Participants: Chris Shelton (Host), Kenny Shelton
Series Code: BTLP
Program Code: BTLP000015
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00:40 Hello, again and welcome to Behold The Lamb presents,
00:43 I'm Chris Shelton your host, and I'm very glad 00:46 that you have chosen to spend a portion 00:49 of your day with us. Thanksgiving is soon 00:53 to be celebrated in our country; 00:55 it's just around the corner. And for the most part, 00:59 you know outside of spending days off of work, 01:02 eating and celebrating with our friends and family, 01:05 is it possible that much of it's original meaning 01:09 has been overlooked. In today's society 01:13 so much of what we see and hear and experience, 01:16 all about me, mine, I. It's all about self 01:19 and how self can look better, be more popular, 01:22 achieve more and on and on the story goes. 01:26 But what about, just what about that age 01:29 old adage of esteeming others higher than 01:33 ourselves. Have we missed the boat 01:35 somehow in the raising of our children to be 01:39 selfless rather than selfish? Perhaps this is 01:43 because of a problem in our society that too 01:47 many adults are also stricken with the same 01:50 selfish tendencies and they may not even 01:53 be aware of just how serious this problem 01:57 really is. You know Pastor Kinney, 01:59 he's entitled his message today "Thankful for what?" 02:03 "Thankful for what?" and perhaps just perhaps 02:07 as we listen today the Holy Spirit may speak 02:10 to our own hearts and perform just a bit of 02:14 needed spiritual surgery in our own lives. 02:17 But as always before we begin today's message, 02:20 we are blessed to go to 3ABN worship center 02:23 and listen to a song entitled 02:25 "How Wonderful Heaven Will Be" 02:28 as sung by Steve Darmody. 03:01 As I see the marks of sin I feel a sadness, 03:09 But there's a thought that 03:11 always brings a sweet release. 03:16 Soon our Savior will be here, 03:22 that day is drawing near, 03:27 When tears, trials and heartaches all will cease. 03:36 Oh how wonderful heaven will be, 03:44 To be with Jesus throughout eternity. 03:53 No earthly thing can compare 03:58 to what is waiting for us there. 04:07 Oh how wonderful heaven will be, 04:29 Oh just think of all the countless joys of heaven, 04:35 A better land, a better life than we could know. 04:44 We will be forever safe thru His forgiving grace, 04:54 This gift is ours because He loves us so. 05:02 Oh how wonderful heaven will be, 05:11 To be with Jesus throughout eternity. 05:19 No earthly thing can compare 05:25 to what is waiting for us there. 05:35 Oh how wonderful heaven will be, 05:43 Oh how wonderful heaven will be, 05:53 To be with Jesus throughout eternity. 06:02 No earthly thing can compare 06:09 to what is waiting for us there. 06:20 Oh how wonderful heaven will be, 06:36 Oh how wonderful heaven will be. 07:15 Thank you for joining us today. 07:16 We're glad that you could spend sometime 07:18 here with us as we open the word of God 07:21 once again. And we just pray that it will 07:23 be a blessing to you and blessing to those 07:26 that maybe neighbors and friends. 07:27 But before we study the word, 07:29 we're gonna be talking about a very interesting 07:31 subject since we're in this season. 07:33 We're gonna talk about "Thankful for what?" 07:36 "Thankful for what?" Do you have anything 07:38 to be thankful for? If it is what, 07:40 are we telling our neighbors and friends, 07:42 are we talking to God about it. 07:44 Let's just go to God and pray shall we 07:46 and ask his blessing upon this message that it can 07:49 somehow reach out and touch those who need a 07:52 special touch today and of course that's all of us. 07:54 Let's pray about it shall we, as we kneel together. 08:00 Merciful Father in Heaven, we commit ourselves 08:02 into thy care and thy keeping. 08:04 Pray that you'd send your sweet Holy Spirit, 08:06 forgive us of our sins anything that would 08:09 block Heaven from being able to communicate 08:12 with us. We pray that it will be laid at the 08:15 foot of the cross. Thank you for your blood that 08:17 flowed from Calvary, touch every heart, every soul, 08:21 every life, every individual, open our ears that we may 08:24 hear you speaking to us. And I give you praise 08:27 and honor and glory in Jesus name, amen. 08:35 You know our subject is "Thankful for what?" 08:38 You know this is an awesome time of the year. 08:41 As far as I'm concerned you know we're doing 08:43 everything else but Thanksgiving time, 08:46 to me it's just an awesome time of the season. 08:49 It's a time to thank God. It's a time to get 08:52 together with family and friends 08:54 and you know have a, share a meal together, 08:57 be able to talk, maybe haven't seen people 09:00 in a while and be able to sit down just have 09:02 some good family time together. 09:04 But I wonder is that all that there is to 09:08 Thanksgiving Day. The world celebrates 09:11 Thanksgiving and what does it really center around, 09:14 does it center around God or does it center 09:16 around us? And is there a time that, 09:20 that we can thank God in a very special way. 09:22 I've heard some people say well you know 09:24 we just need to be careful about designating 09:26 a special day to serve God. You know we can 09:28 serve God and we can praise Him everyday 09:31 of the week. We should be doing that in our hearts 09:33 and in our minds. But how nice that we can set 09:36 aside specific day for those who maybe have 09:39 forgotten God, and they will be reminded as 09:42 called Thanksgiving Day. What do you have to 09:46 be thankful for? Stop just a second and think, 09:49 what do you really have to be thankful for? 09:51 If I ask you do you having something to 09:54 be thankful? You might drop a list from here 09:56 to the floor. That's interesting, others 09:59 you ask you have anything to be 10:01 thankful for and all of a sudden they go, 10:03 they go blank. It's like there is nothing going 10:06 on in their life. There is nothing to be thankful for. 10:09 May I just say this today? Every individual 10:14 has something to be thankful for, 10:17 whether you're rich, whether you're poor, 10:19 whatever you have or you don't have in this life, 10:22 you have a lot to be grateful for. 10:24 We serve a great God? It's the first proclamation 10:29 by the way that was giving at Plymouth 10:32 about three years after they landed there 10:34 and this was by the Governor Bradford. 