The Grace of Thanksgiving

Wonder what comes to your mind when I say the word Thanksgiving. The first thing that pops into the minds of many is the American national holiday that we call Thanksgiving. Some other countries of something similar, though not always call Thanksgiving sometimes called harvest day in various other names, but here in America we have a holiday every year.

Call Thanksgiving and of course, that holiday was instituted for the purpose of remembering the goodness of God and giving him thanks. It's almost amusing sometimes hear people talking about Thanksgiving on television newscasters and so forth. Talking about Thanksgiving, but stumbling all over themselves to be sure that they don't mention who it is that we are giving thanks to it's just that kind of a vague general feeling of thankfulness is not directed toward anything or anyone in particular that really misses the whole point, doesn't it.

But the national day of Thanksgiving comes to mind. Too many people when we say that word Thanksgiving but also sometimes when we say the word Thanksgiving we think more of an activity. The act of giving thanks Thanksgiving is giving thanks so we can think of it in that light. And that's a light were going to be thinking about it in this morning because with the national holiday of Thanksgiving very much on our minds. I think it would be a good time for us to focus upon this very important subject that's found in the Bible, namely the topic of Thanksgiving as we are reminded continually in the Bible that this is something that we are to do. The Bible says a great deal about giving thanks the Bible admonishes us to give thanks without being specific as to details very, very, very often, but even in addition to those admonitions to give thanks. There are a number of times when we can learn more of the details about how that is to be done and so we want to look at one of those text today to give some help in this regard because Thanksgiving is something that I think all of God's blood bought people recognized number one that we that we we have been given a heart of thanks.

By the grace of God. We know where that came from didn't come from our Adamic nature. It came from the new nature, but it's also something that most of us recognize that we probably don't do as frequently and as fervently and as joyfully and as effectively as we could.

And as we desire to it's something that we all need to develop in ourselves and also in our children very important to teach our children to be thankful because they grateful heart is usually a spiritually healthy heart and conversely, an ungrateful heart is almost always a spiritually unhealthy heart. So we come today to a text in the book of Colossians chapter 1 verse 12, which says giving thanks to the father who is qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light giving thanks to the father were taking that is our preaching text for today just a bit of background. Paul's epistle to the Colossians was written from Rome, where he was imprisoned in his first imprisonment, one of the prison epistles, of which there are at least four in the New Testament. And Paul is writing to the church at Colossae which is one of only two of the churches that we have epistles that he wrote to that was not founded by the apostle Paul, the other one is Romans all didn't found the church at Rome. It was well-established before he ever arrived in Rome, but he wrote a masterful epistle to the Romans in preparation for his visiting there which had been his heart's desire. For many years but the church at Colossae was, not a a son, a spiritual son, of which Paul was the spiritual father is the founder of the church, but it was instead a spiritual grandson. The church had been established by a man by the name of the path for us which name came up in the portion that we read today in verse seven as you learn from the past for us, our dear fellow servant who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf. The path for us.

We believe was a native of the city of Colossae at some time in the providence of God, traveled 100 miles from Colossae which is in land down to the coast to the great port city of Ephesus were Paul was ministering. Paul had a very fruitful God blessed ministry in Ephesus, and many people were saying to the pastors apparently came under the power of the gospel in Ephesus, and Paul had a school in Ephesus. He was teaching daily in the school of a man named Terrazas. The name means tyrant.

How would you like to be the pupil in the school of ion who was named tyrant will some of you been there. I don't need to ask you how that went, but Tyler Ennis had a school he had a school building. Evidently he had evidently also some unused time in that school building that we would assume that he conducted classes in the morning and it was available the afternoon maybe the evening, and Paul apparently rented that facility and so he was preaching teaching the word of God, not just on the Lord's day in Ephesus, the daily daily and he have he was conducting a school there. Over the course of about three years and he in that way, trained a number of preachers and one of these apparently was a pathless who, when he was adequately equipped for the work of the ministry went back to his hometown preach the gospel, God save souls the church was established. Paul heard about it. Heard good reports of it. He never been there but he felt a very close affinity with these people, and indeed recognize some responsibility for spiritual oversight because it was an extension of his own ministry, and so he writes this epistle to the Colossians to cover a number of important items including warning them about some of the false teachers who were already at work in the city of Colossae but in the course of this epistle, Paul emphasizes the importance of Thanksgiving as we see in our text for today giving thanks to the father who is qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light its owner talk this morning.

