh, man, my rents do I need they're gonna kick me out and they're turning my power off and everything. I need money No, you don't need money. That's not what you need I know that's all you can think about that's all your focus on right now But it's not what you need you need to get right with God This is what you need you need to sit down You need to listen You know if you're say if you're not saved you need to get saved if you are saved you need to get right and We'll help you with that And we'll help teach you and we'll help train you and we'll get you in a position in your life To where you're not gonna have to be begging bread Because you're right with God But that's what you really need and we'll help you with that. It's not just the money thing And this is how God deals with us or with his children He's gonna say you know what if you're just asking to consume things on your lusts Don't expect to have that answered Because he's not going to give it to you Now occasionally he has to prove a point, but then you really don't want him answering your prayers We're gonna go back to the story with the children of Israel a little bit Where they just wanted to have flesh to eat. Oh, man. I remember you know and Bible says that God said okay I'm gonna give you what you're asking for And he says you're gonna have so much this that's gonna come out of your nostrils It's literally what the Bible says it's gonna You're gonna be so sick of eating this food that you're lusting after Because you're not happy with what I've given you that it's gonna be coming out your nose and you're gonna loathe it because you know that's how much I'm gonna give you and Be careful what you ask for because you don't want to be in the position where God's teaching you a lesson of Something where you're just lusting after things that that you ought not to have Verse four that reads you deltas and adulteresses know you not that the friendship of the world is enmity With God the world is pushing the covetousness the world is pushing the focus on these things Getting an enmity with God being God's enemy is now where you want to be it's not going to bring you joy It's not going to bring you peace. It's not gonna bring happiness in your life Whose over therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God do you think that the scripture saith in vain the spirit? That dwelleth in us lust it to envy he's saying do you think it's just in there for no reason? That the Bible is teaching us that the spirit of us that that dwelleth in us lusteth the envy that human spear that that that that That desire that fleshly desire is in us He's saying no, it's not that's not by accident obviously it says, but he giveth more grace Wherefore he saith God resisted the proud but giveth grace unto the humble Turn if you would to Ecclesiastes chapter 5 Ecclesiastes 5, and then we're going to go over to Numbers 11 where that story is I was talking about Before we get into And a lot of these verses go hand in hand anyways where they give the answers for getting peace and getting joy Where I'm starting off focusing on how not to get peace how not to get peace is to be focused on consuming your lusts I'm just the fulfilling the desires of your flesh and This is also another thing to keep in mind when we enjoy a holiday is Not be so focused intent on just consuming to your to the lusts of your flesh fleshly desires Even when it comes to food look don't gorge out To the point of just being you know Ridiculous over food You know it's look. I've been there, and it could be a game. Oh, man I hate so you know you have to roll me over or whatever to get out of here and It's it's nice to enjoy a nice meal Okay, and be satisfied and get full and whatever But don't you know bring yourself to a gluttonous state of just overdoing it To the point where you're like going to get sick because you've consumed too much That's taking it overboard all right. Have fun celebrate enjoy Don't don't bring it to that level though Verse number ten in Ecclesiastes five My next point is that you know that being covetous person is only going to bring you despair, right? When you're not thankful for what you have you become covetous in desire to have things that you don't have right now And it's going to drive you to be in a state of mind or be in a state of being That is miserable and does not have joy and does not have peace Ecclesiastes 5 verse number 10 the Bible reads he that loveth silver Shall not be satisfied with silver nor he that loveth abundance with increase. This is also vanity So the Bible is teaching us here is that if you're just I mean if you're just lusting after money You're lusting after silver. You know what you will never have enough the richest people in the world They still don't feel like they have enough money. They're still trying to get more you could have billions of dollars But it's just not enough I just need to make more and these people are mad and being driven by By being greedy and loving money like that And he says you know hey if that's what you love is silver You'll never be satisfied with it and he that loveth abundance no matter how much you increase It's not gonna bring you the joy that you think it's gonna bring you. It's not gonna bring you a piece It's not gonna bring you satisfaction. You're not just gonna stop one day and go okay Well, I have enough now if that's what you're setting your heart on and your covetous over goods over money over all this stuff That you don't have and I want more more more more. I want what he has I want what he has It's gonna drive you to be in a place in your heart where you're never gonna have peace You want to have peace be content with what you have And if God blesses you with more amen, that's great You could enjoy it, and if you're brought down in a base, and you don't have very much. You know what amen That's fine. I