Thanksgiving is a Verb

Philippians 4:10-13

 

 

This book is about joy.  The key to joy is contentment.  The fruit of both is thanksgiving.  And thanksgiving is a verb.  Well, technically, it’s not a verb.  The dictionary says it is a noun.  The same dictionary says that ‘giving thanks’ is a verb.  You see, we have turned thanksgiving into a noun – a holiday, an event, a gathering, a meal.  I’m glad for all of this, but I never want to forget that thanksgiving is a verb…an action…a state of being.  And it’s not just thanks‘saying’, but thanks‘giving’.

 

v. 4          joy

v. 11        contentment

v. 6          thanksgiving is sandwiched between joy and contentment!

 

Ben Franklin - "Contentment makes a poor man rich, and discontent makes a rich man poor."

 

Contentment is gratitude for what you have, and not bemoaning what you don’t have.  Contentment is thinking positively in all situations, having faith in your faithful God, and finding your joy and hope in Him alone.

 

v. 8          Focus on the good in your situation and you will find so much of it there won’t be time to be brought down by the bad.  Thanksgiving is an action verb…it’s YOU giving thanks.  Take action!

 

ill.--are you a thermostat or a thermometer?  Do you set the temperature around you or just register what's already in the room?  Paul was a thermostat.

        Some Christians work in a dark place and say, “It sure is bad here.  This place needs some light.”  Here’s an idea:  Be the light!  Set a new atmosphere, or you will be darkened along with them.

        Some Christians have a lot of death in their family, and I’m not talking about loved ones who have been buried.  I’m talking about family who haven’t been born again…the walking dead…they aren’t saved, or if they say they are, they don’t have the fruits of salvation.  Deep down you know they are on their way to hell, so you pray for them, and you pray for God to send someone to them so they can be quickened and resurrected from their spiritual death.  “There’s a lot of death in this place.  I wish God would bring some life to my family.”  Here’s an idea:  Be the spark of life!  Be the answer to your own prayer.  Speak up and be a defibrillator – “charging…clear” – share eternal life with them or else they’ll pull you down to their level…people would think you were dead too.  Be careful, or they’ll have you staying home from church when they come to visit rather than you bringing them to the Lord!

        Some Christians come to church and say, “This congregation is cold.  God send us some on fire believers.  This place is quiet.  I sure hope somebody will say amen and get excited about the Lord and plug into the power of His Word being preached.”  Here’s an idea:  You do it!  Be part of the solution [thermostat] or I guarantee you will conform and become part of the problem.

 

Ill.—we sing a great song and you really want to sing out and lift your heart to the Lord, but it would be a lot easier if the people sitting near you would just do the same.  Problem is, they are thinking the very same thing and are waiting on you.   Be the thermostat…set the temp!  Thanksgiving is a verb…take action!

 

Paul was not often 'under the circumstances.'  He walked in victory. And part of his victorious nature is that he was content in his life.

 

Contentment is based on our abundant spiritual riches in Christ!

 

Very few Christians are truly content.  They don’t know how rich they are!

 

But godliness with contentment is great gain. [1 Tim. 6:6]

 

The opposite is complaining, ingratitude, and covetousness.

 

We complain because children are loud and needy instead of grateful that they are alive.  We complain about our car, while forgetting that a majority in our world doesn't have one.  [house or on the street?]

 

When tempted to complain, remember how many would love to trade places with you.

 

"I complained about my shoes, until I met a man with no feet."

 

v. 11        I have learned...by experience.  [Because contentment doesn't come naturally.]  We need God to teach contentment to us by experience and His Word.

 

1.     Learn to appreciate what God has given you.

v. 10        What is Paul rejoicing about?  He had been arrested, and the people at Philippi didn't know where he was until they heard he had been transferred to Rome.  They dispatched their pastor, Epaphroditus, to Rome with a care package.

 

They had concern, but lacked opportunity.  We are the opposite!  We have every opportunity, but lack the concern for others.

 

• Even Paul had great needs in his life. 

We forget that Bible characters were real people who sneezed, snored, and itched just like you and I do.

• God knows our needs ahead of time.

Mt. 6 - The Father knows you need these things before you ask Him!

 

You have definite needs right now.  You should be comforted that God is not surprised or caught off guard.

 

• God will meet your needs in unusual ways you couldn't imagine.

There's no way Paul was expecting their gift when it came, but it was perfectly timed.  But he was content even if it didn’t come.

"flourished again" = a tree that is budding in the springtime.  He was in the desert of his days, and this gift was a breath of fresh air...and it came unexpectedly.  It's God's providence!

