1 00:00:07,400 --> 00:00:12,800 Open your Bibles to Luke 17, Luke 17. 2 00:00:12,800 --> 00:00:18,920 To me, it's one of the saddest passages in the Bible that we'll 3 00:00:18,920 --> 00:00:21,400 cover. I'm not doing in the parables 4 00:00:21,400 --> 00:00:24,920 tonight because it's Thanksgiving and it's a passage 5 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:28,680 that I, as I was reading it and I went over it again again today 6 00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:32,840 and even later this afternoon and I just, it's a passage that 7 00:00:32,840 --> 00:00:35,200 you can meditate on. You know, David said he would 8 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:37,520 meditate upon the word of God on his bed. 9 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:42,040 That would meditate. I remember Pastor Tom Whitaker 10 00:00:42,040 --> 00:00:43,880 teaching me what that actually meant. 11 00:00:44,360 --> 00:00:48,280 And it's not the same word that people use in Eastern religion 12 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:53,240 where they would look at a flame or look at a scene or, you know, 13 00:00:53,240 --> 00:00:55,560 when they're doing yoga and think of a nice place or 14 00:00:55,560 --> 00:00:58,680 something and meditate on. I think I want to know the word 15 00:00:58,680 --> 00:01:03,920 meditate is the picture of a cow chewing its cud, regurgitating 16 00:01:03,920 --> 00:01:08,480 at the grass and then chewing it over and, and, and chewing it 17 00:01:08,480 --> 00:01:11,280 over and getting every ounce of goodness. 18 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:15,920 And so as you meditate upon the word of God, you're getting 19 00:01:15,920 --> 00:01:18,120 every ounce of goodness in the Holy Spirit. 20 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:23,400 Then we'll push out of that which you've read, the passages 21 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:24,720 of Scripture that you're reading. 22 00:01:25,200 --> 00:01:29,280 He'll push out those things that you're ready for, those things 23 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:32,960 that you're mature enough to understand and learn. 24 00:01:34,080 --> 00:01:42,200 We'll do that tonight. The word Thanksgiving, the word 25 00:01:42,200 --> 00:01:45,840 give thanks or the words give thanks and the word thankful 26 00:01:45,920 --> 00:01:49,840 occur more than 70 times throughout the Bible. 27 00:01:51,760 --> 00:02:01,360 Several Bible passages are saturated with the holy oil of 28 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:06,520 giving thanks unto Almighty God. Paul wrote to the church in 29 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:11,720 Ephesus in chapter 5 verse 20 and he said, and you will always 30 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:17,040 give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of 31 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:21,240 our Lord Jesus Christ. The command. 32 00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:24,920 So it's not a suggestion. I'll be nice if you thanked. 33 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:27,760 You know, when you say to your kids, you make sure you thank 34 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:29,600 them. It's you're not going, I'm just 35 00:02:29,600 --> 00:02:31,040 suggesting that you say thank them. 36 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:34,360 It's a command, isn't it? When you say you give, hey, make 37 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:38,400 sure you give thanks. The command, the beseeching of 38 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:43,400 giving thanks to God is central to the apostles. 39 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:46,200 Poor Apostle Paul's entire ministry. 40 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:51,520 Boy, he was thankful to the Church in Kalashae. 41 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:58,520 He wrote chapter one, verse 11. We also pray that you will be 42 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:04,760 strengthened with His glorious power, so that you will have all 43 00:03:04,760 --> 00:03:07,320 the patience and endurance you need. 44 00:03:09,080 --> 00:03:15,880 May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father who 45 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:20,160 has enabled you to share the inheritance that belongs to 46 00:03:20,160 --> 00:03:25,520 God's holy people who live in the light, to the moral church 47 00:03:25,520 --> 00:03:28,280 in Thessalonica, Greece, he wrote. 48 00:03:28,640 --> 00:03:36,400 When Thessalonians 5/16/17 and 18, he said always be joyful, 49 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:42,920 keep on praying. In everything give thanks. 50 00:03:43,600 --> 00:03:46,920 Not for everything. In everything give thanks. 