Mercy Me

God’s Mercy gave me an attitude adjustment

As we approach Thanksgiving, how have you done with the daily challenge to thank Jesus for at least one thing everyday. Have you thanked Jesus for something different each day? What do you have to be thankful for? How do we show thanksgiving?

Col. 3:13-17 In all you do give thanks to God…………Why

• • Colosse was a church in decline
  • Colosse not the city it once was noted for commerce
  • Added oriental mysticysim, Jewish legalism and Greek speculation
  • Were not free in Christ ---the head---more worried on rituals
  • Outward appearances not inward
  • Relied more on rules and esoteric experience than on Christ
  • Occurred about 60 years after Christ rose look at us 2000 yrs. later

What we need is an attitude of gratitude. An attitude adjustment

• • Thanksgiving

• • What does It mean to you
  • Turkey dinner, all the trimmings
  • Cranberry sauce—just over 30 days to Christmas shop

1. 1. wait till 1 day/year to thank God

• • grumble the other 364 days
  • is backwards
  • need 1 day to grumble
  • to much into the me things with God
  • what has He done for ME lately
  • should be what have we done for HIM lately

• • 138 verses on "thanksgiving"

• • from Greek yadah (yaw-daw) =give thanks, to throw, praise
  • we can praise others
  • from the verb we get the noun thanksgiving todah (toh-daw)
  • can be different forms, songs, offering, prayers
  • eucharisteo (yoo-kharis-the-oh) to give thanks a prayer
  • before meals
  • the Lords supper
  • Psalm 116:17 it’s a sacrifice
  • this Psalm is a song of graditude for deliverence
  • from death (spiritual) temptation (worldy) for answer to prayers
  • to keep His word, must be a slave to Him, servant
  • Phil 1:3 bountiful, reward, deal justly so he may live or recover
  • should be spontaneous
  • Pauls writing to the Phillipi church
  • He just thinks of them and starts praising
  • Gets his praise groove going
  • Maybe he feels compassion and their hurt
  • What are you thankful for? That your not like someone else
  • Luke 18:10:14 That’s pride and God hates it look to the Phairsee and tax guy praying.

• • Have you considered Gods mercy

• • 1 Chron 16:34 thankfulness for Gods mercy & goodness

• • To be thankful for that?
  • What is Gods mercy
  • Elehos (el-eeeh-oss) implies active sense of compassion
  • Doing something anything based on ability
  • Could be as easy as just talking to someone might be what they need a visit to one no one visits
  • Write a note, send a card say something nice
  • Luke 10:29-35 The good Samaritan
  • • he helped did what he could,
    • that is mercy he not only felt the need ,
    • he did something about it
  • Acts 3: 1-8 Peters compassion for the lame man at the temple
  • Lame man asked for one thing, got something better--he could walk
  • We ask for things and get something better
  • May not be what we asked for be open to answer
  • • I asked God for strength that I might achieve
    • I was made weak that I might learn humbly to obey
    • I asked for health that I might do greater things
    • I was given infirmity that I might do better things
    • I asked for riches that I might be happy
    • I was given poverty that I might be wise
    • I asked for power that I might have the praise of men
    • I was given weakness that I might feel the need of God
    • I asked for all things that I might enjoy life
    • I was given life, that I might enjoy all things
    • I got nothing I asked for, but everything I hoped for

• • His mercy in our salvation --- He changes us for heaven now
  • Rom 5:8 Christ died for us while we were still sinners
  • Gave us a pardon, we have to go to Him to get it
  • Believe on Him, he does the work, you have to be the pencil
  • Ask His pity, His mercy , His compassion on you
  • He does the work in you and thru you

• • Give praises always but check your motive!!

• • Even in the bad times
  • Easier to do in good times
  • Exo. 14:17 Look at Isreal, they were happy when Pharoah’s men drowned in the Red Sea
  • They thanked God
  • But never made it to the promised land. Why
  • They lost their thanksgiving or praise groove
  • Started grumbling, wanted it all and all of it now
  • God wanted to destroy them all
  • He had mercy, Moses interceeded for Israel, God relented=mercy
  • Motive has to be to God, no other reason no ulterior motive
  • Picture of Jesus, God went to prepare the promised land
  • Brought Isreal out of slavery (sin)
  • Took them on a journey to Canaan promised land
  • They didn’t enter in due to sin----grumbling
  • John 14:2-3 Jesus said He is going to prepare a place
  • Said He will come back for us, take us there
  • Is a word picture, what happens to us if we grumble
  • They believed Moses, just didn’t do what he said
  • Do we do as Jesus said?
  • Oh thank God life here may be hard but not when He comes back
  • So we give thanks in all things: salvation, prayers, changed lives wisdom, food

• • Why get an attitude of graditude 3 reasons

1. 1. Heart of gratitude has no room for other stuff

• • Many talk of joy, rejoicing, happiness- just want stuff
  • If full of gratitude…no room for anything else
  • Eph. 4:31: Anger , bitterness all leave
  • Hard to do, but must
  • Don’t grieve the Holy Spirit, refuse His advices
  • Do you have those when you feel good about things

 

1. 1. Can’t be anxious and thankful at the same time.

• • Ever try to be happy and sad at same time
  • Too many things in this world we are anxious about
  • What to eat, what to wear, how to pay the bills
  • All work against us
  • Keep us at bay on being thankful
  • Can’t have good relationship with one your mad at

1. 1. Your outlook determines your outcome

• • Hummingbird looks for living blossoms
  • Vulture looks for misery of other animals
  • Each finds what it’s looking for
  • What are you looking for the good? The bad? The ugly?
  • What are you finding

Concl: Is not positive thinking, Jesus wants us to have life abundent

• • Get an attitude of graditude as we GROW
  • • G-----give to others, serve and not be served
    • R---- reflect on Gods goodness thank Him each day
    • O-----overcome discourgement through praise it’s the best weapon
    • W-----walk with God in light of His sovereignty. All we have came from Him may not be much but it’s His will for us.

Happy draws people----be happy in Jesus---don’t worry or look to you circumstances---God can change them---look what He did for Isreal

Circumstances may be bad unhappy, you don’t have to be, choose to be happy. God more interested in your character than what you have.

What you have God came from God in the first place. Not interested in your characteristics, what you have or don’t have He knows this stuff. Thank Him because He is God. Period! Do you have the relationship with God if not you can come to Him and have it now. Confess your sins, believe on Him and ask Him to work salvation in you. He will do it!