Give Thanks to God

We're going to begin our worship just now by singing to God's praise.

We're going to sing from Psalm 92 in the Scottish Psalter, Psalm 92, verse 1 to verse 6.

Psalms 92:1

! We're going to sing this to the tune, The Bays of Harris.

We're coming with thanksgiving to God, and it says here,

To render thanks unto the Lord, it is a comely thing.

And to thy name, O thou, most high, do you praise aloud to sing.

Thy lovingkindness to show forth when shines the morning light.

And to declare thy faithfulness with pleasure every night.

We'll stand to sing from verse 1 to 6 to God's praise.

To render thanks unto the Lord, it is a comely thing.

And to thy name, O thou, most high, do you praise aloud to sing.

Thy lovingkindness to show forth when shines the morning light.

And to declare thy faithfulness with pleasure every night.

On Athens' ringed instrument upon the psaltery.

And on the harp with solemn sound and great sweet melody.

For thy Lord, by thy mighty words,

Has made my heart bright glad.

And I will triumphed in the works which by thy hands were made.

How great Lord, by thy words,

Each thought of thine, the deep it is.

A British man, it knoweth not,

Those understand not this.

When those land good and wicked have,

Spring quickly up like grass,

And work our children,

And work our children iniquity,

To flourish all our peace.

Let's bow our heads in a word of prayer.

Let us pray.

Our gracious Lord,

We thank you for this day.

We thank you to be able to come,

Acknowledging thanksgiving to you anew.

We thank you that there is this day set aside for that purpose of thanksgiving.

For a particular reason,

For every good and perfect gift is from above,

As your word reminds us.

And we are thankful that as we look back over this year,

We can see the provision that you have made for us,

In so many different ways.

Practically Lord,

The food on our tables,

The water,

The warmth of our homes,

All that we enjoy,

And so often take for granted,

Lord,

We thank you for every provision you make for us.

But above all,

We thank you for the promise of your constant companionship with us.

That you are the one that we are to look to,

The one that we are to give thanks to for all these things.

And today,

May you help us to be truly thankful for all that is ours,

And especially all that is ours through Jesus Christ as our Lord.

We pray that you will bless your word to us today,

Bless us together as a people here,

In all our homes and our families and our communities,

Lord,

We ask that you will be near to us,

Helping us,

Lord,

With all our different needs.

We just ask for your spirit to be with us,

To lead us and to guide us in all of these things,

That you would lead us into your word and into your truth,

That it would speak to us,

And remind us,

Lord,

Of all the reasons that we have,

To look back and give thanks,

To look at our present and give thanks,

And to look to the future,

And asking your blessing on all the days that lie ahead of us.

So continue with us,

Lord,

We pray,

Bless us and keep us and pardon us,

And as we ask all these things in Jesus' precious name.

Amen.

Just a wee word to the young ones.

Some of you may be going out to the holiday tweenies in a minute,

But if not,

You'll be staying in the service as well.

It's good to have you here.

I know it's holiday weekend,

So there's a number of people traveling away as well.

Those who have been able to get away because of the ferries not sailing

And things like that,

The different weather situations,

It's been hard for many people.

And sometimes when we're coming to give thanks to God,

It can seem quite strange to give thanks when there's so many things going on

That are maybe wrong in the world,

Or sad in the world,

Or making us feel as if things just aren't going our way.

But that's why it's so important for us to come to God's word,

And to read God's word together,

And to remind ourselves that God is so precious to us.

And that when we have him,

We have so much to be thankful for.

A couple of weeks ago,

There was a partial that came to the manse.

It wasn't a big partial,

It was a box,

That wide,

Not very deep.

And on the front of the box,

It said flowers.

So it was a flower delivery.

Now if you're used to getting flower deliveries to your house,

Maybe some of you are,

You get flowers,

They come,

But very often they'll come maybe in a big bouquet,

So you can see them immediately.

But this was a box,

And it said flowers.

You think,

It doesn't look very big.

