I Thessalonians 5:18
5:18. in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
One of God's will is we MUST give thanks in everything.
Psalms 136:1-4
136:1. Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
136:2. Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever.
136:3. Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever:
136:4. To Him who alone does great wonders, For His mercy endures forever;
If we itemize one by one, certainly there are lots of thanksgiving we can raise along year 2010.
Espesially, we have to give thanks to God for His mercy and kindness, to God who alone does great wonders for our life.
God has already done wonders since Genesis. Tonight, we learn from New Testament.
There are 3 things aboutGod does great wonders alone:
5:18. in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
One of God's will is we MUST give thanks in everything.
Psalms 136:1-4
136:1. Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.
136:2. Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever.
136:3. Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever:
136:4. To Him who alone does great wonders, For His mercy endures forever;
If we itemize one by one, certainly there are lots of thanksgiving we can raise along year 2010.
Espesially, we have to give thanks to God for His mercy and kindness, to God who alone does great wonders for our life.
God has already done wonders since Genesis. Tonight, we learn from New Testament.
There are 3 things aboutGod does great wonders alone:
- Matthew 27:46-50
27:46. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?"
27:47. Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, "This Man is calling for Elijah!"
27:48. Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink.
27:49. The rest said, "Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him."
27:50. And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.
Jesus saved sinful people alone.
On the cross, Jesus was alone, even God the Father left Him because He bore all human sins.
Sinful man should be punished in the hell, but if they could be saved by Jesus' help, it is great wonder.
SALVATION IS GREAT WONDER, MORE THAN ANYTHING IN THIS WORLD.
Do not replace salvation with anything (mate, work, etc)!
Matthew 16:26
16:26. "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Salvation is more than anything in this world.
Maybe, we has already got everything in this world such as cleverness, great job, mate, etc. But, have we already been saved?
Otherwise, if we have nothing, salvation is much more valuable than anything in this world.
Jesus could saved by Himself woman who was caught in adultery in the very act (in unclean, dirty, polluted condition and must die).
There is no reason for us not being saved, and we do no need wait for tomorrow. When we meet Jesus, we can be saved, it is only about we want or not.
John 8:9-11
8:9. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
8:10. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?"
8:11. She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more."
Whatever our sins, Jesus can save us alone.
God's kindness forgives us, but after that, sin no more. If we do sin again, we keep on being punished.
Prove that we give thanks for already being saved by God:- Sin no more!
- Live in righteousness!
From now on, we are saved.
If Words comes to show our sins with hard saying, we must give thanks, because approaching end of year, Words still shows our sins that we can be saved and released from sins.
The results are:- All fear, nakedness, suffering, distress, are erased and replaced with happiness.
Scowl and pale face is changed to beaming face. - God protects and takes care us with His blessings and grace.
Psalms 5:13
5:13. For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; With favor You will surround him as with a shield.
Confessing our sins, God has already surrounded us with His shield, and we cannot be touched by anyone. How much more we will get if we live in righteousness, God for sure protects and takes care us with His blessings and grace.
Salvation is more than just help and blessings.
The criminal who was crucified at Jesus' side did not see bodily help but he was saved and could enter into Firdaus because he confessed his sins.
- Sin no more!
- Matthew 14:22-23, 28-32
14:22. Immediately Jesus made His disciples get into the boat and go before Him to the other side, while He sent the multitudes away.
14:23. And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there.
14:28. And Peter answered Him and said, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."
14:29. So He said, "Come." And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus.
14:30. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!"
14:31. And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?"
4:32. And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased.
Jesus as High Priest at the right side of God the Father prays for helping sunk God's child/God's servantby Himself.
Jesus can help sunk God's child/God's servant. It is great wonder. Jesus can help alone, no need any tools like people in this world.
Sinking means as follows:- Degenerating physically.
- Degeneratingspiritually, until being hopeless and perishing.
Cause of sinking isdoubtfulness.
Although we have already become son of God, even servant of God, if we are doubtful, we will surely sink.
Jesus let Peter walk on the sea on which there were wind and wave ("Come").
Not wind and wave which make us sink, but doubtfulheart.- Doubtful heartwhen facing wave of temptation in all aspects, hopes to others, or other things, not to God anymore.
Do not hope to human!
Do not hope to parents although they are rich, do not hope to shepherd. Likewise, parents should not exalt child, and church should not exalt shepherd.
If we hope to human or other things besides Jesus, on one point, we are SURELY dissapointed. - Doubtfulheart when facing wind of false teaching(strange voice) cannot hold fast to one true teaching Word.
We must learn to be honest, starting from now. What is false keep false, no matter it is from our family or any risks may come.
It is worth to give thanks because Jesus has lifted us up from sinking.
Prove that we give thanks for Jesus has lifted us up from sinking is as follows:
We stretch out our hand to God.
It means:- Holding fast to one true teaching Word. Do not doubt! Although we must be left alone because we stand in true teaching Word, God will always be with us.
- Totally trust and commit ourselves only to God, not to others. The others will make us dissapointed.
At that time, God stretches out His hand to us and lifts us up from sink.
The result is:
God restores our condition, all degeneration is lifted up.
God makes everything peaceful and good.
God also gives human shepherd to raise up intercession prayer in the world. We get double prayer.
- Holding fast to one true teaching Word. Do not doubt! Although we must be left alone because we stand in true teaching Word, God will always be with us.
- Degenerating physically.
- Philippians 3:20-21
3:20. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ,
3:21. who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.
Jesus will transform us to glorious body, as glorious as Him,by Himselfthat we become His bride when He comes on second time.
Great wonderis when sinful man like us can be changed to become as glorious as Him and be His bride.
Tonight, we give thanks for we who are despicable will be God's bride who can greet God's second coming.
Prove that we give thanks because we who are despicable will be God's bride and can greet Jesus' second comingis as follows:
We experience renewal of life.
I Timothy 6:11
6:11. But you, O man of God, flee these things and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, gentleness.
Man of God (person who experiences renewal of life) flees from wickedness(love of money) and uncleanness(sins concerning eating-drinking, and marrying-giving in marriage).
We are changedfor chasing:- Righteousness (right is right, false is false).
- Godliness (Using time to worship God).
- Faith.
- Love.
- Patience.
- Gentleness.
Renewal of life is spiritual miracle.
If spiritual miracle happens, physical miracle will happen too.
Great wonders are as follows:- First christmas = God was born as human in Jesus.
- Second christmas= we will be changed as perfect as God.
Revelation 19:6
19:6. And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, "Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!
We give thanks all the time, until we only worship God "Alleluia" day and night in heaven. - Righteousness (right is right, false is false).