First of all, about the importance of giving thanks. Secondly, the manner of giving thanks and third, the reasons for giving thanks and the importance of giving thanks, we can see in a number of areas we see a pattern of giving thanks, we see a requirement to give thanks we see a development of giving thanks, we see an indicator from giving thanks so let's look at these first of all, a pattern of giving thanks and that is seen the life and ministry of the apostle Paul himself here in this Colossian epistle by the time we get to verse 12. Our text for today. Paul has already mentioned giving thanks twice just in the course of 12 verses producing it earlier in verse three we give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you as his first mention of Thanksgiving. He prays for them. But he gives thanks for them, and he says so he tells them that I give God thanks for you, that's a good pattern that something that we can do and should do.

We should tell people from time to time I give God thanks for you. Another other ways that we can render thanks to them. That's a very good way to do it. I thank God for you, Paul says in verse three, and then by the time he gets to verse 12. He is another expression of Thanksgiving with a little bit different emphasis. But Paul is a pattern of giving thanks in fact, you will find that Paul's epistles are peppered with thanksgiving are saturated. I don't think is too strong a term, with thanksgiving, you can't read very far in most of these epistles without finding expressions of thanks again and again and again. In other words, Paul clearly number one had a grateful heart that was filled with thanksgiving, but for our purposes today.

He also expressed that frequently and thereby becomes a pattern for us that Paul told us someplace else be you followers of me as I am of Christ and Paul sets a pattern of in a lot of things and here's one of those areas. He sets a pattern for us to be thankful.

People not just feeling Thanksgiving in our heart of that sort must begin going one step further and expressing that thanks frequently out loud. It's one thing to feel in your heart and all of God's true children do.

You can't be a born again child of God without having gratitude in your heart toward God and for a number of things but some people find it difficult to communicate that to say that to others. To say that out loud to say that publicly to thank God publicly to think other people with words of expression of gratitude and we need to get over that we see the pattern of the apostle Paul who renders thanks to God and he's also teaching the Colossians that they need to be people of Thanksgiving, so in the importance of giving thanks, number one, we see a pattern in the life of the apostle Paul, but number two, and more importantly, we see a requirement is found all throughout Scripture. Both Old Testament and New Testament. I read one section for you this morning.

Earlier that well-known Psalm 100. Make a joyful noise to the Lord all you lands and what is it say in verse four enter his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise be thankful to him and bless his name.

The folks that's not a mere suggestion.

That's a command that's a command for the people of God. This is the way God desires to be worshiped with our expressions of Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving should be upon our lips frequently.

It's part of our public worship as well as our private relationship with God. We are to enter his gates with thanksgiving. We are to be thankful to him and bless his name course New Testament has similar commands we could turn to first Thessalonians chapter 5 and read this in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you get a command and everything give thanks. Render thanks speak. Thanks Gary thanks in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. It is a command we could turn to first Timothy chapter 2 and read in verse one. Therefore, I exhort. First of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men.

It's a command to pray three words relating to prayer supplications, prayers, intercessions that all has to do with praying, but giving of thanks, be made for all men always talking in this chapter about public prayer about corporate prayer about the way we pray we come together as a local body of believers like we have this morning to worship God and one of the elements of our worship is to render prayer to God supplications intercessions prayers, but don't leave this out with giving of thanks that must be very much upon our lips as we pray and so forth we could turn to Philippians chapter 4 and read in verse six.

This again is a command. Be anxious for nothing, say, how do you the command not to worry how you do that, I can't help but arises within me. I worry it's a command to be anxious for nothing. This will help you with it, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. That's a great remedy for the worry for anxiety. Take your burdens to the Lord and leave them there.

Pray with thanksgiving. It is a command so number one is a pattern we see in the life of the godly apostle Paul number two. It is a requirement, it is commanded to us in the word of God number three. It is a development we see this in Paul's prayer for the Colossians is first mention of prayer in verse three is his own personal thanks to God we give thanks we meeting Paul and Timothy. Timothy was mentioned to verse one Paul and apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother is like Timothy is almost a co-author with Paul of this epistle. Timothy probably was serving as Paul's amanuensis, he would probably dictating this epistle to Timothy.