What's going to be inside this box?

And the box was opened,

The box wasn't for me,

But the person it was for,

They opened the box,

And inside was a bunch of flowers.

And first reactions to think,

The flowers are dead.

They just looked as if they had died.

They just looked as if they were withering away in this box.

And you're thinking,

Oh man,

The poor person who sent this,

We're going to have to tell them that the flowers were dead when they arrived.

And we could have easily just maybe thrown the box out and thought,

Well, these flowers are just died.

They're rubbish.

We'll just put them in the bin.

But on the box was instructions.

And it said on the box that,

Though you might think the flowers look dead,

They're not.

What you have to do is you have to feed them.

And there was instructions of how to feed them in different ways.

There was three stages as to how to feed the flowers.

And so the flowers,

Although they looked as if they were wilting,

They were put in a vase and given this feed.

And over time, the flowers came to life.

They bloomed and they're still in our kitchen now.

Still flowering there in the kitchen.

And what made the difference was reading the instructions and doing what the instructions say.

And that's what it is like giving thanks at times as well.

We might look on things and think,

Well, there's so much around us that's sad.

There's so much going on.

And we think,

What reason do we have to give thanks?

We have to give thanks.

But then when we read the instructions,

When we read God's word,

We realize as we go through God's word,

We have so many things to give thanks for.

That there are times when everything seems to be withering and perishing away.

But that God is able to give life.

And that as we hear what he's saying to us,

As we follow his instructions,

He is the one who gives life even into the saddest of situations.

And we are able to give thanks to him,

That he remembers us,

That he is with us.

And that is his promise always.

So we take heart in the midst of everything else that goes on.

Some things will be sad and hard for us.

But we have the Lord with us.

And we do have so much to give thanks for.

So may our hearts truly be thankful to God today,

For all that he does for us.

We're going to say the Lord's Prayer together now.

Our Father which art in heaven,

Hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,

But deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

The power and the glory forever.

Amen.

We're going to sing again to God's praise this time in Psalm 105,

The Scottish Psalter version,

Page 374.

Psalm 105,

Page 374.

We'll sing from verse 1 to verse 7.

And the tune is Peter's Ham.

If there are any young ones going out to the holiday twenties,

You can do that during the singing.

Just as usual,

Coming out the door to my left here.

Psalm 105 at verse 1,

Give thanks to God,

Call on his name,

To men his deeds make known.

Sing ye to him,

Sing psalms,

Proclaim his wondrous works.

Each one.

We'll stand to sing the Psalm,

Verse 1 to 7,

To God's praise.

Please,

Please,

Please,

Please,

Please,

Please,

Please,

Please,

Please,

Please,

Please,

His wondrous works each one.

See that in His holy name to glory do accord.

And let the heart of everyone rejoice that seeks the Lord.

The Lord almighty and His strength with steadfast hearts be ye.

His blessed and His gracious grace seek ye continually.

Think on the works that ye have done which admiration breed.

His wonders and the judgments all which on His life proceed.

O ye that are of Abram's race, his servant well approved.

O ye that Jacob's children are whom He chose on His own.

Because He and He only is the mighty Lord our God.

And His most righteous judgments are in all the earth abroad.

Amen.

We're going to turn to read together now in the Old Testament, the book of Deuteronomy, chapter 8.

Deuteronomy 8 · chapter mention

Deuteronomy chapter 8.

Deuteronomy 8 · chapter mention

And we'll read the whole of this chapter.

So children of Israel have been led to the border of the promised land.

As we see here in Deuteronomy, they're on the verge of going into it.

But they go into it with these words ringing in their ears that they are to remember the Lord their God.

And especially in the midst of all the plenty that they are going to see in the land.

The food, the trees, the fruits of them.

There's so much that they are going to have in terms of food and harvest and all of these things.

But the Lord is reminding them to remember Him.

So Deuteronomy chapter 8.

Deuteronomy 8 · chapter mention

The whole commandment that I command you today, you shall be careful to do.