10:37 And I want you take special notice how our 10:40 forefathers, those who landed in this country. 10:43 How they viewed our freedom of religion? 10:46 How they viewed our thankfulness to God 10:49 for everything that came their way? 10:52 They thanked Him for crops, they thanked 10:55 Him for the blessings of protection. 10:57 This country was founded upon freedom. 11:02 And as we see this founded upon freedom 11:04 and how God blesses us. The sad part of it 11:09 today that seem like mankind is trying to 11:12 do everything possible to get God out of our 11:16 country. To take Him out, but the blessings 11:20 that God gives this country is conditional 11:23 upon us receiving Him and asking Him, 11:27 relying upon Him, praying to Him, 11:30 praising Him. If we're not doing that the 11:34 blessings will not come. Oh! Yeah, he gives us 11:36 a time, but just notice with me what was 11:40 written in a paragraph or so as I was read it 11:42 to you about our forefathers, 11:44 and how they were grateful and thankful 11:47 and how they thought, alright? All the blessings 11:49 I got this year, we need just take special time 11:51 to praise Him. Governor Bradford of Massachusetts, 11:55 he made a Thanksgiving proclamation about 11:59 three years after they settled at Plymouth. 12:01 Here is what he said: "In so much as the great Father, 12:05 talking about the Father in Heaven, 12:07 has given us this year an abundant harvest, 12:10 just jot down those little things that he 12:13 was giving praise for, abundant harvest 12:15 and in so much as he has protected us 12:18 from the ravages of the savages, 12:21 has spared us from pestilence and disease 12:26 and has granted us freedom to worship 12:30 God according to the dictates of our conscience. 12:34 And then he signed into a fact November 12:37 the 29th on Thursday in 1623. 12:42 He said there we're, we should all gather together 12:45 and give praise to God, render Thanksgiving 12:48 to the almighty God for the blessings. 12:52 Oh! That sounds so nice; it sound good 12:55 doesn't it? Is that what we do today 12:57 when we gather together for Thanksgiving? 12:59 Is that what we are really doing? 13:02 This is what we're really doing; this is what they 13:03 did in the beginning, they had a lot to be 13:05 grateful and thankful for where they had come from. 13:09 Little bit later George Washington, 13:11 we're looking at some great men that God used 13:15 and their thoughts and they pinned this word, 13:18 George Washington said this. We are in as it is the 13:22 duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence 13:26 of God Almighty. How bold he was? 13:31 He said it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge 13:34 the providence of the Almighty God, 13:37 and to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, 13:44 and humbly to implore His protection and His favor; 13:49 and then he recommended to the people of the 13:52 United States a day of public Thanksgiving 13:56 and prayer. We need that in this world. 14:01 We need that time, it's more than just all selfish 14:05 and all we're doing. Let me just say this 14:07 now some of you get a little excited about, 14:09 but that's just the way it goes. 14:11 Some of us think Thanksgiving Day 14:13 is the day of parades and football games. 14:15 It was not mentioned here. It had to do with 14:22 giving thanks to God for all of the blessings 14:26 that he bestows upon us, and not only they 14:29 say Thanksgiving but he said you set aside 14:32 for a day that we can pray. How long has it been since 14:37 you, since maybe all of us, have really taken 14:41 this day into consideration? 14:44 President Lincoln, oh! A man quoted from 14:47 quite regularly in 1863 made this comment. 14:52 In fact he passed, what he called a law, 14:56 here is what he said. He said I'm going to 14:58 proclaim the fourth Thursday of November 15:01 to be the official national Thanksgiving Day. 15:08 Do you know how long that it took to ratify this? 15:11 In 1941 we're talking Abraham Lincoln said 15:17 this in 1863. Finally in 1941 the US Congress 15:22 finally ratified that. They took almost 80 years 15:26 for Congress to act. I wonder why so slow maybe, 15:32 when all he had to do was praising God for 15:35 the blessings that He gives. Everyone has 15:39 something to be grateful and thankful for. 15:43 The Bible says in Proverbs 13, verse 7: 15:46 There is that maketh himself rich, 15:49 notice the wording, there is that maketh 15:52 himself rich, listen yet hath nothing. 15:58 And there is that maketh himself poor, 16:02 but yet he hath great riches. 16:05 How can this be? One person seems to be rich 16:08 and yet they have nothing, the other 16:10 person over here has nothing but yet he is rich. 16:12 Could it be the way that he is thinking, 16:16 the way he is making decisions? 16:18 That reminds of a story about an older gentleman. 16:24 This older gentleman he was, was seeing going 16:27 down the street one day, his cloths were clean 16:30 and they were pressed, but they, 16:32 they had a lot of patches in them. 16:34 Well worn, but this man seemed to be very happy. 16:40 He had this, this smile out. I'd like to call it a 16:44 winsome smile. When he smile you just it 16:46 caught your attention, it would draw you to him. 16:50 He would smile people will say oh! Boy this 16:53 man seems to be really happy. 16:56 He was walking along like he, like he owned the 17:00 world. As he walked along down the street 17:04 it was though, even though dressed like he was, 17:06 he owned the world but he really didn't own 17:09 the world, owned very little of it. 17:13 A friend later confided in about this man. 17:16 He said, he carried with him as he walked 17:20 along a little small bag that had less than $2 in it. 17:28 That was all that he had. He had no bank account. 17:32 He had no savings account. In fact the 17:36 man had no home. The man had no money to 17:40 save in the bank. He had, he had nothing 17:42 which to draw of. He had no land, 17:44 he had no family. And yet he walked along with 17:47 this great smile on his face, as though he 17:50 owned the world. It's very interesting where 17:54 this man was headed, smile on his face, 17:57 walking as though he owned the world. 17:59 He seemed like he had nothing less than $2. 18:02 And when he was going for the day was a friend, 18:05 who was in terrible need of a dollar. 18:09 He was going to give that dollar. 18:15 Well, he just had less then $2 to his name, 18:19 but he was happy as he is going. 