1 00:00:33,859 --> 00:00:38,196 I love that song. And very good job tonight, turning your wood 2 00:00:38,220 --> 00:00:41,836 and your Bibles to Colossians, chapter three. Let's see if I can 3 00:00:41,860 --> 00:00:48,676 read the Scripture better tonight. In seminary, I had the opportunity 4 00:00:48,780 --> 00:00:55,892 and the privilege of having Dr. Terry Rigsby as my. The class 5 00:00:55,948 --> 00:01:02,066 was called speech. I think it was speech class. And several things 6 00:01:02,090 --> 00:01:07,362 he taught us in that class. And one of the things he really hammered 7 00:01:07,418 --> 00:01:11,890 and just pushed to us men was when you're reading the Bible, read 8 00:01:11,922 --> 00:01:16,266 the Bible. Read every word of it. Read it right. Take your time. 9 00:01:16,410 --> 00:01:20,770 Don't miss a word, don't add a word. And so that's one of the things 10 00:01:20,802 --> 00:01:25,716 that I've tried to do over the years and making sure that when you 11 00:01:25,890 --> 00:01:29,152 read the Bible publicly, that you do so as it's read. And that's 12 00:01:29,168 --> 00:01:31,432 why Sunday morning, I was a little frustrated, like, I don't 13 00:01:31,448 --> 00:01:35,992 know, I must have the Honduran flu as well. I'm kind of making fun 14 00:01:36,008 --> 00:01:38,924 of that. But we do have several out. I know my dad has it, 15 00:01:39,584 --> 00:01:44,296 Brother Johnson has it, Brother Stone has it. So I'm glad 16 00:01:44,320 --> 00:01:49,840 they stayed home, aren't you? I pray for them, but they don't spread 17 00:01:49,872 --> 00:01:57,074 it around us. But it is important that when you read publicly 18 00:01:57,154 --> 00:02:01,522 that you read the Scripture as it's written. It doesn't mean I'm 19 00:02:01,538 --> 00:02:04,346 not going to mess up tonight, Brother Billy, but I'm going to try 20 00:02:04,370 --> 00:02:08,614 to get back to reading it. Ready? Let's look at Colossians 3:10. 21 00:02:09,954 --> 00:02:13,362 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in the knowledge 22 00:02:13,418 --> 00:02:16,762 after the image of him that created him, where there is neither 23 00:02:16,818 --> 00:02:20,762 Greek nor Jew, circumcision, nor uncircumcision, barbarian Scythian 24 00:02:20,818 --> 00:02:27,124 bond, nor free, but Christ is all and in all. Colossians 3:12. 25 00:02:27,624 --> 00:02:32,296 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, vows of 26 00:02:32,320 --> 00:02:38,896 mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering, forbearing 27 00:02:38,920 --> 00:02:42,880 one another and forgiving one another. And if any man have a quarrel 28 00:02:42,952 --> 00:02:48,800 against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above 29 00:02:48,832 --> 00:02:51,824 all these things, put on charity. Remember, charity is love 30 00:02:51,864 --> 00:02:58,320 in action, which is the bond of perfectness. Verse 15. We've used 31 00:02:58,352 --> 00:03:01,272 this text a lot over the years. For Thanksgiving, we'll use 32 00:03:01,288 --> 00:03:05,592 it again tonight. Verse 15. And let the peace of God rule in 33 00:03:05,608 --> 00:03:11,392 your hearts to the which ye are called in one body. And be ye 34 00:03:11,448 --> 00:03:17,494 what thankful. Be ye thankful. And we ought to be a thankful people. 35 00:03:18,154 --> 00:03:20,898 It was, I believe, Curtis Hudson who said, a thankful people 36 00:03:20,946 --> 00:03:24,854 is a thankful people. Really, if we do count Our blessings we have. 37 00:03:25,194 --> 00:03:29,770 There's no doubt we would be a thankful people. So let's pray. Heavenly 38 00:03:29,802 --> 00:03:32,090 Father, we thank you, Lord, for your love, your grace and your 39 00:03:32,122 --> 00:03:36,178 mercy. We pray tonight, Lord, that you'd be with us, lead and direct 40 00:03:36,226 --> 00:03:39,994 in this message. And I do pray, Lord, again, that we would 41 00:03:40,034 --> 00:03:42,922 be a thankful people, Lord, as we remember how good you've been 42 00:03:42,938 --> 00:03:49,770 to us, Lord, help us to be thankful in Jesus name, Amen. Back 43 00:03:49,802 --> 00:03:53,394 in the first part of the year, this would be March and April. We 44 00:03:53,434 --> 00:03:56,802 covered this particular chapter on Wednesday night in the 45 00:03:56,818 --> 00:04:01,570 Book of Colossians. And in this portion of Scripture, we made 46 00:04:01,602 --> 00:04:04,974 the point that when you get up in the morning, you make a decision 47 00:04:05,274 --> 00:04:09,332 and you decide what to wear physically. I got up this morning, 48 00:04:09,388 --> 00:04:12,916 decided what I was going to wear, and I put on, I call it my 49 00:04:12,940 --> 00:04:22,092 magic pants, my dry fit, you know, dry fit, business casual dress 50 00:04:22,188 --> 00:04:24,668 pants. And yes, they are stretchy pants, Brother Billy, I 51 00:04:24,676 --> 00:04:29,940 appreciate that. But they are dry fit. I'm telling you, dry fit 52 00:04:29,972 --> 00:04:33,196 stuff's amazing. I