Paul was in prison. Timothy was there visiting him. But Paul mentions Timothy and he says way I Paul and Timothy and other saints who might've been there at that time we give thanks to God for you, but as he comes to verse 12.

What doing is saying I am praying for you that you will become people of several things spiritual understanding.

Verse nine. Exemplary behavior verse 10 spiritual fruitfulness verse 10 patients verse 11 and people of Thanksgiving. Verse 12. That's the setting for this text back to verse nine.

For this reason, we also since the day we heard of it. Do not cease to pray for you and to ask that Paul doesn't just say I'm praying for you.

He tells them what is praying for is what I'm asking God on your behalf for number one, but you might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding and praying that God will give you enlarged spiritual understanding what else number two verse 10 that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing him exemplary behavior that's very important for your testimony before the world and for the will you please the Lord. What else number three spiritual fruitfulness allies part of her stem being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. It was back that first one again.

That's very important that you spiritual understanding the true knowledge of God, the enlarged, but spiritual understanding exemplary behavior spiritual fruitfulness number three patients strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power for all patience and long-suffering and praying that God will give you patients praying that God will help you to face the adversities and trials of life, the persecutions of life, the difficulties of life with patients praying for that. What else I'm praying that you will give thanks to God the father. That's what he saying I bring the shall be strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power for all patience and long-suffering with joy and that you will be verse 12 giving thanks to the father was qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. Paul is praying for them to develop a greater spirit of thankfulness. Or maybe I should go beyond that Paul is praying that they will develop greater communication, greater expressions, greater verbal testimonies of their thankfulness. Greater public expressions of their gratitude to God. This is a development it's like so many other things that God gives us at salvation, but are not given to us fully developed and it is in the process of our growth in grace and knowledge. It is in the process of arc sanctification over the course of time that we develop these things more fully and giving of thanks is one of those things. That's why I have entitled my sermon today. The grace of Thanksgiving. There a lot of things that are areas of grace, alert to be developed in our life we been through missions month where we put some emphasis upon developing the grace of giving very important grace to develop in our lives, but now were told to develop the grace of Thanksgiving and praying, since Paul that you will develop greater Thanksgiving in your life so giving thanks is important because it is number one, a pattern in the life of the apostle Paul for us to follow his number to a requirement that is commanded to us in the word of God is number three development of something that God tells us ought to increase and develop in our lives as Christians, and that is number four and indicate tour of the level of grace that is within us. It is an indicator of grace either present or absent by God beyond my text for this, but let me pick up a few other statements from Scripture. Romans 121 no Romans chapter 1 has that section word describes the ungodly says in verse 10, first 20 rather for since the creation of the world. He has that is God's invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.

There is a revelation of the power and majesty of God in the universe in which we live in the creation of this all around us. There is clearly to me saying that and only to be denied by those who are determined to deny the obvious is attributes are clearly seeing, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse because although they knew God, the sense that they understood that there is a God.

They understood the reality of God. I think this text is really teaching us that there really are no atheists, though there are many some people who say they are, in fact, we could take it a step further, there really are no agnostics and atheists is one who says there is no God dogmatically. Absolutely there is no God denies the existence of God will Romans one says that's not true that's not true because although they knew God in agnostic is like, what should I say an atheist light. He doesn't say dogmatically. There is no God but he says it's impossible to know if there is one or not. I will say there is it that could be, but there's no way to prove it.

I'm not convinced that there is a God I'm an agnostic. I don't know that's not true either because this text as they do know because although they knew God, and here we come to the crux of it. They did not glorify him as God. That's the reason why they deny him.

They don't want to give him honor and glory they want to give him his rightful place in their thinking in their lives. They did not glorify him as God, and then this no more were thankful nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts and their foolish hearts were darkened. They were not thankful to the God who made them. They were not thankful to the God who gave them life, they were not thankful to the God who sustains them day by day they were not thankful they are not thankful to the God who enables them to live and move and breathe in supplies their food and their needs in life and they have no gratitude in their hearts toward God.

They are not thankful, what's that the characteristic of the characteristic of one who has no grace of God, operating within them on thankful second Timothy 32 tells a similar story but know this, the last days perilous times will come for men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents on thankful on holy gratitude is keeping some pretty bad company.