God has me here. God has me here either way. I'm gonna be satisfied. I'm not gonna let it bother me I'm gonna be okay. No matter what state. I'm in That's the mindset the apostle Paul had and that he taught Whether I bound or whether I'm a base or a bound right That he's gonna. He's not gonna let that bother him. He knows how to be In the right state in in regardless of whether he's a base or whether your bounds verse 11 says when goods increase They're increased that eat them and what good is there to the owners are of saving the beholding of them with their eyes basically You know people who just care about having all this stuff We always teaching here is this what good is it really other than just looking at it and be like wow look at all this stuff I have cares Elsewhere in the chapter earlier guys. You know you can't take it with you There's nothing you know you don't know who it's gonna be left to maybe go to your kids. Maybe not whatever It's still just stuff and the best. It's going to do for you is go wow look at all the stuff. I have Okay It's it's empty and that's why people have empty Hearts and empty feelings and don't have peace Because they're seeking after something That is vain they're seeking after things that the more you get the more empty it becomes and It's not fulfilling, and they think it's gonna solve it. Oh, I just need to get a little bit more no no, but you know and It's kind of funny, but no matter how much money you have I've said this before People always having financial problems it seems like well, how much money you have now the different types of problems I get that but people always complaining about not having enough money. No matter how much money you have always and that has to do with the covetous attitude and mindset of thinking you need to have more than what you have and Beware of that because that is going to cause Problems and fights fightings and wars you know how many fights and wars are in a marriage Over money, that's like the vast majority of problems and marriages all about money It's like why should that be such a big deal it shouldn't be if Everyone was just content with where you're at and what you have then why do you need to fight over it? But that is the cause for many divorces For many of the problems for many of the wars for many of the fights What we're going to do with the money, what stuff are we going to have what do we know? We need to have this we need to have that we need to have another car We need to have this property. We need to have that whatever right? How about thank God that we have what we have And if everyone could have that attitude What's the what's the point of fighting then? Hey, here's what we got great And I'll tell you what we need to have the right attitude and giving God the credit for what we have and Not turning into the spoiled brat child That does not is not satisfied with what their Heavenly Father has given them There's something that gets a parent upset is when you have a hard-working parents That toil and labor and do things for their kids And then the kids disrespect it and treat it like it's nothing or worse Not just really like it's nothing complain This isn't what I wanted. Oh, well, that's not It makes you mad and rightfully so Turn it over numbers 11. We're going to see how angry God gets over people that have that attitude and What I love about this story is It also helps for us put things in perspective about the things that will get God mad Because if you put yourselves in the shoes of the children of Israel People today would be like well, of course, they're gonna complain about that It would just be a given like wide complain about that. Everybody would complain about that And that should show you and And hopefully click and go well, but let's see what God's reaction was to that. That was wicked for them complaining How wicked is it when you complain over wherever you are in this life None of you Have the right to complain about anything in your life Nobody has a right to complain about anything in their life God Has you here you have breath in your lungs You're a born-again child of God. You have nothing to complain about Nothing to complain about Any complaining you have is in the flesh Let's look at this story numbers 11 look at verse number one the Bible reads and when the people complained It displeased the Lord and the Lord heard it and his anger was kindled and The fire of the Lord burnt among them and consumed them that were in the uttermost parts of the camp God got so angry at hearing complaining. He killed a bunch of people They lost their lives God's not playing with the complainers the murmurers And you read the Bible and you hear it. Oh, you brought us out of Egypt and you're gonna kill us in this wilderness Oh, we don't have any food. Oh, we don't mean water. Oh, we have this now They complained a lot and you kind of get that as you as you read But imagine you Picking up Quickly with haste. Let's say you had to go home tomorrow That's what you're finding out today. Hey tomorrow night This is what's gonna happen You're gonna go home You're gonna prepare this meal. You're gonna read this lamb. You're gonna put blood over your doorpost and we're gonna leave Okay, you don't have much time to go packing all of your stuff and renting a truck and doing everything else You're leaving and you're never coming back You're gonna take whatever you can with you and your family and you're gonna go and you're gonna you don't even know where you're going You're just gonna follow me God's gonna lead us out and protect us Okay, so people are leaving and then they're on the run they're on the run with Pharaoh's armies chasing them as they're leaving and When they're being followed by Pharaoh's armies how much of the stuff that they originally brought with them Do you think they're just continuing to keep with them? When