Bible Study Series: Thanksgiving, An Attitude Of Gratitude

 

THANKSGIVING, AN ATTITUDE OF

 GRATITUDE

The Thanksgiving story started with a group of Protestants who arrived in Plymouth, Massachusetts. In 1620 they left their native England because their religious sect was persecuted. Their first winter was harsh, but with the help of Squanto, a Native American who spoke English,

they planted corn and started to fish the land that belonged to his tribe, the Patuxet.

The tribe was tragically killed by smallpox. However, the Protestants welcomed a banner harvest in 1621. They celebrated with three days of feasting from their harvest along with food from the Wampanoag tribe (the Patuxet was a band of this larger tribe). That very first Thanksgiving took place in 1621 sometime between September and November on Plimouth Planation. ( Plimouth is spelled differently than Plymouth since the original spelling by Governor Bradford was Plimouth

In 1941, president Lincoln made thanksgiving a national holiday

The US is not the only country that have a day of thanksgiving.

Canada, Ghana, China and Japan and thirteen others countries

have a day of thanksgiving for their reasons. For example, only about

2 percent of Japanese are Christians. Their celebration has nothing

to do with religion.

In America, Thanksgiving is largely a secular holiday. It a day to be

off work, stuff ourselves with turkey and sides, watch football and

get prepared for black Friday shopping. And by the way, thank you

God. Families spend all week planning menus, grocery shopping,

traveling, and by the way thank you, God. Thanksgiving is big business.

Thanksgiving had it start long before there was America. It started

in the desert after God freed the Israelites from the slavery of the

Egyptians.

Leviticus 7:12-15

If he offers it as an expression of thankfulness, then along with this thank offering he is to offer cakes of bread made without yeast and mixed with oil, wafers made without yeast and spread with oil, and cakes of fine flour well-kneaded and mixed with oil. 13 Along with his fellowship offering of thanksgiving he is to present an offering with cakes of bread made with yeast. 14 He is to bring one of each kind as an offering, a contribution to the Lord; it belongs to the priest who sprinkles the blood of the fellowship offerings. 15 The meat of his fellowship offering of thanksgiving must be eaten on the day it is offered; he must leave none of it till morning.

The first celebration was commanded by God. The Israelites were forced

to learn how to worship the one true and living God.

America celebrates thanksgiving every year in November. For the

believer every day is a day of thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving is more than a celebration with family and friends. It

more than a turkey dinner. Thanksgiving is the reverence of the one

true living God.

We are commanded to give thanks and call on the name of the Lord.

THANKSGIVING IS A LIFE OF PRAISE

Ezra 3:11

With praise and thanksgiving they sang to the Lord:

"He is good; his love to Israel endures forever."

Psalms 42:4

4 These things I remember

as I pour out my soul:

how I used to go with the multitude,

leading the procession to the house of God,

with shouts of joy and thanksgiving

among the festive throng.

Psalms 69:30-31

I will praise God's name in song

and glorify him with thanksgiving.

ASSEMBLE FOR PRAISE AND WORSHIP

Psalms 100:4-5

Enter his gates with thanksgiving

and his courts with praise;

give thanks to him and praise his name.

5 For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;

THANKSGIVING IS A LIFE OF PRAYER

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

When our focus is on the Lord, we don’t have to worry about grocery shopping,

travel plans or turkey dinners. All we have to do is live in His peace.

THANKSGIVING IS REVERENCE FOR THE

 GOODNESS OF THE LORD

1 Timothy 4:4-5

4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.

Thanksgiving sees God as the creator of everything, and everything He made

is holy. All we see, hear, and do is from the goodness of the Lord

THANKSGIVING IS ABIDING IN THE LORD

Luke 24:30-32

30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.

Thanksgiving is recognizing the Lord as the supreme provider.

When we thank the Lord our eyes are open to His goodness

TRUST THE LORD IN GOOD TIMES AND BAD

Daniel 6:10-11

10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.

Daniel prayed to the Lord with his windows open in defiance of the kings

decree to worship only his statue.

We should rather die than worship man or his decrees. Daniel prayed

with confidence that God would take care of Him in times of trouble.

SUMMARY

THANKSGIVING IS AN ATTITUDE OF

 GRATITUDE TO THE LORD.

THANKSGIVING IS A LIFE OF LOVE

THANKSGIVING IS A LIFE OF OBEDIENCE

THANKSGIVING IS A LIFE OF PRAISE AND

 WORSHIP

THANKSGIVING IS A LIFE OF PRAYER

THANKSGIVING IS A LIFE OF TRUST

CLASS QUESTIONS

WHO ARE YOU THANKFUL TO?

WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR?

WHAT WILL YOU DO AS A RESULT

OF YOUR THANKFULNESS?

This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "New Rules For A New Land", Leviticus 25:1-13, 11/27/2022

 NEW RULES FOR A NEW LAND

Leviticus 25:1-14

 

CELEBRATE A HOLY YEAR TO THE LORD

V:1. The Lord said to Moses on Mount Sinai, 2 "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: 'When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a sabbath to the Lord. 3 For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops. 4 But in the seventh year the land is to have a sabbath of rest, a sabbath to the Lord. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards.

God prepared the Israelites for entry into the promised land. The Israelites were made responsible

for the health and prosperity of the land. Not only were the Israelites to worship the Lord’s

Sabbath day each week, but worship Lord by allowing the Land to rest in the Sabbath year.

The Sabbath year allowed the people to rest for a full year, the animals to rest for a full year

, and the land to rest to replenish itself. We are responsible to take care of everything God

puts in our possession.

Notice that the command to celebrate a Sabbath year was a promise from God that

crops of the sixth year would be enough to provide for all their needs and the needs

of the animals for the Sabbath year. The Sabbath year of rest for the land would

allow the leaves and fruit that fell on the ground to be absorbed and replenish

the nutrients in the ground for the next six years. Not pruning the vines provided more

surface area for photosynthesis which provides oxygen for the plants.

By honoring God’s commands, we glorify Him, the one who blessed us. God gives the

best directions for taking care of His creation which includes us.

WHAT GOD PROVIDES IS ENOUGH

V:5 Do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land is to have a year of rest. 6 Whatever the land yields during the sabbath year will be food for you — for yourself, your manservant and maidservant, and the hired worker and temporary resident who live among you, 7 as well as for your livestock and the wild animals in your land. Whatever the land produces may be eaten.

God is inconclusive in His provisions for His people, all those associated with His people,

their animals, and even the wild animals. Notice God prospers His people’s hired workers,

servants, and residents passing through their land. During the Sabbath year, the land itself

provided food for all involved. The Sabbath year is a Holy year of rest when the Lord

provides for His people without their labor.

CELEBRATE A YEAR OF ATONEMENT

V:8 "'Count off seven sabbaths of years — seven times seven years — so that the seven sabbaths of years amount to a period of forty-nine years. 9 Then have the trumpet sounded everywhere on the tenth day of the seventh month; on the Day of Atonement sound the trumpet throughout your land.

Faithfully celebrating the Sabbath days and the Sabbath years, set the Israelites up for the

Day Of Atonement and the year of Jubilee. The Year of Jubilee was the 50^th year

of harvest. The year of Jubilee was counted by 7 times 7 Sabbath years plus one.

The Day of Atonement was described in Leviticus as the sacrifices made by

the priest for the sins of the nation. The year after the 49^th year was the Year of Jubilee

It is up to us to work for the future according to God’s commands.

Notice God laid out 50 years of prosperity for His nation.

CELEBRATE A YEAR OF JUBILEE

V:10 Consecrate the fiftieth year and proclaim liberty throughout the land to all its inhabitants. It shall be a jubilee for you; each one of you is to return to his family property and each to his own clan. 11 The fiftieth year shall be a jubilee for you; do not sow and do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the untended vines. 12 For it is a jubilee and is to be holy for you; eat only what is taken directly from the fields.

Obedience to God’s commands endures God's will for your life. We may have trouble in our lives

due to decisions, we make, but in the end, our faithfulness ensures God’s blessings.

There were some Israelites who were good in business and some who did poorly in

business. Before going into the promised land, all the families were blessed with

property and the promise of success in the land. Financially, they all started equally.

There were no poor Israelites entering the promised land.

God knew in advance that some families would become in debt and lose possession

of the land He allotted to them. Faithfulness to God’s commands would provide

three years of provisions. The Sabbath year (49^th year), the year of Jubilee (50^th year)

and the first year of the next 50 years until the next harvest

CELEBRATE YOUR REDEMPTION

V:13 "'In this Year of Jubilee everyone is to return to his own property.

 

The land was not permanent to the families. It was a lease to them

from the Lord while they lived.

Every fifth year God provided for the return of the land lost by poor management

to the original families. He canceled all debts.

Today, because of the grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ all of our debts

have been canceled. Jesus has redeemed us from our past so we can enter into

His gates with thanksgiving.

