Sermon on 17 November 2024 by Pastor Justin Chia
Deuteronomy 8:10-18 - “When you have eaten your fill, be sure to praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. “But that is the time to be careful! Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord your God and disobey his commands, regulations, and decrees that I am giving you today. For when you have become full and prosperous and have built fine homes to live in, and when your flocks and herds have become very large and your silver and gold have multiplied along with everything else, be careful! Do not become proud at that time and forget the Lord your God, who rescued you from slavery in the land of Egypt. Do not forget that he led you through the great and terrifying wilderness with its poisonous snakes and scorpions, where it was so hot and dry. He gave you water from the rock! He fed you with manna in the wilderness, a food unknown to your ancestors. He did this to humble you and test you for your own good. He did all this so you would never say to yourself, ‘I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.’ Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.”
Moses wrote Deuteronomy. He brought people out from the land of slavery. The purpose of Deuteronomy is to remind the people of Israel the wonderful blessing of God’s provision. They can rededicate their lives to walk in His obedience and keep His commandment. Chapter 8 is about the warning to the people of Israel to not forget the blessings from God and become disobedient.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 - “Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
We don’t give thanks FOR everything. We give thanks for God’s grace that brings us through various situations. It is very powerful to give thanks. The power of focus will saturate your life. It helps us focus on Christ. We are able to walk in faith, fight a good fight, and finish the race. The only war that we fight externally is to fight our faith within us. It helps us focus on His provision. It helps us focus on His protection. When you give thanks, you are able to receive and experience His grace and redemptive power. It helps us focus on His preeminence. He is the beginning and the end.
1 Samuel 12:23-24 - ““As for me, I will certainly not sin against the Lord by ending my prayers for you. And I will continue to teach you what is good and right. But be sure to fear the Lord and faithfully serve him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you.”
Give thanks to God’s amazing grace
Deuteronomy 8:10-14 - “When you have eaten your fill, be sure to praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. “But that is the time to be careful! Beware that in your plenty you do not forget the Lord your God and disobey his commands, regulations, and decrees that I am giving you today. For when you have become full and prosperous and have built fine homes to live in, and when your flocks and herds have become very large and your silver and gold have multiplied along with everything else, be careful! Do not become proud at that time and forget the Lord your God, who rescued you from slavery in the land of Egypt.”
The true light is always in you. We give thanks to God for the light that is in us. When everything is well and good, that’s when we disobey God. The devil is close to the door and tempts us. We have to be vigilant in our walk. He is the one who strengthens and provides for us. God’s amazing grace is His redemption, presence, and provision. We have a fruit of holiness in us, and at the end it’s eternal life. Give thanks to God for His amazing grace. Grace is an unmerited favour. It is all sufficient, transforming, and eternal. It is given to people who are humble. We have been saved by grace through faith. When I am weak, then I am strong. Give thanks by obeying God with humility, and experience God’s amazing grace. Worshipping is one way to express your thanks. Worship Him with our heart, will, mind, body and finances. The true test is the willingness to return the tithe to God.
Ephesians 2:8 - “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.”
Genesis 14:19 - “Melchizedek blessed Abram with this blessing: “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.”
We are no longer slaves to sin. Our old man has been crucified. Don’t resurrect your old man.
2. Give thanks to God for His Glorious Provision For You
Deuteronomy 8:15-16 - “Do not forget that he led you through the great and terrifying wilderness with its poisonous snakes and scorpions, where it was so hot and dry. He gave you water from the rock! He fed you with manna in the wilderness, a food unknown to your ancestors. He did this to humble you and test you for your own good.”
The very fact that you are here is because of His presence. God allowed circumstances to happen to test us. If we try to pray and remove the circumstance, stop praying that prayer. God might be using that circumstance to strengthen us and experience His power. The end is good for you. We might have been through spiritual wilderness, financial wilderness, wilderness of illness, pain, confusion and sadness. The fact that we are here today proves God’s provision for us.
Exodus 16:32-33 - “Then Moses said, “This is what the Lord has commanded: Fill a two-quart container with manna to preserve it for your descendants. Then later generations will be able to see the food I gave you in the wilderness when I set you free from Egypt.” Moses said to Aaron, “Get a jar and fill it with two quarts of manna. Then put it in a sacred place before the Lord to preserve it for all future generations.””
Jeremiah 17:7-8 - ““But blessed are those who trust in the Lord and have made the Lord their hope and confidence. They are like trees planted along a riverbank, with roots that reach deep into the water. Such trees are not bothered by the heat or worried by long months of drought. Their leaves stay green, and they never stop producing fruit.”
3. Give thanks to God, for He is your source, even in abundance
Deuteronomy 8:17-18 - “He did all this so you would never say to yourself, ‘I have achieved this wealth with my own strength and energy.’ Remember the Lord your God. He is the one who gives you power to be successful, in order to fulfill the covenant he confirmed to your ancestors with an oath.”
Philippians 4:13 - “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.”
When we give thanks by obeying God with humility, worship Him with our heart, will, mind, body and finances. The result is being filled with peace and joy. Peace and joy is the motor that keeps us going; it gives us energy. Our thanksgiving ought to be rooted in the revelation of our identity in Christ. We give thanks for He is merciful. We give thanks for He is majestic. We give thanks for He is magnificent.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 - “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
Colossians 2:18 - “Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on pious self-denial or the worship of angels, saying they have had visions about these things. Their sinful minds have made them proud,”
Lamentations 3:22 - “The faithful love of the Lord never ends! His mercies never cease.”
1 Samuel 12:24 - “But be sure to fear the Lord and faithfully serve him. Think of all the wonderful things he has done for you.”
Revelation 17:14 - “Together they will go to war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will defeat them because he is Lord of all Lords and King of all kings. And his called and chosen and faithful ones will be with him.””
With all that in mind, rejoice in the Lord always. God has graciously provided for us, and we celebrate it.
Amen.
Comments