don't want to talk about it anymore. I'll move 53 00:04:33,220 --> 00:04:37,696 on. But I put on my pants, you know, put on my magic pants, put 54 00:04:37,720 --> 00:04:47,824 on a shirt, a polo shirt, and put on some little bit nicer cohons, 55 00:04:47,984 --> 00:04:52,560 you know, dress shoes that look like dress shoes, but they're 56 00:04:52,592 --> 00:04:57,120 really tennis shoes and just, you know, dressed appropriately for 57 00:04:57,152 --> 00:05:01,470 work. How I think a pastor ought to at least, you know, dressed 58 00:05:01,502 --> 00:05:05,310 to that point. I do come to sometimes come to work in jeans, 59 00:05:05,462 --> 00:05:10,594 depending on what I plan to do and if I plan to do some manual labor, 60 00:05:11,094 --> 00:05:14,838 or at least I attempt to do some manual labor. But we all get 61 00:05:14,846 --> 00:05:17,878 up in the morning, decide what we're going to wear physically. But 62 00:05:17,886 --> 00:05:21,342 the point we made in the first of the year was that we also get 63 00:05:21,358 --> 00:05:25,222 up every morning. We decide what we put on spiritually, if we're 64 00:05:25,238 --> 00:05:28,650 going to put off the old man and put on the new man. It's so important, 65 00:05:28,722 --> 00:05:32,734 it's vital in our Christian life that we put on the new man, 66 00:05:33,314 --> 00:05:36,242 that we get up in the morning and frankly, decide whether or not 67 00:05:36,258 --> 00:05:39,414 we're going to read our Bible, whether or not we're going to pray, 68 00:05:39,714 --> 00:05:43,322 whether or not we're going to allow our flesh to dictate what we're 69 00:05:43,338 --> 00:05:45,386 going to do, or we allow the spirit to dictate what we're going 70 00:05:45,410 --> 00:05:49,026 to do. And I think every morning, almost every morning, you 71 00:05:49,050 --> 00:05:51,458 ought to pray, Lord, help me to live in the spirit, not the flesh. 72 00:05:51,506 --> 00:05:55,012 Today we need his help. We're dependent upon him because we cannot 73 00:05:55,068 --> 00:05:59,388 live the Christian life as God intended for us to live it on our 74 00:05:59,476 --> 00:06:03,780 own and in our own strength. We need the Holy Spirit. By the way, 75 00:06:03,852 --> 00:06:08,092 it's been given to us to strengthen us and help us to put 76 00:06:08,148 --> 00:06:12,804 on the new man. As we look here at the scriptures that we just 77 00:06:12,844 --> 00:06:17,804 read, it describes for us what this new man looks like. As you put 78 00:06:17,844 --> 00:06:22,706 that new man on every day. It's important that these are the 79 00:06:22,730 --> 00:06:25,946 characteristics that will be prevalent in your life. What are 80 00:06:25,970 --> 00:06:31,258 those? Well, bowels of mercy. It just means deep, tender. It means 81 00:06:31,426 --> 00:06:39,378 deeply felt. It's benevolence. Number two is kindness. So goodness 82 00:06:39,426 --> 00:06:44,050 towards others. If you are putting on the new man, these are 83 00:06:44,162 --> 00:06:48,714 the characteristics that will be evident in your life. Kindness, 84 00:06:49,814 --> 00:06:57,086 gentleness. Humbleness of mind. Meekness. Those are tough ones, 85 00:06:57,110 --> 00:07:03,622 aren't they? That word humbleness or meekness has to do 86 00:07:03,638 --> 00:07:08,594 with willing to suffer injury or insult without desiring to retaliate. 87 00:07:10,334 --> 00:07:16,636 Hello? Okay, I'll move on from that one. When that person cuts you 88 00:07:16,660 --> 00:07:23,292 off in traffic, you know, Meekness, Humbleness. The Bible talks 89 00:07:23,308 --> 00:07:26,180 about Moses being meek. The Bible talks about Jesus Christ being 90 00:07:26,212 --> 00:07:29,628 meek. Meekness is not weakness. Meekness is power under 91 00:07:29,676 --> 00:07:35,796 control. Power under control. Characteristic of putting on the 92 00:07:35,820 --> 00:07:41,332 new man is long suffering. The definition of that is to endure injustice 93 00:07:41,388 --> 00:07:46,442 or difficulties is to be long tempered, which the opposite would 94 00:07:46,458 --> 00:07:50,466 be short. Not to be short tempered, but long suffering. We 95 00:07:50,490 --> 00:07:54,394 all experience this with our children, right? To be long suffering 96 00:07:54,434 --> 00:07:58,050 with our children. To be long suffering with not just our family, 97 00:07:58,082 --> 00:08:01,026 but to be long suffering at work and to be long suffering with 98 00:08:01,050 --> 00:08:04,362 our neighbor. To be long suffering at Thanksgiving, around 99 00:08:04,418 --> 00:08:08,892 the Thanksgiving table. And y'all know my favorite word, the 100 00:08:08,908 --> 00:08:12,076 next one, verse 13. It really is. I just. When I found this one, 101 00:08:12,100 --> 00:08:15,796 I'm like, that's cool. Forbearing one another. It does really 102 00:08:15,820 --> 00:08:21,452 mean put up with each other. And the idea of that is that we put 103 00:08:21,508 --> 00:08:25,156 up with our family. And we're fixing. I mean, we're. We're. I'm 104 00:08:25,180 --> 00:08:28,436 gonna use the Texas word fixing to be there Thursday. We're 105 00:08:28,460 --> 00:08:31,396 gonna sit around with our family. And honestly, there's some 106 00:08:31,460 --> 00:08:40,574 family that I may not like as much as others. Now, I gotta be careful 107 00:08:40,614 --> 00:08:43,110 because I think there's only gonna be like six people at ours 108 00:08:43,142 --> 00:08:46,670 on Friday, this Thursday. So I can't tell you which one of that 109 00:08:46,702 --> 00:08:54,914 is, but I'm being silly. But it really is saying I love my family. 