18:21 There was no selfishness that was found in this man. 18:25 Nothing but there is something kind of 18:30 happiness that lived inside of him. 18:32 He seems to have a faith that nothing could shake 18:37 him. Regardless of what happened the smile was 18:40 there continued to go on down the road 18:42 and whatever hit him he just smiled and he, 18:44 he went on. In fact he, he really believed this. 18:51 He really believe that God was his Father. 18:57 He really believed that his Father owned the cattle, 19:01 you see on the hillside. That his Father had thousands 19:05 of ways to meet his needs. He couldn't even figure 19:10 out all the ways that God had to meet his needs. 19:12 Too numerous, but he walked around with a happiness 19:17 and that assurance though he didn't have 19:20 anything in his pocket, didn't own anything, 19:22 just the clothes on his back. 19:24 There was something special, he knew his father, 19:30 he seem to not have any worries. 19:32 You know how you get when you don't had 19:34 your house payment, you know how you get 19:36 when the electric bill was due. 19:37 You know how you start acting up even as 19:39 the Christian when things get tight. 19:41 You say I've only got a few dollars in the bank. 19:43 At least you had a few dollars in the bank, 19:45 oh! He probably got some, I've heard people 19:47 say some well I don't have any money 19:48 but they've got some money in the saving 19:50 somebody is lying somewhere. 19:55 Say you have nothing if you have something. 20:00 But this man had nothing. He believed 20:05 in the Bible truth, that God would never 20:08 leave him or forsake him for he had supplied 20:12 all of his life. Maybe not like you expect him 20:16 to do for you, but he had met this man's needs. 20:20 Do you remember how we read in that 20:22 passage there? There is that maketh himself rich 20:26 and yet he hath nothing and then you have the 20:28 one that maketh himself poor yet he hath 20:30 everything. Does this man fit? He really believes 20:38 that God loved him; he had a peace that was within, 20:43 that would show on the outside. 20:45 See during this time we need to have that peace 20:49 inside of us but not just stays inside of us. 20:51 That he shows to others who are grasping 20:54 and reaching, we need always to give a word 20:57 of encouragement. If they don't have, 20:59 God is able to supply. If they're down to the 21:02 last dime, God has a lot of dimes. 21:04 Don't know how the bill is going to get paid, 21:08 God can pay the bills. You've seen it, 21:10 he's done it, why doubt him now. 21:15 And so he didn't have any money but this man 21:19 was rich. You think he had nothing to praise 21:22 God about. But he had a lot to praise God about 21:25 and he continued to praise God. He had 21:28 many stories in which he could relate 21:30 how God had blessed him everyday of his life. 21:33 Everyday for him who had nothing 21:38 but had everything. How do you feel about 21:44 today? Is your happiness based on what you, 21:46 what you have? Or should everyday be a day of 21:51 Thanksgiving and praise. For Heavenly Father has 21:55 met our needs over and over and over 22:00 and yet when it gets a little tight, 22:02 we begin to get a little frightened, 22:04 we are afraid that we may not meet that need. 22:07 Oh! God is able. Exercise faith, watch what God 22:10 does, trust him. If he sees fit for everything 22:13 to go so be it. Everything that you have, listen some 22:18 of the people who got, you have a lot. 22:20 Before Jesus comes you know, 22:22 you're not gonna have anything. 22:25 But you're gonna have to have faith to trust Him. 22:28 If he so desires for these things of the world to be 22:31 taken from us, that we maybe made right 22:34 with him turn them them over to him. 22:36 That's why I encourage you put everything 22:37 you have on the alter right now. 22:40 Let God be in charge. I love the old songs. 22:45 I don't know about you, but I love some 22:47 old songs. And one of my favorites 22:50 and I'm sure it's probably yours too. 22:52 It says count your blessings, name them 22:56 one by one, count your blessings see what 23:00 God had done. What a message in this song, 23:09 but we're encouraged to do what? 23:10 Count your blessings, don't just you count, 23:14 I don't have my money in the bank, 23:15 I've not been blessed here, I've got this problem, 23:17 I've got that problem, always looking on 23:19 the negative. Even the song says which is 23:22 the principle of scripture is count your many 23:26 blessings and see what God had done. 23:30 Do you know how that would change your 23:32 attitude for the day? If we just had a more 23:35 positive attitude based not upon the world 23:39 but upon God. How different we would act 23:43 and react. Why? Because if there is a need that's 23:47 not made, not met for that day. 23:50 God is able, isn't he? Sure, he has done it 23:54 for you many times. He's done it for me many 23:56 times. But I do find this some people have a 24:00 very difficult time praising God, I'm not sure why? 24:04 Very difficult time counting their blessing. 24:08 You can challenge someone even as professed Christian. 24:11 Well tell us, give us some blessings, 24:13 tell us what God has, has done for you. 24:16 Some will boldly say well you know I don't, 24:18 I don't, I can't think of any blessings right now. 24:21 Others might be able to think of a few blessings, 24:24 but they just can't seem to get them out 24:26 of their mouth, they want maybe keep them inside. 24:29 If you keep them inside, I will tell you, you're not 24:31 gonna be getting those blessings. 24:32 They've got to come out. We serve a God that 24:35 does what? Good, inhabits our praises, 24:38 so we need to be praising Him. 24:42 Many think they have nothing to praise 24:44 Him about. In fact when you go to Church 24:46 and you have praise time what happens many times? 