The Citizen, 2007-10-04, Page 19By Pastor Dave WoodHuron Chapel EvangelicalMissionary Church, Auburn
I heard about two kids who were in
Sunday school one day. The teacher
had taught the lesson on Lot’s wife
who became a pillar of salt.
After Sunday school they were
walking out and one of the kids said to
the other one, “Do you really believe
that Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar
of salt?”
The other one said, “Yea, I believe
it. My mamma went driving yesterday,
she looked back and turned into a
telephone pole.”
You see, the Word of God contains
truths, which although at times are
hard to believe, are nonetheless just as
true. But does truth, amazing as it is,
have any value if it is not embraced?
You are driving down the road when
you come to a sign that reads,
“Dangerous Curve Ahead.”
Immediately you are confronted with
making a choice. You can observe the
warning and slow down. You can
ignore the warning and maintain your
rate of speed. Or, you can defy the
warning, pull a Mario Andretti, and
speed up.
Whatever choice you make, you will
not change the truth of the sign. The
curve remains dangerous, regardless of
whether you acknowledge the fact or
not.
This is just the way it is with truth.
If you would have a thankful
attitude, a choice has to be made by
you to purposefully replace a
complaining spirit with an attitude of
thankfulness.
Thankfulness is a decision. We don’t
come into the world in a thankful
mode. We don’t instinctively gush out
a bucket load of gratitude for all the
amenities that we enjoy.
In fact, I would suggest that unless
we learn the attitude of gratitude,
unless we make a decision to exercise
thankfulness, we will be unthankful.
It is like the little boy who was asked
by his father to say grace at the table.
While the rest of the family waited, the
little guy eyed every dish of food his
mom had prepared. After the
examination, he bowed his head and
honestly prayed, “Lord, I don’t like the
looks of it, but I thank you for it and
I’ll eat it anyway!”
The psalmist wrote, “Oh that men
would give thanks to the Lord.” Psalm
107: 1-9 (Read)
I want to focus on verse 8 where it
reads, “Oh, that men would give
thanks to the Lord.”
“Would give thanks” not “could give
thanks” because think about it. If it
read they “could” give thanks then just
think of the complaining that would
result, imagine the prayers of God’s
people if this is what it said!
We would probably come up a
myriad of excuses why we can’t.
This would put the ball in God’s
court, wouldn’t it? The onus would be
on Him. We would be free to tell God
things like “You know God, it’s Yourfault God; if I could give thanks, thenI would but I can’t because look at
what You have done.”
And then the list would grow! Our
disappointments and complaints
would escalate and instead of being
thankful, we would probably gravitate
toward the opposite.
But it doesn’t say that does it? It
says “let them”, it says, “oh that men
would” meaning people that the choice
is ours! Thankfulness is a decision. We
have the technology to be thankful.
It is a choice that we make and this
choice has an affect in our lives. It is a
critical, life-changing, joy-producing,
happiness-inducing choice and has
within it the power to transform a
complaining attitude into a thankful
attitude.
I don’t think God is asking us to
employ some mind-over-matter, power
of positive thinking formula that
somehow helps us to be transcended
above the situations of our lives and
live in the realm of the happy, happy,
happy! This sort of mentality can be
too close to the “name and claim it”
philosophy where if we believe it
enough then God will do it; if we have
enough faith God will honour it and do
what we ask of Him.
I think God is asking us to simply
use our minds no matter our situationsand ask, “Do I really have a lot to bethankful for?” If we ask this question,
if we will stop and consider the reality
that we are living in, trials as well as
triumphs, sorrows as well as joys, will
we find reason to give thanks?
Here is what we need to do in any
given situation: be realistic about the
situation, voice the complaint, write it
down and then logically look at it and
see if there is not something you can
be thankful for.
This is what God honours; this is
where God resides, in the praise of His
people for as we give thanks we are
giving praise.
We are not denying our situation but
we are recognizing that at the very
least, that there is One who will never
leave us nor forsake us and even when
we can’t understand the whys, we can
still rejoice because we are carved on
the palm of His hand!
Thankfulness is a decision based in
reality and honours God and bolsters
faith. This is powerful friends! We are
asking God to change our attitude
before we find ourselves in the
wilderness. We are recognizing that
attitudes are decisions about how we
are going to think and it is not Disney
World thinking to choose to focus on
the good things in our lives. It is
wisdom because thankfulness opens adoor that can change our lives because. . .
Thanksgiving is a Life-Changing
Decision: The message that is found in
Psalm 107 and especially verse 8 is
important, it is life-changing. And
why? Because if we miss it, if we will
not put into practice this principle of
deliberately deciding to change our
attitude of complaining by practising
thanksgiving . . . We will wander in the
wilderness. We will fly low and miss
the joy of altitude living.
It is our choice and no one else is to
blame if we chose to wander in the
wilderness instead allowing the
attitude of gratitude to cause us to soar.
