Thanksgiving
Rev. Dennis Marquardt
Philippians 4:4-9
INTRO: We live in a world of WORRY. The English word for "WORRY" comes from an old Anglo-Saxon word which means "to strangle." This is an apt description of the emotional pain we feel when we worry. What is strangled is our peace of mind. There is a way however to recapture peace of mind (and heart and soul!) even in the midst of trials and tribulations, it involves a process of correct thinking which will lead to correct living - the Bible after all states, "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he" (Prov. 23:7).
Thanksgiving in this sense in not so much a STATE OF MATERIAL things, but more a STATE OF MIND. This is both our historical roots for Thanksgiving and our spiritual calling for Thanksgiving. Our forefathers in this nation celebrated with Thanksgiving what God had done for them, even in the midst of scarcity; it was their state of mind, not just the state of material blessings that moved them to thanksgiving! This was largely the influence of spiritual things in their lives.
We need to learn to think different if we are to act different! We can do this by changing the way we see things. Here's how one guy changed the focus of his prayer for Thanksgiving...
ILLUS: This Thanksgiving I'm thankful ... That there aren't twice as many Congressman and half as many doctors. That grass doesn't grow through snow, necessitating winter mowing as well as shoveling. That there are only twenty-four hours available each day for TV programming. That civil servants aren't less civil. That teenagers ultimately will have children who will become teenagers. That I'm not a turkey. That houses still cost more than cars. That the space available for messages on T-shirts and bumpers is limited. That liberated women whose husbands take them for granted don't all scream at the same time. That snow covers the unraked leaves. That hugs and kisses don't add weight or cause cancer. That record players and radios and ...
Rev. Dennis Marquardt
Philippians 4:4-9
INTRO: We live in a world of WORRY. The English word for "WORRY" comes from an old Anglo-Saxon word which means "to strangle." This is an apt description of the emotional pain we feel when we worry. What is strangled is our peace of mind. There is a way however to recapture peace of mind (and heart and soul!) even in the midst of trials and tribulations, it involves a process of correct thinking which will lead to correct living - the Bible after all states, "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he" (Prov. 23:7).
Thanksgiving in this sense in not so much a STATE OF MATERIAL things, but more a STATE OF MIND. This is both our historical roots for Thanksgiving and our spiritual calling for Thanksgiving. Our forefathers in this nation celebrated with Thanksgiving what God had done for them, even in the midst of scarcity; it was their state of mind, not just the state of material blessings that moved them to thanksgiving! This was largely the influence of spiritual things in their lives.
We need to learn to think different if we are to act different! We can do this by changing the way we see things. Here's how one guy changed the focus of his prayer for Thanksgiving...
ILLUS: This Thanksgiving I'm thankful ... That there aren't twice as many Congressman and half as many doctors. That grass doesn't grow through snow, necessitating winter mowing as well as shoveling. That there are only twenty-four hours available each day for TV programming. That civil servants aren't less civil. That teenagers ultimately will have children who will become teenagers. That I'm not a turkey. That houses still cost more than cars. That the space available for messages on T-shirts and bumpers is limited. That liberated women whose husbands take them for granted don't all scream at the same time. That snow covers the unraked leaves. That hugs and kisses don't add weight or cause cancer. That record players and radios and ...
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