That you may live and multiply and go in and possess the land that the Lord swore to give to your fathers.

And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you.

These 40 years in the wilderness.

That He might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart.

Whether you would keep His commandments or not.

And He humbled you and let you hunger and fed you with manna.

Which you did not know, nor did your fathers know.

That He might make you know that man does not live by bread alone.

But man lives by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

Your clothing did not wear out on you.

And your foot did not swell these 40 years.

Know then in your heart that as man disciplines his son, the Lord your God disciplines you.

So you shall keep the commandments of the Lord your God by walking in His ways and by fearing Him.

For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land.

A land of brooks, of water, of fountains and springs.

Flowing out into the valleys and fields.

A land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates.

A land of olive trees and honey.

A land in which you will eat bread without scarcity.

In which you will lack nothing.

A land whose stones are iron and out of whose hills you can dig copper.

And you shall eat and be full.

And you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land that He has given you.

Take care lest you forget the Lord your God.

By not keeping His commandments and His rules and His statutes which I command you today.

Lest when you have eaten and are full and have built good houses and live in them.

And when your herds and flocks multiply.

And your silver and gold is multiplied.

And all that you have is multiplied.

Then your heart be lifted up.

And you forget the Lord your God.

Who brought you out of the land of Egypt.

Out of the house of slavery.

Who led you through the great and terrifying wilderness.

With its fiery serpents and scorpions.

And thirsty ground where there was no water.

Who brought you water out of the flinty rock.

Who fed you in his wilderness with manna.

That your fathers did not know.

That he might humble you and test you.

To do you good in the end.

Beware lest you say in your heart.

My power and the might of my hand has gained me this wealth.

You shall remember the Lord your God.

For it is He who gives you power to get wealth.

That He may confirm His covenant.

That He swore to your fathers as it is this day.

And if you forget the Lord your God.

And go after other gods and serve them and worship them.

I solemnly warn you today.

That you shall surely perish.

Like the nations.

That the Lord makes to perish before you.

So shall you perish.

Because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God.

Amen.

And may God bless that reading of His word to us.

We will again engage in a word of prayer.

Let us pray.

Our gracious Lord.

We do thank you for these words that we have read.

And remind us Lord.

That we are to focus upon you.

And we ask that you will help us.

Any distractions that are in our minds.

Any thoughts that come our way.

Even as we are under your word.

That you would remove them from us.

That we would be able to hear.

What your spirit has to say to us.

And we thank you Lord.

That you are a God who speaks.

And who ministers to us.

In all our different needs.

That you are a God who reminds us.

That you are worthy of all our thanksgiving.

And all our praise.

And as we have so much to give thanks for our Lord.

We are reminded.

That we are not to forget you.

That we are not to think.

That it's by the might of our hand.

Or by our own strength.

That we have accomplished anything.

But only through your goodness.

And your grace towards us.

So Lord may you keep us humble.

And may you keep us ever dependent upon you.

And also ever looking to you.

With thanksgiving and prayer.

And we do thank you Lord.

That we have a harvest to be thankful for.

We thank you that although we so often.

Maybe don't see it ourselves today.

Because we do not depend upon the land.

As our fathers and forefathers once did.

But yet oh Lord.

We are still dependent.

On the earth which you have made.

The earth belongs unto the Lord.

And all that it contains.

Your word tells us.

And we are reminded that our harvest comes.

From around us.

And throughout our country.

And even to the ends of the earth Lord.

We have an abundance of provisions.

That come our way.

We do thank you for all who provide us.

With these things.

For the many who labour.

All year round.

Seeking to produce a harvest at the end of it.

And we thank you Lord.

That even in the midst of difficult times.

That you have still blessed.

We do give you thanks for all.

Involved in industry that helps us.

To have so much.

The food on the tables.

And the water that's provided for us.

And the clothes that we wear.

We thank you for those who are involved.

In transporting it.

Throughout our country.

And even throughout the world.

