When Moses went up to Mount Sinai to get the Ten Commandments, he was commanded by God himself, take off your shoes. You're on holy ground. Can I get an amen? That's what I want you to do this morning. Not take off your shoes, of course, but pay attention. Can I get a witness? And so without further ado, I met at least one person this morning that I hope to intertwine with my subject this morning, which is on giving thanks throughout this new year. Now I want to warn you right away that this subject this morning It's kind of rough. But if I recall correctly, the Word of God is not to be sugarcoated. And so this morning, I'm not going to try, and hopefully for a long time, not to sugarcoat the message. giving thanks throughout this new year, 2023. Now, I know it's not 23 yet. But by the grace of God, we will all be in 2023. Are you ready? And am I ready to give thanks? Basically, this is what this message is all about. So I'll go to number two. The meaning of thanks and thankfulness. I just looked in the dictionary to find a good, accurate, clear, to express one's giving thanks. I'm trying to go slow because I have a tendency to speak up and speak loud and also to hurry. And I don't want to do that, but I know I do it sometime and some of you might have to calm me down. But I'm going to say this. It's all right to get high on God the Holy Spirit. And if you have to calm me down, that's okay. I don't mind. to express one's thanks or gratitude toward, to acknowledge gratefully the services, help, kindness to thank a person for what he has done. I'm going to repeat that again. To express one's thanks or gratitude toward, to acknowledge gratefully the services, help, kindness, to thank a person for what he has done. Now if you notice, on that screen perhaps, making sure it's there, disrespect. And I have a sign of ungratefulness. disrespect, which is the opposite of thankfulness, and I don't care, an utter apathy. Now here's where it gets a little rough. Pastor Jack and others have found some of the tracks that we hand out in here out of love. Trying to get you saved if you're lost, We find them outside, wet, trampled under their feet. That's a sign of unthankfulness, disrespect, and I don't care, and utter apathy. Can I get a witness? Now this is not, don't turn the page yet. I have to turn it this way. He that despised Moses' law and died without mercy under two or three witnesses, of how much surer punishment do you suppose? And I'm not picking on anybody because I don't know who this is done for. But if you're here and you're one of those people that after we hand you a tract, this is for you. of how much more, let me slow down, how much more punishment do you suppose for those who trample under feet worthy, who have trodden underfoot the Son of God, have counted the blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified, that is you and me, wherewith he was sanctified, a holy thing, and they have done so despite the spirit of grace. What are you getting to, Brother Bruce? Not only me, not only Pastor Jack, not anyone else, they don't have to even be in this church. When you count the blood of the covenant, an unholy thing. You just step on and just keep going. There's coming a judgment. Can I get a witness? You didn't like that, but that's true. There's coming a judgment. We're trying to get you saved, and you don't even care about getting saved. There's coming a judgment. Number three, now it's going to get a little easier now. Since there are so many things we should be thankful for, can I get an amen to that? There are so many things you and I should be thankful for, even in the midst of trouble and heartache and pain. Today's presentation focuses on just a few. I'm just going to concentrate on a few things we should be thankful for. Let's start out with 1 Peter 1.18, knowing that, and I'm going to ask you to join in soon, knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile, useless is another word, way of inheritance from your forefathers, but with the precious blood as a lamb, unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. for he was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last days for the sake of you. Number four, who raised, who through him are believers in Christ who raised him from the dead and gave him glory so that your faith and hope are in God. Since you have in obedience to the faith purified your souls for sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart. For you have been born again, not of seed which is perishable, but imperishable. That is, through the living and abiding Word of God. Number five. But I like how the King James says it. For as much as you know, that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood or the blood of Christ as a lamb without blemish and without spot who verily was ordained before the foundation of the world but was manifest in these last times for us, for you, for me. And before I go on to the next page, this is where the lady who spoke to me this morning comes along very applicably. Last, I'm trying to make this so accurate. I was sitting in the back and a lady came in, I won't tell you her name, but this just happened about an hour ago. And she asked me, had I spoken to a certain person? And I said, no, I haven't seen them recently. And then she began to pour out her heart once