NOV 24

#Giving [Thanksgiving]

Psalm 100:4
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.

GATES:

In the Bible, gates are a significant place. They’re where the elders of the city meet and make decisions. They’re where political, military, and Judicial Decisions are made.

Deuteronomy 21:18-21
Ruth 4:1-11
2 Samuel 18:1-5

When we enter into God’s gates, we’re entering into his presence, AND along with that, His PURPOSE. We enter into our heavenly delegation as a ROYAL PRIESTHOOD.

THE PRESENCE!

Acts 3:19
19 Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,

THE GIFT OF TONGUES

1 Corinthians 14:16 - Speaking in tongues is thanksgiving.
Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say?

Jude 20 - Building up our spirits.
But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit

MUSIC!

Ephesians 5:17-20
17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ

- BE filled, it’s a repetitive exercise.

- We're told to understand the will of God. SO WHY WOULD WE BE TOLD THIS UNLESS IT’S TOTALLY NORMAL AND POSSIBLE?

- The Music Aspect of MEGA - Jobsite singing testimony.

THE GIFT OF FOOD

Romans 14:1-2
Receive one who is weak in the faith, but not to disputes over doubtful things. 2 For one believes he may eat all things, but he who is weak eats only vegetables.

Verse 6
6 He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks

Verse 23 "….whatever is not from faith is sin.”

FACT: ANIMAL DEATHS AREN’T AS BAD AS THEY CLAIM.

Humans have killed 60% of animals? Handy Link

THANKSGIVING IS A WEAPON!

WE’VE OVERCOME BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB AND THE WORD OF OUR TESTIMONY. THANKSGIVING IS GRATITUDE BASED TESTIMONY.

Jesus gave thanks in a manner that was for those around him. Hey prayed to God before the situation of Lazarus so that he could make a point to those listening. Prayer doesn’t have to be in private! Prayer can even be used to make a point to those present.
John 11:40-42
40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?” 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. 42 And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me.”

ADVANCING THE KINGDOM
Giving thanks is prophetic. It’s tone setting. It’s not just what God has done, but it's for what God CAN and WILL do. Expressing thanks is an act of faith “THANK YOU” for this miracle as opposed to “Please Lord I’m so unworthy please just do this for me”

Romans 4:17 - GOD CALLS THINGS THAT AREN’T, AS THOUGH THEY ARE.

17 (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations”) in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls those things which do not exist as though they did;

GRATITUDE CAN CHANGE A NATION - LACK OF GRATEFULNESS LEADS TO UNRIGHTEOUSNESS.

Romans 1:20-28
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. 26 For this reason, God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. 27 Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for one another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due. 28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30 backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31 undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God, that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the same but also approve of those who practice them.

BID

Godly Gratitude, or Worldly?
End of the day parable. Does the master give thanks?
Why we’re not into everyone getting a trophy just because they played the game

LUKE 17:5

5 And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.”
6 So the Lord said, “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be pulled up by the roots and be planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you. 7 And which of you, having a servant plowing or tending sheep, will say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and sit down to eat’?8 But will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare something for my supper, and gird yourself and serve me till I have eaten and drunk, and afterward you will eat and drink’? 9 Does he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him? I think not. 10 So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’ ”

The world will tell us to give thanks, the purpose is so people will perceive us as kind, polite and so that we will be seen as a good person. A real, Godly expression of gratitude, however, is one that lifts up God, or the other person, with no personal ambition attached.