Since today is the Lord's Day before Thanksgiving, …

1 Message for THE Lord's DAY MORNING, November 22, 2015 THANKSGIVING SERMONTHANKSGIVING SERMONTHANKSGIVING SERMONTHANKSGIVING SERMONC hristian Hope Church of Christ, Plymouth, North Carolinaby Reggie A. Braziel, MinisterTOPIC:TOPIC:TOPIC:TOPIC:Thanksgi ving, GratitudeThanksgiving, GratitudeThanksgiving, GratitudeThanksgiving, Gratitude COUNT your MANY BLESSINGSCOUNT your MANY BLESSINGSCOUNT your MANY BLESSINGSCOUNT your MANY BLESSINGS Psalm 103:1-5 (NKJV)Psalm 103:1-5 (NKJV)Psalm 103:1-5 (NKJV)Psalm 103.

2 1-5 (NKJV) Since today is the Lord's Day before Thanksgiving, we are going tostep aside from our series from Ecclesiastes, and focus ourthoughts on the subject of Thanksgiving this turn with me in your Bibles to Psalm 103. Psalm 103. Psalm 103. Psalm 103. And let's read the first five first five first five first five 103:1-5 (NKJV)Psalm 103:1-5 (NKJV)Psalm 103:1-5 (NKJV)Psalm 103:1-5 (NKJV)1 1 1 1 Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name!2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:3 Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases,4 Who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercies,5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle s.

3 P R A Y E RI N T R O D U C T I O NI N T R O D U C T I O NI N T R O D U C T I O NI N T R O D U C T I O NILLUSTRATION: Johnson Oatman, Jr. was born April 21, 1856 in Medford, New ILLUSTRATION: Johnson Oatman, Jr. was born April 21, 1856 in Medford, New ILLUSTRATION: Johnson Oatman, Jr. was born April 21, 1856 in Medford, New ILLUSTRATION: Johnson Oatman, Jr. was born April 21, 1856 in Medford, New was born to a very devout Christian family and attended Church every Lord's Day. Oatman had the deepest admiration for his father, Johnson Sr.

4 , Johnson Sr. , Johnson Sr. , Johnson Sr. , who had a great booming voice and was a very talented musician. As a boy, young Johnson used to sit by his father for hours singing the great hymns of the Johnson grew into a young man he wanted to do something to honorthe deep faith of his father, so he enrolled in seminary and trained tobecome a minister. For many years, Johnson Oatman Jr. moved from oneChurch to another, never staying long in any of them. By his ownadmission, he was not a very good preacher. By the time he turned thirty six, Johnson Oatman had a strong sense Godwas calling him to do something other than preach the gospel.

5 He thoughtback to those days when he spent many hours sitting beside his fathersinging one night in 1892 1892 1892 1892 , Johnson Oatman took a pen and some paper and attempted to write his very first hymn. Within three years, Churches all over the world were singing his hymns. Among his own personal favorites was No Not One. No Not One. No Not One. No Not One. But in 1897 1897 1897 1897 Johnson Oatman wrote his most beloved hymn of all, Count Count Count Count your Blessings. your Blessings. your Blessings.

6 your Blessings. Listen closely to the beautiful lines of this song:When upon life s billows you are tempest-tossed,When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,Count your many blessings, name them one by one,And it will surprise you what the Lord has done. Refrain:Count your blessings, name them one by one,Count your blessings, see what God has done!Count your blessings, name them one by one,*Count your many blessings, see what God has done.[*And it will surprise you what the Lord has done.]Are you ever burdened with a load of care?Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?

7 Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,And you will keep singing as the days go by. When you look at others with their lands and gold,Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;Count your many blessings *money cannot buy your reward in heaven, nor your home on high. So, amid the conflict whether great or small,Do not be discouraged, God is over all;Count your many blessings, angels will attend,Help and comfort give you to your journey s end. **On a sign outside of a nursing home in Illinois were these words: Be grateful for small things, big things, and everything Be grateful for small things, big things, and everything Be grateful for small things, big things, and everything Be grateful for small things, big things, and everything in between.

8 Count your blessings, not your problems. in between. Count your blessings, not your problems. in between. Count your blessings, not your problems. in between. Count your blessings, not your problems. Do you spend more time counting your problems counting your problems counting your problems counting your problems than counting yourcounting yourcounting yourcounting yourblessings? blessings? blessings? blessings? If so, that would probably explain why you are discouraged and miserably unhappy all the 's not a day that goes by but what GOD doesn't bless you inmore ways than you can possibly imagine, and sadly, many of usoften forget the first five verses first five verses first five verses first five verses of this 103103103103rdrdrdrd Psalm Psalm Psalm Psalm David gives himself a goodtalking to.

9 In verse 2 verse 2 verse 2 verse 2 he admits his own struggle to stay focusedon God's blessings instead of on his own problems. He 103:2 (NKJV) Bless the LORD, O my soul, Psalm 103:2 (NKJV) Bless the LORD, O my soul, Psalm 103:2 (NKJV) Bless the LORD, O my soul, Psalm 103:2 (NKJV) Bless the LORD, O my soul, (now listen closely) AND FORGET NOT ALL HIS BENEFITSAND FORGET NOT ALL HIS BENEFITSAND FORGET NOT ALL HIS BENEFITSAND FORGET NOT ALL HIS BENEFITS.. Like David, we all tend to have very short memories when itcomes to remembering God's blessings.

10 My prayer is that God'sSpirit will work through this message this morning to remind all ofus to Count Our Blessings Count Our Blessings Count Our Blessings Count Our Blessings , not just during this Thanksgivingseason, but all 365 days of the these first five verses, first five verses, first five verses, first five verses, David reminds us of five wonderfulfive wonderfulfive wonderfulfive wonderfulblessings blessings blessings blessings we should be thankful for; and from each of these fiveblessings flows thousands of other blessings into our of Be Thankful For The Blessing of GOD'S Be Thankful For The Blessing of GOD'S Be Thankful For The Blessing of GOD'S Be Thankful For The Blessing of GOD'S FORGIVENESSFORGIVENESSFORGIVENESSFORGIVE NESS ( ) ( ) ( ) ( ) vs.