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Pastor Yared Dondo
Lead Pastor City Harvest Church
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This morning I want to encourage you to thank God even
in difficult moment.
I have read an interesting story of Mathew Henry
the author of Complete Bible Commentary,
he was robbed everything but on his diary that day he wrote two remarkable sentences “ Thank God I am robbed
but I am alive” and “ Thank God they rob me and I did not rob them.
In Thessalonian 5: 18 the Bible says “give thanks in all circumstances; for
this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Also in Ephesians 5 19-20 “19speaking
to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make
music from your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father
for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
May God help us to be people are
appreciative and thankful in every situation.
Genesis 50: 19-20 the word of God says
”19 But Joseph said to them, "Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of
God? 20 You intended to harm me, but God
intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many
lives.”
Joseph passed through hard times when his relatives
intended to kill and later sold him, but in his heart he did not complain and
later he found that God has a good plan for him.
Maybe you have been left out in relationship, though is
painful, God may have a good purpose for that.
Christian should have a continuos thanksgiving even if
we are passing through challenges and temptations.
Three
reasons for having continuous Thanksgiving
1.
Because the World is watching and listening
In Acts 16:25 “About
midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other
prisoners were listening to them.”
Paul and Silas were
humiliated and put to prison, they did not complain they were praying and
singing and other prisoners were listening to them.
Your neighbours,
friends, family and workmates are watching and listening, be careful what you
are doing when passing through challenges.
1Peter 2:12 “Live
such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong,
they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.”
Make sure you live
right with God everyday.
2.
Satan is also watching and listening
1 Peter 5: 8 Be alert and of sober
mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for
someone to devour
Devil is also watching us, if you give
him a chance he will devour you.
Job 1:11 “But now
stretch out your hand and strike everything he has, and he will surely curse
you to your face.”
Sometime you may
pass through challenges it is not that you have done something wrong to God,but
Devil is watching and listening if you can curse your God as he expect it from
Job.
Have a Life of
Thanksgiving don’t curse God.
3.
God is also watching and listening
2 Chronicles 16: 9 “For the eyes of
the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on
behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him. In this you have done foolishly;
therefore from now on you shall have wars.”
God is looking for people with
Thanksgiving heart
God is looking for people who are
committed and faithful to him.
2 Chronicles 20: 17-21
“17 You will not have to fight this
battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord
will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go
out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’”
18 Jehoshaphat bowed down with his
face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down in
worship before the Lord. 19 Then some Levites from the Kohathites and Korahites
stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with a very loud voice.
20 Early in the morning they left for
the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, “Listen to
me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the Lord your God and you will
be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful.” 21 After
consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to
praise him for the splendor of his[a] holiness as they went out at the head of
the army, saying:
“Give thanks to the Lord,
for his love endures forever.”
If you are passing through hardship
and difficulties don’t fight, Praise the Lord, humble before the Lord,Lift the
Lord higher and Victory will be yours.
As Paul and Silas were singing in
Prison, God did not kept quite he listened to them and intervened.
As were are going to the end of 2013,
God is looking for People with Thanksgiving heart.
Do you want to experience freedom try
Thanksgiving
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