We don't think of ingratitude as being a particularly serious transgression. God does. God tells us this is very serious in what he saying is that a lack of Thanksgiving is found in the lives of those who are in rebellion against God and whose lives the grace of God is not operated to bring them to salvation. Remember Jesus and the 10 lepers you know that story in Luke chapter 17 I say story. I don't mean to say story is if it's not an historical account.

It is not happened as he went to Jerusalem that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee then has he entered a certain village, there met him town who were lepers who stood afar off, and they lifted up their voices and so Jesus master, have mercy on us.

So when he saw them, he said to them, go show yourself to the priests.

So what was it they went saw was that as they went. Rather, they were cleansed and one of them. When he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks and he was a Samaritan. So Jesus answered and said, were there not 10 cleansed so where are the nine were there not any found to return to give glory to God except this foreigner and he said to him, arise, go your way, your faith has made you well know, all of them had been healed of leprosy.

So I take it your faith has made you well. Speaks about the state of the soul, and Jesus isn't saying right now.

You become a vessel of grace. He's saying no you have evidenced that you are a child of grace your faith expressed in your gratitude has already made you whole. It is that wholeness of soul that gives you a thankful heart, whereas the other nine grabbed their blessing and ride off to use it for their own selfish purposes without a thought of gratitude to the one from whom they had received. That's the way so many people are only God deliver us from being that way the ungodly lack Thanksgiving Thanksgiving therefore is an indicator of grace, little or much. In some cases, some are not. Is the contrast an ungrateful heart is a hard void of grace that brings us therefore to number two talk first of all, about the importance of giving thanks. Now we talk about the manner of giving thanks and thanks is clearly directed at an appropriate or to an appropriate object here Paul says, giving thanks to the father. We do give thanks to someone we can have a national day of Thanksgiving without having anyone to whom we give thanks we give thanks to God. Ultimately, it's appropriate to direct thanks to those people who have blessed us and helped us that's very important, important. It's very appropriate.

We should learn to do that.

Don't be one of those people who only communicates correction and unhappiness with people to people around and never, never or seldom ever express his gratitude and thanks that probably has killed more marriages than nearly anything. I know, what's the big problem with marriages. You know the marriage problems using money. Is it sexual problems as it varies things multi-one of the things that is it is an ungrateful heart. It is the inability or unwillingness to express thanks. It is the condition that one of those marriage partners whenever they open their mouth, their mouth is filled with criticism and unhappiness and lack of appreciation for their mate, and that's the constant stream of words that's coming out of of their mouth, but very seldom do they take time to express gratitude and thanks and appreciation that can be a problem in marriage relationships can be problem. The problem in parent children relationships to be one of those parents who only opened your mouth to correct and criticize your children, and never your mouth to think I heard somebody say that I don't know this is an scientifically proven or biblically proved, but I heard somebody say that in your expressions to others.

You ought to express words of appreciation and gratitude 10 times for every one word of correction and constructive criticism. That's probably not a bad ratio. I can't prove the ratio but I do know when it's all negative and never the positive words of appreciation you are going to destroy a good relationship. It won't exist forever under those conditions, we need to be directing gratitude.

Thanks. Toward others did to develop that I can tell you is a pastor probably should say this but I will some people I see them coming to speak to me. I know it's going to be a word of encouragement.

It's going to be word of appreciation because that's what I hear from them constantly and if that person has a recommendation or suggestion.

I am delighted to hear it.

I know other people. The problem the only time they've approached me to speak to me is when they've got a complaint or correction or something like to see changed never aware of appreciation. I try to be as charitable as God will help you to be and to receive their words gratefully and and that considerately as well, but I want to tell you it's a lot harder to toot to welcome their words of of of request when there's never an expression of appreciation only that the kind of people that it seems like in their little world that some things constantly.

Not quite right.

Never.

It's always something wrong there quick to say so and have a hard time finding things that are right and wonderful and welcoming, and even if they feel that in their heart. Somehow they never expressed that. Don't be don't be that way. Learn to direct Thanksgiving appropriately to people when it is appropriate, but ultimately and here's what our text is teaching us. Ultimately I Thanksgiving always must be directed to God, giving thanks to the father to God who is the ultimate enabler.

Anyone else who has been a blessing to you has done so because God enabled them God directed them. God bless them to be able to do that God is the ultimate enabler. God is the ultimate giver of every good gift and every perfect gift. James tells us comes down from the father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. So here Paul says I'm praying that you Colossians will develop a greater spirit of gratitude to God the father not we may be more inclined to express our gratitude to God the son, particularly with thinking about salvation.

