Living a Life of Gratitude and Praise

1 Timothy chapter 2 verse 1. I'd like to give you an example from this verse of how carelessly we read scripture first of all one Timothy 2 1 I urge these are strong words first of all I urge and treaties and prayers and petitions and thanksgivings be made on behalf of all men giving thanks for all men did you ever think that the Bible says something like that have you read it carefully is it really true did the Holy Spirit Inspire that that we give thanks for all men so I've thought about it do I have to give thanks for those guys who killed somebody yesterday or last week or the terrorists who are blowing up places I want to be realistic I don't want to pretend I certainly don't give thanks for people who are killing or killing others. [00:25:40]

I see this as I give thanks for all the people all men in the way they relate to me somebody who does harm to me or somebody does good to me every human being who I have some connection with and we have connection with a lot of human beings in our office unconverted relatives and church people in the church some will do good and some will do foolish things or harmful things in relation to them every one of them I have to have a spirit of thankfulness for one reason and that is because I believe in Romans 8 28. [00:99:54]

And that is you know that works very well that God makes everything that all these human beings with whom I'm connected in way they're related to me work for my good and Romans 8 28 all things all things means every single thing that any human being who has anything to do with me whether what they do or what they don't do what they promise to do and don't do or what they hate me and do in order to harm me whatever it is it makes absolutely no difference the things that people do accidentally which hurt me okay or the evil that someone's speaking about me or um the way somebody is angry with you or upset with you maybe your husband maybe your wife. [00:154:02]

Believe that God makes every single thing work together not by itself work together with everything else for your good I have believed that verse not all my life not even all my converted life but definitely in the last few many years that every single thing works for my good and that good is not to make me wealthy or healthy or famous or any of that garbage which the world considers good the good is described in the next verse he predestined me to become like Jesus his son that is the good mentioned in verse 28 and that I believe with all my heart. [00:208:46]

All the things that people do to me it may it may not make me wealthy it may make me poor it may trouble me in so many ways the only Christians were put into jail can they give thanks if these verses you got to read verse 28 and 29 together most Christians I have met who know Romans 8 28 do not know verse 29. and that is why they don't give thanks even though they know the verse by heart if you believe verse 28 and 29 I tell you it will not only be Thanksgiving week for you it'll be a Thanksgiving a year and early Thanksgiving year but your Thanksgiving life lifetime. [00:259:74]

I have learned that in the last few years I didn't know it all my life because nobody taught me this when I was a young Christian I wish every single young Christian would be taught this from a very young as soon as they are born again believe that God is so sovereignly in control that he makes everything work for your good and that good is not what you think is good to make you like Jesus Christ which is the greatest good you know when we get to heaven we will discover that becoming a millionaire was not such a good thing becoming famous was not a good thing because so many people commit suicide who are millionaires and who are famous and well through in so many people. [00:301:92]

And being poor like a beggar that's also not a good thing but becoming like Christ becoming a little more like Jesus that is the greatest good that God can ever do to me to have to be healed from a sickness good but not as good as becoming like Jesus I'd rather be sick all my life and if that'll make me more like Christ can you say that I'd rather live in poverty all my life if it would make me more like Christ if you really believe that becoming like Christ is the greatest good that God can ever do to you you will say that. [00:343:86]

I want to read to your verse which I often quoted as the most complete statement of the sovereignty of God over all people and circumstances it's in Daniel chapter 4. Daniel chapter 4 in my study of the Bible I've never found one verse which speaks as completely of the total sovereignty and power of God as this verse Daniel 4 35. and it was spoken by Nebuchadnezzar when he repented of his pride and I believe God converted to me probably he may be in heaven you know he was very proud at one time and boasted about his big city of Babylon verse 30 that he built and immediately God punished him and he was became like an animal in the fields for seven years eating grass and all that and it says here. [00:385:14]

Here but at the end of that he repented and it says here he then said I praised and honored God verse 34. and see what he says the Dominion of God is an everlasting Dominion from end to end his kingdom and yours from generation to generation to generation all the this is the verse I'm thinking of every single human being on the Earth everybody is counted as Zero by God zero if you believe this verse I tell you it'll change your life believe me that every human being the ones whom you're trying to impress he's worth zero before God why are you wasting a trying and trying to impress him the one you feel has got such power to trouble you he's a zero before God why are you afraid of him. [00:443:82]

You won't want to impress anybody because he's a zero and you won't be afraid of anybody because they are zeros every human being is a zero before God and he does exactly what he Wills whatever God wants to do for you on your behalf to you and through you in heaven and among all the people on the Earth that includes me he's going to do it and not a single human being can stop his hand when he wants to do something for me all through me nobody nobody can stop him from accomplishing what he wants through you all through me and no one can say to him what have you done if you believe that I tell you your life will come to rest in God it has brought my life to a rest in God. [00:502:62]

So many things go wrong in the house if you believe this verse you'll be at rest 24 hours of the day seven days of the week throughout the year and you will give thanks for every single human being who comes across your path you'll thank God for your wife morning till night he'll thank God for your husband morning till night no matter what she is like even if she's like a witch or even if he's like Satan himself you believe it this verse there's absolutely nothing that anybody can do which will not work for your good your Troublesome children like you heard from men High just now beautiful words about how to bring up children yeah in spite of that they go through a phase of difficulty give thanks that God will bring them around your faith must be expressed in Thanksgiving. [00:557:46]

So it's not just for one week it's for a lifetime for whom for every single human being in every single circumstance that's ever going to come into my life say that to the Lord from today onwards for the rest of my life and then I'll spend eternity in heaven thanking him forever over there as well believing that every single thing God is allowed by God for my good with a purpose to make me more like Christ as time goes on one last verse read Second Chronicles chapter 20 sometime second chronicles 20 is about a great Army and all these Old Testament stories about spiritual lessons a great multitude people came to fight against Jehoshaphat we read in second chronicles 20 verse 2. [00:627:72]