LET US CELEBRATE THE YEAR OF JUBILEE

 

REV. M. MITCHELL

Bible Study Series; The Lord Is My Portion, Lamentations 3:24

 

"The Lord is my portion, saith my soul."

— Lamentations 3:24

YOUR PORTION IS THE GOODNESS OF THE LORD

This text has its beginning when God divided the promised land among the 12 tribes

of Israel. Actually, He divided the land among 11 tribes. The Levite tribe was

set apart to be the priest of Israel.

Numbers 18:20-22

20 The Lord said to Aaron, "You will have no inheritance in their land, nor will you have any share among them; I am your share and your inheritance among the Israelites.

21 "I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do while serving at the Tent of Meeting.

While the Levites were not given a portion of land as an inheritance, they had the provisions

of the Lord as their inheritance. Their portion was dependent on their work. What we do

for the Lord stores up treasures in heaven.

Every believer has been made a priest to the Lord. Every believer has the Lord as their

portion. We were designed and equipped for good works for the Lord.

Revelation 1:5-6

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and has made us be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father — to him be glory and power forever and ever! Amen.

WE ARE PRIEST OF THE LORD

The Israelites came out of Egypt with 600,000 men (not counting women and children)

Each of these families was to provide tithes to the Levite priests.

I. The Lord's portion cannot be compared to anything a man can do.

His portion is far more abundant than anything a man can conceive.

God’s divine favor for us is unlimited.

You and I can not describe the vastness of God’s resources.

His resources are unlimited because He can create resources out of

nothing. We don't have to see God's resources, we just have to believe

they exist in His power.

While slaves in Egypt, the Israelites owned nothing. But when they were

freed they came into the desert with livestock, gold silver, bronze and clothing

that God provided from the Egyptians.

II. The Lord’s portion is enough for you.

You and I live in this desert of sinfulness. We serve a God that made the

desert for us.

God gave us this desert experience to learn to trust Him.

Charles Spurgeon stated this way;

"It is not "The Lord is partly my portion," nor "The Lord is in my portion"; but He makes up the sum total of my soul's inheritance.

The Lord is my portion. Not His grace merely, nor His love, nor His covenant, but Jehovah Himself.”

He has chosen us for His portion, and we have to choose Him for ours.

Anything the Lord provides is going to be satisfying and sufficient.

Jesus is positioned to ensure we have all we need.

Acts 5:31-32

God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might give repentance and forgiveness of sins to Israel. ONE OF THE KEYS TO OUR PORTION

CHOSE JESUS AS YOUR PORTION

God created two classes of people in this world; believers and unbelievers.

God is not the portion of unbelievers.

There is only one way to God. Satan provides many ways away from God

Unbelievers choose pleasure and self-indulgence. This portion is empty and

worthless.

Some Unbelievers choose self-denial which is worthless unless God is the desired

end.

Some unbelievers choose human applause and self-esteem as their portion

which is useless. God hates the proud. You can be loved by man today and

hated tomorrow.

Believers must choose Jesus as their portion.

John 12:32

32 And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

When we lift up Jesus, He draws us to our portion. Psalms 22:3-4

The word inhabits on Psalms 22:3 means God sits down in your praise

He settle in your praise

When we lift up Jesus He abides in us as His Word abides in Us.

The text says "The Lord is my portion, saith my soul." (Lamentations 3:24)

The soul speaks what it knows of the Word of God.

What does the soul know? What we study and meditate on.

Believers' portion is full of the Word. It is Word that provides hope

and comfort for today and tomorrow.

Our portion abides in Jesus.

John 15:7

If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you.

We have no idea how big the portion Jesus has for us is. We have to come to the conclusion

that what goes around comes around.

Consider what the Lord said to the Levites:

Numbers 18:21

"I give to the Levites all the tithes in Israel as their inheritance in return for the work they do while serving at the Tent of Meeting.

You don’t get what you want just because you have accepted Christ as Savior. The text says

IN RETURN FOR WORK

WHAT WORK?

Matthew 28:19

Galatians 6:4

1 Thessalonians 1:3

1 Corinthians 15:58

We have to choose Jesus as our portion.

When we do we must believe

He has the infinite power to support us

He has the infinite wisdom to direct us

He has the infinite goodness to supply all our needs

We have to act according to His Word.

Our daily prayer should be this

Mark 9:23-24

"Everything is possible for him who believes."

I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!"

III. The Lord is our everlasting portion.

Not only does the Lord look out for us on earth while we live. But He has

already provided for our eternal portion.

