Without a doubt, if I were to ask you all to list the many ways in which God has blessed you this year, your lists of blessings would be long. The question concerning these blessings is, “Are we showing God what our thankfulness looks like?” Several of you may reply that you thank Him every day, but that’s not the question. The question is, “Are we showing God what our thankfulness looks like?”
Abundant blessings can sometimes cause a case of complacency. It’s that moment when we settle into our secure routine life where we don’t allow disruptions or interferences. Most pastors are concerned with how quickly young Christians grow, but wonder how many mature Christians have stopped growing. Shepherds love to observe young Christians when they are bold and expressive about what they’ve just experienced, but it’s the mature Christian that has forgotten that thankful feeling. So how do we express our thankfulness to God outwardly? It’s what I call God’s “Truffle of Stewardship”.
Romans 12:1-2, “1 Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.” Paul sums up our roles as Christians in these two verses. We are to pursue this renewal of our minds! Renewal—ἀνακαίνωσις—anakainōsis—a renewal, renovation, complete change for the better. This word “renewing” leads us directly into God’s will for our individual lives, and it’s good, acceptable and perfect. This renewal model deserves thankfulness to God.
There are two wonderful areas where thankfulness is outwardly expressed toward God. In Psalm 100:4, “Enter His gates with thanksgiving, And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.” Colossians 3:15, “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful.” Church, the only way to express biblical thankfulness is to “enter His gates” and “called in one body”, this is developed through church fellowship!
Being stewards of God in the body of Christ fulfills the good, acceptable and perfect Will of God. This area of stewardship is an all-encompassing church wide response. Only then are we able to act upon our individual stewardship and apply them into our church body. This is all driven by the Holy Spirit compelling us to listen to Him and act upon His convictions.
In conclusion, we are approaching a new year in our church administration. In order to fulfill our Vision/Mission of Preaching, Teaching and Reaching our church family must fill roles/duties/responsibilities. I’m asking you to please pray about how God can use you and how you can get plugged into our mission. Church unity inside the walls must be pursued in order to impact the community outside the walls. Be thankful for opportunity to use your gifts, be thankful God has allowed us to have a base to prepare. Blessings
Pastor Bryan Knight