We thank you that there are so many.

Who work to that end of serving others.

And so we give you thanks for all of these things.

But above all Lord.

We give thanks to you.

As God and Lord of all.

The harvest is yours Lord.

And we thank you.

For the provision that you make.

And we thank you that today.

In prayer we can come to you.

With thanksgiving.

But also with our petitions.

Asking for your help.

And your blessing over us.

And so many different things.

We do think of all that's going on.

Around us today.

We thank you Lord.

For the work of the gospel.

We continue to pray.

For your blessing on the word.

That goes out here.

And throughout our island communities.

And throughout our nation.

And the world.

We thank you for the gospel.

And its power.

And we pray Lord.

That it will be powerful.

Even today.

We thank you for your people.

Who pray.

And we thank you.

That we can join in with others.

Praying today.

For your blessing on us.

And for all our different needs.

And the many reasons.

That we have to pray.

Are even laid before us today.

As we have been looking over.

Even our own bulletin sheet.

And thinking of all the many things.

That are going on.

We remember those who are mourning.

And grieving.

We remember families.

In their own communities.

As we commit.

Let a Campbell's family to you.

Asking your blessing.

And peace and comfort to them.

We remember too.

The family of Robert Smith.

Thankful for his years of ministry.

Some of them here in the congregation.

And for the blessing that he was to many.

Throughout the congregation here.

And through his service in the church.

We thank you for that.

And we pray for Janice.

And we pray for Lisa and Gareth.

And their families at this time.

Asking for your comfort.

And your blessing on them.

And we think too.

Of those who are unwell.

Many who are in hospital.

Or at home unwell.

We commit them.

To your care and keeping.

We do pray for little Ruth today.

Granddaughter of Ivor.

And daughter to Mary Catherine.

And the whole family at this time.

Lord.

We ask that you will bless them.

And be with them.

Help those who are caring for her.

Lord.

That your hand.

Would be upon her for good.

We commit them all to you.

Lord.

As the one who is able.

We think too Lord.

Of the work of the gospel.

We thank you for the presbytery camp.

Going on this weekend.

We pray for all the young people.

And the leaders.

Who are there at the Scalladale Center.

For this weekend.

That your spirit be with them.

To bless them.

And to minister to them.

That you'll be with them Lord.

Over these days.

That you will encourage them.

And help them to see.

The wonder of the gospel.

And the beauty of Jesus Christ.

And even in their young years.

To come.

And commit their lives to you.

We think too.

Of difficult situations.

In our islands.

Communities at this time.

As we have been hearing.

In this past week.

Of people missing.

And searches going on.

We continue to pray.

For those who are looking.

For the young boy.

Missing here.

In Stornoway.

And we pray Lord.

That you will protect.

And help those who are out.

Even just now.

Searching for him Lord.

And we just commit.

That situation to you.

We commit.

The search going on.

In Benbeculas.

Well today.

For that young woman.

Who's missing.

Again Lord.

Asking for safety.

And protection.

Over all.

Who are out and about.

For your comfort.

And your blessing.

Over these families.

Who will be so anxious.

At this time.

Lord.

May you surround them.

Uphold them.

And strengthen them.

Throughout these days.

Lord.

We are reminded of.

How we dependently are.

Upon you.

And we pray Lord.

That today.

As we worship you.

That you will minister to us.

That you will draw us to yourself.

That we would realize.

How precious you are.

How precious life is.

And as we even think.

Of our parliament.

And the meetings.

Even in this coming week.

For the assisted suicide bill.

We pray that.

Many members of parliament.

Would see.

The dangers of it.

And come to seek.

To protect life.

In all its.

Sanctity.

And all that it is.

That life is from you.

So give wisdom.

To our leaders.

In these things.

And we pray.

Oh Lord.

That you will protect us.

From going down these paths.

So Lord.

We commit ourselves.

Into your hands.

Now asking for your blessing.

Over us.

Continue with us.

As we open up your word.