they've got a threat of someone of an army trying to kill them. I Mean the Bible doesn't tell us the answers, but let's use our mind. Do I just think about it? I don't think they're gonna be carrying very much with them I mean, they're gonna have some stuff, but I doubt they're just gonna have everything that they would have wanted to have God is providing though God allows that you're a great miracle Moses parts of Red Sea He saves them defeats the armies, but now they're in the wilderness. I mean, they're not they're not just like going home at night They're camping out Under the stars Right. They don't know when they're gonna have to move. They have to follow and Follow the the pillar of cloud by day and in the fire by night and you know what when it moved they had to move and when stopped they stayed and Lots, you know, I could go on and on and on teaching and all the great Lessons to learn from that of just always looking to the Lord being paid when God says we just do it We could trust him fully whether we're staying where we're going. You know what we need to just be prepared to just follow God Wherever he's going to have us go Right and he'll take care of you and he took care of them and it says the Bible says that the shoes on their feet Never waxed old the whole time. They're out in the wilderness So the things that they would have normally had need of God supernaturally provided that God supernaturally provided food for them God Protected them from their enemies roundabout God protected them predicted from wild beasts God protected them in the wilderness But it wasn't comfortable It's easy to complain about things and we're comfortable They're out wandering right hiking traveling and Not coming across water to drink You're talking about a lust to your flesh Anyone who's who's gone hiking or workout or anything and you don't have water available to you? You know your body Becomes those lusts becomes real strong to want to have that and Like I was saying before when you really think about the story you could give more understanding to why people are complaining and Don't lose sight of that Because the complaining was still wicked While we may be able to understand the the reason why people would be complaining you don't justify that You can't judge because it's wicked God was killing people over it But let it sink in of what they went through and were complaining about and versus what you go through and you complain about I Would bet it's not even close Just on a regular basis Obviously tragedies happen and that you know things that you can say oh, well, this is worse, but you know what? even through with tragedies We do not charge God foolishly We don't blame God and you know what we ought to be content with whatever pans out Wherever we are Like job who lost everything was still content Lord gives Lord takes away blessed be the name of the Lord So here we have a numbers 11 We all read verse number one God killed people when he heard the complaining it displeased him verse 2 and the people cried unto Moses and when Moses prayed under the Lord the fire was quenched and He called the name of the place Tabra because the fire of the Lord burnt among them and the mixed Multitude that was among them. Let us fell a lusting This is part this is a problem When we fall into our lusts The lusts that are in our members that cause us to war and to fight and cause Problems when we fall a lusting it brings problems and when you lust you're not content People fall lusting after women or men and they commit adultery right because they're not content with their spouse People fall lusting after women and you know and they and they commit fornication because they're not content with not being married You fall lusting over Whatever drugs alcohol money because you're not content with You know your own the way that God made you and you feel like you need to alter your state of consciousness Or you need to have more things or then then what God has gave you whatever it is, whatever you're lusting after It's gonna bring you problems and misery and despair Let's keep reading in verse number four and the mixed multitude does among them fellow lusting and the children of Israel also wept again And said who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish Which we did eat in Egypt freely the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic So they bring up all these different foods that they had in Egypt but conveniently leave out that they were in slavery and bondage and All how great things were When when when we were back in Egypt and notice they say we did eat in Egypt freely Yeah, you ate freely while you were a slave But at least you ate freely But that lust is messing with their minds because now they're thinking well the slavery is better than this Look at verse six, but now our soul is dried away, and it's like we can't even take this my soul is drying away There's nothing at all beside this manna before eyes look at the disdain that they have For the food that God has supernaturally provided for them The miracle of manna in itself is amazing It tasted good from I mean, I don't know exactly what the Bible says it tasted like honey and wafers It was just like it sounds good to me. It sounds kind of sweet. They didn't have to work for it God already had it available for them to just scoop up and eat and whatever they gathered Was enough and sufficient for everyone in their family or whatever to eat enough to be satisfied So that no one was lacking and no one had overabundance. God gave them exactly what they needed they didn't have to Toil and and you know break the ground and do everything you would have to do to grow crops or to manage livestock You have to do any of that stuff God provided for them daily Daily what they needed But on the other hand now think about this they ate the same food Every day For