51 00:03:47,280 --> 00:03:50,760 Why people say what is God's will for me? 52 00:03:50,800 --> 00:03:54,240 Well, God's will for you is for you to give thanks because it 53 00:03:54,240 --> 00:04:00,640 says it in everything. Give thanks for this is the will 54 00:04:00,840 --> 00:04:04,480 of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 55 00:04:05,600 --> 00:04:06,840 What is God's will for your life? 56 00:04:06,960 --> 00:04:12,160 To give thanks. When was the last time someone 57 00:04:12,200 --> 00:04:15,800 thanked you for something? Thank you very much. 58 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:23,360 When was the last time you thank God for all that he had done for 59 00:04:23,360 --> 00:04:28,040 you? You know, you and I noticed 60 00:04:28,040 --> 00:04:30,960 manners today, don't we? You know, you notice manners. 61 00:04:30,960 --> 00:04:35,480 Why do we notice manners? Because when someone thanks us, 62 00:04:36,200 --> 00:04:39,080 we're shocked. We're not used to it. 63 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:47,880 Because they're rare, we notice manners so much because they're 64 00:04:47,880 --> 00:04:50,080 lacking. You'll come across a little boy 65 00:04:50,080 --> 00:04:52,600 who or a little girl who say something and I go, thank you. 66 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:56,960 And you kind of go, well, man, and immediately you go, now that 67 00:04:56,960 --> 00:05:00,000 that child has been raised right, the child knows what's 68 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:06,000 what. You and I noticed manners, Paul 69 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:10,640 wrote to Timothy some of Paul's last words. 70 00:05:10,640 --> 00:05:14,600 Timothy, a pastor, a young pastor who took over from Paul 71 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:19,080 in Ephesus, in Turkey, modern Turkey, and he wrote these words 72 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:24,440 of what life would be like in the last days. 73 00:05:25,520 --> 00:05:30,880 He said, Timothy, know this, that in the last days perilous 74 00:05:30,880 --> 00:05:34,400 times will come. Men will be lovers of 75 00:05:34,400 --> 00:05:43,280 themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemous, 76 00:05:44,280 --> 00:05:49,720 disobedient parents. And then he says unthankful. 77 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:54,400 Unthankful. Paul wrote in in the midst of 78 00:05:54,400 --> 00:05:58,720 this that that the sign, one of the signs of the last phase is 79 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:08,200 that people will be unthankful. Giving thanks to God is not a 80 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:11,120 manner a matter sorry of manners. 81 00:06:11,720 --> 00:06:15,120 I've been Speaking of manners, but it's not a matter of 82 00:06:15,160 --> 00:06:19,360 manners. No, it's far beyond that. 83 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:29,360 It is in fact worship of God and acknowledging of who he is and 84 00:06:29,360 --> 00:06:33,720 then who we are. Luke's gospel, chapter 17. 85 00:06:33,720 --> 00:06:40,320 Let's read from verse 15 all Now let's let's go. 86 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:44,880 Yep, from verse 15. Now we'll start back verse 11. 87 00:06:46,400 --> 00:06:49,400 Just if, if you've got a page where it's 11:15, I just wanted 88 00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:53,440 you to turn the pages then. Now what happened as he went to 89 00:06:53,440 --> 00:06:56,600 Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and 90 00:06:56,600 --> 00:07:00,200 Galilee. Then Jesus as he entered a 91 00:07:00,200 --> 00:07:06,120 certain village, there met him 10 men who were lepous, leprosy 92 00:07:06,120 --> 00:07:11,680 still today incurable, who stood afar off because that was that 93 00:07:11,680 --> 00:07:14,640 they had to do that. They had to walk around and sing 94 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:18,680 out lepers, lepers, unclean, unclean, unclean. 95 00:07:18,680 --> 00:07:22,760 And people said people would clear out, get out of the way as 96 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:26,600 they came through. And it says they lifted up their 97 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:33,200 voices and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 98 00:07:34,400 --> 00:07:39,280 So when Jesus saw them, he said to them, go show yourselves to 99 00:07:39,280 --> 00:07:42,880 the priests. Why? 100 00:07:43,360 --> 00:07:50,360 Because in the book of Leviticus it's written, and it's funny 101 00:07:50,360 --> 00:07:54,120 that it's written there, that anyone cured of leprosy was to 102 00:07:54,480 --> 00:07:57,800 show themselves to the priests. They were to go through an 103 00:07:57,800 --> 00:08:01,640 inspection process by the priest who would then verify, yes, 104 00:08:01,640 --> 00:08:03,600 you've been healed. Now you're allowed back in 105 00:08:03,600 --> 00:08:06,440 fellowship. Now you're back into temple and 106 00:08:06,440 --> 00:08:10,120 all those things. Why would that be written there 107 00:08:10,640 --> 00:08:14,360 for an incurable disease? Because they knew Jesus would 108 00:08:14,360 --> 00:08:17,200 come and he would be able to cure leprosy. 