Together.

As we look to you.

We look to your blessing.

On us.

Asking forgiveness.

For all our sins.

In Jesus name.

Amen.

Well we're going to sing again.

Before we turn back.

To this passage.

In Psalm 96a.

The Sing Psalms version.

Page 127.

Psalm 96a.

Page 127.

We'll sing from verse 7.

Down to the end of the psalm.

All nations to the Lord.

Ascribe the glory.

That is due.

Glory and strength.

Ascribe to God.

And praise his name.

And you.

We'll sing from that verse 7.

Down to the end of the psalm.

The tune is Bloxam.

We stand to sing to God's praise.

Amen.

All nations to the Lord.

Ascribe the glory.

That is due.

Glory and strength.

Ascribe to God.

And praise his name.

And you.

Enter his courts.

With joy.

Bring an offering.

With you.

Worship the Lord.

In holy field.

All earth before him.

Tell every man.

The Lord is king.

He establishes the earth.

And cannot move.

The Lord will judge.

The people sin is true.

Let έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ έ

They all will sing before the Lord who comes to judge the earth.

He'll judge the world in righteousness, the people's sin is true.

Well, if we can turn back together to our reading in Deuteronomy chapter 8, we can read again at verse 10 and 11.

Deuteronomy 8 · chapter mention

Deuteronomy chapter 8 at verse 10.

Deuteronomy 8 · chapter mention

And you shall eat and be full and you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.

Take care lest you forget the Lord your God by not keeping his commandments and his rules and his statutes which I command you today and so on.

Well, we're going to be looking at the whole of this chapter, but these verses that we've read just give us a focus.

There's two elements there for us.

Being thankful, blessing the Lord for all the provision that he's made and not forgetting the Lord.

Today is a special service of thanksgiving to God where we remember all of God's provision to us looking back, especially over this last year.

It's an annual thanksgiving service with a particular emphasis on harvest thanksgiving.

Now many sitting here today, you might say, what harvest?

What harvest are we giving thanks for?

We don't really do our own harvest, many of us.

What are we looking at here for harvest thanksgiving?

Well, we think today from the outset, how much do we actually take for granted today?

We're maybe not dependent on harvesting our own fields as we once were,

although many people still do try and have their own vegetables and fruits and different things.

But if we're stuck, we can always just go to the shop and there we'll be able to buy whatever we need.

Things that come from all over the world.

We are still dependent on a harvest, even though there is so much we take for granted.

And because we are dependent, it's not the harvest we're dependent on.

It's God we are dependent on.

Because we have to acknowledge that everything comes from him.

The psalmist says, the earth belongs unto the Lord and all that it contains.

Everything belongs to the Lord.

So everything that we have before us today, even as we go home and sit at the table,

and we enjoy a meal around the table, the clothes that we wear,

the water that comes through our taps,

all these things that we so often just take for granted,

they are all the Lord's.

And it's only through the Lord's gracious giving to us that we have these things

in his provision for us.

And so we are to be thankful to him.

And as we see in this passage,

the children of Israel here about to go into the promised land,

into a land that's going to be full of many things,

an abundance of good things,

there also is a reminder here of just how easy it is to forget the Lord.

Do not forget the Lord.

It's the words that ring in this passage as well.

And there are words that should be ringing in our ears today as well,

that we should not at any point forget the Lord,

but always be thankful to him for all that we have.

Now,

as we're looking at the situation of the people and the children of Israel here,

and we look at our own situation today,

you maybe think a service of Thanksgiving.

Sometimes it's so difficult to see reasons for Thanksgiving.

You know,

as we've been praying together and thinking about the different things on the

bulletin sheet and hearing difficult situations that our people are in,

it can be hard to give thanks.

Maybe some of you come in here today or are tuning in online today,

and you're finding it hard to give thanks.

Yet we're reminded that in every circumstance,

we have the Lord with us.

There's a preacher by the name of Alexander White in Edinburgh,

and he was noted for always having a reason for Thanksgiving.

