Four Keys to Thankfulness A Thanksgiving Sunday Message Nehemiah 12:27-47

PUTTING THE “THANKS” BACK INTO THANKSGIVING It requires our intentionality because… We are prone to get distracted by superficial things of the season. We are prone to take things (that God’s given us) for granted. Thankfulness shifts our focus from ourselves to God. Thankfulness encourages others to be thankful to God as well.

NEHEMIAH’S EXAMPLE: FOUR KEYS TO THANKFULNESS 1)JOY: Begin with a decision to rejoice in God. And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, with thanksgivings and with singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres And they offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced. (vs.27, 43)  A joyful attitude is a prerequisite of thankfulness.  Happiness is what’s happening to us (passive) but joy is how we react to what’s happening to us (active).  We are to rejoice in the LORD not in the circumstances which requires us activate our faith in our perspective.  So, have you been ACTIVELY trusting the LORD with joy? Show it by your attitude and a joyful noise to the LORD!

4 Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises! 5 Sing praises to the LORD with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody! Psalm 98:4-5

NEHEMIAH’S EXAMPLE: FOUR KEYS TO THANKFULNESS 2)PURIFICATION: Be sure to purify your hearts before God. And the priests and the Levites purified themselves, and they purified the people and the gates and the wall. (v.30)  The Old Testament’s ceremonial purification is to honor God who is holy and righteous.  To us the New Testament believers, it is confession of any known sins in purifying our hearts before God.  So, is there any sins in your life which the Spirit has revealed to you? Confess your sins to God and be purified! If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

NEHEMIAH’S EXAMPLE: FOUR KEYS TO THANKFULNESS 3)GIVING THANKS: for the things God has done for you. 31 Then I brought the leaders of Judah up onto the wall and appointed two great choirs that gave thanks... gave thanks went to the north… gave thanks stood in the house of God… there were songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. (vs.31,38, 40, 46)  Giving thanks is an obedience of faith—to count and remember God’s work, gift, blessings for us.  Why? Our depraved has a spiritual amnesia, forgetting what God has done for us.

Choosing To Be Grateful Gratitude as a discipline involves a conscious choice. I can choose to be grateful even when my emotions and feelings are still steeped in hurt and resentment. It is amazing how many occasions present themselves in which I can choose gratitude instead of a complaint. I can choose to be grateful when I am criticized, even when my heart still responds in bitterness. I can choose to speak about goodness and beauty, even when my inner eye still looks for someone to accuse or something to call ugly. - Henri J. M. Nouwen

NEHEMIAH’S EXAMPLE: FOUR KEYS TO THANKFULNESS 3)GIVING THANKS: for the things God has done for you. 31 Then I brought the leaders of Judah up onto the wall and appointed two great choirs that gave thanks... gave thanks went to the north… gave thanks stood in the house of God… there were songs of praise and thanksgiving to God. (vs.31,38, 40, 46)  Giving thanks is an obedience of faith—to count and remember God’s work, gift, blessings for us.  Why? Our depraved has a spiritual amnesia, forgetting what God has done for us.  So, have you been choosing to be grateful, recalling intentionally what God has done for you this year? Give thanks to God and be thankful for each of them specifically!

NEHEMIAH’S EXAMPLE: FOUR KEYS TO THANKFULNESS 4)COMMUNAL THANKSGIVING: Give thanks to God together and share your gratitude communally in unity. One went to the south on the wall… 38 The other choir of those who gave thanks went to the north… 40 So both choirs of those who gave thanks stood in the house of God… 43 And they offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and children also rejoiced. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away men were appointed over the storerooms, the contributions, the firstfruits, and the tithes. (vs.37, 38, 40, 43).  Communal thanksgiving is a vital part of God’s people.  Thanking God together doubles our gratitude—it is contagious and has a powerful testimony to the world.  So, will you take time to practice communal thanksgiving as God’s people? Share your thankfulness with CrossWay family and also in your home this year!

OUR COMMUNAL THANKS-GIVING TO GOD Write 2-4 sentences on your note-card to this question: "Looking back 2011, what are you most thankful for concerning our CrossWay church family?” (Be specific.) Your Name Thank You LORD for…

WHAT HAS GOD DONE FOR US SO FAR IN 2011? (AN INCOMPLETE LIST)  Sending Bo & Cindy to China/Adrienne & Paul’s safe return  CrossWay 3 rd Anniversary/Lent/EASTER Service & Celebration!  Newborn Babies [Titus, Elias, James, Amelia]  Expecting Babies [Christine, Jenny K, Jamie]  New CW Family Members [Rico & Ro and Cameron & Jenny]  A Family Reconciliation & Breakthrough  Healing/Mercy for [Christina’s dad, Cindy’s sister, Ho’s kidney stone, Justin’s lung, Caroline’s headache/kidney, Elgin’s mom, Jay’s dad…]  Our missionaries’ fruits: Wade & Helen, Bo & Cindy, Bob & Grace  All-Church Retreat with Alan Fadling in Palm Desert  Our marriages/families/kids/health/blessings  God’s provision for Meeting Place [3 rd year at Olive Crest Facility]  Homegroups/studies on the life of Jacob and Joseph  Men’s /Women’s groups/QT Training/Prayer Meetings/S & S Days  Growing Children’s Ministry & Two New Interns [Lauren & Scott]  James Series, Psalm 23 Series, Paradox Series/CrossWay Stories  Church Picnic/Life-Together/Birthday Parties/BBQ/Superbowl  Our own transformation/spiritual growth/unity & so much more…

TWO PRACTICAL QUESTIONS FOR OUR EVERYDAY LIFE 1.Communally, what should we thank God for? 2.Personally, what should I thank God for?