years upon years upon years out camping in the wilderness And When you get too used to things and used to just just taking for granted where you are You start being Discontent with where you are and you start thinking about oh, well, what would it be if we had this and have it? You know what? You couldn't have fish in the wilderness You can't have all that food and all the things that you have to do to grow you can't have it So don't even think about it. You can't have it Stop coveting after the things that you can't have be thankful God is sustaining you through this and be thankful. You're not in bondage be thankful. God has saved you and He's providing for you looking out for you That's what they needed to be thankful of and that's what God got really angry about when they were complaining about these things What do you complain about? You Were seven and the manna was as coriander seed and the color there was the color of bdellium and the people went about and Gathered it and ground it in Mills or beat it in the mortar and baked it in pans and made cakes of it and the taste Of it was as a taste of fresh oil So you got some fresh oil taste it also says elsewhere. It's taste like honey and Wafers and they they did a lot of things with this right they're able to come up with creative recipes All different ways of preparing the manna so it is a little bit different right I mean you're able to mix it up somewhat But it's still you're eating what God's provided verse 9 And when the dew fell upon the camp in the night the manna fell upon it then Moses heard the people weep I mean, they're really upset about this. So they're literally crying or weeping Thinking that there have it so bad out in the wilderness with this food that God has provided for them Throughout their families every man in door of his tent and the anger of the Lord was kindled greatly Moses also was displeased So God gets really angry. I mean They and think about this too and kids you need to understand this as well You know Crying at the dinner table over what's been served to you It ought not to go over with the parents. I Mean God didn't give into that it actually God made me God even more mad See, no, I'm not gonna have sympathy on you. Look we worked for this. I go off and work for the for to have the money to Provide the food for my children and my wife cooks it We're both working for it. You're gonna eat it Well, you'd like it or not and you're gonna say thanks for this food Thanks for looking out for me. Thanks for providing for me That's the right attitude for a child and we as children of God need to have that same exact attitude with everything in our life Verse number 11 and Moses said unto the Lord wherefore is thou afflicted thy servant and Wherefore have I not found favor in thy sight that thou layest the burden of all this people upon me Have I conceived all this people have I begotten them that thou shouldest say unto me carry them in thy bosom as a nursing Father bear at the sucking child unto the land which thou swearst unto their fathers When should I have flesh to give unto all this people for they weep unto me saying give us flesh that we may eat now I want to point this out because when people are discontent when people are covetous when people have this bad attitude and start complaining and Murmuring it affects everybody around you. It is infectious. It's contagious and it brings Everybody's mood down and puts everybody in a rotten attitude Because hearing complaining just is upsetting for everybody around you Look who it did to Moses Moses. I was complaining to God God. Why did you give me all these people God? Look, I can't take care of this people. They're weeping. It's stressful and he doesn't even know what to do about it He wants to help him out, but he I mean, he's just like I can't deal with this Why can't they just be satisfied with what they've been given right and Moses is angry about it. God's angry about it It impacts everybody Remember that Remember that when you start becoming discontent when you stop being thankful for what you have thankful For whatever state you're in Whatever condition you're in And stop being if we stop being thankful and start complaining It's not just you that's being impacted by that it's everyone in your family It's everybody around you as people you come into contact with you're gonna sour everybody and and Moses This impacted him so bad. Look what he says in verse 14 I am not able to bear all this people alone because it is too heavy for me and if thou deal thus with me Kill me I pray thee out of hand if I have found favor in thy sight and let me not see my wretchedness Moses is just saying you know what just kill me That's how bad it affected him And you know at home Wives your husband goes off and works all day. Don't give him a hard time about how much money makes and brings home There's only so much they can do Don't start laying into them and lay oh man we need this and we not have How about you just be content with what you have and I guarantee your marriage is gonna go great At least you won't have any fightings over over that stuff. How about you just be thankful for what you have? Hey, thank you for putting in that hard work. Thank you for coming up. Thank you for going out and working for us Thank you for providing and I'm thankful for what we have. Oh You Need to do more we need this week Look, you're just gonna bring in all kinds of problems and wars and fighting's within the house having that type of an attitude That's why I love Thanksgiving Because the Thanksgiving you're not supposed to have that attitude, you know what and tomorrow Thanksgiving Whatever you've been blessed with whatever type of meal you have. Maybe you don't have the fancy turkey Maybe you don't have the whole spread That you expect and come to think that you have to have because we're in America and