109 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:24,720 Go show yourself to the priests. And so it was that as they went, 110 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:29,280 they were cleansed. They just shall live by faith. 111 00:08:29,920 --> 00:08:33,559 And so they, they could have said, well, you know, we're 112 00:08:33,559 --> 00:08:35,559 lepers. What are we going to show 113 00:08:35,559 --> 00:08:37,760 ourselves? We're not going to go too deep 114 00:08:37,760 --> 00:08:42,000 into this because we want to cover Thanksgiving, but because 115 00:08:42,000 --> 00:08:48,680 they went off in obedience and in faith, with their toes and 116 00:08:48,680 --> 00:08:50,640 fingers missing and and all that. 117 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:55,400 And as they were shuffling off this group, things began to 118 00:08:55,400 --> 00:08:58,360 happen. The fingers began to reappear, 119 00:08:58,360 --> 00:09:02,280 the nose reappear, their ears, all their their toes. 120 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:05,080 They began to not shuffle. They began to walk properly. 121 00:09:05,080 --> 00:09:06,960 And then they noticed each other. 122 00:09:07,440 --> 00:09:14,320 The leprosy is gone. Their voices, their voices have 123 00:09:14,320 --> 00:09:17,280 come back clear. They don't have that this, this 124 00:09:17,520 --> 00:09:21,800 harshness of this gravely voice that comes with leprosy. 125 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:32,160 And it said, and one of them notice this is the saddest part 126 00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:38,360 and one of them verse 15, when he saw that he was healed, 127 00:09:38,800 --> 00:09:45,720 returned and with a loud voice in the Greek it's Megalis where 128 00:09:45,720 --> 00:09:55,760 we get our term megaphone. With a loud voice he glorified 129 00:09:55,760 --> 00:10:02,160 God fell down on his face. That's worship at Jesus feet, 130 00:10:03,040 --> 00:10:08,160 giving him thanks and he was a Samaritan, not even Jewish. 131 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:13,480 So Jesus answered and said and notice what Jesus says, because 132 00:10:13,480 --> 00:10:16,520 Jesus said well awesome, hey brother, great. 133 00:10:18,080 --> 00:10:24,080 No, and he raises this point because God knows what God wants 134 00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:29,520 and what God expects. He said whether or not ten 135 00:10:29,520 --> 00:10:31,600 cleansed. Yes, they were. 136 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:35,760 It's a rhetorical question. Where's the other knight? 137 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:44,280 Where's the other knight? Were there not any found who 138 00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:50,520 returned to give glory to God except this foreigner, which 139 00:10:51,360 --> 00:10:59,680 tells us that most likely the other 9 will what Jews, sons of 140 00:10:59,720 --> 00:11:11,910 Abraham Jesus said to him. Arise, go your way, your faith 141 00:11:12,910 --> 00:11:20,590 has made you well. So were there not ten cleansed? 142 00:11:22,790 --> 00:11:29,400 Sadly, today many follow the path of the other nine. 143 00:11:30,760 --> 00:11:33,960 You know, we, we used to have this term at work, swings and 144 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:36,400 roundabouts with with the police and their shifts. 145 00:11:36,400 --> 00:11:40,280 You know, can I, I'm on shift, but can I, you know, cut the 146 00:11:40,280 --> 00:11:44,360 morning so I can see my son's athletics carnival, the swimming 147 00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:46,360 carnival or I've got to go this and do that. 148 00:11:46,680 --> 00:11:52,200 The bosses will go no worries what we'll cover, you know, but 149 00:11:52,200 --> 00:11:57,480 expecting that what you were cutting out, you would then pay 150 00:11:57,480 --> 00:12:02,360 back at a another time and and do the ship with somebody else. 151 00:12:02,880 --> 00:12:05,280 You know, swings and roundabouts. 152 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:12,200 I think sadly, many people with the Lord in their walk with God. 153 00:12:12,680 --> 00:12:15,760 It's all one way. How come God, what about God you 154 00:12:15,760 --> 00:12:18,560 got to do this and there's nothing going the other way. 155 00:12:18,560 --> 00:12:20,320 That's tonight. Tonight, so different. 156 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:25,920 Tonight we're here to thank God. Tonight we're here to thank Him. 157 00:12:26,400 --> 00:12:31,280 The tragedy in many lives today is that God wants to bless you 158 00:12:31,920 --> 00:12:33,720 more than you want to be blessed. 