110 00:08:55,494 --> 00:09:00,808 And because I love them, I put up with some things because they're 111 00:09:00,856 --> 00:09:05,284 family. And this word implies that we ought to do that for everyone, 112 00:09:05,784 --> 00:09:08,552 not just our family, but for everyone. That we forbear one another, 113 00:09:08,608 --> 00:09:15,044 that we put up with others. I mean, Jesus said, love your enemies. 114 00:09:15,984 --> 00:09:19,760 So again, this cannot be done without the Holy Spirit and the strength 115 00:09:19,792 --> 00:09:23,904 of the Lord Jesus Christ. Forgiving one another. Again, characteristics 116 00:09:23,944 --> 00:09:28,388 of putting on the new man. Again, tenderness, kindness, humbleness, 117 00:09:28,436 --> 00:09:30,868 meekness, long suffering. Forbearing one another, forgiving 118 00:09:30,916 --> 00:09:35,988 one another. Again, forgiving one another. As Christ has forgiven 119 00:09:36,036 --> 00:09:39,996 you. Ephesians 4:32. Forgive one another, even as God for Christ's 120 00:09:40,020 --> 00:09:44,004 sake hath forgiven you. Remember that now, God forgave us 121 00:09:44,044 --> 00:09:47,684 because of Christ, because of what Christ did on the cross, because 122 00:09:47,764 --> 00:09:51,012 of the death, burial and resurrection. It's because of Christ 123 00:09:51,068 --> 00:09:55,154 that we have fellowship with God now. He's our mediator, he's 124 00:09:55,194 --> 00:10:01,506 our go between. He reconciled us to God and God has forgiven us 125 00:10:01,530 --> 00:10:07,002 because of His Son, forgiveness. And then again, in verse 126 00:10:07,058 --> 00:10:13,466 14, it says, and above all these things, put on charity. Put 127 00:10:13,490 --> 00:10:20,764 on charity. Love in action. Paul says, most importantly, above 128 00:10:20,804 --> 00:10:26,164 all these others, put on love. Put on love. And that is that we 129 00:10:26,244 --> 00:10:31,464 show goodwill and a loving attitude toward others around us. 130 00:10:32,324 --> 00:10:35,524 And that that goodwill and loving attitude produces action. 131 00:10:35,684 --> 00:10:38,316 In other words, it's not just saying we love them, but we show 132 00:10:38,380 --> 00:10:43,302 action. We prove our love. If you would we show that love. I know 133 00:10:43,318 --> 00:10:45,974 I'm a broken record, but it is important that you tell your kids 134 00:10:46,014 --> 00:10:49,494 you love them. It's important you tell your spouse that you love 135 00:10:49,534 --> 00:10:56,166 them. It's important that they hear it. Amen. It's important. When's 136 00:10:56,190 --> 00:10:59,782 the last time you told your spouse you loved them? When's the 137 00:10:59,798 --> 00:11:02,514 last time you told your kids you love them? Verbally, it's important. 138 00:11:04,134 --> 00:11:08,166 But all that would be for naught if your actions don't back 139 00:11:08,190 --> 00:11:12,488 it up. I mean, you could say it with your mouth, but it better 140 00:11:12,536 --> 00:11:14,656 be backed up with your actions. And that's what it's saying 141 00:11:14,680 --> 00:11:18,376 here, love in action. That our charity should be that love should 142 00:11:18,400 --> 00:11:21,728 be shown in our benevolence towards others, in our actions towards 143 00:11:21,776 --> 00:11:26,924 others. We say that we love them and we should show that love. 144 00:11:27,264 --> 00:11:30,664 We see this in Christ's life as he showed the sacrificial love 145 00:11:30,704 --> 00:11:34,080 in giving his life for us. By the way, he showed us sacrificial 146 00:11:34,112 --> 00:11:38,462 love day by day, as he healed the sick, as he raised the dead, 147 00:11:38,518 --> 00:11:46,118 as he all the things, the service that he did. So those are 148 00:11:46,126 --> 00:11:49,446 the characteristics of putting on the new man. And when you get 149 00:11:49,470 --> 00:11:55,814 to the point of verse 15, he stops and says, and therefore or 150 00:11:55,974 --> 00:12:02,964 let the peace of God rule in your hearts. So the product of putting 151 00:12:03,004 --> 00:12:07,308 on the new man, the results of that are not just the actions which 152 00:12:07,476 --> 00:12:13,244 we show to others and which is displayed in our life, but we benefit 153 00:12:13,284 --> 00:12:18,132 from it as we do for others, as we're selfless for others. We 154 00:12:18,148 --> 00:12:22,260 learned this in the book of Philippians. When we do for others, 155 