24:49 You can't get anybody to lift their voice to 24:51 praise God. You say we will give us a report, 24:55 brothers and sisters what God has done for you. 24:58 And it looks like you're just, you're talking to 25:00 the trees. Oh! I can't think of anything right now, 25:05 I know he's done something, I know 25:07 he has but boy I don't know but thank God 25:10 there is always a few that always have a lot 25:12 to praise God for. Why are there some in the 25:14 Church that they always have something to praise 25:17 God for, and the majority 90, 95 percent they 25:20 just can't think of a thing. What are these two or 25:23 three or four what are they do? 25:25 What is that they've got going on in their life? 25:28 That makes them want to praise God, 25:31 give Him thanks, and honor, and glory 25:33 and the other opposes Him what he had done, 25:35 I just don't know. What could it possibly be? 25:40 See we need to get to the bottom of this, 25:42 it's very, very important that we do. 25:45 It kind of reminds me of the, there is you know 25:48 during the gold rush days, there was a man 25:51 who was going out, you know kind of a prospector 25:53 always going out and they're prospecting 25:55 and they were looking for gold and digging 25:56 for gold and so and so forth. But you know 25:59 after few weeks he listen, he consistently, 26:01 now think spiritual, don't think all this is a story, 26:04 this is spiritual. Every few weeks he go out 26:08 and he spend several weeks out in the mountains 26:11 and oh! Boy he just kept doing his what he called 26:14 prospecting; he was looking for gold in the 26:16 hills and every time he came back, 26:20 he had a bigger find of gold, more of it 26:25 and people began to wonder why is this man 26:28 who went out every time, he went out all of a sudden 26:30 he was finding gold and it was bigger than 26:33 before and better than before, and he was 26:36 always thankful. Naturally the other people who were 26:40 prospectors around there couldn't figure out 26:42 exactly why he has so much to be thanked for. 26:44 Why he is getting all these blessings. 26:46 We go out we find nothing, we can't see nothing, 26:49 it's seem like we've nothing to talk about, 26:51 nothing to be thankful for, why is it this man. 26:57 And ever so often they venture out and try 26:59 their hand at discovering some kind of a vein of gold, 27:03 and most of the time they would comeback 27:05 and oh! It just didn't happened. 27:08 They wanted to know this man's secret. 27:10 You know in the Christian life we need to listen 27:13 around and we need to watch and we need 27:15 to look it, and hear what's going on. 27:17 Why are these people, why do people have a lot of 27:20 to be thankful for? And what is that they're 27:25 praising him about. Why are they getting all 27:29 these blessings seems like and some people 27:30 say what they are all the blessings, 27:31 we're not getting them. Oh! I tell you these 27:34 prospectors were the same way and they 27:36 look at this little old man and every time 27:38 he came back and say whoa I hit a big vein, 27:40 it was better than before, more gold praise God 27:43 it's working out good. They say we wanna 27:45 know your secret. We wanna know why it is 27:48 that you are getting blessed. You're thankful 27:51 and you're always praising and so on 27:52 but you're always hitting jackpot, we're not. 27:57 And they just kept needling this poor little man, 27:59 just kept needling him all the time. 28:01 We wanna know what the secret is, 28:02 in our Christian experience is the same today. 28:05 You know what the little man said. 28:08 As he was surrounded by a group of prospectors 28:11 he simply said that please tell us what it 28:13 is here is what he said. He said listen, 28:17 he said I just keep digging holes. 28:24 Well that may not meant too much to you but I 28:26 want you to think in the spiritual sense here. 28:28 He was keeping after it, he was going out 28:32 working, he was doing something. 28:34 He said I just keep digging holes. 28:36 The others weren't going up, 28:37 they were too concerned about why everybody 28:39 else was getting blessed they weren't doing 28:41 anything, here's a man going out 28:42 and he just kept digging holes and the more 28:44 holes he dug, the more opportunities 28:46 he had to find gold. Opportunities that God 28:50 gives you to, to bless you, bless you. 28:52 As Christians I say on this Thanksgiving season 28:57 just keep digging holes. Don't give up, just keep 29:02 digging holes and the blessings will come. 29:04 Bible says in Matthew 7:7 it says, seek, 29:12 you've got it. Seek and ye shall find. 29:15 Go knock and it shall be opened. 29:16 But the Bible says this prospector had it, 29:19 just keep digging. Jesus said you must seek 29:25 and ye shall find. Of course in Matthew 6:33 29:30 it begins to get a little clear. Jesus said here's 29:33 what needs to happen first: Seek ye first the 29:36 kingdom of God, and his righteousness; 29:40 and all these other things will be added unto you. 29:44 Seek ye first, keep on digging holes as it were, 29:49 keep on seeking the Lord and then Proverbs 29:53 really just nails it down as far as I'm concerned. 29:57 Proverbs chapter 2 verse 4 the Bible says: 30:00 If thou seekest for her as silver, 30:03 and searchest for her as hidden treasures. 30:09 Talking about finding Jesus, finding the word of God, 30:13 lighting up in your life, that we need to search 30:18 out God. We need to be searching in his word 30:21 as for what hidden treasures. 30:23 We're gonna have to dig. We're gonna have 30:26 to dig deep down in the well of truth. 30:29 And God's going to bless you and you 30:32 will have a lot to be grateful and thankful for. 30:35 If you haven't found Jesus, may I just give 30:39 you a little bit advice? If you have it found him yet. 30:42 I'm gonna just encourage you to keep right 30:45 on digging, because if you dig in faith 30:49 you will find Him. You know, in order to be 30:54 thankful what's we've been talking about, 30:57 in order to be thankful we must have a thankful 31:01 disposition. What does that really mean? 31:05 A thankful disposition, you know what it's easier, 31:09 it's easier for some people to say thank you 31:12 than it is for others. You know, you just 31:15 take men and women there are a little bit 31:17 differently cut aren't they? And a lot of time 31:21 it's much easier for women to say I'm 31:23 sorry than it is for a man to say I'm sorry. 31:28 Sometimes it's easier for a woman to say 31:30 oh praise God for this. Than a man to say praise 31:33 God there should be that there is and I just, 31:35 I'm thinking today about a thankful disposition 31:39 you say well I'm not really sure. 31:41 That means an inclination to be thankful. 31:44 Do you have an inclination to be thankful? 31:47 Do you have a tendency to be thankful? 31:53 See there is a lot of people, what I have in 31:56 this life I have worked for. I did this much that 32:00 you're in trouble brother. You're in big trouble. 