IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT - THANKS TO GOD
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcK9nJM7Rtg
IT'S SATURDAY NIGHT - WE'LL UNDERSTAND
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zuSkFKgG6og
November 2014
1 It is a good
thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing
praises unto thy name, O Most High:
2 To shew forth
thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night…
5 O Lord, how great are thy works! and thy thoughts are very deep.
6 A brutish man
knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.
P S
A L M 9 2 : 1 - 6
GOOD MORNING FRIENDS OF FAITH,
The story is told of two old friends who happened to meet along
a path.
One of them looked distressed
and almost to the point of tears.
“What
has happened?” the concerned friend wondered.
The
sad fellow replied, “Three weeks ago my uncle died and left me $40,000.” “That’s too bad. But why the tears today?” the caring friend
asked.
The
sad fellow said, “Let me tell you. Two
weeks ago a cousin that I never even knew died and left me $85,000 free and
clear.” “Wow,” the amazed friend
replied, “You’ve been blessed. That’s
$125,000 in two weeks!”
The
sad fellow interrupted, “But last week my great aunt passed away. I inherited almost $250,000 from her
estate.”
The
sympathetic friend was confused. “With
all this money why do you look so glum?”
The
sad fellow looked up, “This week… nothing!”
How
like us! God’s mercies are new every
morning. His compassions fail not. His love endures forever. All we have needed His hand has
provided. Yet we glumly drive down the
street wondering “What’s God done for me lately?
IT IS A GOOD THING TO GIVE
THANKS TO THE LORD!
We
certainly do not want to be like the nine ungrateful men who Christ healed of
leprosy. When they realized that Jesus
had healed them they never looked back.
Only the tenth man returned to thank the Savior. I want to be like him.
That’s
why God’s people want to be in God’s House. We want to honor the Savior who has
done so much for us. Actually every good
and perfect gift we enjoy—spiritual as well as physical —comes from our
heavenly Father. James tells us, “Every good and every perfect gift is from
above, and cometh down from the Father of
lights with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (James 1:17).
Funny
how people will say “Look at the new car God gave me!” and then say, “We’re
going to miss Church Sunday so we can take it out for a drive!” Hellooooo!
IT’S A GOOD THING TO EXPRESS THANKS TO ONE ANOTHER!
While
the first purpose of the first Thanksgiving was to thank the Lord for His
providence—His provision and protection—it was also to thank those who had been
such invaluable help. For the Pilgrims,
that meant thanking each one who had contributed to the community and thanking
the native Americans who had been such a blessing.
The
value of giving and thanks-giving was beautifully illustrated in a first grade
classroom several years ago.
Here’s
how the story unfolded:
Thanksgiving
day was near. The first grade teacher
gave her class a fun assignment—to draw a picture of something for which they
were thankful.
Most
of the class might be considered economically disadvantaged, but still many
would celebrate the holiday with turkey and other traditional goodies of the
season.
The
teacher thought the students would no doubt draw pictures of the meals they
would soon enjoy. And most of them did.
But
Douglas made a different kind of picture.
Douglas
was a different kind of boy. He was the
teacher’s true child of misery, frail, and unhappy. As other children played at recess, Douglas
was likely to stand close by her side.
One could only guess at the pain Douglas felt behind those sad eyes.
Yes, his picture was different.
When asked to draw a picture of something for which he was thankful, he
drew a hand.
He
drew nothing else, just an empty hand.
His abstract image captured the imagination of his peers.
Whose
hand could it be? One child guessed it
was the hand of a farmer, because farmers raise turkeys.
Another
suggested that it was the hand of a police officer, because the police protect
and care for people.
Still
others guessed it was the hand of God, for God feeds us.
And
so the discussion went—until the teacher almost forgot to ask the young artist
himself!
When
the children had returned to their other assignments, she paused at Douglas’
desk, bent down, and asked him whose had he had drawn.
The
little boy looked away and murmured, “It’s yours teacher.”
She
recalled the times she had taken his hand and walked with him here or there, as
she took the class from place to place.
How
often she had said, “Take my hand Douglas, we’re going outside.” Or, “Let me
show you how to hold your pencil.” Or, “Let’s
do this together.”
Douglas
was most thankful for his teacher’s hand.
Brushing aside a tear, she went on with her work.
The
story is not only about thankfulness. It
says something to teachers who teach, parents who care, and friends who go the
extra mile for each other. It means so
much to the Douglasses of the world.
They may not know how to say thanks.
They may not always say thanks.
But they will remember the hand that reaches out. (See http://www.appleseeds.org/goodier_hand.htm).
IT’S A GOOD THING TO LIVE WITH AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE.
Every
day we choose whether we will fuss and cuss, or pray and praise.
The
Apostle Paul said that he had learned how to be content in every circumstance.
(Philippians 4:11) He urged God’s
people, “Rejoice evermore, Pray without
ceasing, and In everything give thanks.”
(1 Thessalonians 5:16-17). I’m
with the Apostle! I’m choosing an
attitude of gratitude.
It’s
not only good to give thanks, it is right to live giving thanks. Ingratitude evidences a spiritual need. When the heart is right, the attitude is
right, and the life is right. No wonder
God’s people, redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, filled with the Spirit of
holiness, can rejoice, and praise the Lord even when cast into the
dungeon. (Remember Paul and Silas who
praised their way right out of prison!)
WE ARE SO LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING THIS WEEK!
Church Sunday at 11:00 am and 6:30 pm
(Communion).
Thanksgiving Dinner at Wild
Acres on Monday, November 24, at 7:00 p.m.
Tuesday, 7:00 pm Thanksgiving Service.
MAY THE LORD RICHLY BLESS YOU!
CAN’T WAIT TO SEE OUR WONDERFUL CHURCH
FAMILY!
Onward!
Pastor Richard M. Jones
FAITH COMMUNITY CHURCH – A Crusaders Church of America
Telephone (314) 298-5840; Cell Call or Text (314)
607-1424
FINANCIAL UPDATE: Thank you for faithfully
supporting this mission. This is the
weekend we must raise our $2900 mortgage payment. Join us in praying that this urgent need will
be met. Truthfully we need to raise
$14,000 over the next 5 weeks (including
this week’s $2900). That’s a lot of
money. But if we will all pray and do
what we can, the need can be met and we can begin 2015 with our bills all
paid. We are behind about $2000 on bills
we cannot yet pay because we do not have the money. You may give by bringing an offering, by
mailing your gifts (FCC, 2969 N Lindbergh, St Louis, MO 63074) or by logging
onto our web page at www.FCCStLouis.org. The online gifts are much appreciated and
immediately available.