00:12:22,332 --> 00:12:26,544 you want happiness in your life, you want joy in your life. 156 00:12:26,864 --> 00:12:31,680 Do something for somebody else, serve others. And again you 157 00:12:31,712 --> 00:12:35,040 ask the question in Philippians, well, if I'm constantly 158 00:12:35,072 --> 00:12:39,352 doing for others, what's going to happen to me? Well, God says there 159 00:12:39,368 --> 00:12:42,256 in Philippians chapter four, I will supply your needs. You look 160 00:12:42,280 --> 00:12:44,840 out for others, you do for others. It will bring joy into your 161 00:12:44,872 --> 00:12:50,024 life and God will take care of you. And this is the same principle 162 00:12:50,064 --> 00:12:55,312 here as you put on the new man. The peace of God will rule in 163 00:12:55,328 --> 00:13:00,264 your hearts. You'll experience that peace of God to which also you're 164 00:13:00,304 --> 00:13:04,736 called. In one body, it doesn't just affect you, it affects 165 00:13:04,760 --> 00:13:08,816 the body of Christ. Think about it for a moment. What would 166 00:13:08,840 --> 00:13:12,544 our church be like if everyone was just like you? We asked this 167 00:13:12,584 --> 00:13:17,496 question back in April. What would our church be like if everyone 168 00:13:17,560 --> 00:13:25,786 was just like me? If everyone served as I serve, if everyone gave 169 00:13:25,850 --> 00:13:31,538 like I gave, would the church be able to pay its bills? Would it 170 00:13:31,546 --> 00:13:34,354 be able to support its ministries? Would it be able to support 171 00:13:34,394 --> 00:13:39,506 its missionaries? Would it grow or decline? In other words, 172 00:13:39,530 --> 00:13:45,412 if everyone was in the church was just like me? Again, the product 173 00:13:45,508 --> 00:13:50,224 of the characteristics or the product of putting on the new man 174 00:13:50,604 --> 00:13:54,916 is that of peace that rules in our hearts. And that peace that rules 175 00:13:54,940 --> 00:13:59,996 in our hearts affects those around us. If I have peace in my 176 00:14:00,020 --> 00:14:03,748 own life, it's because I'm walking with God, man. I'm going 177 00:14:03,756 --> 00:14:06,636 to put you another scripture to you first, John 1:7. If we walk 178 00:14:06,660 --> 00:14:08,964 in the light as he's in light, we have fellowship one with another. 179 00:14:09,084 --> 00:14:13,418 As the peace of God rules in my heart, I'll have fellowship with 180 00:14:13,506 --> 00:14:17,626 not only God, but with my fellow man. And they'll be. And that's 181 00:14:17,730 --> 00:14:21,454 what he's precluding here, is that there'll be unity in the body 182 00:14:22,914 --> 00:14:28,866 if everyone in the church put on the new man every day and lived 183 00:14:28,890 --> 00:14:32,974 a life of testimony and a light for the Lord Jesus Christ, 184 00:14:33,434 --> 00:14:38,526 and that was produced in their life. Imagine the difference, the 185 00:14:38,550 --> 00:14:43,470 difference that would make in the church if everyone did it. Things 186 00:14:43,502 --> 00:14:46,994 racing through my mind because all these principles connect together 187 00:14:47,694 --> 00:14:51,390 as we think about being a living stone. We are a lively stone. 188 00:14:51,462 --> 00:14:54,614 Building up a spiritual house, it's important that when we meet 189 00:14:54,654 --> 00:14:56,782 together, this is not the church. This building is not the 190 00:14:56,798 --> 00:15:01,590 church. We are the church. We are the Christians. We are the church. 191 00:15:01,742 --> 00:15:04,926 And each one of us represent a stone. And as we come together, we 192 00:15:04,950 --> 00:15:07,518 are fitly framed together. The Bible says to build up a spiritual 193 00:15:07,566 --> 00:15:11,226 house, it's important that your stone be here, number one. Number 194 00:15:11,250 --> 00:15:16,394 two, it's important that your stone be clean. Again, back to that 195 00:15:16,434 --> 00:15:20,474 principle. As I live for Jesus, as I walk in the light, as 196 00:15:20,514 --> 00:15:25,186 I. My life is characterized by putting on the new man. And here 197 00:15:25,210 --> 00:15:29,914 they are, you know, again. Forgiveness, vows of mercy, kindness, 198 00:15:30,074 --> 00:15:33,474 all these things, then it produces peace in my heart, it produces 199 00:15:33,514 --> 00:15:39,260 peace in my life, which everyone wants. And therefore it 200 00:15:39,292 --> 00:15:46,116 produces that same peace and unity in the church. I'm thankful 201 00:15:46,140 --> 00:15:50,236 for a church that experiences peace. I'm thankful for a church. 