we ought to have all this stuff Hey, if you don't have that stuff, how about you just thank God for what you do have. I Mean you got a can of Spaghetti O's and that's what you have. Thank God you've got food. I Mean that too, I'm not joking. I mean that if whatever situation you're in Thank God and bless God for what you have Turn if you would to 1st Timothy chapter 6 How not to have joy how not to have peace Is to be covetous to be greedy to be seeking after the things that you don't have the things that you can't have Don't get swept up in the covetousness of the Christmastime either. Oh I wish we could have this and this and this and this and you see all the sales and all the Just commercials of oh man, wouldn't it be great to have this look don't worry about that. Don't even think about that You know, it's not covetousness when you have the means and you could just go out and be like, you know What I've got a few hundred bucks just sitting in my account in my pocket, whatever Sure, I can afford to buy Whatever it is, you're looking at that's not covetous. Great. Go ahead spend it or not But when you're going man, look at that boat. Oh one man if we had that boat We'd go out every summer We could do this we could do that and you're just going on and on about like look you're not in any position to buy a boat You can't even buy the gas for the boat. Don't worry. Don't even think about that stuff It's gonna lead you down a bad path. That is covetous And And you you lend yourself to open up those doors and start doing that, you know, it's only gonna bring Discontentment in your life and it's gonna cause you to start being bitter over what you have and where you're at And then and then it's gonna make God mad And any problems are gonna get even worse. You think it's bad where you're at now Don't make God angry over being Unthankful for what he's already given you And And let's face it. You know what? Whatever, whatever you think it's fair or not. God chooses who he wants to bless and lift up and who he doesn't want to And it is what it is and you're not gonna be able to change that He's gonna do that for whoever he thinks he can and you know what for many people sometimes It's a blessing not to have any riches and goods anyways Because that can lead you off into all kinds of other temptations and sin and for many people It's great just to not even have Much at all and just say you know what like it says in Proverbs, you know Don't give me so little that I have to steal and see you know Like I don't I don't want to be at the point where where I'm tempted to steal and sin in that regard But don't give me so much that I'm just gonna forget to say well who is the Lord? Right and not give any credit unto God because you get lift up with pride because you have so many things you think oh I've done all this No, God's given that to you First Timothy chapter 6 look at verse number 6 the Bible says but godliness with contentment is Great gain For we brought nothing into this world and it is certain we can carry nothing out and having food and raiment Let us be there with content Everyone in this room has food and raiment. You're all clothed. Nobody's naked in here Now I bet everyone in here has had at least one meal today one meal That's what we need to be content with Bible doesn't say and having food and raiment and a cell phone in a car and a house. Let's then you could be content No Food raiment it doesn't even say a house It doesn't even say a shelter It says food and Clothing, that's it. You have food and clothing then you have no reason not to be content Verse 9 says but they that will be rich again will means you want to be so you have this desire you have this Greed or covetousness in your heart where I want to be rich. I've got this desire I want to have all kinds of money and I'm seeking after this world's riches, but they that will be rich Fall into temptation doesn't say they may fall and say it could happen. It says they fall into temptation and a snare You want to be rich you want it doesn't even say that you get to that point of being rich You want to be rich and you're just just lusting after and coveting after and wanting to be rich you get ready for your fall Because you fall into temptation and snare and into many many foolish and hurtful lusts That's when your lusts begin to take over When you're when you're given to covetousness and you become greedy You'll be lusty after many things Which drown men in destruction and perdition for the love of money is the root of all evil Which while some coveted after They have erred from the faith and pierced themselves through with many sorrows Loving money Seeking after money wanting to be rich will not bring you happiness. It'll bring you the exact Opposite you're gonna pierce yourself through with many sorrows the deceitfulness that the devil wants you to believe Is that money is a solution money is the answer right money will make you happy money can solve all your problems But the truth of the matter is that it's only gonna bring you sorrow that when you love the money and you seeking after that And that's what you desire and that's what you want. You will only find sorrow in that endeavor It will not bring you joy peace and happiness So then what's the point? Exactly, what's the point? I'm going after the money then it's not going to give you what you really want in this life There's so much more to be said about the person That works the the low-level job that doesn't get paid a lot of money but as contentment has peace has a family and and has their needs met by God and Can go through this life just having that peace having that joy not worried about all the things they don't have Versus the rich CEO or whatever that's got all this money and jets and everything else and they're not content and They're not satisfied and they've got this emptiness inside of them