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I Haven't Stopped Giving Thanks: a Sermon Based on Ephesians Chapter 1:15-23

July 14, 2009 by
Pastor Tim Henry  
Pastor Tim Henry
Pastor Tim Henry
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Giving Thanks  |  Ephesians  |  Thanks Giving  |  Morse Code  |  Give Thanks

A Love Works Daily Sermon

It's time to count your blessings.

If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and place to sleep ... you are richer than 75% of the world.

If you have money in the bank, cash in your wallet or even spare change in a dish someplace ... you are among the top 8% of the Earth's wealthiest people.
 

If you woke up this morning with more health than illness ... you are more fortunate than the million people who will not survive the week.

If you have never experienced the danger of battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture or the suffering of starvation ... you are ahead of 500 million people in the world.

If you can attend this worship service, or any other religion-related meeting, without fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death ... you are fortunate. Billions of people in the world cannot.

So it's not hard for us to count our blessings, is it?

Most of us could quickly and easily jot down a rather lengthy list, including thanks for family and friends, food, clothing, cars, homes, pets, jobs, toys, health, freedom, ... and so on

But THINK about this. If we follow this logic, then it means that if we LACK these things, we cannot give thanks. We can count our blessings only if we have something to count. So what if we have no family ... no car ... no home ... no job? Does this mean we cannot give thanks?

It does not. Not at all!

In today's reading from Ephesians, Paul encourages us to say thanks for the very best of things; things that are not material things at all; things that are not seen; things that to some seem like nothing at all.

[From The NLT - New Living Translation]

15 Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God's people everywhere, 16 I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, 17 asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. 18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called—his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.

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Pastor Tim Henry
Written by Pastor Tim Henry
Inspirational writer and social commentator. Native of the Pacific Northwest. Advocate of voluntary simplicity and mindful, compassionate living. Quaker minister.  -  Full profile
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