again. She said, when I was saved, when I got saved, where'd she get saved from? The Catholic Church. She said, when I began to read the word of God, he says, when I looked at Ephesians chapter two, verses eight and nine, and I showed the priest his verses, His faith got read, but she stayed in the Word of God, and she got saved. Where's she at now? I don't know. But she read those awesome verses, Ephesians 2, 8, and 9. What does that say, Brother Bruce? By grace. Can I get a witness? Can I get a witness? By grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves. It is the gift of God, lest anyone should boast. This doesn't only go for that church. It goes for any church. When you're not preaching the grace, you better get out of that church. We're saved totally by the grace of God. and good works because of the catalyst, that's right, the catalyst, the Holy Spirit, you begin to change, your life begins to change. You are a transformed person. Can I get a witness? I'm not picking on any church. I'm telling you what she said. For as much as you know, I know I'm starting over, that you were not redeemed. Say redeemed. That word redeemed comes from a word which means to take you out of slavery. Unless you've been born again by the grace of God, you, and that includes me, you're still lost. who as much as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things of silver and gold from your vain compensation received by tradition. Oh, my mom and dad, they brought me up in this. I'm gonna stay right here. If you don't know Jesus, you're still lost. But with the blood of Christ, as of a land without blemish and without spot who verily was ordained before the foundation of the world. Maybe you don't know what that means. I'm just going to touch briefly on this. Before there was time, space, God the Father knew man was going to sin. and that He needed a Redeemer. And the only one who could redeem you and me, He sent the Son of His love so that you and I may be saved. Now, I don't want to get off track because I feel myself getting off track, so I'm just going to go to the next one. who by him do believe in God, that raised him from the dead and gave him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God." Not in Buddha, not in a man, not in Muhammad, not in any other person. Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth, a sure sign that you're saved is that you want to obey the Lord. Can I get an amen? You have a desire. You have an earning. You just have a pull in your spirit and in your soul. I want to serve the Creator. Being born again, I'm going to say it again. I have the slightest idea who I'm talking to. You're either saved, or you're lost. You're either born again, or you are, or, I now got to slow down, or you're saved or lost. Here is where I want you to join in. And if I don't finish the song, if I don't finish it, I'm going to try to do it four times because it's about the blood. I know it was the blood. I know it was the blood. I know it was the blood for me. One day, when I was lost at Brother Bruce, he died on the cross. I know it was the blood for me. Now, since I don't sing too well, you better join in with me. I know it was the blood. I know it was the blood. Help me out. I know it was the blood for me. One day when I was lost, he died upon the cross. I know it was the blood for me. Let's sing it again. I know it was the blood. I know it was the blood. I know it was the blood for me. One day when I was lost, he died upon the cross. I know it was the blood for me. One more time. Get louder. I know it was the blood. I know it was the blood. I know it was the blood for me. One day when he died upon the cross, I know it was the blood for me. Can you give the Lord a hand? Come on. Let's go to the next page. Well, I got through it that time. Now you've heard me talk about this many times, the term Tetelestai, which means plain and full, but I found so much more information, I couldn't resist in telling it to you. The price paid by Christ is captured in his dying declaration. It is finished. John 19, 30. The term for it is finished, tetelestai, was used in several different ways to show a bill had been paid, a task finished, a sacrifice offered, a masterpiece completed. Each of them applies to what Christ did on our behalf. Say our behalf. He didn't die for himself. He died for you and me. on the cross. Perhaps that's why the Apostle Paul wrote, may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ through which the whole world has been crucified to me and I to the world. I'm going to repeat that again. The price paid by Christ is captured in his dying declaration, it is finished. The term for it, it's finished, tetelestai, was used in several different ways to show a bill had been paid. Get that? a task finished, a sacrifice offered, a masterpiece completed. Each of them applies to what Christ did on our behalf on the cross. Perhaps that's why the apostle wrote, may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ through which the whole world has been crucified to me and I to the world, Galatians 6.5. How could each meaning of Tetelestai be applied to the cross of Christ and what he has accomplished there? Why does each one of these, each one have meaning to you, a bill paid? This is why I get so fed up with people trying to tell me I'm a good