And this day that he came into church,

it was a wild day,

but like we have outside today or even looking ahead to the forecast tonight,

a wild day,

a wet day.

And one of the congregations sitting in thought,

what's he going to have to give thanks to God for today?

And yet he started his prayer by saying,

we thank you,

Lord.

It's not always like this.

And that's a reminder to us today that our circumstances,

even when we are in the most difficult situations,

it's not always like this.

And it won't always be like this.

And especially as we are looking and trusting in the Lord Jesus.

So let us not forget the Lord,

but let us be thankful to God for all of his provision,

all that he gives to us on a regular,

on a daily basis.

And we're looking back,

especially over this last year,

thankful to him for all the provision made.

Thankful today in the present and looking to his blessing to continue on us going forward,

that we would not forget the Lord.

So we want to look at this passage together,

just under these three kind of themes.

Thanksgiving,

Thanksgiving,

looking back to the past,

Thanksgiving,

looking to the present,

and Thanksgiving,

looking to the Lord's continued blessing going forward as well.

So we want to begin by thinking of Thanksgiving for the past.

And that's really where this passage begins.

As we're looking at Deuteronomy 8 here,

the setting is this waiting to go in to the promised land.

And even as you read through this passage,

you're seeing so much that they are going to enjoy in this land.

It's going to be a precious land.

In verse 7,

it says,

The Lord your God is bringing you into a good land,

a land of brooks,

of water,

of fountains and springs,

flowing out of the valleys,

lands of wheat and barley,

vines and fig trees,

pomegranates,

olive trees,

honey,

all of these things,

things that they haven't had for a long time.

In the wilderness of 40 years,

of wandering through the wilderness,

through their own disobedience,

of not listening to God,

not trusting God.

They've been 40 years in the wilderness

with so little in many ways,

and yet the Lord providing for them.

Here he is now about to bring them into a land

that's going to be full of so many different things,

so many blessings.

But before they go into the land,

he wants to focus on their past.

And especially looking back

and remembering how the Lord has helped them.

Even in a time that there wasn't that plenty,

a time of need,

the Lord was with them.

And you see that in verse 2.

Before you go into this land,

he says in verse 2,

you shall remember the whole way

that the Lord your God has led you

these 40 years in the wilderness,

that he might humble you.

And then he goes on to say,

testing you to know what was in your heart,

whether you would keep his commandments or not.

So the Lord was reminding them,

as they were to look back and see,

in the past,

the Lord has helped.

You have reasons to give thanks

looking back.

Times of deliverance that they can see,

times of judgment that they could see,

but all the time,

the Lord has led you,

he is saying.

The Lord has led you

these 40 years.

He was with them

all the time.

Whether it was

in times of

some joyous times

or whether it was

sad times,

the Lord was with them.

He gave them

the pillar of cloud

and the pillar of fire

so that by day and night

they could move

if that was the Lord's will for them.

He never

left them.

They were always

dependent on God

and God was

putting them

to the test.

Would they continue

to hold on to his commandments

or not?

Would they continue to listen

to his word

or not?

And as is often the case

with God's people,

there were times

when they did listen,

when they were obedient

and things went smoothly,

other times

they were disobedient.

They didn't listen

and things didn't

go well.

And again,

it's a reminder

to our own experience

and to our own lives

as well.

Whatever age

we are today

coming in here,

we can look back

over maybe short years,

maybe long years.

However many years

of our lives

we're looking back over

and we could say

like the word of God

says here,

the Lord your God

has led you.

Whatever you think

of God,

whatever this world

thinks of God,

this is still

true today

as it was then.

The Lord your God

has led you.

And the Lord your God

has tested you

along the way.

He is always

putting his people

to the test.

Will they listen

to the word

of God

or not?

And so for ourselves

today,

we see

the remarkable way

that God

has helped us

over the years.

The way that he has

led us

over the years.

We are

dependent

on God.

Utterly

dependent

on him.