202 00:15:50,300 --> 00:15:52,468 It doesn't mean we never had any problems, because we have. I 203 00:15:52,476 --> 00:15:55,500 can go back and write them down for you, but I'm thankful for 204 00:15:55,532 --> 00:16:00,988 a church who. I love that preachers come in here and they say, 205 00:16:01,036 --> 00:16:04,040 preacher, your church is the church that God has given you to. 206 00:16:04,072 --> 00:16:08,832 Pastor is one of the easiest churches I've ever preached to. And 207 00:16:08,848 --> 00:16:13,552 that says a lot about you. It really does. It means many of you, 208 00:16:13,608 --> 00:16:19,044 most of you are practicing what you preach during the week. 209 00:16:19,464 --> 00:16:24,200 Many of you, most of you are trying to live for the Lord, are 210 00:16:24,232 --> 00:16:30,814 putting on the new man. And that spirit, that peace permeates 211 00:16:32,114 --> 00:16:38,074 the church. It makes the difference. Amen. By the way, that 212 00:16:38,234 --> 00:16:46,394 is important to keep that. So forgive one another, praise the Lord. 213 00:16:46,434 --> 00:16:49,922 Right? If you want to keep a spiritual church, you want to keep 214 00:16:50,098 --> 00:16:53,974 a good spirit in the church, then we have to be a forgiving people. 215 00:16:54,664 --> 00:16:58,576 We have to be forgiving. If you want harmony and peace, then 216 00:16:58,600 --> 00:17:02,512 that harmony and peace is again, ruled in our own lives, can 217 00:17:02,528 --> 00:17:06,856 be ruled in the church as well. As we work together, as we 218 00:17:06,880 --> 00:17:11,084 use our gifts that God has given us together, it's all important 219 00:17:11,424 --> 00:17:17,004 as we follow Christ. We are children of God, and therefore we 220 00:17:17,504 --> 00:17:25,480 put up with each other sometimes. Hello. I put up with brother 221 00:17:25,512 --> 00:17:31,432 John and Ms. Aaron sitting in the wrong spot. Somebody has said 222 00:17:31,448 --> 00:17:33,952 it this way. There's a difference between love and liking 223 00:17:34,008 --> 00:17:39,064 somebody. Right? Again, we should love everyone, we really should, 224 00:17:39,224 --> 00:17:43,688 because Christ did. And we should love our church family. Love 225 00:17:43,736 --> 00:17:46,546 them, you say. Well, I just don't like them. That may be the 226 00:17:46,570 --> 00:17:50,338 case. There's always personality clashes, always hurt 227 00:17:50,386 --> 00:17:54,874 feelings. And again, to have that joy that we experience personally, 228 00:17:54,914 --> 00:17:57,690 to have that same peace and Joy in the church itself, in the 229 00:17:57,722 --> 00:18:03,330 spirit, which I believe heritage does have most of the time, 230 00:18:03,522 --> 00:18:08,458 even over its history. We have to be putting on the new man, and 231 00:18:08,466 --> 00:18:13,628 we have to be a forgiving and have those characteristics. And what 232 00:18:13,676 --> 00:18:20,228 happens then that produces a thankful spirit. Aren't you thankful 233 00:18:20,276 --> 00:18:23,956 tonight for all God's been for you? I'm so thankful for the love 234 00:18:23,980 --> 00:18:28,060 of Jesus. I'm thankful that he loves me in spite of me. Every time 235 00:18:28,092 --> 00:18:32,024 I think about that, he knows every thought that I've ever thunk, 236 00:18:33,244 --> 00:18:37,948 it blows me away. The prophet says, he knows the secrets of your 237 00:18:37,996 --> 00:18:44,944 heart, and yet he loves you. He loves you. What a merciful God 238 00:18:44,984 --> 00:18:51,608 we serve. What a gracious God we serve. Again, he says in verse 239 00:18:51,656 --> 00:18:56,616 15, let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which ye are called 240 00:18:56,800 --> 00:19:03,644 in one body. We're called to be in this body, a body of peace, 241 00:19:04,754 --> 00:19:09,242 body of unity. Amen. And when you're not at peace or not unified 242 00:19:09,298 --> 00:19:13,066 in the body, then you need to get that thing right. And then he 243 00:19:13,090 --> 00:19:19,034 goes, and be ye thankful. And be ye thankful. Thankful. Thinking, 244 00:19:19,074 --> 00:19:22,290 as I said, brings thanksgiving. As we think about what 245 00:19:22,322 --> 00:19:25,346 God has done for us and how good he's been to us, it makes us 246 00:19:25,370 --> 00:19:29,844 a thankful people. I quoted Warren Wiersbe back again in April, 247 00:19:29,994 --> 00:19:32,696 and Warren Whispery said it this way. When there is peace in 248 00:19:32,720 --> 00:19:38,208 your heart, there will be praise on your lips. You experience 249 00:19:38,256 --> 00:19:40,728 the peace of God in your hearts, man. There'll be praise on 250 00:19:40,736 --> 00:19:44,632 your lips for him. We will be a thankful people. When you put on 251 00:19:44,648 --> 00:19:48,952 the new man and we're renewed, we'll be a thankful people. When 252 00:19:48,968 --> 00:19:53,936 you're walking with the Lord, and therefore in his will, we'll 253 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:58,746 be a thankful people. The peace will reign in our hearts and 254 00:19:58,770 --> 00:20:02,410 in our life. A love for others, a love for brothers and sisters 255 00:20:02,442 --> 00:20:09,338 in Christ, which will result in thanksgiving. Will result in thanksgiving. 