159 00:12:36,000 --> 00:12:39,960 He wants to speak to you more than you want to be spoken to. 160 00:12:42,200 --> 00:12:46,960 He wants to work in your life, even though we neglect Him with 161 00:12:46,960 --> 00:12:52,000 indifference. How many times have you known 162 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:58,960 people that you've come across? Maybe they've had the whole 163 00:12:58,960 --> 00:13:04,360 church praying for them about a certain situation or they've 164 00:13:04,360 --> 00:13:07,320 been through a harrowing experience and they've said, you 165 00:13:07,320 --> 00:13:11,280 know, during that time I prayed and I said, God, you get me 166 00:13:11,280 --> 00:13:19,800 through this and I will. But they never did, even though 167 00:13:19,840 --> 00:13:23,240 God got them through. How many times has have 168 00:13:23,400 --> 00:13:27,080 churches, you know, brought someone in a really brought 169 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:31,240 intercede for someone. And during that period they've 170 00:13:31,240 --> 00:13:33,080 been around and yeah, yeah, yeah, we need this. 171 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:35,160 We need. And then when, when they've 172 00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:41,560 gotten through, when the prayers have been answered, they're 173 00:13:41,560 --> 00:13:47,040 absent. So many of us are quick to pray 174 00:13:47,040 --> 00:13:54,760 for help, yet we're very slow to give thanks tonight. 175 00:13:55,720 --> 00:14:01,960 We've set aside this Wednesday evening for this church, for all 176 00:14:01,960 --> 00:14:05,680 of us to give thanks. In Philippians chapter 4, verse 177 00:14:05,680 --> 00:14:09,880 6, Paul wrote these words. He's in gaol and he writes these 178 00:14:09,880 --> 00:14:13,280 words while he's in gaol. He says don't worry about 179 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:14,760 anything, be anxious for nothing. 180 00:14:14,760 --> 00:14:19,640 It says the new King James don't worry about anything instead. 181 00:14:20,880 --> 00:14:23,560 So instead of worrying, because worrying is actually sinful, 182 00:14:24,360 --> 00:14:27,880 worrying, being anxious is saying God, I don't think you 183 00:14:27,880 --> 00:14:29,480 can. You're going to get us through. 184 00:14:29,480 --> 00:14:33,600 We're a bit sketchy about this. I know, because anytime I worry, 185 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:34,920 I know I've got to repent of that. 186 00:14:34,920 --> 00:14:38,400 It's a sin before God. It's saying God, you're almighty 187 00:14:38,400 --> 00:14:39,480 God. But you know, I don't think you 188 00:14:39,480 --> 00:14:40,800 can fix this. I'm a bit worried. 189 00:14:40,800 --> 00:14:43,320 I'm concerned. Don't worry about anything. 190 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:47,480 Instead, turn the worry, turn the anxiousness into a prayer. 191 00:14:47,640 --> 00:14:50,560 Pray about everything. Have a column, write down all 192 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:54,240 your worries, all your concerns. Write them all down and draw a 193 00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:58,200 line through them, each one of them as you pray for them and 194 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:01,640 take them off the worry side. Tear that up and make them. 195 00:15:01,640 --> 00:15:03,600 These are my prayers and I've given them to God. 196 00:15:06,880 --> 00:15:10,120 Instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need. 197 00:15:11,640 --> 00:15:16,600 And then it says, and then thank him for all he has done. 198 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:23,640 Thank Him for all he has done. Why should we give thanks unto 199 00:15:23,640 --> 00:15:28,280 the Lord? One, I'll give you 4 points. 200 00:15:28,480 --> 00:15:32,360 One, it strengthens our faith. You know, giving thanks 201 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:34,000 strengthens your faith. How's that? 202 00:15:34,600 --> 00:15:38,960 God wants to make Thanksgiving an essential part of our 203 00:15:38,960 --> 00:15:41,120 prayers. It's not like, oh God, you know, 204 00:15:41,120 --> 00:15:42,880 I'm bringing you the situation I'm going through. 205 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:44,840 It's desperate. Here I am at work and I don't 206 00:15:44,840 --> 00:15:50,760 know what's going on. Oh, and I don't give thanks, but 207 00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:54,960 when my faith is growing, my prayer changes and I go, oh, 208 00:15:54,960 --> 00:15:56,680 God, I got the situation at work. 209 00:15:57,000 --> 00:15:59,400 But Lord, I know you'll get me through. 