God Gives Grace, We Give Thanks, Part 2

Today on Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt challenges you to become a fully functioning follower of Jesus Christ. He said concerning this. I implore the Lord three times that it might freedom at times. He said what I came along with this is this is really a struggle. Anybody rationalize like you and I did I could serve you better if I wasn't suffered, she will do that. That's what we think, and so Paul importance three times as we do.

We pray in any said and he said to me notice my grace is sufficient. His grace is sufficient for joining us today on this additional Fellowship in the Word pastor Bill Gebhardt Fellowship in the Words the radio ministry of Fellowship Bible church located in Metairie, Louisiana. Let's join Pastor Bill Gebhardt now again he shows us how God's word meets our world.

I am I am because himself in every mistake. Now there's a lot of circumstances and owe it to me naturally important.

We all live in the real world right and it's not important what you know it's important what you know that's how you get it is who you know that's truly am gone back for remember what Jesus said to Peter, he said to Peter, Satan desires to sift you like wheat but I pray for you. In other words, if you're a child of God. There's only one reason you're here to grace of God for the grace of God you wouldn't be to be with the Lord. But you and beer you see almost everything in my life is the basis of the grace of God when I was born where I was born it was my family or my friends. How was I educated. What's my IQ saw the grace of God gotchas you still grace on everything and I don't just bestow on you. I bestow common grace on everyone humankind.

After the fall would've been without the grace of God, extinct.

They needed the grace of God gotchas. That's what I do I give grace. Paul said to the Romans in chapter 5 he said we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand. You see is not just grace, how you become a Christian. It's grace because you are Christian you see how I live the Christian life.

By the grace of God how to become a Christian, by the grace of God. God bestows grace on us over and over again. It's interesting what about the hard stuff when he seemed to be withholding it. I go with me to second Corinthians chapter 12 second Corinthians chapter 12 and if you're honest with yourself you ever been suffering in such a way and you're praying that it would go away you know and and it doesn't render thought like I think God forgot me and I think that the somehow he's withholding grace for me.

So we think along those terms Paul. What's interesting. This is the famous passage of the form in the flesh by Paul but notice in verse eight. Paul says this he said concerning this. I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me.

Paul prayed his heart freedom. At times he said, Lord, I can go on with this is just too painful for me. This is really a struggle and he probably rationalize like you and I did I could serve you better if I wasn't suffering so much. You see, we all do that. That's what we think, and so Paul importance three times. That's what we do, we pray, and any said and he said to me notice my grace is sufficient for you while you seek his grace is sufficient for everything, even in the midst of the worst times. He said my grace is sufficient for you, and it gives Paul little insight he doesn't give us.

He said, for power is perfected in weakness. That's the principle.

He said most gladly therefore I'd rather boast of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Also, would you please take away the thorn and God said no I want take away the thorn I just give you grace. He said because Paul I know the forms good for you.

How many people of the thorn in the flesh think it's good. None of us to exhibit Paul whenever your week. You're much more dependent on me to see so he said I'm not removing the Paul was a Pharisee and he probably struggled with pride and God said, I'll see to it that you don't struggle with it.

So Paul says most gladly see most gladly. He said I would do this.

He said I received my weakness I understand it, but it's only grace.

Now go with me to Hebrews chapter 4 we get a model. Here he book of Hebrews chapter 4 in verse 16. So what happens when were suffering. What happens when were in difficult circumstances have a make a big choice. What happens when were terrified of a conversation we might have or somebody what we do as believers.

Well, here's what the writer of Hebrews says in verse 16 he said, therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace.

Let us draw near with confidence to wear the throne of God. You think he doesn't say that doesn't will be gone the throne of what grace the unmerited favor of God. He said let us go with confidence to the throne of grace. King James says let's go boldly to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find what grace in time of need. God's is when you have a need. Guess what I have for you.

I grace is that what you want. Not necessarily is it I don't know if I want grace I want my answer.

See that's what I want I want the answer I want when I want gotchas to give you grace your Seo give you grace because you came into this world because of the grace of God you been sustained in as well because of the grace of God you came to Christ because of the grace of God, your child of God because of the grace of God and everything that happens in your life. God says I'll bestow my grace on everything because God gives grace. That's his part. He said that's what I do love God gives grace that leaves us when we do we give thanks go with me to web Psalm nine Psalm nine.