256 00:20:09,426 --> 00:20:13,618 It's a product of it. The product of the new man is a peaceful 257 00:20:13,666 --> 00:20:17,450 heart. The product of putting on the new man is unity in the body 258 00:20:17,482 --> 00:20:21,480 of Christ. Unity at Heritage Baptist Church. The product of putting 259 00:20:21,512 --> 00:20:24,272 on the new man those characteristics of forgiveness and 260 00:20:24,288 --> 00:20:29,680 all the things meekness and so forth is thankfulness, is thankfulness. 261 00:20:29,872 --> 00:20:34,924 We live in a world today that is very unthankful, very unthankful. 262 00:20:35,224 --> 00:20:39,224 And it is as we've talked about many times there. In second 263 00:20:39,264 --> 00:20:43,448 Timothy 3, the Bible says this. Know ye that in the last days 264 00:20:43,496 --> 00:20:47,080 perilous times shall come. And as it makes the list of the perilous 265 00:20:47,152 --> 00:20:53,078 times, the end times, it uses the Word unthankful. It puts it in 266 00:20:53,086 --> 00:20:58,758 a list of terrible stuff, like immoral stuff, immorality. And it 267 00:20:58,766 --> 00:21:03,194 puts it right in the middle of it. Think God's concerned about unthankfulness? 268 00:21:03,814 --> 00:21:10,750 Yes, he is. He puts it in the same category as immorality, adultery, 269 00:21:10,862 --> 00:21:17,024 fornication, so forth. And so we live in a society today that is 270 00:21:17,104 --> 00:21:23,474 predominantly unthankful. In fact, Romans chapter 1, verses 18, 271 00:21:23,574 --> 00:21:30,392 30, 32. In verse 21, it says, neither were thankful, but they were 272 00:21:30,448 --> 00:21:35,144 vain in their minds. In other words, when you go through and you 273 00:21:35,184 --> 00:21:39,992 read Romans chapter one, and it lists off the things that are 274 00:21:40,048 --> 00:21:45,242 contrary to the word of God, again, immorality. And then it says 275 00:21:45,338 --> 00:21:50,618 those who are of that persuasion, those who are adulterers 276 00:21:50,666 --> 00:21:54,034 and fornicators. And then it goes on and it talks about those 277 00:21:54,074 --> 00:22:00,034 who go against the very nature. Man with man, woman with 278 00:22:00,074 --> 00:22:05,650 woman, are unthankful. It uses that word. And I believe as you study 279 00:22:05,682 --> 00:22:10,028 it, you'll find that when someone lives and lives in, let me 280 00:22:10,036 --> 00:22:12,344 put it that way, that's what it's talking about. It's not talking 281 00:22:13,364 --> 00:22:18,104 who sins and falls, but somebody who lives in that lifestyle 282 00:22:18,644 --> 00:22:27,132 rejecting God's law, Rejecting God's law of nature. Hello. It's 283 00:22:27,188 --> 00:22:34,300 not natural, the things we're seeing today. Absolutely. And he 284 00:22:34,332 --> 00:22:38,124 says because of that, because they were unthankful, God gave them 285 00:22:38,164 --> 00:22:43,436 over to a reprobate mind. In other words, unthankfulness is the 286 00:22:43,460 --> 00:22:47,916 tipping point. Not just the immorality, but the immorality is 287 00:22:47,940 --> 00:22:55,724 a product of being unthankful. Unthankful. And then God gives them 288 00:22:55,764 --> 00:23:00,884 up. May we be a thankful people. Being thankful does not come 289 00:23:00,924 --> 00:23:05,142 natural. And I know I'm a broken record, but you don't have 290 00:23:05,158 --> 00:23:13,950 to teach a kid how to be unthankful. Right? It's a great illustration. 291 00:23:14,022 --> 00:23:21,374 It works every time. Kid's two years old, what do you do? Somebody 292 00:23:21,414 --> 00:23:29,884 gives them something. You tell little Johnny, little Billy, Billy, 293 00:23:30,384 --> 00:23:34,864 tell them, thank you. And most of the time, what is the natural 294 00:23:34,904 --> 00:23:42,616 reaction? No. And again, mom and dad gotta continually work at 295 00:23:42,640 --> 00:23:46,296 it and work at it. And of course, some kids are easier than 296 00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:50,244 others of getting it right. But it means you do have to, no matter 297 00:23:50,824 --> 00:23:54,480 what, who, what personality the kid has, there has to be some 298 00:23:54,512 --> 00:23:56,964 instruction, There has to be some training. And you have to train 299 00:23:57,004 --> 00:24:01,084 a child to be thankful. And that's constantly staying at it. 300 00:24:01,204 --> 00:24:08,716 And we see this with even our grandchild, who's perfect. Say, thank 301 00:24:08,740 --> 00:24:14,772 you, Say, yes, ma'am. Say, no, ma'am. Yes, sir. No, Sir. And all 302 00:24:14,788 --> 00:24:17,636 the things that, especially if you've been in Texas, you've been 303 00:24:17,660 --> 00:24:25,166 taught to do, just picking on some other people. But it's not natural 304 00:24:25,190 --> 00:24:31,230 to be thankful adults. What happens to us too? Sometimes we get 305 00:24:31,262 --> 00:24:36,942 past our raisin and then we forget. We really do. Sometimes we 306 00:24:36,958 --> 00:24:41,358 are not thankful either. And may we be reminded over and over 307 00:24:41,406 --> 00:24:46,394 again that being thankful does not come natural. Just like a child. 