After all, he's the one who died on the cross for us and that is true is appropriate is very appropriate to express our gratitude to Jesus.

I love the signs of been popping up around Alamance County. Over the last couple of years.

These yellow signs that just say thank you Jesus and that beautiful bumper sticker. Sometimes, thank you Jesus as a wonderful testimony. That's a wonderful testimony when using one of those in the yard. You can be pretty sure there's a Christian lives in that house unconverted people to put signs in their yard as a thank you Jesus, but were more inclined to say thank you Jesus thinking of that chorus. I don't think we sang it Tuesday night with the several hymns of praise and thanksgiving that we sang during our praise service but thank you Jesus for all you've done. Thank you Lord, thank you Jesus for victories one. Thank you Lord you know that that course were more inclined to think in terms of thinking Jesus, but here Paul's tells us to think the father of what we know is that God exists in a tri-unity of persons three persons one God.

And when it comes to salvation God the father administrates God the son accomplishes in God the spirit applied God the father is the administrator, God the son is the accomplish her and God spirit is the appliqué toward it's good to understand that and to be able to explain that God the father as the administrator is the initiate tour, he evidently devised a plan of salvation and assign the roles is the administrator and he assigned the work of redemption to the son to come to earth become a man to live a perfect life to die upon the cross in order to become the sacrifice for sins, and so God the father is the administrator, God the son is the accomplish her the accomplish redemption by becoming that satisfaction upon the cross, and God the Spirit is the supplier. He's the one who takes the truth of the gospel and he applies it to hearts he works and hearts to convict of sin he works and hearts to show show those people Jesus Christ and to understand their need of him in the and to enable them to believe on him. He applies the work of redemption to hearts so it's a perfectly appropriate to thank God the father to thank God the son to thank God the Holy Spirit.

But here the thanks is directed to the father who initiated it is thanks to for God, who so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that's the father.

If you talking about giving the sun you have to be talking about the father gave the son God so loved the world that he the father gave his only begotten son so thanks is to be directed to an appropriate object and number two.

Thank should be rendered with heartfelt emotion.

It tells us in verse 11 with joy.

And though the actual Greek is a little ambiguous and translators aren't always sure where to apply that word joy is a go with the thoughts of verse 11 is a go with this thought in verse 12, I can tell you you'll have to take my word for that the majority of commentators believe that it ought to apply to verse 12. It is something like this. If I can pick it out here with joy, giving thanks for joyfully giving thanks strengthened with all might verse 11. According to his glorious power for all patience and long-suffering. Joyfully giving thanks to the father who is qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light so this is the way we are to give thanks with joy pretty hard to give real thanks without joy it goes together with comes from a joyful heart thanks good giving must be rendered to be pleasing to God must be rendered with joy, not unfeeling, not wrote it's possible to go to church and sing songs of thanksgiving without your really entering into the meaning of it just going through it. That's one reason why a number of years ago we deliberately started introducing unfamiliar hymns were several reasons for this. One of them was because when you sing the same old same old hymns you sung on your life. It's real easy to just do it you put it on autopilot. You don't even think about the words your singing, but you get unfamiliar him and you gotta struggle with a bit because they look at and think about it that's good. Eventually, those become familiar and so you kinda singing them on autopilot and but you need to engage your mind and think about what you say, singing and joyfully render Thanksgiving to God.

And the more we understand the gospel.

Tomorrow will be our joy and the more we feel our sin debt, the greater will be our joy. You never Jesus said in Luke chapter 7 verse 41. He said there was a certain creditor who had two debtors one owed 500 and every eye. The other 50 and when they had nothing with which to repay, he freely forgave them both. Tell me therefore which of them will love him more. Simon answered and said, I suppose the one whom he forgave more than he. He answered him, you have rightly judged who was more grateful. The one who had 50 denarii. I forgiven the one with 500 and every eye given who was more grateful one who is had an in mountain of sins that is so great he cannot even be estimated or enumerated, or the one who in his mind. And that's never really true that in his mind just has a few little problems that we think. I thank God that he forgave me for those will when you come to understand the reality of your sin and it's not just a few little problems.

It's a mountain it's a mountain it's a mountain of debt. A mountain of sin that mounds and kind. It is gigantic.