boy. I don't cheat. I don't steal. I don't talk about other people. I don't, I don't, I don't, I don't. You're not saved. I don't know who I'm talking to again and maybe you didn't catch the last part. You're not saved because of your good deeds. I'm going to say it again. It's by grace. And any church that's not sometimes preaching about grace, I'm just going to tell you, you're going to the wrong church. And if this church starts doing that, I'm leaving. It's grace and grace alone. A bill has been paid. He paid in full. That's what Tetelestai means, paid in full. A task finished. He talked to his father. He said, I came to fulfill your will. A sacrifice offered. He offered a supreme. I almost got stuck on that word. A sacrifice offered. He made the offer, sacrifice offer, without spot, I need to slow down, without any taint or sin. That's the only sacrifice God the Father would accept as a final payment. A masterpiece. I don't know how to put it, but when Christ died on that cross, he was God's masterpiece. Which one of these can you apply to Jesus? I'll tell you which one, all of them. Not one, all. Number 10. Jesus' willingness to take our place is the eternal evidence. If you notice, I got eternal. Say eternal. every other sacrifice was created. Ladies and gentlemen, it was the eternal Son of God. And I know you heard me say this before, so don't think I don't know it. Before the world was created, He had a face-to-face relationship but he was willing to leave that place in glory to become your personal savior. Can I get a witness? I'm going to start over. Jesus's willingness to take our place is the eternal evidence of how much God loves you. You, and I'm going to say it the best way I can, you don't even know how much God loves you. You cannot imagine in your finite mind the scope of how much God loves you. Matter of fact, I think it's in Ephesians. I didn't mean to, and I'm not going to turn to it. It says, oh, the breadth, height, depth, length of God's love for you. As we contemplate the price he paid, may we also celebrate his life and give thanks for the cross. Can I get an amen? How much do you every day, and I don't mean skip a day either, how much do you thank God for sending his only son? Did you make this up, Brother Bruce? No, I didn't make it up. I got it from our daily bread. I'm not going to steal someone else's sayings and act like I didn't. No, I didn't. How often do you and I celebrate his awesome love? Ephesians chapter 2, and this is not in your notes, says it will take an eternity, chapter 2. to gradually catch on to the love of God for sending his son. You can read it in chapter two. Let's move on to loving kindness. Yes, I'm on another subject somewhat. This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope. The Lord's loving kindness indeed never ceases. Can I get an amen to that? His love never ceases. For his compassions never fail. They are numerous. I know it says new every morning. How great is your faithfulness. How many can testify that God is faithful? Even when you and I are unfaithful, he's still faithful. If he had to depend on Brother Bruce's or perhaps your faithfulness, anyone, thank you. You know the rest. The Lord is my portion, says my soul. Say soul. Soul. I'm going to say this again. We got people in this county, in this world, in religion that say when you die, it's over. I'm going to say it again. When you die, your body might drop to the ground and does drop to the ground. But your soul and your spirit, and I'm not going to get into the resurrection because I would confuse you. When your soul, when your spirit, your body might drop to the ground, but your soul is going to go somewhere either to up or down. The Lord's, this is verse 22, the Lord's loving kindness and indeed never ceases. Number 12, more comments on verse 23. Day and night proclaim the mercy and the compassion of God. Who could exist throughout the day if there were not a continual superimposing or superintending of providence? What do you mean by that? On the next page. Who could be preserved in the night if the watchmen of Israel ever slumbered or slept. Here it is. And I'm not mispronouncing his name, I hope. And there is a double N. When T. Un came down with us, rare autoimmune disease that weakened all his muscles and nearly killed him, he realized that being alive to breathe was a gift. Can I get a witness? He realized this being alive was a gift and to breathe was a gift. For more than a week, a machine had to pump air into his lungs every few seconds, which was a painful part of his treatment. T. Un made a miraculous recovery and today he reminds himself not to complain about life's challenges. I'll just take a deep breath, he says, and thank God. Can I get a witness? He's thanking God. Sometimes God's got to take you through something before you realize He's God and you're not. You think you're something, and I'm not trying to be funny. You think you're something until someone or something happens and you realize you're not number one anyhow. How is it, how easy it is to focus on the things we want or need. I know I said it backward. And forget that sometimes the smallest things in life can be the greatest gifts. What a greatest miracle. Don't forget this man was at the point of death. He made a miraculous recovery and he began to put things