This may seem odd to you, but the more I study this over the last few weeks, the more come to this conclusion in your relationship with God the absolute most important aspect that you have control over in your relationship with God is the you give thanks and I don't mean with thanksgiving you give thanks everyday, every single day. You give thanks to you. Give thanks from the heart.

You give thanks to that's God's is the give you everything that's grace it's unmerited, it's not because of you it's because of me. What I want from you is just to thank me.

Notice how though.

In verse one of chapter 9. David says I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart I will tell of your wonders. I will he said, be glad and exalting you and I will sing praise your name. Almost time. He said I think you will.

My heart you can fake thinking okay I know you want to hear how many you have seen so many times you got a four-year-old somebody does numb nice foreman gives them something in and he does what any for your he ignores everyone to start playing so that the parent always crimson hey hey what you say thanks that very said it don't say that to God and we do that, don't say it. He knows what you're doing.

Thanks. I mean come on he said no you give thanks with all your heart. Jesus said you love the Lord your God with all your heart mind soul and strength your neighbor as yourself. All your heart. This a hard issue yet to be thankful. You have to become thankful notice as I go on it says Psalm 30 30saysinverse12.Thelastverseofthesong.ThelastverseofPsalm30saysthisthatmysoulmaysingpraisetoyouandnotbesilent.OLordmyGod,Iwillgivethankstoyou,what'sthenextwordforeversoifyouarethankingGod.NowI'mI'msorrybutyoubettergetusedtoit.HowlongyoucanbethinkingGodforever.BythewayIreadtheendofthebookyoureadRevelation,guesswithherdoinguptherethankingGod.Godgivesgraceyougivethanks.That'swhatGodwantsyoutothankme.Yougotityougottagivemethanks.Infact,Psalm45.ThepsalmistisaminutethankyouGodforeverandever.Iwilladdanothereverforever.Iwillbeperpetuallygrateful.IwillalwaysthankyouaswesangearlierIwinnersdateswiththanksgivingeverysingletimeIcomeintothepresenceofGodthefirstwordsthatwanttocomeoutofmymouth.AndthankyoubecauseonceI'minthepresenceofGod.IunderstandgraceI'mnottherebecauseIearnedittherebecausehegaveitisaverydifferentkindofthingserioussummarygotosecondCorinthianschapter9secondCorinthianschapter9.HelluvaPaulwritesheroneverserealshortverse,Paulsays,thanksbetoGodforhisindescribablegiftthere'sgraceagain.It'sagift.HesaidthanksbetoGodfirstindescribablebytheway,thewordindescribableisnotdescribable.Iisareallyoddword.TheGreekwordisfor.ItisaquadruplecompoundgreatwordforwordsinGreekmakeuponewordsothetranslatorshavenoideawhattowriteaboutitintheGreekit'son,whichisawordEricD.Tossontheeggtossfourwordsputtogetherworkonmeansnotornoandsowhatthiswordreallymeans.Andthat'swhythedescribeitisIcan'tBedescribedaswhatitsays.ThanksbetoGodforhiscan'tbedescribedgiftisgrace.Youcan'tdescribe.Andyetwedoweendupmakinggracelikegetsomekindaeasysmallthing.Imeanjustthinkthatwedoallkindsawayweekwenameourdaughtersgrace.Graceisyournameis.Ishesayingyoucandescribegrace.GraceisacompleteunmeritedfavorofGod.UnderstandthatyoursinnerseparatedfromGodbyhisgraceisputyouinaunionwithhebestowshisgiftofgraceuponus,soIcan'tevendescribeit,andwedescribeitovertime.IfIsometimesthinkofthisstudy,givingthanksandbythewaythiswillhappenonThursdayforsomepeople.TheonlytimetheyearwillhappenwhenyoulookovertouncleRalphandyousayRalph,wouldyousaygrace,whatgracedon'tknowwhywouldwemeanyousaygraceyousaygraceyougivethanksbutyoudon'tsaygraceandI'malwaysamazedhowtrivializesbecomeinourculture.Imeanyou'veseenit.I'veseenonmusicawardsshowsareseatedandsecularfuneralsinaballanditbeenwhilestandingupsingingamazingGrace.ThewholeculturesingsamazingGracedoesacultureofanyideawhatthey'resayingnodentalcareistrivialized.It'snotabigthing.It'snotonlyabigthing.It'sthebiggestthingwithoutthegraceofGod,noonehasanyhopeatall.That'swhyGodsaidlookIgivegrace.That'swhatIdotoyou.Letmerevealwhywedothis,gowithmetoRomansoneRomanschapter1.ThisiswhereGodbeginstomakehiscaseagainstallhumanbeings.AndlikeIsaidIthinkismosthumans,weliketheideathatGodsaysreallyterriblesinnerswerewereevenmoreselectivethanthat.ImeanI'veheardpeoplehadconversationswithmeandsayeveryonegetstogotoheavenexceptpeoplelikeAdolfHitlerandCharlieMansonandgotagreatrestofusonacurve.Aslongasyou'renotasbadasthemyou'reokaythere'snotawordoftruthmakesusfeelbetter.Soherehesays,look,everyoneisintheonthisworldonthisplanethasnoexcuseI'vegiventestimonytomyself.Here'swhathesays.Verse20forsincethecreationoftheworldhisinvisibleattributes,hiseternalpowerandhisdivinenaturebeenclearlyseen,hesaid,beingunderstoodthroughwhatheismadewithoutexcuse.Healsosaysaboutthehumanconscience.Hesaidwhenyouseethecreationonthemacrowithoutexcuse.Hesaidbecauseyouknowithadtobecreatedandeventhatissomethingisgoingtobedisputed.ImeanevensomebodylikeAlbertEinsteinrealizedit.ImeanEinsteinheinvented.TheBigBangTheorybutEinstein'sviewwastheuniversehadtobegininaspontaneouswayandwhatbeganithadtobeoutsideoftheuniversebecauseitcouldbethattheuniversewasinnateforever.Yousee,inainertforeverandthenspontaneouslystarteditself.Itkindofbeenbecauseithadn'tstarteditselforhowlongforever,soEinsteinsaidthat'sclear.#Saysnononononononono,itwasn'tcreated.Nowtherealotofcreativedesignpeopleouttherethereinuniversitiesandallthatbutinourculture.They'renotevenallowthemtogettenureandtheseareChristiansorJewsorMuslims.ThesearepeoplejustsaythescienceisclearthatnononononowerenotinabinderthathealsosaidIgiveyouthehumanconscience,butnoticewhatGodsaysaboutthisinverse20whenheasked21whenheexplainsitfor.HesaideventhoughtheyknewGod,theydidnothonorhimasGod,andthenwanttosaygivethanksandIthinkshewhatisitGod's.Afterjustthanks.thankyou,thankyouforcreatinglife.See,thankyou,thankyoufortheuniverse.Thankyou,thankyouforallyou'vedone.Thankyou.Yougivenittheseunmeritedfavor.Ijustwanttogiveyouthanksforasamatterfactwhenyoudon'tthinkGod,youarejustlikeanunbeliever.That'swhathappenswhenyoudon'tthinkGodhetakesitfurther.Bytheway,hesaysinfirstThessalonianschapter5hesaysineverythinggivethanks,forthisisGod'swillforyouineverythinggivethanks.Nowthewordishard.Thereisn'ttheword.Everythingineverythinggivethanks,meeteverythingeverythinginit.Ineverythinggivethanksyoudothatnowyouseeitashard.That'sreallyhardtoget.That'swhatIwantfromseeineverythinggivethinkallIgotitweresupposedtogivethanksandeverything,butcertainlynotforeverythingokayyou'reright.IfIwasonlyreadingatfirst,butIreadEphesians520.AlwaysgivingthanksforallthingsinthenameoftheLordJesusChristGodnowisnotinnowit'sfor.Givethanksforallthingshotisitwhenyouwant.Yeah,youseewhat'shedoingherehesingle.I'mincontrolofthisyouneedtotrustme,nonotice,hesaid,allthingswaithedidsaysomeelse.ThenhesayinRomansallthingsworktogetherforthegood.Anythingthatisoneoftheallthings.Soifitallworkstogetherforthecan.IthankGod,yes.DoIwanttoknow.PaulwrotetothePhilippianshesaidbeanxiousfornothinganybodyeveranxiousforanythinginyouranythinghesaidbeanxiousfornothinghesaidandeverythingwithprayerandsupplication.Supplicationmeanspleadingheunderstandit,andthenhesays,withthanksgiving,letyourrequestbeknowntoGod.Hedidn'tsaythankGodafterheansweredhesaidwhenyougotoGodinprayerwithprayerandsupplication.Besuretothankhimupfront.Yousee,ifyoudidthat.GuesswhathappensthepeaceofGod,whichsurpassesallunderstandingofyoursthatwiththanksgivingdoesseethisisn'tjustwhatGodaskedusyourealizehowgoodthisisforyou.IcanrememberwhenIwasinseminaryandattheRichersonhospitalalmosteveryonewedealtwithinthepsychiatrichospitalRichardsonTexaswasdepressedpeople.There'salotofdepressedpeoplereallyreallydepressedpeopleandallthetimeandIheardPaulMyersthepsychiatristsaythis,Ineveronceandhesaidheneverhadandhehasseenathousandtimes,butIhave.I'veneverseenadepressedpersonisthankful.Notone.AndI'veneverseenathankfulpersonisdepressed.Why,youseehowthisworks.That'sthepainfulthinkingadepression,youvictimizeyourselfyou'reinasinkholeandyouneverthankfulbutthankfulpersonsneverdepressedortoobusythankingGodforfunthinkingGodineverythingandforeverything.IwouldbethinkIwouldn'tbedepressedsoworksoutforagoodaswell.Godgives.Wegivethanks.Thisisthewaythisworksit'seasyhehegivesgracehecreatedus,heredeemedusheadoptedusheblessedus.Helovesus.Heguidesus.HereceivedgotchasIgotallofgiveitallyouallofitsundeservedallthatGodwantsfromyouandmeisonething.Thankyousoyouwant.Thankyou.IknowtosaythankyouthisThursday,butweneedtosaythankyoueverydayofeveryweekandeveryweekofeveryyearandeveryyearofourlivesandforalleternity.Ifthere'sonethingthatshouldmarkeachandeveryoneofus.FromnowuntilforeverisyouandIarethankfulbecauseGodisgracious,butspringfather.Itseemstomethatallofusfacethistemptationtoonlybethankfulforthethingsthatwewantifwegetwhatwewantwillsaythanks.Weneedtobethankfulbecauseofthenatureofwhoyouare.YouareagraciousGod,whoisbestowedenormousblessingsonallofuseveninmidstthesinandthecurse,wecanbeblessedbyyoubecauseofyourgrace.Iprayfatherthattheattitudeofourheartsisalwaysgratitudealwaysfull.Thanks.Wewanttothankyoufordoingforourselvesandforuswhatwecouldneverdoforourselves.Wewanttothankyouforsustainingsurroundinguswithpeopletoloveus.Thankyoufatherforalltheseinfiniteblessings.Thankyou.Mostofallforyou.You'vedecidedtohavearelationshipwithusbasedonyourgraceallyouaskustodoistoreceivethegift.Givethanksfather,thatismyprayerforeachandeveryweallowgratitudetofillourlivesinsuchawaythatitwillliveforyourglory.ChristpastorBillGebhardtontheradioministryoffellowshipLord,ifyouevermissoneofourbroadcastormaybeyoujustlikethisinthemethodonemoretime.Rememberthegoodagreatwebsitecalledoneplace.comthat'soneplace.comandyoucanlistenthefellowshipandthewordonlinethatwebsiteyouwillfindonwithtoday'sbroadcastbutalsomanyofourpreviousaudioprogramsaswellatfellowshipintheword.Wearethankfulforthosewhofinanciallysupportourministryandmakethisbroadcastpossible.Weaskallofourlistenerstoprayerfullyconsiderhowyoumighthelphisradioministrycontinuousbroadcastonthisradiostationbysupportingamonthlyreportjustaone-timegiftsupportforministrycanbesenttofellowshipintheword.4600ClearviewPkwy.,Metairie,LA7006ifyouwouldbeinterestedinhearingtoday'smessageinitsoriginalformatthatisisasermon,thepastorwilldeliverduringaSundaymorningserviceatFellowshipBiblechurchvisitourwebsiteFPCNola.orgthatSBCandohLA.ORGatourwebsiteyouwillfindhundredspastoralsermonyoucanbrowsethroughoursermonarchivestofindsermonseriesyou'relookingfororyoucansearchbytitle.Onceyoufindthemethodyou'relookingfor.Youcanlistenonlineorifyouprefer,youcandownloadthesermonandlisteningandrememberingallthisabsolutelyfreeofcharge.OnceagainourwebsiteisFDCNola.orgforecasterJasonGebhardt.ThankyouforlisteningtoFellowshipinorder