32:03 You've done nothing on your own. 32:06 The Bible is clear, it says in him that we live 32:09 and that we move and that we have our, 32:11 our being. The air belongs to him that you're 32:16 breathing, what you earn, what you have 32:19 in the bank, it belongs to him, he's loaned 32:21 it to you, to see how you're gonna act on it. 32:23 And people acted pretty selfish. 32:26 This is the time to praise him to give thanks 32:29 for all that he has done. Now, let's ask that 32:32 question again do you have a thankful disposition? 32:38 Or you're still thinking about it, 32:40 maybe you don't have an answer but if you don't 32:44 and if you're not sure of what I'm talking about 32:47 here, here is how to acquire one. 32:51 Remember, we must have this disposition, 32:55 a thankful disposition simply means that our 32:57 attitude that means our inclinations, 32:59 our tendency or to say thank you Lord to give 33:02 somebody thank. We find difficult to thank 33:04 somebody when they do something for us. 33:09 Here's how you can acquire one by the way. 33:13 If we understand more fully, if we understand 33:19 more fully the great work that Jesus, 33:22 Jesus in giving his life at Calvary. 33:26 The sacrifice that was made, the salvation of 33:29 this world, if we contemplate those issues, 33:34 all of a sudden it does a little something to 33:36 our heart, and to our minds and to our thinking 33:40 if we're meditating upon Jesus and his life, 33:43 if not we become very selfish and self centered 33:46 and unthankful. Notice what the Bible says in 33:51 First John 3:1, Bible says: Behold, what manner of 33:55 love the Father hath bestowed upon us, 33:59 that we should be called the sons of God. 34:02 Well, I think somebody should have shouted, 34:04 I don't know that I hear you right now, 34:06 but somebody should be standing and shouting 34:08 right now. Behold, what manner of what? 34:11 Here is that word, Love the Father hath bestowed 34:14 upon us. What manner of love that he's bestowed 34:19 upon, that we should be called the sons 34:22 and what and the daughters of God. 34:24 We have no right to be sons and daughters of God, 34:26 we're sinful. We've fallen short and yet he forgives 34:29 us and brings us back into the family 34:31 and he calls you daughter, he calls you son. 34:37 That's what the Apostle says, what manner 34:40 of love it's like it's over his head, 34:41 whoa it's out of this world. That's the kind of love 34:45 that he has for us, regardless of our 34:49 pathetic lives, pathetic mistakes, sin, 34:53 whatever it might be as we come to him 34:55 and confess our sin. Sins and we lay them 35:00 out before him. Father forgive me, 35:03 what manner of love he bestows upon me. 35:07 As he treats me as though I've never sinned, 35:10 as he invites me to be part of the family of God. 35:13 He calls me a son. He calls you a daughter. 35:15 See here's the key, the key is simply 35:19 when we see Jesus, when we see his great love 35:22 that he has for us, and his mercy and his goodness 35:25 and with most above what, his long suffering. 35:29 Long suffering with you as an individual, 35:30 long suffering with me, long suffering with 35:34 the world. Look how long that he is, 35:37 can I just use the word put up, put up with me, 35:40 maybe put up with you, put up with the world 35:43 of all the nasty bad things that are happening in the 35:46 world, how God must view it and how he wants to 35:48 put an end to it, how it must hurt him? 35:54 As we see Jesus, as sinners we find that we, 35:59 we have no hope without him. And yes, 36:03 it's by his life, it's by sacrifice, 36:06 it's everything that he's done that he offers us 36:08 what? Eternal life and he says to me, 36:10 he says to you today, you could be sons 36:12 and daughters of God. What manner of love 36:15 he's bestowed upon us, shall we not take a day? 36:18 Every day of our life, be grateful and thankful, 36:24 a day of Thanksgiving, a day of prayer. 36:26 I mention before not just a day of family gathering 36:30 and feeding our face, eating way too much, 36:35 and when you get done it, first thing you want 36:38 to say I ate too much. Where is the recliner, 36:41 get back on recliner or half way pass out, 36:45 turn the football game on? This is not what work; 36:49 this is not what the Bible talks about Thanksgiving. 36:51 The principles of Thanksgiving. 36:54 Our forefathers understood it. 36:59 Many times they went into detail. 37:01 They thanked him, listen for the corn 37:03 and for the potatoes and for the green beans, 37:06 are you still with me? They identified everything 37:09 that came up out of the ground because, 37:11 he reaped power in the earth those things to grow, 37:14 they belong to him and he gave them willingly. 37:20 Do we, do we really did, are we missing something 37:22 here what an opportunity, 37:24 a time for us. But our key, 37:28 if you don't have a thankful disposition, 37:30 we need to behold Jesus and his sacrifice 37:33 and as we behold him, we become thankful 37:36 and our disposition change, and it's easier 37:39 for us to say oh! Thank you Lord. 37:40 Thank you neighbors, thank you friends, 37:43 thank you for all that's been done. 37:45 And then with that thankfulness what do 37:47 we do. We begin to follow Jesus wherever 37:50 he leads us. See this is exciting, 37:52 not just say thank you Lord and then 37:54 we pray some prayer but we're willing to 37:56 start following him all the way. 37:59 Why because his Spirit is drawing us to him. 38:01 Have you felt that Spirit drawing you lately 38:04 oh! Friend, don't forsake it. 38:06 You remember James, so you've been reading 38:09 James 4 verse 8. it says if we draw nigh 38:13 to God, he will draw nigh to you, 38:17 draw nigh to what? To God, because God's 38:22 drawing you and he's going to draw nigh to you, 38:25 I believe this you take a step, you take one step 38:28 toward him, he will take two towards you, 38:32 and some of you not been thankful enough. 38:35 You're afraid maybe to take that step 38:37 today don't be afraid. That would be the greatest 38:40 thing that you've ever done. You need not 38:43 worry about because you're in the hands 38:44 of a capable God that loves you more 38:48 than any earthly individual could. 38:49 He want you to spend eternity with him. 38:52 He is doing everything possible to save you, 38:54 but you've got to take a step toward him today. 