in context. And I'm going to say this again. Sometimes when you nearly have a tragedy, that's when you say, oh, I got things upside down, inside out. It's God first. In Ezekiel's vision, I'm going to get to that in a minute, God showed the prophet that only he could live. Let me get this right. God showed the prophet that only he could give life to dry bones. even after tendons, flesh, and skill had appeared, there was no breath in them. It was only when God gave them breath that they could live again. Can I get a witness? It's only until God gives you breath that you can live. The vision Number 15, illustrated God's providence to restore Israel. See, I don't want to take things out of context, but it could still be used. It also reminds us that anything we have, big or small, is useless unless God gives us breath. How about thanking God for the simplest blessing in life? Why don't you praise God for just being able to walk? Why don't you praise God for just being able to get up in the morning? Why don't you praise God for him letting you eat every day? And a whole bunch of other things. Can I get another witness? You need to start praising God this very day. Excuse me for shouting. The vision, I know I'm repeating, illustrates God promised us to restore Israel. It also reminds us that anything we have, big or small, is useless unless God gives us breath. How about thanking God for the simplest blessings in life today? Amid the daily struggle, let's stop occasionally to take a deep breath and let everything that has breath, everything that has breath, praise God. What will you and I thank God for right now? Not two days from now, not tomorrow. Even in this service, you should be praising God for something, maybe not out loud. What will you and I thank God for right now? How can you and I remind ourselves to thank God more often today? I'm praying that when you leave here, I'm praying that you begin to thank God if you haven't been more, whatever it is. I can't name all those things. 17. The Lord God. We're going to change it in a moment. Number 17. That's the wrong one. I'm just going to, can you change that? I'll just say it. The Lord God has given me the tongue of disciples. Say disciples. Are you and me a true disciple of Jesus Christ? Are you? And I'm going to say it again, and I don't know why I'm saying this. Or, are you stuck on yourself? The Lord God has given me the tongue of disciples that I may know how to sustain the weary. Have you ever helped anybody else? He awakens me. Okay, there it is. He awakens me. It is not your body. I know God gave us a body to wake up, but Isaiah says, He awakens me morning by morning. Can I get a witness? Yeah, you thought it was the alarm clock that wake you up. That's good. I'm not saying you should, but it's the Lord who woke you up. What's he wake you up for? To listen as a disciple. The word disciple means follower. Who is the man who fears the Lord? Once again, I said this is going to be kind of rough. Some of you are going to walk out of here. I don't care what that preacher said. I'm not impressed. Well, I don't want you to be impressed by me. I want you to be impressed by God. His soul will abide in prosperity. Verse 13, descendants will inherit the land. Let me ask you a fervent question. If you have grandkids, or anyone close to you, what are you telling them about the Lord? Are you opening up the word of God sometime? If you can, and tell them who Jesus is. Tell them what he's done. And I'm gonna be a little bit sarcastic. You don't have to tell them about Tetelestai. Gotta get a witness. The secret of the Lord is for those who fear him. I'm going to say this for everybody, including me. How much fear do you and I have in the Lord? How much awesome reverence do we have? or can you say anything? You just don't care. You can say anything and you can do anything that you want to do. What a sad state to be in. Number 19, praise the Lord. For it is good to sing praises. Have you ever sang praises? We just sang one this morning. No, I'm not going to repeat it, but we sang, I Know It Was the Blood. How often do you and I, and praise other people. There was some gentleman who helped me this morning to take some heavy loads out to my car. And I'm telling you, I needed help. We're going to all need help someday and sometime. And it's good to thank them. I know this is not what this says, but how many times do you praise other people? Say, thank you. And pertaining to this song, praises to our God. It is pleasant and praise is becoming. If you're a Christian, this is a habit. This is not something you just, it's a habit. I'm going to tell you something. Say the word jealous. Did you know the Bible tells me that God the Father and His Son are jealous? They're jealous. They want you to praise them. Why? And I'll just use one verse. In the beginning, Genesis 1-1, Where did God come from? I'll tell you where he came from. I am who I am. God doesn't always grind us victory over our struggles in this life, whether health-related or financial or relational. He's worthy of our worship and praise in even those circumstances because we can trust that He's still seated on the throne. Regardless of what you think, regardless of what you believe, God and His Son Jesus Christ, Revelation 5.13, are still on the throne. you and I are not going to