210 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:04,200 I know you, you're with me, and I thank you for hearing my 211 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:07,040 prayer. I thank you that you'll answer 212 00:16:07,040 --> 00:16:09,880 my prayer. I thank you that you'll sort 213 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:12,960 this out. See this It goes hand in hand 214 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:19,240 because giving thanks. By giving thanks, we are 215 00:16:19,240 --> 00:16:24,800 reminded of God's power and God's faithfulness to us over 216 00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:29,240 the years. And a little while back someone 217 00:16:29,240 --> 00:16:33,480 come to church and they asked me after and they said, you know, 218 00:16:34,800 --> 00:16:37,160 don't see miracles. You know, like we read the book 219 00:16:37,160 --> 00:16:40,680 of Acts and what you what you'll go on that now, why don't we see 220 00:16:40,680 --> 00:16:45,040 miracles that day like now like we did then? 221 00:16:45,040 --> 00:16:47,440 I said, I think you've got to open your eyes. 222 00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:50,000 Actually, you got to open your eyes because the miracles are 223 00:16:50,000 --> 00:16:53,640 happening all the time because you said I said I was sharing 224 00:16:53,640 --> 00:16:55,120 this with the pastor just the other day. 225 00:16:55,600 --> 00:17:00,960 If this Sunday morning I stood here and said, want anyone to 226 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:05,280 everyone and anyone to stand up who's had a miracle happen in 227 00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:11,119 their life, who would stand up? How many people would be 228 00:17:11,119 --> 00:17:18,640 remaining seated? We, we, we forget what God has 229 00:17:18,720 --> 00:17:22,640 done. I mean, if you're saved, you 230 00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:27,599 should stand up. Jesus Christ, the Son of God 231 00:17:27,599 --> 00:17:29,920 died on the crossview. That's a miracle. 232 00:17:32,040 --> 00:17:33,400 It's a miracle that you're saved. 233 00:17:33,400 --> 00:17:38,880 A miracle that I'm saved. As our faith in God grows 234 00:17:38,880 --> 00:17:43,920 stronger, we come to realise that nothing is too hard for the 235 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:47,240 Lord. We change from the James 236 00:17:47,240 --> 00:17:50,320 chapter. One person who is too minded. 237 00:17:50,320 --> 00:17:51,880 Oh, Lord, I don't know if you can do this. 238 00:17:51,880 --> 00:17:54,400 You know, I'm kind of. I'm double minded. 239 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:56,960 Yeah. Do will you do this too? 240 00:17:58,320 --> 00:18:01,800 We're anxious for nothing. We have the peace of God that 241 00:18:01,800 --> 00:18:04,720 passes all understanding. We've given it to the Lord. 242 00:18:04,720 --> 00:18:07,720 The Lord will sort it out in his way. 243 00:18:09,560 --> 00:18:11,560 Lord not my will. Your will be done. 244 00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:13,800 Have you come to the Lord for help? 245 00:18:15,040 --> 00:18:19,000 Have you and then forgotten to thank him for for for what he's 246 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:23,240 done for you? Do you thank God for the 247 00:18:23,240 --> 00:18:26,320 blessing he gives you each day? Well, but Keith, you know, I 248 00:18:26,320 --> 00:18:28,680 don't know about you, but I have nothing to be thankful for. 249 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:32,440 We'll stop for a moment and consider some of the many 250 00:18:32,440 --> 00:18:35,080 blessings we have as Christians besides salvation. 251 00:18:36,640 --> 00:18:39,280 Do you have the blessing of work, a job, You know, that's a, 252 00:18:39,400 --> 00:18:41,800 that's a blessing of God to be out of work. 253 00:18:42,840 --> 00:18:47,680 It's a God given blessing. How's your health while you're 254 00:18:47,680 --> 00:18:51,440 here tonight? You're alive, you're breathing. 255 00:18:53,920 --> 00:18:56,840 Is it relatively good? You know, I remember when I put 256 00:18:56,840 --> 00:19:00,360 my hand through some glass, putting some stuff in the bin 257 00:19:00,360 --> 00:19:04,040 and sliced all the tendons and really took my thumb off and cut 258 00:19:04,040 --> 00:19:08,560 all up here and everything. And I began to, as I was getting 259 00:19:08,560 --> 00:19:11,080 repaired after that time, they stitched everything up. 260 00:19:11,080 --> 00:19:14,440 And you know, I get feeling macro surgery or microsurgery, 261 00:19:14,440 --> 00:19:18,160 they do all that. But as I was recuperating or 262 00:19:18,160 --> 00:19:24,240 rehabilitating with the wounds, I realise what it's like to be 263 00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:30,040 disabled with a hand. Can't, can't grab turn, can't 264 00:19:30,040 --> 00:19:35,080 turn the key on a car, can't tie my shoes up, can't put my pants 265 00:19:35,080 --> 00:19:39,120 on, can't put a belt on, can't open the door. 266 00:19:40,000 --> 00:19:42,080 There's a lot of things that I won't mention, but there's 267 00:19:42,080 --> 00:19:45,480 tonnes and tonnes of things I thought I really understand. 