 

Pro = before

video = to see 

        Providence!

 

Life is not a series of coincidences, and it's not just fate.  The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord!  [Psalm 37:23]

 

Psalm 32:8 -- I will guide thee with mine eye.

John 10:4 – …he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him:

God goes before His sheep to make sure their needs are met.

 

[sacrifice of Isaac] Jehovah Jireh means the Lord will provide!

 

Joseph in the OT is sold into slavery, and he's imprisoned falsely, and his life looks like a lot of bad luck.  But God worked it all together for good to save his family in the famine. And God meant it for good. [Gen. 50:28]

 

God's providence!

 

• God often works through other people to meet our needs.

God fed Elijah with ravens. He used Philippi with Paul.

 

ill.--famine in Germany, with no heat in the winter.  A cold, hungry Christian family read about Elijah being fed by ravens.  Their little boy opened the front door.  His mom asked why.  "Mama, it's so the ravens can come in."  They left the door open.  A policeman walked by and inquired why the door was open.  They explained.  He said, "I will be God's raven."  He took care of their needs that winter.

 

Contentment has nothing to do with how much or how little you have.  It's all about attitude and perspective.

 

ill.--cornbread and milk

Have you ever had it?  The first time I saw my mother in law stuffing cornbread down into her glass of milk I said, "What’s that, are you gonna feed the dog?"  She said, "No, I'm eating this."  I said, "It looks like somebody already did!"

        One day a preacher sat at a table with a farmer who gave him cornbread and milk.  The farmer said, "Preacher...all this, and Jesus too!"

 

Thanksgiving is a verb…take action!

 

Got a Christian spouse?  Quit complaining about their faults and thank God for them.

Got a church home?  Quit looking for the faults and realize most of the world would give anything to have a poor church with a sinful pastor and a copy of the Word!

 

1.     Learn to appreciate what God has given you.

 

2.     Learn to accept your circumstances.

v. 11        'content'

1 Tim. 6:8

Godliness with contentment is great gain.

Heb. 13:5

…be content with such things as ye have…

 

Accept your circumstances.  I don't mean to be self satisfied with mediocrity.  We should have a holy desire to strive to be our best for God!  No student should be satisfied with a B if God has given you the ability to make an A. 

 

Do it with all thy might!  Press toward the mark!

 

I mean that when circumstances come that you have no control over...God's peace and serenity can cover you if you recognize that God IS in control...and you can be content!

 

We fret over so much that we cannot change.  When the rich man's dessert isn't served fast enough, or his plane is late, he makes a big scene because he has not the resources on the inside from which to draw serenity.  He is out of control, and can't take the stress.

        But with Jesus on the inside, things outside don't mean so much.

 

v. 12        Our contentment comes from within, not without. 

 

Poverty is better than prosperity, for some.  If the latter makes you independent of God, it's better to be poor.

 

Hosea 13 - God said we were so close when you were in drought, but when your pastures were filled you forgot me!

 

If you think more money will make you happy you are sadly, badly mistaken.

 

1.     Learn to appreciate what God has given you.

2.     Learn to accept your circumstances.

 

3.     Appropriate the power God has made available.

v. 13        A life verse for many.  But see it in a new light in context of v. 12 and contentment. 

        Do I want to be abased or suffer need?  No.  But “I can do that thing through Christ!”

        If I abound and prosper, might I be tempted to forget God?  Yes, but “I can do that thing through Christ!”

 

We need to walk around with a hole in our pocket.  What do I mean?

A man purposefully put a big hole in one of his pockets.  Each time a pessimist said something to him, he'd write it down and put in into the pocket with a hole.  An encouraging word went in the other. Each night he would empty his pockets and pull out what he learned that day.  All he had was the positive!

        Some of you have your hole in the wrong pocket!

 

I get a ton of emails, and some is hateful.  That's why there's a delete button!

 

We are so blessed.  If we turn thanksgiving from a noun back to a verb, and put it into positive action, we will have joy and contentment, and we won’t have time to lick our wounds and be depressed.

 

We are rich.  Let us not forget!

 

ill.--a poor farmer barely eeked out a scrawny living.  His land wasn’t fertile, and drought plagued him all his years.  He died with nothing.  After he died, another man came along and discovered huge deposits of oil on his land.  [No, his name was not Jed!] 

All those years, the farmer was sitting on untold wealth, and didn't know it. 

        Don’t let your first day in heaven be the first time it sinks in.  You have a wonderful life, through Christ!