dethrone them. I know from a fact that God doesn't always deliver you in this life. when he does bring us to a place of healing, at least in a way we recognize in this earth, it becomes for great celebration. I just talked to somebody. I want to get this right, so let me slow down. I just talked to a person who said, God, heal me. And they said, all I could do was say, thanks. Now I know that God doesn't always, but he healed her. And she has a reason, and you and I have a reason when God helps us to recover. Or not only helps us, he heals you. And if you are a sinner, if you've not been saved, you still need a healing from inside out. I'm looking at that clock. I'm sorry, Karen said, apologizing for her long tears. After the death of her husband, she stretched herself to care for her teenage kids. When men from church provided a weekend camping excursion to entertain them and give her a break, Brothers and sisters, don't tell me if you've got grandkids or others. Don't you need a break sometime? I'll tell you, I did. And still do. When men from the church provided a weekend camping excursion to entertain them and give her a break, Karen wept. with great gratitude. I know I put the word great in there. Apologizing over and over for her tears. She was so thankful. Why do many of us apologize for our tears? Simon, a Pharisee, invited Jesus to dinner in the middle of the meal. As Jesus reclined at the table, a woman who had lived a sinful life brought an alabaster jar of perfume. As she stood behind Jesus at his feet weeping, she began to, let me get it right, she began to wet her feet with her tears. Then she wept Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them, and poured perfume on them. Unapologetically, this woman freely expressed her love and then unwound, or unwound, her hair to his feet, to dry his feet. Overflowing with gratitude and love for Jesus, she topped it off with, that's the wrong spelling, Thank you for saying that. She topped all her tears with perfuming kisses. Actions that contrasted with those of the Prophet. But cold-hearted Pharisees didn't like it. Why'd you talk about that, Brother Bruce? Here's a woman who was living in sin. I'll wound her hair. and anointed the feet of Jesus Christ. Well, how does that fit in with the sermon? Jesus' response? He praised her exuberant expression of love and proclaimed her, now here is a sinner now, She's wiping his feet. She hasn't wound her hair. Wipes his feet. And she says, woman, you are forgiven. You can be forgiven this very moment if you place your trust in the Lamb of God. Squelching your tears. I want to tell you, this really helped me. We may be tempted to squelch tears of gratitude when they threaten to overflow. But God made us emotional beings and we can use our feelings to express Him. Why did you say that, Brother Bruce? I am no longer going to be afraid to express my tears. on this stage. Can I get a witness? And you, I don't care where you are, don't be afraid to express your thanksgiving to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. God made us emotional beings and can use our feelings to honor him. Like the woman in the Luke's gospel, let's unapologetically express our love for our good God who provides for us needs and freely receives our thanksgiving. I know it says thankful praise. How can you express your gratitude to God through your emotions? Loving God, no, this is not original. Loving God, thank you for your grace. Brother Bruce, you're always talking about grace. I hope through the grace of God to always talk about God's grace. We pour out our gratitude to you today. I'm going to make this my last one because I always like to be on time. I got five slides to go. I might make it, I might not. Change to his likeness who will transform the body of your humble state. Don't you know someday that God, Christian, is going to make a transformation of your body? with the body of His glory by the assertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself. What do you know about your resurrected body? It will be unlike what we have imagined. You can't even imagine what your glorified body is going to look like. free from disease, free from infirmities, free from aging. Can I get a witness? That's just a few. Will we look so different that we aren't instantly recognizable? I don't know about that. Perhaps. You might even have to have a name tag. We will be walking through walls How do you know that? That's a question. Jesus did. When he was resurrected, he could walk through a wall. Chances are we'll be doing much more than that. Will we still bear the scars from the pain of this life? I don't think so. The marks of the war? I don't think so. The disfigurement of disease? Wounds of violence. Will these remain on our bodies? That is very... That's a good question. Jesus, at least for 40 days, kept his. Will we keep ours? On the issue, we have only opinions. And my opinion, where I got this from, is that we won't. Peter tells us that by his wounds you have healed. your heavenly accounting only one wound is worthy to be remembered and that is the wound of Jesus. Can I get an amen? I had two more pages to go but I'm not going to do it because I love to be on time and you might have a Something more not more important, but you have to be at a certain time, which I don't know. Let's get