268 00:19:45,480 --> 00:19:48,040 Now I have a greater understanding what it's like to 269 00:19:48,040 --> 00:19:54,640 have a disability with a hand. When I take that slow and 270 00:19:54,640 --> 00:20:01,000 careful walk down the the fifth floor of Royal Perth Hospital to 271 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:04,920 the intensive care ward and I see little family groups huddled 272 00:20:04,920 --> 00:20:08,600 together, all going through the struggle of a loved one being in 273 00:20:08,600 --> 00:20:14,440 intensive care, then hanging by a thread between this world and 274 00:20:14,440 --> 00:20:16,280 the next. I'm thankful. 275 00:20:17,440 --> 00:20:21,720 I go home and I'm thankful. When I enter Perth Children's 276 00:20:21,720 --> 00:20:25,240 Hospital and see those poor little kids, they all look 277 00:20:25,760 --> 00:20:27,880 similar because their hair is all gone. 278 00:20:27,880 --> 00:20:31,400 They're on chemo, they're on drugs in the sense of healing 279 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:34,440 the trying to heal the, the cancer in their bodies, their 280 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:37,280 frail little bodies. They, they're quite, quite 281 00:20:37,280 --> 00:20:41,640 frail. They pile, they, they're very 282 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:45,120 light in their weight. They have a tube coming out of 283 00:20:45,120 --> 00:20:46,760 their nose, each and every one of them. 284 00:20:48,520 --> 00:20:51,840 I go home, I have no problems. I'm thankful. 285 00:20:55,560 --> 00:20:59,960 I give thanks. You see, our health, we just 286 00:20:59,960 --> 00:21:02,360 don't know what a blessing it is until we lose it. 287 00:21:04,240 --> 00:21:07,480 Belshazzar was reminded of that the night that he wasn't 288 00:21:07,480 --> 00:21:11,080 thankful that he took the cups of gold and silver and wasn't 289 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:14,440 thankful to God, to the God who created him, Who Daniel said, 290 00:21:14,520 --> 00:21:16,320 hold your very breath in his hand. 291 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:19,520 You're not being thankful. You've been found wanting. 292 00:21:19,600 --> 00:21:21,240 You've been weighed in the balance. 293 00:21:21,960 --> 00:21:24,640 You're not thanking God for for the life that you have. 294 00:21:24,840 --> 00:21:26,040 And tonight you're going to lose that. 295 00:21:31,310 --> 00:21:34,390 In the book of Romans, chapter one, verse 21, Paul said it's a 296 00:21:34,390 --> 00:21:39,270 sign of the last days. Yes, they knew God, but they 297 00:21:39,270 --> 00:21:43,270 wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks. 298 00:21:46,030 --> 00:21:49,190 And I began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. 299 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:53,440 The result was that their minds became dark and confused. 300 00:21:55,000 --> 00:21:57,480 Secondly, why should we give thanks unto the Lord? 301 00:21:58,240 --> 00:22:00,120 Because God is in control of our lives. 302 00:22:00,120 --> 00:22:03,000 Aren't you glad? I mean, I always think of the 303 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:05,360 children now grandchildren, you know, when they go off to 304 00:22:05,360 --> 00:22:07,800 school, when they go off to travel or when they go off to 305 00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:11,320 drive their car or, or the little ones, you're not there 306 00:22:11,320 --> 00:22:13,120 watching over them, you're not shepherding them. 307 00:22:13,120 --> 00:22:15,880 And you know every every time that goes near something or they 308 00:22:15,880 --> 00:22:20,240 trip over, you're not there. You can't watch your child 24/7, 309 00:22:25,040 --> 00:22:28,800 but you can by prayer give your children to the Lord, your 310 00:22:28,800 --> 00:22:30,960 grandchildren to the Lord, say the Lord you could. 311 00:22:31,240 --> 00:22:33,680 If you're a husband and you've got to work away, you're going 312 00:22:33,680 --> 00:22:36,920 to pray for my wife and protect her, which Overwatch his home. 313 00:22:40,720 --> 00:22:44,600 You see, God is in control of all the all the circumstances in 314 00:22:44,600 --> 00:22:49,080 your life. Either God did it or God allowed 315 00:22:49,080 --> 00:22:53,240 it. My life is not some ghoulish 316 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:59,880 existence as a higher form of amoeba from the goo to the zoo. 317 00:23:01,200 --> 00:23:06,040 I'm not a descendant from an ape languishing in existence. 318 00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:09,200 That's why people are are taking their lives today. 319 00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:12,040 That's why people don't consider what they do and how they live 320 00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:16,840 because they don't realise the very first verse in the Bible, 321 00:23:16,960 --> 00:23:20,040 which is probably the most one of the most important verses in 322 00:23:20,040 --> 00:23:23,040 the Bible. In the beginning, God created 323 00:23:23,040 --> 00:23:25,960 heaven on the earth. Once you realise that God 324 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:31,320 created everything and then secondly in Genesis 126, that 325 00:23:31,320 --> 00:23:35,960 God made us in his image. Once you get those two things 326 00:23:36,240 --> 00:23:40,560 together, you are locked solid. You realise what the world's 327 00:23:40,560 --> 00:23:43,720 about, what your life's about. But if you don't have those two 328 00:23:43,720 --> 00:23:48,520 things, you are, according to the world, a bit of good. 329 00:23:50,280 --> 00:23:53,400 Sadly, Monday evening just just passed. 