Gratitude

Point of Grace Online Worship - November 24, 2024

Point of Grace – 11.24.24 “You are a Givable Gift with Gifts to Give” Part 2 Sermon Notes

When we thank God for people, in their hearing, who have been His gifts on your faith journey they are inspired to believe they are “Givable Gifts with Gifts to Give” and the body of Christ is built up.

Philippians 1:3-10 3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. 7 It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart and, whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God’s grace with me. 8 God can testify how I long for all of you with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, 10 so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God.

Notice how the Apostle Paul

Thanks God for people, in their hearing,

Reflects in how they are gifts to him and

Prays blessing and encouragement for their future.

1 Thessalonians 1:2-10 2 We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. 3 We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

4 For we know, brothers and sisters[b] loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 7 And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8 The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, 9 for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

Notice how the Apostle Paul

Thanks God for people, in their hearing,

Reflects in how they are God’s gifts to him (faith, hope, love)

Prays personalized blessing and encouragement for their future.

Colossians 1:3-14 3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— 5 the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel 6 that has come to you. In the same way, the gospel is bearing fruit and growing throughout the whole world—just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and truly understood God’s grace. 7 You learned it from Epaphras, our dear fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on our behalf, 8 and who also told us of your love in the Spirit.

9 For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, 10 so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, 11 being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, 12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

We get to:

-      Thank God for people in their hearing

-      Reflect on how they are (have been) God’s gifts to you (faith, hope, love)

-      Pray personalized blessing and encouragement

Point of Grace Online Worship - November 20, 2022

Point of Grace Worship 11.20.22 Sermon Notes – “Giving Thanks – Why? … How?”

Giving Thanks! – Why? … How?

Luke 17 11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy[b] met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” 14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

Jesus knows that something beautiful, something vital, something irreplaceable happens in our relationship with Him when we intentionally and substantially return “to give thanks” to Him.

The Thank Offering – A celebration of God’s grace!

e u c h a r i s t e o           “give thanks”

c h a r i s                           “grace”

c h a r a                             “joy”

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5

“To” by “For”

A Rhythm for Returning to Give Thanks

Point of Grace Online Worship - November 21, 2021

Point of Grace Worship 11.21.21 Sermon Notes – “Soul Recovery – Immerse, Untangle, Give Thanks”

Immerse – “My soul needs so much more of God than I think it does!” I need to stay immersed in God’s Presence, Love, Goodness, Truth, Story, Words, Spirit, Grace, Creation, Power ………

Untangle – “My soul needs a “change of mind toward God” (repent) much more than I think it does.” I need practice untangling from my “it’s up to me” mindset toward a “turn to God agreeing with Him” mindset!

Give Thanks – “My soul needs me to have a “lifestyle of gratitude” much more than I think it does. I need a lifestyle of giving thanks so I actually live like life is “grace” making way for the joy my soul needs.

Mark 6 41 Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to distribute to the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. 42 They all ate and were satisfied, 43 and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. 44 The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand. Mark 14 22 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.” 23 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 24 “This is my blood of the[c] covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. 1 Thessalonians 5 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Colossians 3 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Eucharisteo – “give thanks” … Jesus revealed that life lived to the full is a life full of eucharisteo.

Eucharisteo is the way of living with the living God because within Eucharisteo is charis (grace) and within charis is chara (joy)!

Joy is the realist reality, the fullest life, and joy is always given, never grasped. God gives gifts and I give thanks and I unwrap the gift given: joy! Ann Voskamp – one thousand gifts

A Eucharisteo lifestyle!

“If you want to make it real write it down.” Somebody Smart

Philippians 4 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!... 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Prayer of the Week (Note: This week’s prayer is designed with some pauses built in so when there is a pause don’t let it surprise you.)

Father, Son, Holy Spirit, I praise and thank you for the opportunity to be in your gracious presence in this moment. Jesus, restore me in You and renew me in you. Fill me afresh Holy Spirit, saturate me in Your Love, saturate me in your Life. Untangle me from my anxious thoughts, untangle me Jesus, untangle me. I am Yours and You are mine. I immerse now in my identity as a child of my heavenly Father identity which you gave me in my baptism.

Father in heaven I thank and praise you specifically for your creation that surrounds me. Thank you for the natural world you have given me to live in and for the miracle of physical life that I experience in my body every moment. Jesus, help me thank you now! (Take a 20 second pause to give thanks, out loud if possible, for God’s creation and all His provision for your physical life as you experience it today.) Father, I praise and thank you for your love for me and the salvation you have given me through Your life, death and resurrection. I get to have life now and life eternal because of the gracious gift of Your life for me. Jesus help me give thanks for You now!

(Take a 20 second pause to give thanks, out loud if possible, for God’s gift of love and grace to you in Jesus as you experience it today.)

Father, I praise and thank you for people and relationships you have given me to experience. Thank you for gifting me with people who love me and care about me. Thank you for people, even if I do not know them personally, who You use to bring me blessing, provision and grace. Jesus help me thank you for people now!

(Take a 20 second pause to give thanks, out loud if possible, for God’s gift of people and relationships in your life. Notice the unique people and relationships God brings to mind on this particular day.)

Fill me afresh Holy Spirit so that I might live this day with a Spirit of gratitude in my heart and words of thanks on my lips. (Allow your heart to continue to give continued thanks as you are inspired concluding this prayer with your own “Amen” when you are finished.)

Resources for this Week

Here are some suggested readings for each day of this week. The Meditation Hints below may help you listen and receive all God has for you.

Mon – Luke 17:11-18 Tue – Psalm 136:1-9,23-26 Wed – Ephesians 5:15-20 Thu – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Fri – Colossians 3:15-17 Sat - Psalm 116:1-7, 17-19

Meditation Hints:

Solitude – Spend TWO minutes quietly alone. Take some deep breaths… Just be… “Holy Spirit, speak to me through Your Word! I rest in You!”

Scripture – Read the scripture slowly, out loud if possible, listen, reread, dwell, notice words & phrases you are drawn to & return there! Reflect on what you are noticing and where He is leading your thoughts.

Prayer – Have a conversation with God, “What are You saying to me, God?” Talk about what you notice is on your heart. Begin to own the “word of God” being revealed to you.

Finish - Spend TWO minutes again with God, resting and listening and being loved.