And they don't know how to fill it and they just keep on spinning the wheel like a hamster in a cage Never able to satisfy themselves and never filling that void Sorry, I'd much rather be content and not have that void Then be driven nuts and driven mad and then along the way being pierced through with all kinds of sorrows Because I'm seeking after money And you're seeking after money so much And look this is a fact you look over people who just are driven by the money They walk over loved ones Family friends, they'll burn them because they're driven for success Except the success in their mind is misery is in reality. All right, they think the money is gonna give them success nope But thou o man of God flee these things and follow after righteousness godliness faith love patience meekness I'll flip over a Colossians chapter 1 Colossians chapter number 1 Now we're going to look at the joy of Thanksgiving Right, we've seen we've seen the wrong way and the right way is the exact opposite The exact opposite of not being content of being covetous of wanting things that you can't have is Just being satisfied with what you have being content with what you have and giving thanks unto God for what you have It's the exact opposite and you know what that brings you the joy and the peace and and the things that you probably want in this Life Colossians chapter 1 verse number 9 the Bible reads for this cause we also since the day We heard it do not cease to pray for you and to desire that you might be filled with the knowledge Of his will and all wisdom and spiritual understanding that you might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing Being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God Strengthened with all might according to this glorious power unto all patience and long suffering with Joyfulness, so he's saying that basically we're praying for you for all these reasons and that you would have patience and long suffering with joyfulness Giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers over the inheritance of the Saints in Light so with the long suffering and a joyfulness is the giving of thanks unto the Father Verse 13 who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear son in whom we? Have redemption through his blood even the forgiveness of sins Who is the image of the invisible God the firstborn of every creature for by him? Where all things created there in heaven there on earth visible and ever invisible whether they be thrones or? Dominions or principalities or powers all things were created by him and for him And he is before all things and by him all things consist giving thanks unto the Father. Why because he redeemed us Because he's delivered us because he saved us the first thing that we can look to for being thankful for is our salvation The most important thing to be thankful for remember that you are a sinner That you've broken God's laws, and you deserve an extreme You know an extremely horrible punishment in hell being burned forever, but God loved you and gave you that way out By offering that free gift that you've accepted Hey be thankful for that No matter where you're at in your life, and what you don't have how about you think about what you do have eternal life I? Guarantee you Every person that's burning in hell right now if they had an opportunity to go back Would be willing to live in this life with Absolutely nothing with no food being naked and crawling through the gutters if That if they could trade that and not be in hell They would do it in an instant They would trade anything To not have to suffer hell no matter how many riches they had no matter how much power They had no matter. What wealth they had it means Nothing for all those souls burning in hell And they would rather have just not had any of it if they could just be saved So when you think about the things that you don't have Remember how great salvation is Because then not only are you avoiding hell, but you're going to enjoy heaven Right I mean the exact stream. I it's not like it's just you're avoiding hell, but yeah You're just kind of in this lame play. You know like well whatever at least. I'm not in hell I mean you're good. You're gonna be in in heaven. You're gonna be in a new Jerusalem You're gonna enjoy you know the the great goodness of being with the Father being with Jesus Christ of being with God and and being in a place that God has prepared for us and in Mansions and it you know just just the wonderful goodness that God has prepared for us It's it's the exact opposite of hell So there's many reasons to be thankful and to be appreciative of the gift that you have Even if everything around you is horrible, and you were tortured in this life All the reason not to complain all the reason to be content hey, thank God for that for that unspeakable gift But on top of that there's obviously many more reasons to be thankful to God Because he's given you much more than even salvation on top of that we have More he's blessed us with more Flip over to chapter 3 real quick in Colossians This Is the attitude we need to have This is the Thanksgiving holiday Attitude and mindset that we need to keep look at verse 16 Colossians 3 16 let the Word of Christ Well in you richly in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord and Whatsoever you do in word or deed Do all in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God and the Father by him Whatsoever you do hey in everything let's give thanks I Don't know about you, but every day when we eat a meal we give thanks In Church we pray we give thanks. Hey God. Thank you for this church God Thank you for bringing us here safely God. Thank you for my job. I pray to God every day Thank you for the job that I have God. Thank you for providing me with with everything that you've given me in my life to this point and beyond Lord, thank