Open your Bibles with me to Ephesians chapter five. Ephesians chapter five. Title of the message this evening is a thanksgiving message. Thanksgiving message. Let's begin reading in verse 15. of Ephesians 5.

See then, verse 15, see then that you walk, that you conduct your life circumspectly. I had to look that up. It means diligently. It means carefully, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time because the days are evil. Wherefore, be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is.

Wise men, wise men walk with God, and they walk diligently. They walk carefully, considering the time that God's given them. Because the evil days, we read, there are many. Listen to the Apostle Paul in verse 17. He's saying, don't be unwise, but rather seek the will of the Lord, to seek his will in all things.

Verse 18, and be not drunk with wine wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord. He says, speak to yourselves, singing of hymns, these spiritual songs.

You know, when the Spirit of God dwells in a man, like a well, like a well of living water, our hearts should dwell on the goodness and the mercy of God. And these tunes that we sing are, listen, to cheer ourselves on the way and cheer others. And they're not, we don't sing profane songs. We don't sing carnal songs. But songs that honor, honor our Lord. We sing them to praise Him.

Paul writing to the Colossians, he said this, let the word of Christ dwell in you richly. Teaching, that's what he just said, teaching and admonishing one another in Psalms, in hymns, giving thanks, giving thanks to God for all things, all that God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ has given us. Singing with grace. Not just on the tongue, but in the heart.

Well, look with me at verse 20. Verse 20 of Ephesians 5. He says, giving thanks always for all Thanks. Over in the book of James, James 1, 17, James said this, he said, every good gift and every perfect gift, it's from above. It cometh down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variableness, with whom there is no shadow of turning.

We're to give thanks for all things. Think about that. Everything we have, everything we have comes from God, our Father. All mercies, temporal mercies, spiritual mercies, they come from the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ. And for these mercies, the mercies of God We should be continually thankful, continually praising Him, continually giving thanks unto Him in everything. In everything give thanks. This is what Scripture says, in everything give thanks for this is the will of God concerning you. In everything. I wished I could remember that for more than just a few seconds. In everything, give thanks.

Now tomorrow, I suppose most of us in some fashion will celebrate Thanksgiving. And I'm not here this evening to teach a history lesson. But I do think this is worth reading. In 1789, George Washington wrote the Thanksgiving Proclamation. Let me just read a few words of it to you. He says, whereas it's the duty of all men to acknowledge, listen to this, this was written by a man, to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God. He says, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and to humbly implore his protection and favor. He goes on to say, he said, both houses of the Congress had instructed him to write this proclamation. And he said, recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with a grateful heart the many signal favors of Almighty God, especially for affording us the opportunity to peacefully establish a form of government for the safety and happiness of those people. And he goes on to say, I recommend and assign, at that time it was the 26th day of November, to be devoted to the people of these United States to the service of the great and glorious being who is the beneficent author of all good that was, that is, and will be.

George Washington wrote about a day of thanksgiving, even thanks to God. And wouldn't that be a wise way to spend our time? But you know, for the believer, not just one day of the year, but every day of the year. should be a day of thanksgiving. I want us to consider this evening just a few, just a few things that we should be thankful for. And I promise you, for sake of time, this isn't an all-inclusive list, but just a few things, OK?

We're told this in everything. That's what, listen, God's Word says in everything, give thanks. This is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you, concerning each one of us. Well, we give thanks for His electing love. Matthew 1.21 says this, She shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins."

Here in just a few days, people around this world will start talking about the fact that a man named Jesus came into this world. Some will take and put a manger scene out in front of their business or building or home. But you know very few know why he came. Very few know who he truly is. Very few know the reason he came here to live and die. But the reason he came can be found in God's electing love for his people, in his sovereign purpose of grace. The Son of God came here for this reason. We just read it, to save his people. A people chosen and given him by the Father. He came to save his people from their sins.

Don't we give thanks for his electing love? That God hath from the beginning, consider that, God hath from the beginning chosen you unto salvation. Almighty God who hath saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.

We give thanks second for his redeeming grace. He redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us. We read about that brand plucked out of the fire. That's what he's done for his people. It's by grace, by grace that you're saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is a gift. of Almighty God.

We give thanks for His electing love. We give thanks for His redeeming grace. We give thanks for eternal life. Turn with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 15. Turn to 1 Corinthians 15. Look at verse 57. Here we read, but thanks, thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Victory. Victory over sin. Victory over the sting of death. Victory over the law, which is the strength of sin. Victory over death. Victory over the grave. Oh, a time of praise. That's what thanks is, a time of praise, a time of thankfulness to God. Christ obtained a victory over the law. He answered all of its demands. He bore the penalty and he has delivered us from the curse of the law. He's delivered us from the condemnation of the law. And he's left us with nothing, nothing to fear. And one day, one day we'll die. The believer will die. It's appointed, that's what's, it's appointed unto man once to die. But the believer doesn't remain under the power of death. The believer will live again. And more than just life, life with Him forever. Eternal life, it's found in one place, it's found in the Son.