John 14:2-4

I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you,

I will come back and take you to be with me so that you also may be where I am.

Jesus is our eternal portion.

It is by divine grace that God chose you so you could choose Him.

OUR RESPONSIBILITIES FOR OUR PORTION

GRATEFULNESS

THANKFULNESS

TOTAL DEPENDENCE ON GOD

TOTAL DEVOTION TO GOD

JOY IN THE LORD

PROMOTE THE PEACE OF THE LORD

LIFE UP JESUS IN ALL WE DO.

SUMMARY

GOD IS YOUR PORTION

YOUR PORTION IS ACCORDING TO YOUR WORKS

YOUR PORTION IS RELEASED BY ASKING

YOUR PORTION IS A RESULT OF ABIDING IN JESUS

YOUR PORTION IS ACCORDING TO YOUR BELIEFS

CLASS QUESTIONS

DESCRIBE YOUR PORTION IN THE LORD

WHAT IS IN YOUR PORTION?

WHAT PROOF DO YOU HAVE THAT WHAT

YOU HAVE IS YOUR PORTION?

DO YOU POSSESS ALL OF YOUR PORTION?

This Week's Sunday School Lesson, "Treat Your Neighbor With Love", Leviticus 19, 11/20/2022

 TREAT YOUR NEIGHBOR WITH LOVE

 

Leviticus 19:9-19, 34-37

 

 

God is holy and He commands His people to be Holy.

Leviticus 19:1-10

1 And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 2 Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, and say unto them, Ye shall be holy: for I the Lord your God am holy.

We are commanded to practice righteousness in all we do.  Believers are role

Models to the rest of the world. None believers should see in our ways that are

Pleasing to God. It's our actions and attitude that draw others to Christ. We

Have the power to influence others in God’s ways.

 

PROVIDE FOR THE NEEDS OF THE POOR

V:9 "'When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. 10 Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the Lord your God.

 

The Israelites, still in the desert were being prepared by the Lord in the

Practical ways of living as free people in the promised land. Successful

Relationships with each other and strangers were to follow God’s commands.

God commanded the Israelites to treat everyone with love and respect.

 

Acts of kindness show our love for God and our love for our neighbors.

God promised the Israelites that all their need would be provided if

They were obedient to His commands.  There was no reason for any

Israelite to be poor.

 

Let me suggest that the only reason an Israelites became

poor was their disobedience in dealing with one another.

God knew their sinfulness, there He made allowances for their

Recovery.

Deuteronomy 28:10-12

All the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will fear you. 11 The Lord will grant you abundant prosperity — in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground — in the land he swore to your forefathers to give you.

 

Today God’s gives us the same promise. We are commanded to put our

Trust in the Lord.

Romans 15:13-14

13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

 

Not only did God make provisions for the Israelites who fell on hard times,

But he made provisions for the none Israelites who attached themselves to

Them.

 

God’s welfare system starts with the generosity of His people. He commanded

Those who prospered to leave in the fields produce for the poor

And the aliens to harvest. Notice it was not a hand out but a hand up.

Those who were poor were given the opportunity to go reap what

Was purposely left for them in the fields.

 

Because of their own failure, the poor had to wait until the best was

Harvested by the owner, before they could go in the fields. Despite

Our sinfulness, whatever God does for us is sufficient.  

 

NO NEED TO TAKE WHAT OTHERS HAVE

V:11 "'Do not steal.

"'Do not lie.

"'Do not deceive one another.

Because of the abundance promised by the Lord for our obedience,

No Christian has any reason to steal, lie, or deceive another person.

 Satan came to steal, kill and destroy. When we resist God’s commands

For righteousness, we fall into Satan’s trap.

 

When we fall into Satan’s trap, we hurt ourselves first.  We break fellowship with

The Lord and are no longer under God’s full protection. To lie, steal or

Deceive another person is to take our eyes off God and focused on

The flesh.

 

To restore fellowship with the Lord requires more than a prayer of

Forgiveness, but repentance and confession of our sins to the one

We hurt.

James 5:16

Therefore, confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.

 

DO NOT USE GOD’S NAME IN VAIN

V:12 "'Do not swear falsely by my name and so profane the name of your God. I am the Lord.

We should always consider the Lord’s name as Holy. We should never use

The Lord’s name in idle conversation. God is not common, and we should not

 bring Him low in daily conversation.

 

Don’t use expressions like “My God” or swear by His name to prove your

Worth. When you swear by God’s name, you bring Him low and involve Him

In your lie. It is wrong to lie. But to use God to prove your lie is worst.