you for everything and All we do we need and you know what when you could be thanking God and Attributing everything that you have to God that's going to keep you humble That's going to help Prevent you from getting lifted up in yourself and lift it up in pride Right even if God has blessed you if you could just thank God for everything God. Thank you Thank you God we have some problems Please help us with these problems, but you know what thank you for everything you've done for us And even if I have to go through the rest of my life with this problem. God. Thank you Thank you for everything that you've that you've done for me It doesn't mean we don't ask God to help us because that's different than complaining It's way different I Mean again you could apply this and in the in the family life right when kids come to you They could ask you for things without complaining And you're gonna be a lot more likely to Give the petition that they ask you of when they're not complaining those asking hey, can we do this? Yeah, okay? we could do that or no, but as opposed to oh Well, you said this we're gonna do you know I want to do this and you know they start complaining Guess what no answers gonna be no start complaining no It makes you mad Flip over Ephesians chapter 5 Ephesians Colossians have a lot of similarities in the in the letters there But I kind of want to I want to point something out here that we're going to see in the next few references that we look at With The giving of thanks to God one of the ways that we give thanks to God oftentimes is through song and through praise Most of the songs that we sing and this is this fits in great for our December challenge that we're going to have with it With the song sing to remember that okay one of the ways that we give thanks is through song Let's look at verse number one Ephesians 5 the Bible reads be therefore followers of God as dear children and walk in love as Christ It also have loved us and have given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling Saver but fornication all uncleanness or covetousness Let it not be once named among you has become a Saints neither filthiness nor foolish talking or jesting which are not convenient But rather giving of thanks, so it's contrasting those sins with just hey with your mouth Don't be talking about filthy things foolish talking jesting. How about you just give thanks jump down verse number 18 Bouses and be not drunk with wine wherein is excess But be filled with the spirit be not drunk with wine another thing that people like to do in a holiday time Even people who don't normally drink and don't normally do alcohol. They're gonna drink wine. They're gonna drink to excess They're gonna get drunk at a holiday because oh, I don't have to go to work tomorrow I don't have to do this or whatever They're gonna sit out and they're gonna get drunk and they're gonna be filled with a bad spirit and and and be sinning By getting drunk on wine and the Bible says be not drunk with wine Hey, don't be drunk yet. What? When you get drunk, guess what you're doing? You're breaking God's Word right here this command because this is a command that says be not drunk with wine Don't give in to the lusts of overindulgence on a holiday that you're supposed to just be thankful for what you have Be not drunk with wine where is an excess but be filled with the spirit Look at speaking to yourselves in Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord giving Thanks always for all things unto God in the father name of our Lord Jesus Christ giving thanks always for all things all things Everything we need to be giving thanks always for everything And yes that includes everything to be thankful to God for what he has given you wherever you are Hebrews 13 15 turn if you would The trivia just a James 1 that's the last place I feel like James 1 Hebrews 13 15 says by him therefore Let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually sacrifice of praise Take it upon you to make that sacrifice of praising God's name That goes beyond church How about you sing praises to God's name because you're thankful how about tomorrow when you enjoy Thanksgiving if you're really thankful How about we praise God by singing unto God now whether you do that in a group whether you do that individually whatever you decide But how about you praise God and give thanks unto his name by singing to the Lord by praising his name through song By By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name You want to give thanks to God it's a great way to do it praise his name All praise to him that reigns above in majesty supreme Right All praise to him amen And don't feel weird about doing that on Thanksgiving Say I'm thankful to the Lord I'm gonna have to go make a show of it right. It's not the point It's the point is it just thank God hopefully in your heart You're thankful to the Lord and you can show that to the Lord by saying to the Lord It's a whole point Ezra 3 11 says and they sang together by course in Praising and giving thanks unto the Lord because he is good for his mercy and doeth forever toward Israel It's a great way to be thankful showing that thanks how do you turn to James chapter 1 verse number 17 the Bible reads every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and Comet down from the father of lights with whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning Every good gift and every perfect gift cometh from above comes from God every gift that you have Everything that you have in your life give thanks for that give thanks for all things to God And Be reflective of it So I like the holiday because at the time we're generally speaking especially in this country, you know, most people have awful work You're not gonna be burdened with all the cares and the thoughts of other things that are going on Regularly take the time and