David wrote, you'll remember this, he said, surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life." And then what'd he say? I'll dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Job, he said, though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. He said, I'm going to see him for myself. Mine eyes are going to behold him and not another, though my reigns be consumed within me.

We give thanks for eternal life. We give thanks forth for afflictions and trial. No trial, no chastisement seems joyous at the present time. But in the book of James, James chapter 1, turn there with me, right after the book of Hebrews, James chapter 1. Look at verse two, James chapter one, verse two. My brethren, count it all joy. Count it all joy when you fall into diverse temptations, knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience."

I was talking to a dear brother not too many days ago, a man under quite a bit of trial, quite a bit of affliction. And this is what he said. He said, it's good for me. It's good for me. You know when trials come, and they will, We know that, don't we? What's our attitude? And I ask you that question. I ask myself that question. What is my attitude? He says, brethren, count it all joy. Consider it joy of the highest kind when you're put under trial by the hand of God.

I wish I could remember these things that, listen, trials are brought about by God's providence. He who orders and directs all things by the hand of our heavenly father who works all things together for our good. Faith, faith has to be tried. It has to be tested. And often it can only be proved by trial. How often is it counterfeit? But trials are given to reveal to us whether we're leaning on this arm of flesh or truly resting in our Savior. truly trusting in the Lord. Is it genuine? Faith must be tried. And trials not only reveal our faith, but they work to encourage patience. Paul said this in Romans. He said, we glory in tribulation knowing that tribulation worketh patience. Were God not to try us, if we were left free from trouble, how would we ever learn patience? How would we ever learn to be patient with others, to have pity on others, to have compassion on others? Faith worketh patience. Give thanks. Thanks for trial and tribulation.

Fifth, thanks for all things. Knowing this, knowing this, that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose. As we read earlier, to walk circumspectly, to do all things without murmuring and disputing, that the Lord would deliver me from murmuring and complaining against his good providence. We read this earlier, in everything, in everything give thanks for this is the will of God concerning you. This is the will of God, that we rejoice always, that we pray continually, that we give thanks, that we be a thankful people. What we are, what we have, where we are, all that happens in the life of the believer It's God's will concerning us. To give me a heart to rejoice and give thanks. To rejoice and give thanks in times of prosperity, which sometimes we forget, don't we, in those times, in times of joy, in times of prosperity. God's mercies towards us. to rejoice and give thanks in times of adversity, when trial and trouble come our way, to live in an attitude of prayer and thanksgiving, even when we don't have a particular need or a particular request, that our prayer and praise would would be continued continually to the father.

We do complain. I speak for myself. I do complain. But truly, how can I? How can I complain being an heir of God and a joint heir with his son? to give thanks in all things, and thanks to give thanks for the Lord Jesus Christ.

Turn to 2 Corinthians 9 verse 15. 2 Corinthians 9 verse 15. Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift. The unspeakable gift of His Son. His own Son, God's Son, His only begotten son, the son of his love, his son and his heir. God gave him to be a covenant to his people. He's the head of the church. He's the savior of sinners. He was sacrificed in our room and in our stead. Can we even begin to find the words just to speak of Him, to declare Him, the unspeakable gift?

I was thinking of the words to this song, love beyond our human comprehension. Love of God in Christ, how can it be? This will be my theme, and never ending, great redeeming love, Calvary. There is none, we can try, but there is none that can tell how great this gift is. None that can declare the love of the Father and the Son, but we can be thankful, can't we? Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift, the salvation of His people in one man, the salvation of His people in Christ alone.

Spurgeon wrote this, he said, a dying savior must be for those who deserved to die. Christ doesn't come to us as deserving him. But he is God's unspeakable gift. Give him thanks. always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Oh, that he would give us continually a spirit of thanksgiving, giving thanks always for all things to God to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And then just quickly read on in our text. He says, submitting yourselves, verse 21, submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. Thanksgiving and submission. Submitting yourselves one to another Now, let there be no question, let there be no debate. Christ is the sovereign head of the church. He's the supreme authority, he's the king. We read he's king of kings and lord of lords. He's to be feared, he's to be reverenced, he's to be worshipped. There's no question we're to be in submission to Him. But here He says, submitting yourselves one to another.

Romans 13.1 says, let every soul be subject to the higher powers, for there's no power, there's no authority apart from God. The powers that be are ordained of God. delegates authority, he gives authority in his name. In the home, in the church, in this world, and in the fear of the Lord, and in reverence for him and his glory, we submit ourselves to that authority as wives to husbands, as children to parents, as servants to masters. Submit yourselves one to another in the fear of God.

All right, well, I pray the Lord would use these words for our instruction and that he would cause us, cause us to be thankful. Not just tomorrow. I hope we are thankful tomorrow, but not just tomorrow. but at all times. Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

All right. Isaac, come lead us in a closing here.