38:57 Jesus said behold I stand at the door 38:59 and I knock. He doesn't intrude on you. 39:02 He doesn't threaten you. He just says look 39:05 I'm knocking would you please open the door 39:07 and I will come in and I'll slept with you. 39:10 And I had to say oh! Behold what manner 39:11 of love the Father hath bestowed upon us 39:14 that we should called the sons of the God. 39:19 What an awesome thing that is. Now, what is it 39:23 that you have anything to be thankful for today. 39:26 I'm gonna have to help you there, 39:29 because you're still some of you are stuttering, 39:31 well I'm not sure if I this simplicity everyday life. 39:36 That's why no one should say there is service, 39:38 they have nothing to praise God about. 39:40 How about the bounties of just simply life, 39:43 why not? Why not start, first of all, 39:46 are you thankful for Calvary. Oh! If you're 39:49 not thankful for Calvary, oh! Dear friends we need 39:51 to behold Jesus. We need to get in the word 39:54 and we need, we're not get on our knees 39:55 and say God I'm not thankful for Calvary 39:57 but I wanna be. I don't know this man 40:01 called Jesus, but I want to get to know him. 40:04 What a time during the season to be thankful 40:09 for what, oh for Calvary or you are thankful 40:15 for some healings maybe that's taken place in your 40:17 family and friends. Are you thankful for the clothes 40:21 that you have on, the shelter, the health, 40:22 the loving care that we have, mercy, 40:25 long suffering, the Bible was on and on, 40:27 protection, his power, answer to prayer. 40:30 All of these things and we are just scratching 40:33 the surface, air, sunshine, everything 40:36 we had to eat. Movement, ability to think, to chose, 40:43 these are awesome. For all of the good gifts 40:51 that he has provided, now if some of you are 40:55 still shy, some of you still are not sure how I can, 40:59 I can learn how to be thankful. 41:02 Let's do this, let's do some cultivating. 41:05 Here's how to cultivate you will say well I'm not 41:09 sure cultivate. Cultivate is simply to develop. 41:12 It means to improve; it means to refine our 41:17 thankfulness. So if you're still wondering 41:20 and you're a little shy and you're a little backward 41:21 or you haven't learned yet. Here is another good key. 41:25 We need to be educated, educate what, 41:31 do you mean educated? Education has to do 41:33 with what? Good, teaching and it has to do with 41:36 learning, it has to do with training, 41:39 it has to do with development. 41:41 So, we need to develop, we need to be teaching, 41:44 we need to be learning the soul to be cheerful 41:48 or to be happy and thankful. So, we have 41:53 to educate sometime because you haven't 41:54 been trained that way or you haven't understood it. 41:57 We need to educate the mind to be what the 41:59 soul to be cheerful, to be very thankful. 42:02 Thankful for what? For the love of Jesus 42:07 and to be grateful to God for the blessings of life. 42:11 So, yes your attitude can change, your disposition 42:15 can change, you can cultivate a change in 42:18 your heart in your life if you are willing. 42:21 I mean to me it's just easy to see this, 42:24 I don't know about you, it's easy to see. 42:26 If there was anyone who could be continually 42:32 happy, it should be the Christian. 42:34 I'm talking continually; if we should be happy 42:37 day in and day out, oh we're gonna have 42:39 our days, but what at the base of everything 42:41 we were to be happy. And so if anyone wants 42:48 to be happy in this life, it's to be what, 42:51 it's to be a Christian, it's to be a follower 42:54 of Jesus Christ. Now, this is real important. 42:58 Please pay attention we just have few moments 43:00 left I want you think. Maybe put a star by 43:04 where you taking note and it's very childish 43:08 you might say, it's very simple but listen 43:10 I want you to daily pray, daily pray this. 43:13 Lord teach me to do my best for you, 43:20 now regardless of what you do. 43:22 Lord teach me to do my best for you, 43:27 and that just so reminds me that old song you know 43:32 I wonder have I done my best for Jesus. 43:36 When he has done so much for me, 43:40 so I want you to pray this Lord teach me, 43:44 teach me to do my best for you and Lord give me, 43:48 give me energy and give me cheerfulness, 43:50 help me to be happy and help me to be thankful 43:54 for all the blessings that you give me 43:57 and something else Lord please bring in love 44:02 into my heart, your love into my heart. 44:06 In everything that I go about to do for you, 44:09 let there be love, let there be Jesus that 44:12 comes through. The simple thing is to pray Lord 44:16 teach me to do my best. I want you to pray that, 44:20 I want you to pray that day in and I want you to pray 44:22 that day out. And as we are educating 44:25 and training and teaching and cultivating our 44:28 Thanksgiving to God remember this, 44:30 oh! This if going to be difficult for some, 44:32 very difficult from people who profess to be 44:35 Christian. Love Jesus with all the heart. 44:37 There's three things here I want you to do. 44:39 While you're cultivating what, while you're 44:42 educating, while you're training I want you 44:45 to smile, smile, smile. Watch how things will 44:51 change for you and if there is some reason, 44:53 some reason that you are sad. 45:00 Don't let your face reveal that fact. 45:03 Now that's a challenge isn't for us? 45:05 Yes, it is it's a big challenge. Do you realize 45:08 all the problems that we could smile away 45:12 as we've cultivated and we're learning to be 45:15 happy and learning to be cheerful because maybe 45:17 we have been that way before, because we didn't 45:19 know Jesus and now we know Jesus and we got 45:22 a lot to be thankful for? So, quickly as, maybe 45:28 as a biblical platform of what we should do on 45:31 Thanksgiving. Let me just give you a couple little 45:34 hints if you haven't found out yet. 45:36 Yeah, it's bigger than you and bigger than me, 45:38 and bigger than our family, even though that's part 45:39 of it. Will we, will we just celebrate this day as we, 45:47 as we always have or we're gonna give it to God 45:50 in the special way this time. Is it gonna be devoted 45:54 to the world or it's gonna be devoted to God? 45:58 This is a time for us to remember. 