I know other people do a lot of work and Preparation and work and cooking and work and cleaning and everything else. Make sure you take some time tonight tomorrow Whatever time you have and just be reflective and think on all of the good things that God has given you Because it's easy for us to just get used to things and get used to all the blessings And then become discontent and think that we deserve more Don't Get to that point Don't worry about what other people have that you don't have don't look at all this family is that and this family's oh Wouldn't it be great to be how about you just look at what you have and say thank you God Thank you God for providing me such nice clothing and a shelter and food and everything else that I have in my life God Thank you Thank you, and I'm not going to be a spoiled brat and I'm not just gonna be complaining about what I don't have Lord I'm gonna be happy. I'm gonna be thankful. Thank you Lord You Can be greedy the greedy is never gonna have enough you're never gonna be satisfied you can be covetous You're gonna pierce yourself through with sorrows You could complain you could murmur And you know what the complainers they're always upset and sad and angry and what like just never it the people who complain I Mean good night. Do you ever you go to work? Oh, man, it's Monday. Oh man this oh man that it's like You're just in a rotten mood now How about yeah, you know what things happen I? Try I try to look and look I'm not saying I'm perfect so I try to give examples here You know I like thinking of the good examples Or where it's a success instead of the bad ones where you fail I'm not perfect, and I fall to this too of getting a complaining attitude I'd be total liar and hypocrite if I said I'd never do that But I try my best when things happen at work because sometimes things just nothing goes right But instead of letting that get to you The right attitude is well. Hey. I mean I'm here to work right this This is just part of my job if something goes wrong well, I guess I got to fix it Well, it's not exactly what I wanted to do, but I'm gonna do it anyways. Thank God. I've got this job I guess I'll just deal with it Things go wrong at home Same thing well. I didn't really want this to happen. You know it's too bad that this happened, but let's clean up Let's move forward. Let's fix it. Hey. Thank God that would that we're even have this whatever to be able to make a mess with right Something's broken well, thank God. I had it as long as I did Whatever right, I mean there's so many things they can they can really just just just cause you to start getting a bad attitude Let's overcome that Be thankful focus on what God's blessed you with instead of being covetous over what you don't have right This is the same mindset It's the same way of thinking I have to I'll teach this over and over again because it's a great truth You wanted that stop being depressed Stop thinking of your problems and start helping people with theirs That's gonna help you bring joy in your life on the same token you want to be have joy You have contentment and peace stop thinking about the things you don't have and be thankful for the things that you do It's the same exact type of mindset get off of the bad things get off of the things you don't have don't think about those Things don't give it a thought Focus on what you do have focus on thanking God focus on others, and I'll tell you friends You'll do well in this life and in the next Because you could go through life with that type of an attitude of helping people and not caring about this world's riches God's gonna reward you and bless you for all that you do on this life Then because you'll be walking in the spirit and walking in love joy. Peace comfort Gentleness goodness faith all those things It's the right way You know what tomorrow? I think it's a great holiday to be reflective to think about those things to be thankful to get in the right spirit and Don't let that just be a one-day Don't flip on a dime on Friday and start trampling people to get to that TV Forget the TV. It's not gonna bring you any good. Anyways, it's gonna bring wickedness in your house, right? Whatever you don't need it Enjoy The family God's blessed you with Enjoy everything else that God's blessed you with enjoy your salvation Give thanks to God. Let's borrow. Let's have a word of prayer. Dear Heavenly Father. Lord. We thank you so much for And I mean that Lord, you know these prayers sometimes are become repetitive Because we say them a lot But Lord let us never just say prayers without the meaning behind them or we do. Thank you so much For all we have God. I thank you for this church. I thank you for all the people that you brought together here Lord Thank you that Strong Will Baptist Church is here and that you've built this church Lord, thank you For our salvation. Thank you for loving us enough to Do all that you've done for us dear God for offering us a free gift of salvation God. Thank you for that. Thank you for Just leading us and guiding us and giving us your word as a light in this dark world to guide us and lead us God I pray that you would please bless us and help us all to be safe as we travel our separate ways this evening Lord in that you would help us also to be able to bring that good news in that light and Maybe give other people a reason to be thankful tomorrow through through Christ and Then that if you know as people are gathering with with loved ones and family and friends Lord If there's people who are unsaved I pray to please help our church members and help Your children to be able to share the gospel and the good news and the reason for being so thankful Lord To others and that you would do a great work tomorrow in the hearts of People that are lost that come into contact with believers dear God. We love you. It's in Jesus name. We pray. Amen