Sermons

HINDRANCES FOR DEVELOPING A LIFE OF THANKFULNESS
(Thanksgiving Message, Text: Luke 17: 11-19)
Rev. Luis S. Notario
Glencairn Baptist Church

God wants us to be thankful. “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our LORD JESUS CHRIST.” (Eph. 5: 20);
“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in CHRIST JESUS concerning you. (I Thes. 5:18);
“And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the LORD JESUS, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” (Colossians 3: 17)
“Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our LORD JESUS CHRIST.” Eph. 5:20)

Man however is hindered by some reasons for developing a life of thankfulness:
1. Disorganization. We are in a very busy world, where we are so disorganized. We don’t set the right priorities in our lives. Most of us concentrate on earning more money for accumulation of more material things. We are too busy that we don’t anymore have time to sharpen our axe. We don’t even have the time to thank God and realize that all the material things we have come from Him.

2. Disappointment. We get disappointed when we asked God for something and we get something else. We don’t realize that God has always His reasons why he doesn’t give us exactly what we asked for.
a) It may not be good for us. Jut like a child asking for matches.
b) We may be asking something good for us, but God wants to give the very best for us. Anything else is second best. Remember, God sent His only begotten Son to save us. He cares enough for us to send the BEST, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. (John 3:16)
c) We see blurredly as to what we are asking for. For example, most of the Jews are still waiting for the Messiah when the Messiah was already given. Sometimes, we don’t realize that the Lord had already given us the blessings we are asking for, because we don’t see them clearly.

3. Discontentment. This is the attitude of some of those who are never content with what they have. They always grumble, criticize, nothing can meet their standard, there is no satisfaction.
Example: My daughter one day asked for some doughnuts, and I bought her chocolate doughnuts . When she got them, instead of being thankful, she complained because she said she wanted something with the colored sweet things on top of them.

4. Disinterest or taking things for granted. The Israelites during their 40 years in the wilderness were supplied by God with manna from heaven for their daily subsistence. But they took it for granted and they were not grateful.
Contemplate on this: Comparison with the rest of the world:
1. It is said that if you have food in your refrigerator, clothes in your closet, a house or a place to sleep, you are richer than 75% of the rest of the world.
2. If you have money in the bank, some coins in your wallet, you belong to the top 8% of the world’s wealthy.
3. If you could attend church services freely without fear of harassment you are real blessed compared with those in other countries who risk their lives every time they attend church services or Christian fellowships.
Jack Henton had his short missionary trip to Tobago in a Leper Colony. Before the service ended, he asked the congregation what song they would like to sing as a closing hymn. An elderly woman raised her disfigured hand (without fingers). Mr. Henton also noticed that the woman had no more eyelids, no more nose and she had barely a part of her lips left. She said, “Sir, let us sing my favorite song, Count Your Blessings”. Despite her disfigured body and the situation she was in, she was living a life of thankfulness.

* Let us develop a life of thankfulness. Don’t allow the hindrances mentioned above keep you from thanking God for everything He has given you.