308 00:24:46,734 --> 00:24:50,730 It's not natural for a child to swim. They have to be taught. 309 00:24:50,842 --> 00:24:55,114 A duck does not have to be taught. Swimming for a duck is natural. 310 00:24:55,234 --> 00:25:00,514 Swimming for a human being has to be taught. And so does being thankful. 311 00:25:00,554 --> 00:25:06,578 It has to be taught. How are we to be thankful? We need to constantly 312 00:25:06,626 --> 00:25:11,970 recognize that God owns everything and that everything comes 313 00:25:12,002 --> 00:25:15,954 from Him. I've quoted this Sunday, But James chapter 1, verse 314 00:25:15,994 --> 00:25:21,388 17 says, Every good gift and every perfect gift from above. By 315 00:25:21,396 --> 00:25:26,132 the way, aren't you glad that God wants us to enjoy things? It's 316 00:25:26,148 --> 00:25:29,612 not like he's up there going, bam, bam. I hope this like a little. 317 00:25:29,748 --> 00:25:32,852 Taking the little magnifying glass on a little ant like you did 318 00:25:32,868 --> 00:25:35,756 when you was a kid. If you didn't get to do that as a kid, you're 319 00:25:35,780 --> 00:25:39,276 missing. I'm sorry. Don't even know what a magnifying glass is, 320 00:25:39,300 --> 00:25:43,324 do you? My papa and grandma, on my papa's desk there on the farm, 321 00:25:43,364 --> 00:25:47,330 he always had a magnifying glass. We take it outside, take that 322 00:25:47,362 --> 00:25:53,618 magnifying glass, find some ants and just burn them up. So much 323 00:25:53,666 --> 00:26:02,842 fun. But that's not how the Lord sees us. No, he wants us. Life 324 00:26:02,858 --> 00:26:04,922 was not to be. I said this Sunday. Life was not meant to be 325 00:26:04,938 --> 00:26:06,754 endured. It's meant to be enjoyed. I know I'm a broken record. 326 00:26:06,794 --> 00:26:09,186 That's one of the things I say all the time. Because I think we 327 00:26:09,210 --> 00:26:12,296 need to hear it all the time. Life was not to be endured. It's 328 00:26:12,320 --> 00:26:14,392 meant to be enjoyed. Kids were not meant to be endured. They were 329 00:26:14,408 --> 00:26:17,952 meant to be enjoyed. Marriage was not meant to be endured. It was 330 00:26:17,968 --> 00:26:25,136 meant to be enjoyed. Life was meant to be enjoyed. God's been so 331 00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:29,604 good to us. Everything comes from Him. Everything comes from Him. 332 00:26:30,104 --> 00:26:34,672 We are not self made. No, I did not build that. Some of y'all 333 00:26:34,728 --> 00:26:39,986 get that one later. Psalm 103, verse 2 says, Bless the Lord, O my 334 00:26:40,010 --> 00:26:45,094 soul, and forget not all his benefits Again. We're so forgetful. 335 00:26:45,834 --> 00:26:51,210 So forgetful. He is the Creator of all and the curator of 336 00:26:51,242 --> 00:26:55,586 all. As Colossians has told us there in chapter two. By him, all 337 00:26:55,610 --> 00:26:58,934 things consist. He's the superglue that holds it all together. 338 00:27:00,194 --> 00:27:03,790 The basis of Thanksgiving is recognizing that everything comes 339 00:27:03,822 --> 00:27:07,430 from God. That's the foundation. Everything comes from 340 00:27:07,462 --> 00:27:13,102 him. And then what should we be or how should we be thankful for? 341 00:27:13,158 --> 00:27:15,990 What should we be thankful for? Well, we should be thankful 342 00:27:16,022 --> 00:27:23,446 for the good and the bad. All things work together for good. We 343 00:27:23,470 --> 00:27:28,126 should think, as I said before, thankfulness. And the more 344 00:27:28,150 --> 00:27:31,466 you think, the more thankful you'll be. I don't know how many 345 00:27:31,490 --> 00:27:34,298 times I've counseled somebody in my office, especially marriage 346 00:27:34,346 --> 00:27:39,658 counseling, and say, okay, you really have, both of you. I've heard 347 00:27:39,706 --> 00:27:44,346 both sides, and all you've said was negative stuff. Lots and 348 00:27:44,370 --> 00:27:46,794 lots of negative. Maybe we should write down the good stuff 349 00:27:46,834 --> 00:27:50,954 and see what happens and try to encourage them to write down the 350 00:27:50,994 --> 00:27:54,202 good also. That's happened. And it's amazing how many times the 351 00:27:54,218 --> 00:27:57,634 good will far outweigh the bad. In fact, every time it does, 352 00:27:58,054 --> 00:28:02,006 we just gotta be reminded. We just gotta be reminded the blessings. 353 00:28:02,070 --> 00:28:05,686 Count your blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise 354 00:28:05,710 --> 00:28:08,782 you what the Lord has done. Again, it's the devil who likes to 355 00:28:08,798 --> 00:28:12,254 get your mind on the negative. It's the devil who likes to get your 356 00:28:12,294 --> 00:28:16,798 mind on just the problems alone. It's the devil that likes 357 00:28:16,806 --> 00:28:19,734 to look back in your history and go, that was wrong. That was 358 00:28:19,774 --> 00:28:22,968 bad. That was bad. That was bad. Instead of looking back in the 359 00:28:22,976 --> 00:28:25,472 same land, look what the Lord did there and there and there and 360 00:28:25,488 --> 00:28:31,640 there. Look at all the good things that God supplied to me. We're 361 00:28:31,672 --> 00:28:34,680 commanded in this scripture to be thankful. Notice what it says. 362 00:28:34,792 --> 00:28:40,216 And be ye thankful. It's a command. It's a command from the 363 00:28:40,240 --> 00:28:47,064 Lord. It's not optional. Everybody agree? And be ye thankful. 