Remembering to thank God is not just a polite or optional part of faith—it's essential for maintaining a vibrant, healthy relationship with Him and with others. It keeps us humble, joyful, and aware of God's constant presence and provision in our lives.
[00:00:00] Let us pray, pray together on our knees
[00:00:07] Let us pray, pray together on our knees
[00:00:14] When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun
[00:00:21] Oh Lord, never see all the knees
[00:00:27] Welcome to the Bible Speaks with Elgin Carelock
[00:00:30] The Bible Speaks is a weekly ministry of Harvest International
[00:00:33] Our prayer is that the Bible Speaks will encourage you in your study of God's word
[00:00:38] You will be able to contact Elgin at the address given at the end of this broadcast
[00:00:44] And now, here's Elgin
[00:00:46] Brothers and sisters, I welcome you in the name of our risen Savior Jesus Christ
[00:00:52] And as we continue to celebrate the season of Pentecost
[00:00:56] I wanted to end our discussion on turn and take your journey
[00:01:03] By having a discussion on giving thanks to God
[00:01:08] Our inspirational scripture is Matthew 6 verses 31 through 33
[00:01:15] Which reads, So don't worry about these things
[00:01:19] What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?
[00:01:25] These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers
[00:01:29] But your heavenly Father already knows all your needs
[00:01:33] Seek the kingdom of God above all else
[00:01:37] And live righteously
[00:01:39] And He will give you everything you need
[00:01:43] As we get to our promised land
[00:01:47] We must remember to thank God for the journey
[00:01:50] And the blessings of the new land
[00:01:53] We also should take an opportunity to write down what we've learned on the journey
[00:01:58] So that we're able to share with others who may yet be in the midst of their journey
[00:02:03] Or just beginning
[00:02:05] Thankfulness to God is not only expressed in words
[00:02:09] But also in how we live our lives post arrival
[00:02:14] Living our gratitude can involve dedicating the land
[00:02:18] With the fruits of your journey to God's service
[00:02:21] Whether by using your new position, resources or lessons learned
[00:02:26] To bless and serve others
[00:02:29] This reflects a recognition that all achievements are stewardship
[00:02:34] Intrusted to us by God
[00:02:36] Meant for His glory and the good of others
[00:02:41] In Genesis 12 verse 2
[00:02:44] God promises, and I will make you a great nation
[00:02:49] And I will bless you and make your name great
[00:02:53] So that you will be a blessing
[00:02:56] When we are diligent and obedient
[00:02:59] God can bless us on levels we never imagined
[00:03:03] In fact the word tells us in 1 Corinthians 2 verse 9
[00:03:09] I has not seen nor ear heard
[00:03:13] Nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him
[00:03:20] This is speaking to both the person who receives the blessing and those who they bless
[00:03:27] This is what Luke is talking about in chapter 6 verse 38 when he says
[00:03:33] Give and it shall be given
[00:03:36] Even though our respective promised lands are indeed for us
[00:03:41] They were given as a means to bring God glory and to share the good news of His provision, faithfulness and support through the journey
[00:03:51] Neglecting to thank God can create a sense of spiritual distance or disconnect from Him
[00:03:59] Regularly acknowledging God's provision is a way of maintaining an ongoing dialogue and relationship with Him
[00:04:08] When we fail to give thanks it can feel as though our relationship with God becomes a transactional thing rather than relational
[00:04:18] Potentially leading to a weakened faith and diminished awareness of His presence in our lives
[00:04:25] My other caution is that you do not let achievement of the promised land create a feeling of accomplishment in your own ability
[00:04:36] When we take God's blessings for granted we might begin to believe that we are owed these provisions or that they are the result of our own efforts rather than gifts from God
[00:04:48] This attitude can harden the hearts and shift our focus away from God
[00:04:55] Leading us to prioritize self-reliance or material success over spiritual growth and dependency on God
[00:05:03] I know that some of you might be asking why I keep referring to promised land in your life when God did not specifically tell you that
[00:05:16] Well Jesus said in Matthew 11, 28, come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest
[00:05:28] That is a promised land. He also promised that He came that we may have life and have it more abundantly
[00:05:37] So the promised land in the grace dispensation is about the relationship we have with Jesus that allows us to access the promises of God
[00:05:48] Brothers and sisters remembering to thank God is not just polite or an optional part of faith
[00:05:56] It's essential for maintaining a vibrant healthy relationship with Him and with others
[00:06:03] It keeps us humble, joyful and aware of God's constant presence and provision in our lives
[00:06:12] Thank you again for spending this time with me and I look forward to our conversations next week
[00:06:19] And until then, God bless
[00:07:06] Coming home never needs