46:01 Yes our family and our friends and God's 46:03 blessings and so on, but it also remember, 46:06 the Bible is clear on this. It's a time to remember 46:09 the poor, those who don't have what you have. 46:13 You remember in Matthew chapter 19 where Jesus 46:16 talks about the rich man, you know what must I do. 46:19 He says sell what you have and give what? 46:22 And give to the poor and the man turned away 46:25 sorrowfully, sell what you have and give to the poor. 46:29 That's interesting today we live in a world where 46:32 we want to give to those who can give back to us. 46:34 This is not found in scripture, 46:36 there is no principle in scripture for this. 46:38 Back the word of God says in Proverbs 22:16 46:43 listen carefully: he that giveth to the rich, 46:47 shall surely come to want, he that giveth to what? 46:52 To the rich shall surely come to want. 46:54 Proverbs 10:22 oh! Pay attention proverbs 46:58 10:22 the Bible says: The blessings of the Lord, 47:02 it maketh rich. What is it? The blessing of the Lord 47:09 makes us rich. You may not have much in this life, 47:13 but you can be rich in Jesus Christ. 47:15 You may not have much but you can be happy 47:17 in him. Thanksgiving needs to be what it implies, 47:22 what the principle of it, how God looks at it, 47:24 Thanksgiving simply implies giving thanks. 47:28 Are you giving thanks to him today, 47:31 are you are thankful for all he's done? 47:35 Think about what you can do for others during 47:37 this time, some have lost their income, 47:39 lost their job, lost their home. It's a time to give 47:42 back to them but you know what, 47:45 I'm gonna encourage this; don't forget 47:48 your dearest friend. Thanksgiving is the 47:50 time to give God thanks, give a gift, 47:54 take a gift to church with you, 47:55 especially mark it out for my best friend Jesus, 47:58 who's done everything for me. This is what it's about 48:01 in giving things back to the one who's given you 48:03 everything. Why not do that, try you haven't tried, 48:06 how about trying this year, because my Bible says 48:09 that I read it: Every good gift and every perfect 48:13 gift comes from above. Read that in James 48:16 chapter 1 verse 17. Every good gift, 48:19 have you receive that free gift, 48:21 that's come upon all men. Have you received that 48:26 unspeakable gift? Have you received that gift of 48:29 grace that Ephesians 3 talks about and have 48:31 you tasted of that Heavenly gift Hebrews chapter 6. 48:36 If not friends today is the day, let's pray 48:38 about shall we quickly before we end today. 48:41 That we will be able to do as God wants us to do, 48:43 let's pray shall we together. 48:44 Merciful Father in Heaven pour out your Spirit I pray 48:47 upon each one of us, help us to be in thanksgiving 48:50 time, very thankful and grateful to the God 48:53 above for all that he's done all that he's doing, 48:55 and will do for us in Jesus name, amen. 48:59 We hope you have a good holiday season. 49:01 Please don't forget to support 3ABN and 49:05 it's bringing you this gospel message around 49:08 the world day by day. And we will look 49:10 forward to seeing you next time. 49:15 Welcome back and I certainly hope 49:17 and pray that, that was a message that you can 49:20 be thankful for. And look what I've got to 49:22 be thankful for my husband's going to 49:24 be joining us at the close of today's program. 49:27 Absolutely. What do you on your mind today? 49:30 Oh! We've a lot to be thankful for since 49:32 we're always talking about the Thanksgiving season. 49:34 But I'm still thankful for the letters, 49:36 the emails that we receive, what a blessing 49:39 we just want to share few. Okay, you know by 49:42 the way and I brought you some glasses. 49:45 Yes, all grandmas need glasses. 49:47 Grandmas have to have glasses and also a few 49:49 letters that we can read together. 49:51 But you know right quick, I'm very thankful 49:53 for this station that you watch all the time. 49:55 What a blessing it is to bring programs to you 49:59 and spiritual enlightenment, day in and day out 24/7 50:02 Amen, Praise the God for that. 50:03 So, I'm very thankful for this station. 50:05 It's certainly light in the midst of darkness. 50:07 Yes. I mean what an answer to so many prayers 50:10 and it's because of you that the station is 50:12 continually to move forward with the 50:15 Three Angels Message. It's also because of you that 50:17 we are here, so all of us need your support 50:20 and we need your prayers. Amen, praise the Lord 50:23 and these kind of letters and just very short, 50:25 these are the things that encourage us. 50:28 Absolutely. To continue on, not that 50:30 we need somebody to pad us on the hips so on. 50:32 No. But we know that people are being reached 50:34 for Jesus that the power of the Holy Spirit is 50:36 working in hearts and lives. Oh! What an 50:39 encouragement that is to us thank you for sharing. 50:41 And you know this is just a portion, 50:44 just a small portion these are some of the most 50:46 recent ones and sometimes people call in 50:49 and they're going through heartache. 50:51 We don't wanna share those things but we 50:52 praise God that we are there and maybe able 50:56 you know by God's grace to give a good word 50:58 in due season. Amen, you know there are some 51:02 statistics that are given it seems like the holiday 51:05 season is the time that people are excited 51:07 and they wanna go about doing things in family 51:09 and friends and so on. But I understand it's the 51:11 time when most people become depressed also, 51:15 because it's a time that they need to be 51:18 getting together, maybe they've lost loved ones, 51:19 they lost home and family. Whatever it might be, 51:21 so this is a time we really want to be an 51:24 encouragement Amen. To those who need 51:26 extra help during this time. Okay, well let's read this 51:29 first one, this first came to us by email 51:32 and it was emailed all the way from Africa. 51:35 It says Dear founder and I'm assuming, 51:38 I don't really know why they said that, 51:41 I'm assuming founder of Behold the Lamb Ministries. 51:43 Dear founder this is a fellowship from Kenya 51:47 started here as a Bible study. In our home in 51:50 January of 2010, we preach Jesus the savior 51:55 who was resurrected and is returning soon. 51:58 We have reached you through the leading 52:00 of the Holy Spirit, isn't that answer a prayer 52:03 of it's own. Praise the Lord yes it is. 52:04 Through the Holy Spirit because we pray believe 52:06 it or not friends we pray for every portion of 52:09 this program, Amen. Every time we begin 52:12 and then we end we thank the Lord. 52:14 It says reading on we have been blessed by 52:17 the teaching on your website for the past 52:20 three months, amen. The messages there in 52:24 has increased our faith in the Lord 52:27 and motivated us to work for him. 52:29 We are very thankful in the Lord to be in 52:32 contact with you. We write today to request 52:36 you to consider us as fruits of your ministry. 