 

We must get in a habit of only using God’s name in prayer and in

Conversations to uplift, build up, and comfort others in the Word.

God is not your buddy, He is your Lord.

 

STEALING OF ANY KIND IS SINFUL

V:13 "'Do not defraud your neighbor or rob him.

"'Do not hold back the wages of a hired man overnight.

 

In todays society, robbery occurs everyday in every element

Of our lives. Robbery occurs on the internet, by telephone,

In our corporate offices, and in the streets. We even rob God

Of His tithes and offering  in worship (Mal 3:10).

 

The first thing believers should strive for is an attitude of honesty.

We first must be honest with ourselves before we can be honest

With our neighbors. Dishonesty starts in the heart, and moves into

Action as we pursue selfish desires.

 

We can rob someone of their self-esteem and confidence with hurtful

Words and lies. Our words have power, therefore we should consider

The well being of others before we speak.

 

DON’T DISRESPECT A PERSON BECAUSE OF THEIR NEEDS

V:14 "'Do not curse the deaf or put a stumbling block in front of the blind, but fear your God. I am the Lord.

 

We need to be kind to everyone regardless of their disability. It is a sorry state

Of mind to use someone’s disability for our personal pleasure. We all have

Some disabilities in some area. Some are obvious and some are hidden.

What we need to remember is what goes around comes around

Mark 4:24-25

"With the measure you use, it will be measured to you — and even more.

 

God has a way of getting revenge in a way we can’t think of.

Doing wrong will not go unpunished. Some punishments are designed to teach

Us valuable lessons about relationships.

 

  

SHOW LOVE, NOT FAVORITISM

V:15 "'Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favoritism to the great, but judge your neighbor fairly.

 

God is no respecter of a person. Poor or rich are just human conditions.

Some pride themselves on what they have. Others devalue themselves

For what they lack. God sees everyone as equal. Likewise, we are to see

Everyone is equal. All should be judged by God’s righteousness.

Justice should be blind to position, status, or money.

 

DON’T SPREAD GOSSIP

16 "'Do not go about spreading slander among your people.

"'Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor's life. I am the Lord.

17 "'Do not hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt.

 

Let love govern your actions toward others.

If you love your neighbor, you will lift them up and spread good works about

Them. Christians are in the business of drawing others to Christ, not driving

Them away. Each of us is dependent on others. You never know who

God has put in your life what their purpose is. The very person you hate

Maybe the person God placed in your life is your help in times of need.

 

If others are going astray, we have a job to rebuke them with God’s Word.

God gave us the first example outside the garden when He rebuked Cain prior

Killing able.

Genesis 4:6-7

6 Then the Lord said to Cain, "Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must master it."

 

 

 

BE KIND, LET GOD BE THE REVENGER

V:18 "'Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but love your neighbor as yourself. I am the Lord.

When we are hurt, the tendency is to get even. But vengeance is the Lord.

Deuteronomy 32:35

35 To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste.

We are commanded to love our neighbor as ourselves. Love overlooks any

Wrongs done. God has forgiven us, therefore we must forgive others.

 

 

Leviticus 19:34-37

34 The alien living with you must be treated as one of your native-born. Love him as yourself, for you were aliens in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.

 

God reminds us of the grace and mercy He has shown. We aliens while

On this earth. By the grace of God through the atoning blood of Jesus

He treats us as sons and daughters. 

 

Love is the equalizing factor that allows us to treat everyone as we

Want God to treat us. God commands us to treat everyone as

Brothers and sisters. God does not see race or nationality, but each

As His children.

 

HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY

V:35 "'Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight, or quantity. 36 Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah, and an honest hin. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt.

 

Robbery includes not giving someone all that they paid for.

Honesty is always the best policy. Worship of the Lord includes being

Truthful in every way we deal with others. When we use dishonest

Scales, we breaking the command not to lie. We can lie in words and

Lie in actions.

 

God treats us with respect even when we are disrespectful. We should

Show the same love to others.

 

V:37 "'Keep all my decrees and all my laws and follow them. I am the Lord.'"

The Lord said He would rather obedience than sacrifice

1 Samuel 15:22

"Does the Lord delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices

as much as in obeying the voice of the Lord?

To obey is better than sacrifice.

 

We reverence the Lord with our obedience. While we will never be totally

Obedient, we strive for it. God looks at our hearts and knows our intentions.

 

It is far easier to make a sacrifice than to be totally obedient.

 

 

Rev. M. Mitchell