It is impossible, and yet God in his grace in Christ Jesus forgave all thank you Lord for saving my soul. Thank you Lord for making the whole what can you have a great gratitude in the face of that, the more we feel our sin debt, the greater will be our joy. And here's a little thought and I know I'm good have to hurry to finish this up with this important expressions of thanksgiving will stimulate joy.

We are to give thanks with joy, just the act of giving thanks is going to Kindle and stimulate joy within you and that's why this becomes good therapy for despondency. Are you feeling down you feeling gloomy. Are you feeling depressed don't nurse your gloominess and despondency start enumerating the things that God has done for you and it won't be long until your heart is going to be lifted out despondency in the joy we take your pick you depressed and go to the doctor and get medicine course you can go to the Scriptures and get gratitude and that'll cure your better than the medicine will, I promise you if God will give you the grace to be grateful that will cure you better than any pills the doctor can prescribe. And finally we see the reasons for giving thanks and foremost is the gift of salvation. That's the point of this verse, giving thanks to the father who is qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. What has God done, he qualified us. He included us. He enriched us. He qualified us. That's almost a strange thought, God qualified me for salvation. I know I'm not qualified in myself sometimes week 10 to carry that reality even beyond what we should even beyond the place where having believe the promises of God and truly trusted Jesus Christ alone for salvation.

We still can't get to the place where we feel qualified and there may be a good reason for that that that may be good that we don't ever forget the pit from which we were dug. We don't ever forget the sins from which we were cleansed, but it is a glorious thought to realize that God has taken a sinful rebel deserving of hell and has not only erased our sins not only made as children of God, but he's actually taken that one who could not be more unqualified and has qualified us for inheritance with the saints in light of that is really a thought worth dwelling on for a while thinking that him that Betty and Margie used to sing unworthy in my goes on all the things it we know the we are unworthy, but then what does it say, but he made me more than now by his grace. I'm a child of the King knowing back bashing the words a bit, but you get the idea.

He made me worthy. He qualified me to have an inheritance with the saints in light. And how is he done this by making us righteous. Sin disqualifies us but the imputed righteousness of Christ qualifies us, how is he done this by giving his son, God the father gave his son. That's what he did to qualify us.

How is he qualified us provide by providing a qualified substitute. He made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

How has he done this by approving the arrangement of imputation or some critics sure you can believe this to the world is full of critics. Anything the Bible teaches somebody objects to it is critical of the some people who have been critical of the concept of imputation that isn't right. That isn't fair that God takes our sin places upon the sinless one treats him as if he's the center. He dies on the cross and God takes his righteousness and imputes that to us and we who are the actual sinners he treats us as if we are righteous. That's not just that's not fair. I don't approve of that well you better change your mind because God approves of it. God designed it.

God said this is right. This is just that he might be just and the justifier of him who believes in Jesus God approve the arrangement of imputation certified by the veil that was ran into the temple when Jesus died for that.

Do they gain immediate access of all who came by faith into the very presence of the holy God, who had been shut out by that veil. All of the centuries, and the worshipers couldn't go that far, but now we can live because he qualified us. We are priests we are qualified we can go very presence of Almighty God. Two lessons that we should learn from this passage. Number one, it ought to be a salvation checkup. If I'm talking to someone who just doesn't have much gratitude doesn't express much gratitude is not known as a person who expresses thanksgiving to others and to God. I very possibly I would have to say very likely in talking to someone who needs to be in regardless of what she professed to not showing the evidence of the new birth of the grace of God within you to salvation checkup. Number two, to believers who have been given grace and gratitude will still need to develop it more.

Don't so let's work on developing the grace of thanksgiving include Thanksgiving more in your prayers.

Develop Thanksgiving more in your relationships with others, communicate Thanksgiving more new testimony say I don't how to how to testify on how to witness to people will here's a here's a thought just say let me let me express to you the gratitude I have, to God for what he's done for me.

I am the center deserving of hell and God has mercifully rescued me, saved me, cleansed me through his son the Lord Jesus Christ. Can't you tell somebody that that's a wonderful witness get you tell somebody that doesn't require a PhD that doesn't require deep understanding of theology and doctrine that justice just requires a grateful heart for salvation for the Lord is qualified to for an inheritance with the saints in light. Let's tell it to others, to the glory of his grace, shall we pray father, thank you for all you have done make us more grateful and more willing to express it. We pray in Jesus name, amen