52:39 Amen. Out of your vision and prayers, 52:42 we welcome you to visit us here in Africa. 52:45 Hope to hear from you in love, Abraham. 52:48 Amen. You know that is an awesome thought, 52:52 we were in Africa in 2009. We spend almost a month 52:55 there. We were very, very thankful saw many people 52:58 come to the Lord. Amen. But the messages that 53:00 they are talking about on our website, 53:02 we had different messages than of what, 53:04 what is aired here on 3ABN. These are our 53:08 other messages that we allow people to view, 53:11 you know record do whatever they want 53:12 free of charge. You can go there, you can listen 53:14 and watch and prayerfully be blessed. Amen. 53:17 This next message was also an email and this is 53:21 just part of that message. It says hi, 53:23 my name is Pauline from Queensland, Australia. 53:28 I better read that again. My name is Pauline from 53:32 Queensland, Australia, I just wanted to tell you 53:35 that I enjoyed your program very much. 53:38 It blessed my soul. And this was what actually 53:42 one of the first programs I think was aired. 53:44 Yes. From Behold the Lamb presents the Lord 53:46 on 3ABN. This is, what's encouraging. Amen. 53:48 That it's blessed their soul nothing to do with us. 53:50 All to do with what we've talking about the power 53:53 of the Holy Spirit. Yes. And we wanted, 53:55 we know as we preach the truth of God's word 53:58 it is accompanied by the Holy Spirit. Amen. 54:00 That it will touch lives for Jesus. 54:03 If it's not accompanied by God's Spirit it's just 54:07 as a the Bible says it's a tickling symbol of, 54:11 sounding brass that just availed nothing. 54:14 That's it. Every message must be anointed 54:17 by the Holy Spirit. Amen, good. This third message 54:19 we'll sent in with the donation after ordering 54:21 our five part series which I hope you folks 54:24 remembered, I hope you were able to watch 54:26 that we had entitled "Addressing The Power 54:28 of The Holy Spirit." In her note Dorthy from 54:31 Tennessee wrote and it's just short and 54:33 sweet but I thought it was nice, yeah. 54:36 Thank you for your quick response. 54:38 Praise the Lord she says. Our church needs these 54:42 DVD'S and what she means is our church 54:45 needs these messages. Yes. We need to know 54:48 more about the outpouring of Holy Spirit. 54:50 We need to be praying for that. Amen. 54:52 And thankful that God has given us that invitation, 54:56 that we can even do that. That we can have that, 54:59 that we can go forward in his power and his strength, 55:02 because I don't know about you but I sure 55:03 don't have power, I sure don't have strength 55:06 of my own. No, we have none so this is the time 55:08 that we wanna give praise and honor, 55:10 Thanksgiving season. Yes, it is. To the God 55:12 of Heaven and be thankful for every one 55:14 of the viewers. You were out there praise God for 55:17 you and we're believing with all of our heart 55:19 that God's gonna do mighty marvelous things, 55:22 and so as we're learning in our message what we 55:25 need to be doing this time of season. 55:28 Yes. Is reaching out and touching others for Jesus, 55:32 so, we're thankful for you thankful for the station, 55:35 thankful for what you give, what you do. 55:37 We have so much to be thank for, if we're standing 55:39 here breathing, we have some food to eat, 55:42 oh! Yes, our economy is such a mess right now. 55:45 But God, God never left his people without a way 55:49 of escape and we praise Him for that 55:51 and we're very thankful for that. 55:52 And you know Pastor Kenny. Yes. I think we 55:57 should kneel and I think we should have 55:59 a closing prayer for this people, what do you think? 56:01 Oh! Special for them, special for you out there 56:05 who are some is gonna be listing, 56:06 some is gonna be watching and it may be 56:08 delayed whatever but the power of the Holy Spirit 56:11 can reach your heart right now. 56:13 Yes. And the words are spoken. Amen. 56:14 Can bring joy and encouragement during 56:16 this time of the year. Let's just kneel madam, 56:19 shall we right now let's pray together. 56:23 Merciful Father in Heaven, we thank you 56:26 for your love that you have for us. 56:28 You set in your word it's an everlasting love, 56:31 and you loves us with that love that's without 56:33 end and you love us in a way that we had found 56:36 very difficult in this life to even comprehend. Amen. 56:40 But we thank you and by looking to Calvary 56:42 it helps us understand how much you do love us. 56:45 We are praying specially now for those who are 56:48 viewing those who are need those who are 56:50 maybe a little despond because of the season 56:53 when people are looking around and maybe family 56:56 is not there maybe they go, so many have lost their 56:58 homes and they have been so discouraged 57:01 and I just lift them up to you right now by faith. 57:03 Amen. The very throne room of God that you 57:06 will reach out and touch these individuals, 57:09 comfort, yes the comforting power of the Holy Spirit. 57:12 That they can reach out and maybe even in their 57:16 midst of problems and test and trials, 57:19 that they may reach out to help someone else 57:22 along the way and eternity will help them. 57:24 Lord meet their needs I pray in every form, 57:27 mentally, physically, spiritually and financially. 57:30 As we give you praise and honor and glory, 57:33 continue to bless lead guide and direct may this 57:36 be the first day of our life with Jesus. Amen. 57:41 I thank you for hearing and answering prayer 57:42 the short time to be able to spend together 57:45 to lift up our voices and your voices, 57:47 wherever you are at in praise to our creator, 57:51 our redeemer, our sustainer in Jesus name Amen, Amen. 57:55 I thank you Jesus and thank you for watching. 57:59 Thank you for spending time with us today. 58:01 We wanna hear from you, you want to write us. 58:04 You can write us at the Behold the Lamb Ministries, 58:06 that's PO Box 2030, Herrin, IL 629248, 58:11 or call us here in America at central standard time 58:15 at 618-942-5044. You can email us at 58:21 BeholdTheLamb Ministries@yahoo.com, 58:24 or visit us on the web at BeholdTheLambMinistries.com. 58:30 Until next time may our precious Lord 58:32 continue to richly bless you and yours. |
Revised 2014-12-17