It is your turn to look inside. Does
the attitude of gratitude reside within
you? If not, there is a solution through
a change of heart.
Ask yourselves: Am I a thankful
person? Do I make the choice to be
thankful or fall into a pattern of
complaining?Am I seeing the blessings ofthankfulness in my life? Do I know the
joy that comes with gratitude because
remember, giving thanks is the
seedbed for faith to grow. Or is my life
like a wilderness? What percentage of
my thought life is focused on good,
positive, praiseworthy things?
How often do I go out of my way to
recognize with gratitude a person that
God has used to bless me? When
thankfulness is part of the discipline of
our lives, we will see increased joy and
happiness.
Gratitude is one moment at a time.
Ask yourself, “Am I choosing
thankfulness right now? Am I?
Remember, attitudes are patterns of
thinking formed over a period of time
and these periods of time accumulate
moment by moment and choice by
choice.
Choose to be thankful, moment by
moment.
THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 4, 2007. PAGE 19. From the Minister’s StudyReplace complaining spirit with thanks
The God Rocks!®cartoon characters and
universe is based on Luke 19:40,
“If the people fall silent,
the stones will cry out.”
Fun rock characters, including
main character Chip Livingstone, live in the
imaginary town of Rocky Ridge,
where they live to sing and praise God
- just in case the people fall silent!
Beginning on Monday, October 15
Living Water Christian Fellowship will be offering children
aged 4-6 (JK-Grade 1) an opportunity to become energized with
the Good News. This program will be held at Blyth Public School from
5:00 - 5:45 pm. Overview:“Because God Created Me, I Am Special”
• I Will Worship God • I Will Trust God • I Will Be Kind
• I Will Forgive People • I Will Encourage People.
For more information about the God Rocks!Program in Blyth,
contact Angela at 519-523-4800 or email redcastle1@ezlink.ca
For general information visit the website www.godrocks.ca or watch
an episode on Saturday mornings at 8:00 am on the CTS network.
Using high quality animation, original music, books and other
creative resources,God Rocks! was designed to teach kids
important lessons from the Bible in a fun way.
Please join us for worship
SUNDAYS
Morning Service 10:00am
Evening Service 7:30pm
BLYTH CHRISTIAN
REFORMED CHURCH
Pastor John Kuperus
Hwy. 4, Blyth
Sunday 9:30 a.m. - Family Sunday School
10:30 a.m. - Morning Worship Service
7:30 p.m. - Evening Worship Service
Wednesday 6:30 p.m. - Olympians (JK to Grade 6)
7:00 p.m. - Youth and Adult Bible Study
HURON CHAPEL
EVANGELICAL MISSIONARY CHURCH
Auburn - 519-526-1131
PASTOR DAVE WOOD
BRUSSELS - ETHEL PASTORAL CHARGE
UNITED CHURCH OF CANADA
Sandra Cable, Worship Leader
Church Office 519-887-6259 E-mail - bepc@wightman.ca
Sunday, October 7
Ethel United Church
Worship Service - 9:30 a.m.
Brussels United Church
Worship Service - 11:00 a.m.
Celebrating our Christian Faith together in worship
308 Blyth Rd. E. ~ Pastor Les Cook 519-523-4590
B l y t h C o m m u n i ty Church of God
C H U R C H O F G O D ,ANDERS
O
N
,
I
N
D
I
A
N
A
“The Church
is not a building,
it is people
touching people
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
- Christian Education
for all ages
11:00 a.m. - Worship Service
Mid-week Bible Studies
See you
Sunday!
THE ANGLICAN CHURCH OF CANADA
Welcomes you to come
and worship with us
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 7
Trinity, Blyth
9:30 a.m.
519-523-9595
St. John's, Brussels
11:15 a.m.
519-887-6862
MELVILLE
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
BRUSSELS
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 7
Wheelchair accessible ~ Nursery care available
Rev. Cathrine Campbell - 519-887-9831
11:00 am - Sunday Morning Worship
- Sunday School
9:30 am - Sunday Belgrave Service
Corner of Dinsley & Mill Street
Blyth United Church
Office: 519-523-4224
Worship Service 11 a.m.
Guest Speaker: Emily Phillips
Sunday, October 7
All Welcome
getlivingwater.org
Pastor: Ernest Dow ~ 519-523-4848
Oct. 7: Ps. 100, Php. 4:4ff
Living Water
Christian Fellowship
at Blyth Public School,
corner of King & Mill
10:30 a.m. ~ Worship & Sunday School
Christ-centred, Bible-believing,
Fellowship-friendly, Growth-geared
1st & 3rd Mondays - Prayer Warriors
Tuesdays - Wingham Small Group
Youth: Mondays - Senior
- Fridays - Junior
Oct. 13 - Women’s Fall Renewal
at Huron Chapel, Auburn
“How Can I Give Thanks
When It’s Tough?”
THANKSGIVING /
COMMUNION