330 00:23:53,680 --> 00:23:58,080 Helen and I watched programme and we listened to former TV and 331 00:23:58,080 --> 00:24:04,680 radio shock jock Darren Hinch. Some of you remember he's 84 now 332 00:24:04,960 --> 00:24:10,320 frail as all get out and he proudly has it being interviewed 333 00:24:10,320 --> 00:24:14,360 by this reporters said you know so Darren, what happens when you 334 00:24:14,360 --> 00:24:16,120 when you when you when you finish up. 335 00:24:16,880 --> 00:24:21,840 Well, I don't believe in there's no heaven and there's no hell. 336 00:24:22,000 --> 00:24:29,480 I mean, that's why his life has been 1 of sadness, married four 337 00:24:29,480 --> 00:24:34,680 times, you know, just A lonely, unhappy man. 338 00:24:36,080 --> 00:24:38,320 But he says he just said, oh, no, there's no heaven. 339 00:24:38,320 --> 00:24:44,240 There's no, no, no, no hell. I'm thinking, oh, what a what a 340 00:24:44,240 --> 00:24:48,680 tragic life you've lived. It's the life of animal 341 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:52,720 existence that you know, the animal just and then you go and 342 00:24:52,720 --> 00:24:54,200 bury him under the tree in the backyard. 343 00:24:54,200 --> 00:25:01,880 Remember, you know, no, my life, your life, Paul says, has a 344 00:25:01,880 --> 00:25:06,000 purpose and a plan for we are God's masterpiece. 345 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:11,760 He has created us anew in Christ Jesus so that we can do things, 346 00:25:11,760 --> 00:25:14,400 good things he planned for us long ago. 347 00:25:14,600 --> 00:25:19,600 Ephesians 210 You know the words, oh, oh, oh, I didn't see 348 00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:22,000 that coming. Don't don't exist in God's 349 00:25:22,000 --> 00:25:26,000 vocabulary. God has never caught out. 350 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:28,760 He's never surprised. And that's why I'm thankful that 351 00:25:28,760 --> 00:25:32,080 God watches over my life. I wake up tomorrow. 352 00:25:32,080 --> 00:25:33,800 You know who's who's got it all set? 353 00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:37,480 The Lord has you know who's been there before I get there he 354 00:25:37,480 --> 00:25:41,440 goes. Thirdly, why should we give 355 00:25:41,440 --> 00:25:46,080 thanks unto the Lord? Because God promises to make all 356 00:25:46,080 --> 00:25:49,680 things work together for good to them who are the called 357 00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:54,840 according to his purpose. Romans 8/21/28 according to his 358 00:25:54,840 --> 00:26:02,160 plan, Joseph, I love Joseph can't wait to meet Joseph in 359 00:26:02,160 --> 00:26:05,360 heaven. The young man, he has two 360 00:26:05,360 --> 00:26:09,200 visions from the Lord, tells his brothers, tells his mum and dad. 361 00:26:09,520 --> 00:26:11,880 So what all his brothers do, we're going to kill him. 362 00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:15,400 Man, that's a rough family. You know, you can upset your 363 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:16,640 brothers, but they have your brothers go. 364 00:26:16,880 --> 00:26:18,240 We're going to get our younger brother. 365 00:26:18,240 --> 00:26:19,240 You know what we're going to do with him. 366 00:26:19,840 --> 00:26:26,080 We're going to kill him. So they put him in a pit as they 367 00:26:26,080 --> 00:26:30,080 talk about killing him and then they sell him. 368 00:26:31,920 --> 00:26:35,760 Then as he goes and he's captured, he's accused and 369 00:26:35,760 --> 00:26:39,280 remember in Egypt of raped by his boss's wife. 370 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:43,800 He's innocent. He's thrown into gaol there. 371 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:46,520 He he is seemingly forgotten by God. 372 00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:49,760 You look at his life and go, wow. 373 00:26:49,760 --> 00:26:53,640 And if Joseph. Joseph could have said, oh, how 374 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:55,040 come? Why is this happened to me? 375 00:26:55,040 --> 00:26:58,040 God, you know, I just told the people What? 376 00:26:58,080 --> 00:27:01,640 What you told me, brothers, why are you trying to kill me? 377 00:27:02,320 --> 00:27:04,560 Potiphar, I've been a good servant for you. 378 00:27:05,120 --> 00:27:06,880 I wasn't wasn't me. It was your wife. 379 00:27:07,200 --> 00:27:09,600 Now I'm in prison. I'm giving prophecies to the 380 00:27:09,760 --> 00:27:12,280 butcher, the Baker, the