Sabbath 12-6-14 Daytona Seventh Day BAPTIST Pastor Wray “Thanks Giving Commands” Psalm 106;1

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Sabbath 12-6-14 Daytona Seventh Day BAPTIST Pastor Wray “Thanks Giving Commands” Psalm 106;1, Psalm 100

In this season of the year, we are thanks giving and being thankful. The two scriptures say that we should praise and thank the LORD for He is good. We should serve the LORD with gladness and come into His presence with thanks giving. Knowing that He is God and we are his people.

A story is told of an old man who couldn’t sing or carry a tune in a syrup bucket. He loved to sing even if it was off key. He was also bad about loudly amening the preacher and getting so involved in the church service. The well-to-do church members decided that this fellow was too crude for their congregation. They went to this old man’s house to talk to him. He was plowing in his field so they walked on the dusty ground, getting their fine clothes soiled. They said his singing was bad and asked him to stops singing loudly because his singing ruined their services. The old man said he was sorry but when he looks at the old clothes he has now and thinks of the heavenly robes God has waiting for him, he can’t help but sing. He said when he looks at the old shack he lives in now and thinks of the palace God has for him, he just has to sing praises to the LORD. When he looks at his old hat and thinks of the crown God has for him, he has to yell JESUS! at the top of his lungs. He then asked the church folk to hold his mule because he felt like singing right now! They left him singing in his field and they decided that his singing was not that bad after all.

Today we want to talk on thanks giving commands. God gave at least five thanks giving commands to his people.

1. Shout Command:
In most churches shout means to cry aloud. In other churches it means to shout and dance before the LORD. God commands us to shout. Sports fans shout aloud for their team to win. Some fans are given instructions to be loud for their team only. It is better to bring their team up then to put the other team down. We all know to have reverence and respect for God. But God Himself tells us to shout! There is a time to make a joyful noise for the LORD! If one gets more excited and vocal about a sports team then about what Jesus did on the cross for us, then there is a problem! You should re-examine your priorities!

2. Serve Command:
We are commanded to serve. The psalmist tells us to serve the LORD with gladness. Jesus also commanded us to serve the LORD. Many of us serve the LORD in different ways. Some preach, teach, work in nursery, maintain church building, feed the poor and spread gospel literature. I wonder sometimes are we serving with gladness? Sometimes we may serve just because we know it is the thing to do. Or we do it with an attitude or frown on our face. We must learn to serve with gladness by daily reminding ourselves why we serve in the first place. We serve because we are GRATEFUL for what God has done for us!

3. Sing Command:
God commands us to sing songs of praise. He commands us to sing. Christians worshipping the LORD are really dangerous! Worshipping God in Christ upsets the world’s systems. It’s revolutionary and brings another Kingdom into view. The government doesn’t like this. We Christians are different and our values are different from the world. Our values ARE different and we ought to accept that and NOT try to be like the world. We are to enter the LORD’s presence with singing. We can be singing at church, singing at home, singing in our car and singing in our prayers. Even if our singing sounds like a frog croaking, when we sing praises to God, it will sound to Him like an angel singing.

4. Submit Command:
We are to know that the LORD, He is God. It is He that has made us. We are his people and the sheep of His pasture. Don’t listen to the world that says we are to act like we are number one! It is God that created us and He did it for His glory and not for our own. We must admit and accept the fact that He IS God and we are NOT! We humbly submit to His lordship because we are the sheep of His pasture.

5. Sacrifice Command:
We are to enter His gates with thanks giving and His courts with praise. We are to give Thanks to God and Bless His name. The sacrifice that God wants is the Sacrifice of Praise. We can sacrifice our time or treasure but our offering of worship to Him appears to be the most important sacrifice. It is in the times of worship that we know we belong to GOD.
 

AMEN