凡事感謝上帝; Give thanks to God for everything

11/27/09 Thanksgiving Sermon by Rev. Rong-Hu Lu translated by Joshua Lin

凡事感謝上帝

Give thanks to God for everything

以弗所5:15-20

Ephesians 5

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

各位兄姊平安：

Dear brothers and sisters, may peace be with you.

今天是感恩節主日。

Welcome to today’s Thanksgiving service.

感恩節是基督徒一年一度向上帝表示感恩之心的節日。開始是由1620年乘坐五月花來美國的基督徒所發起，用來向上帝感謝祂引領，看顧他們遠渡重洋，賜他們新生活的大恩。

Thanksgiving is a special time of the year for Christians. This is the time for us to express our upmost gratitude to the Lord.

The first Thanksgiving was after the Puritans arrived in America in 1620 on the Mayflower. After their difficult journey, the Puritans wanted to appreciate the Lord’s guidance and protection.

“上帝有無限的恩惠”是聖經的主要教導。但是我們常常像被寵坏的小孩子一般，,認為享福，.得上帝的恩典，是該得的份(entitlement).

One main teaching of the Bible is that God gave us unlimited grace. However, we often behave like spoiled little children and treated God’s gifts as our entitlement.

若沒有什麼”恩上加恩”的事，就好像没有什麼值得感謝的樣子。因此我要提一份

Maranatha Daywatch 於Thanksgiving day 2000 年所post 的感恩理由。

Therefore, some people would say: “we really have nothing to be thankful for because there is nothing going on”. Here I want to share a list from Maranatha Daywatch. She wrote down a list for her to give thanks for on the Thanksgiving Day in 2000.

雖然時過九年, 数字方面也許肖有些改变，但是所列的理由仍然正確。它說：

Even though nine years has gone by since this list’s creation, the list is still quite valid.

1. If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you, and furthermore, you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world that cannot read at all.

2. If you woke up this morning with more health than illness…you are more blessed than the one million who will not survive this week.

3. If you have never experienced the danger of the battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pain of starvation…you are ahead of 500 million of people in the world today.

4. If you can attend a church meeting without fear of harassment, arrest, torture, death…you are more blessed than three billion people on this earth.

5. If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep…you are richer than 75% of the world’s population.

6. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in the dish someplace…you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealth.

7. If you hold up your head with a smile on your face and are truly thankful…you are blessed because the majority can, but most do not.

8. If you can hold someone’s hand, hug them or even touch them on the shoulder…you are blessed because you can offer a healing touch.

只要我們會看，會算，不像無知的人，而像是誠实有智慧的人、那麼就處處可看到上帝施落在我們身上的恩惠是何等浩大。此外；

Consequently if we can see our surrounding, be honest and wise with ourselves, not be ignorant, we will see the greatness of God’s grace and work around us.

Let us start with the following things and encourage among ourselves to be more appreciative.

1. Be thankful that you don’t already have everything you desire, if you did, what would there be to look forward to?

2. Be thankful that you don’t know something, for it gives you the opportunity to learn.

3. Be thankful for your mistakes. They will teach you valuable lessons.

4. Be thankful when you are tire and weary, because it means you have (worked hard and) made a difference.

5. Life is by no means a roaming around in a rose garden; We are tested by major changes, delay promises, impossible problems, unanswered prayers, undeserved criticisms, and even senseless tragedies.

6. But the good news is that God wants us to pass the test of life…He never allows the test we face to be greater than the grace He gives.

I Corinthian 10:13 says, ”No temptation/test has seized you except what is common to man . And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.”

To make your life happy and thankful, try not to count what others owe you or the things you think you have done for someone. Instead, count the number of times you felt better just because you can help and so as to make them happy.

We also don’t have to keep comparing ourselves against others. You don’t have to keep up with the Jones, for his lawn is not necessarily greener. The Lord says, “ better on handful with tranquility than two handful with toil and chasing after the wind.” Eccl 4:6

Don’t worry about what you do not have or what you have lost. Cherish what you have and enjoy them because the past never returns but the future may make up the loss.

Give thanks to God for use being Christians/His children. For only in God we are truly safe and secured, anything else is false security. Whether you are surrounded by mighty walls of stone, having a comfortable home or a secure job, no one can predict what tomorrow may bring. Our relationship with God is the only security that cannot be taken away. For God says, “ I am your God, and you are my child”. And, the Lord Jesus promised to be with us to the end of the world.

Life presents many options. You don’t always have to pick what seems best. Sometime, the best and the perfect ones will not always make you happy. You may have chosen what seems to be a wrong decision or caught up in a not so good situation, but at times, it is through them that our life becomes better. For with God nothing in impossible and everything can be beautiful. Ours is a wonderful and marvelous God.

Give thanks to he Lord for He is good and His faithfulness through out generations.

Amen