364 00:28:47,104 --> 00:28:51,582 It's not optional. We are to be a thankful people. Thankful. We're 365 00:28:51,598 --> 00:28:54,974 gonna sit around the table and I've been silly about it Sunday and 366 00:28:55,014 --> 00:28:58,206 today, but, man, aren't we blessed beyond measure. Literally. 367 00:28:58,230 --> 00:29:02,214 I went to Sam's today, and because of you taking care of your 368 00:29:02,254 --> 00:29:06,446 pastor so well, I could go through Sam's and I could buy not 369 00:29:06,470 --> 00:29:10,274 everything I wanted, but most everything I wanted for Thursday. 370 00:29:10,654 --> 00:29:13,118 You walk right into Sam's. What's the first thing you see to 371 00:29:13,126 --> 00:29:22,394 the left? Pumpkin pies, $5.98. And they're this big around hubcap 372 00:29:23,054 --> 00:29:29,006 off a car. Really? I'm not exact. $5.98. Right beside it was 373 00:29:29,030 --> 00:29:35,750 pecan pie. It was like $10 and something. Then there was apple and 374 00:29:35,782 --> 00:29:39,034 whatever else. That stuff I don't care about. No, I'M just kidding. 375 00:29:39,494 --> 00:29:41,566 And, you know, you walk through the store and you're putting 376 00:29:41,590 --> 00:29:45,906 stuff in your. In your basket and, you know, just putting stuff 377 00:29:45,930 --> 00:29:51,938 in the basket. Ham. We're not cooking turkey at our house Thursday. 378 00:29:51,986 --> 00:29:55,442 We're having steak because there's only going to be six of us. 379 00:29:55,538 --> 00:29:58,914 Couldn't afford to feed steak to, like, if my brother's kids came. 380 00:29:58,954 --> 00:30:02,530 He has 11 kids. That wouldn't work. But we're having steak and 381 00:30:02,642 --> 00:30:08,672 it's going to be awesome. Isn't it amazing? You know, I'm not 382 00:30:08,688 --> 00:30:11,232 going to tell you how much I spent, but, I mean, most of us could 383 00:30:11,248 --> 00:30:18,640 go spend 50 to $100. And aren't we blessed? Isn't that amazing? 384 00:30:18,792 --> 00:30:22,624 I just got back from a country that that's not the case. Honduras. 385 00:30:22,664 --> 00:30:29,904 The average wage a month is $150 a month. A banker in Honduras 386 00:30:29,944 --> 00:30:37,624 makes $500 a month. You know, the, the teller. $500 a month. We're 387 00:30:37,664 --> 00:30:42,176 blessed. It was amazing to me as I looked out the window or looked 388 00:30:42,200 --> 00:30:44,336 out the side of that church building, what a beautiful church 389 00:30:44,360 --> 00:30:48,888 building they have. And the land was given to them and the property 390 00:30:48,936 --> 00:30:53,240 already had a structure on it that they were able to retrofit and 391 00:30:53,272 --> 00:30:57,600 make into a church building. Just so blessed. But as I looked 392 00:30:57,632 --> 00:31:02,512 out over the balcony type area, you look down, very nice house, 393 00:31:02,688 --> 00:31:08,040 five or six shanties, you know, very nice house, five or six. 394 00:31:08,112 --> 00:31:15,004 I mean, it's absolutely rich and very poor. Not a lot between 395 00:31:16,944 --> 00:31:21,136 Americans. We're blessed beyond measure. God's been so good 396 00:31:21,160 --> 00:31:25,736 to us. It's good for us to be reminded. I would encourage you. 397 00:31:25,880 --> 00:31:29,048 We do allow, I believe, juniors and seniors to go the medical 398 00:31:29,096 --> 00:31:32,584 mission trip. Every parent ought to make their kids go to one 399 00:31:33,044 --> 00:31:39,660 just to see how good they have it. We have it so good. Let's be 400 00:31:39,692 --> 00:31:43,004 a thankful people. A thankful people. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, 401 00:31:43,044 --> 00:31:45,396 Lord, we love you and we thank you for all you've done for us. What 402 00:31:45,420 --> 00:31:50,996 a blessing it is to receive your benefits. Lord, help us to be 403 00:31:51,020 --> 00:31:53,852 reminded of those things. The devil loves to get us off and get 404 00:31:53,868 --> 00:31:57,384 us thinking about all the negative. But Lord, we know and we 405 00:31:57,504 --> 00:32:00,744 so thankful for all the great gifts you've given us as we sit around 406 00:32:00,784 --> 00:32:03,608 thanksgiving table. Lord, may we be a thankful people. May we be 407 00:32:03,656 --> 00:32:07,264 loving and kind and gracious to those around us. May we forbear 408 00:32:07,304 --> 00:32:12,576 one another. And Lord, may we lift you up. We thank you and we 409 00:32:12,600 --> 00:32:15,024 love you. In Jesus name, amen. We're going to.