Candlestick maker, you know, 381 00:27:13,000 --> 00:27:14,240 and. And they said, yeah, we 382 00:27:14,240 --> 00:27:15,240 remember. And they didn't. 383 00:27:15,680 --> 00:27:17,600 What's the go? God, why? 384 00:27:17,600 --> 00:27:19,000 Why? Why is my life like. 385 00:27:19,520 --> 00:27:27,800 Nowhere do we see that in Joseph's life, but when he is 386 00:27:27,800 --> 00:27:30,640 finally reunited with his brothers, he's the second most 387 00:27:30,640 --> 00:27:35,080 powerful man in Egypt. Now these are the words that he 388 00:27:35,080 --> 00:27:37,400 said to his brothers. Remember Me? 389 00:27:38,920 --> 00:27:40,440 Throw me in the pit. You're going to kill me. 390 00:27:40,760 --> 00:27:44,840 Line up against the wall, all of you up against the wall. 391 00:27:45,200 --> 00:27:47,560 Now you know. Now he didn't say that. 392 00:27:49,840 --> 00:27:55,520 He said, God promises, He said, but As for you, you meant evil 393 00:27:55,600 --> 00:28:01,720 against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring it about 394 00:28:01,720 --> 00:28:06,040 as it is this day to save many people alive. 395 00:28:07,280 --> 00:28:12,640 Genesis 5020. God promises you tonight, right 396 00:28:12,640 --> 00:28:17,320 now, that whatever you were going through now, God can and 397 00:28:17,760 --> 00:28:21,600 will miraculously use it for good. 398 00:28:22,800 --> 00:28:26,200 I want to tell you a story. Phallical William Cowper. 399 00:28:27,640 --> 00:28:32,960 I read many of his commentaries, but he was subject to great fits 400 00:28:32,960 --> 00:28:38,120 of depression. Anyway, one day he ordered a cab 401 00:28:38,120 --> 00:28:40,720 and he had himself driven to London Bridge. 402 00:28:41,320 --> 00:28:43,160 When I say cab, it's it wasn't car. 403 00:28:44,320 --> 00:28:47,560 But soon a dense fog settles down upon the city. 404 00:28:48,160 --> 00:28:52,240 The cabbie wandered about for over 2 hours and then admitted 405 00:28:52,240 --> 00:28:55,600 that he was lost, though he'd been in the business for many 406 00:28:55,600 --> 00:28:58,720 years. William Cowper asked him if he 407 00:28:58,720 --> 00:29:00,280 thought he could find his way home. 408 00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:05,120 He said he did, and within an hour landed Mr Cowper at the 409 00:29:05,120 --> 00:29:08,320 door of his residence. When he asked what the fare 410 00:29:08,320 --> 00:29:12,680 would be, he mentioned to some, but he said he felt he ought not 411 00:29:12,680 --> 00:29:17,440 to take anything, as he had not fulfilled his order with Mr 412 00:29:17,440 --> 00:29:21,840 Cowper. Never mind, said William Cowper, 413 00:29:22,240 --> 00:29:25,440 tonight you saved my life. How was that? 414 00:29:26,360 --> 00:29:33,280 I was on my way to throw myself off London Bridge, and he gave 415 00:29:33,280 --> 00:29:37,600 him double the usual fare. William Cowper then went into 416 00:29:37,600 --> 00:29:40,240 his house and wrote the hymn which bears these lines. 417 00:29:40,840 --> 00:29:46,320 God moves in mysterious ways. His wonders to perform, He 418 00:29:46,320 --> 00:29:50,080 plants his footsteps on the sea, and he rides upon the storm. 419 00:29:51,240 --> 00:29:55,560 You see, God's purpose for your life is to make all things work 420 00:29:55,560 --> 00:29:58,400 together for good. Isn't that wonderful? 421 00:30:00,680 --> 00:30:02,200 Isn't that worth thanking Him for? 422 00:30:03,320 --> 00:30:07,720 Lastly, why should we give thanks to the Lord? 423 00:30:08,560 --> 00:30:12,560 Because God is looking out for our eternal blessing and benefit 424 00:30:13,880 --> 00:30:19,520 for straight after Romans 828 comes of course 829 which says 425 00:30:20,000 --> 00:30:24,760 for God knew his people in advance and he chose them to 426 00:30:24,760 --> 00:30:28,880 become like his Son so that his Son would be the first born with 427 00:30:28,880 --> 00:30:33,640 many brothers and sisters. God takes all the things in our 428 00:30:33,640 --> 00:30:37,200 life. He puts them together to make us 429 00:30:37,240 --> 00:30:40,080 more like Jesus Christ, his beloved Son. 430 00:30:41,440 --> 00:30:48,560 We may not understand this now, but tonight as it's written in 431 00:30:48,560 --> 00:30:53,000 one corner, Chronicles 1634, it says all give thanks unto the 432 00:30:53,000 --> 00:30:58,000 Lord for His good. His mercy endures forever. 433 00:30:58,880 --> 00:31:02,160 The psalmist wrote Psalm 30, verse 11. 434 00:31:02,640 --> 00:31:05,760 You have turned for me my morning into dancing. 435 00:31:06,240 --> 00:31:11,400 You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness to 436 00:31:11,400 --> 00:31:15,320 the end, that my glory may sing praise to you and not be silent. 437 00:31:15,680 --> 00:31:21,120 Oh Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever. 438 00:31:22,600 --> 00:31:29,400 We're going to do that tonight. Let us never, never, never, 439 00:31:29,400 --> 00:31:38,560 never never be like the 9 leopards, cured though healed, 440 00:31:39,360 --> 00:31:42,040 never returned to Jesus and never thanked Him.