Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving

 

  1. Recognize the abundance of your blessings
  2. The poorest of us is more blessed, in material things, than the greatest kings of old. David and Solomon in the Old Testament for example. Or,

*   Internal combustion engine

1.      Rapid transit

2.      Automobile

3.      Planes

4.      Trains

*   Electricity

5.      Air conditioning

6.      Clean lighting, the light bulb

*   Hugh variety of foods

7.      Fresh food all year

8.      Abundance

*   Plentiful water

9.      Hot shower on demand, instantly

10.  Safe drinking water

*   Nearly instant communications

11.  Radio

12.  Television

13.  Telephone

14.  Fax

15.  Email

16.  Internet

*   Controlled environments

17.  Allergy free homes

18.  Central heating

*   Advanced medicine

19.  Dentistry

20.  Anesthetics

21.  Prosthetics

22.  Antibiotics

23.  Remarkable surgical procedures

  1. Thanks for the pain
  2. Giving thanks is an act of faith
  3. Show your thanks by giving

 

Giving

 

I. Wealth

A. Old Testament - Formula, 1st, 2nd, 3rd tithes and offerings

1.I give to the Levites all the tithes of Israel as their inheritance (Num. 18:21)

2.Levites give a tithe of the tithe (Num 18:26) To be of the very best, verse 29

3.Israel keeps a tithe for certain holy days (Deu 14:23)

4.Third year tithe for Levites, widows, and orphans (Deu 26:12)

B. New Testament – Change in Emphasis

1. No longer to the Levites exclusively. Paul was of the tribe of Benjamin.

2. Less a matter of duty and more a matter of love and respect. (Mat 23:23 NIV)  "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices--mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law--justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.

3. Poor and down trodden as well as widows and orphans. (Luke 14:13 NIV)  But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind. (Gal 2:10 NIV)  All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.

II. Good and bad things - Godly things are good things

A. Compliment/Flattery

B. Handup/Handout

C. Understanding/Lecturing

D. Wisdom/Knowledge/Dictation

E. Making amends/Holding a grudge

III. Good and bad ways

A. Timely/Lately - set aside a sum at beginning of each week without a need for asking to be done (1 Cor 16:2)

B. Freely/Under compulsion (2 Cor 8:12)

C. Lovingly/Grudgingly (2 Cor 9:5)

D. Cheerfully/Reluctantly (2 Cor 9:7)

E. Secretly/For recognition (Mat. 6:1-4)

F. Stewardship

IV. To whom

A. To God A church held a worship service patterned after those in Colonial America. The pastor dressed in a long coat and knickers, and the congregation was divided by gender: men on the left side of the aisle and women on the right.

At collection time, the pastor announced that this, too, would be done in the old way. He asked the "head of the household" to come forward and place the money on the altar. The men instantly rose. To the amusement of the entire congregation, many of them crossed the aisle to get the money from their wives.

1.Love by Prayer, Faith, Praise, Acknowledgment, Righteous living, and ...

B. To People - The least of these (Matt. 25:40-46)

1. Good deeds, generously (1 Tim. 6:18) (Gal. 6:9-10)

2. Sharing (Heb. 13:16 and 1 Jn. 3:17)

3. Justice (Prov. 18:5)

4. Compassion (Col. 3:12) Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

5. Joy (Luke 16:16) The good news of Christ and His kingdom

6. Love (Jn. 13:35, As disciples)

7. Story of nursing home - Time counts

i. Touch

ii. Listen

V. Quantity

A. As God provides

1. We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. (Rom. 12:6-9)

2. In keeping with your means (1 Cor 16:2)

3. As you sow, so shall you reap (2 Cor. 9:6)

4. 168 hours per week

i. 50 hours work leaves 118 hours

ii. 58 hours sleep leaves 60 hours

iii. 10% of 60 hours = 6 hours of giving required per week

iv. God gave us the Sabbath