He humbles

them here

in the past

so many times

that they would

acknowledge him

as Lord

and God.

And today

should be a day

of humbling

for ourselves

today.

Because in

thankfulness

there is so much

humbling in that

as well.

That we would

come and look

back on our

own lives

and our own

experiences

and think

yes,

without the

Lord

where would

we be?

Without

the Lord's

provision

where would

we be?

We would

have nothing.

Apart from

him

we can do

nothing.

So we are

dependent

upon him.

We are

dependent on

him for

food.

We are

dependent on

him for

clothes and

water and

all of these

blessings that

are ours.

But what is

the central

part of all

of this

is God's

word.

word.

Remember

the Lord

your God.

Remember

the whole

of the way

that the

Lord your

God has

led you.

And remember

the word

of God

to keep

his

commandments.

The word

is central.

The word

is what is

to be at

the heart

of our

thanksgiving.

So as we

look back

we do so

through the

eyes of

faith looking

to his

word.

So when

we are

tempted to

say we

can manage

without.

When we are

tempted to

say as you

see later

on in

this chapter

when he

says I

think it's

verse 14

do not

forget the

Lord who

brought you

out of

the land.

And then

further on

he speaks

in verse

17 of

beware

lest you

say in

your heart

my power

and the

might of

my hand

has gained

me this

wealth.

that is

always

the danger

with us.

In forgetting

the Lord

we believe

it's our

own strength

our own

hand

that has

provided.

And Jesus

in the New

Testament

actually quotes

from this

passage as

well.

Man doesn't

live by

bread alone

but by

every word

that comes

from the

mouth of

God.

We are

dependent

on the

word of

God.

In

Matthew

Matthew 4:3

4 verse

3 the

tempter

came to

Jesus and

said to

him, this

is when he

was in

the wilderness

himself,

if you

are the

son of

God

command

these

stones

to become

loaves

of bread.

Jesus

was hungry

and the

tempter

Satan

was saying

to him

if you

are the

son of

God

if you

are who

you say

you are

you could

make these

stones

become

loaves

of bread.

To

satisfy

your

hunger.

But Jesus

answered by

saying it

is written

man shall

not live

by bread

alone but

by every

word that

comes from

the mouth

of God

from this

passage.

And so

we are

dependent

on the

word of

God.

And the

word of

God reminds

us looking

back how

he has

always led

us and

how he

has always

helped

us.

Christian

writer Fred

Marsh

described the

Christian

looking back

in this

way and

especially

quoting from

Deuteronomy.

He said

when you

look back

the Christian

can see

the

deliverances

of the

Lord.

The way

the Lord

has led

looking at

verse 2

of this

passage

the blessings

that he

has bestowed

the victories

he has won

and the

encouragements

that he

has given.

The Christian

can see

these things

looking back.

So as we

look back

with thankfulness

to God

we can see

the deliverances

of God

over our

years.

We can see

the way

the Lord

has led

us over

the years.

We can see

the blessings

that he has

given us

over the

years.

We can see

the victories

that he has

won for us

over these

years.

We can see

the encouragements

that he has

given to us

over these

years.

So our

thanksgiving

is based

on looking

back.

But it's

also based

on looking

to the

present.

It's not

just about

remembering

something that

we do

once.

Thanksgiving

is a

constant

ongoing

thankfulness

to God.

Even though

this is a

day appointed

as harvest

thanksgiving

it doesn't

mean this

is the only

day we

give thanks

for our

food or

the water

or our

clothes.

It is a

constant

thanksgiving.

That's what

we are being

taught in

scripture.

We go on

in this

sense of

thanksgiving

to God.

A couple

of years

ago at

this time

of year

we know

that in

America

it's a

time of

thanksgiving

there as

well.

Well a

British

newspaper

started

had an

article about

this and

the headline

was

Thanksgiving

the latest

US

tradition

to take

root in

the UK.

And in

the article

they said

Thanksgiving

has no

place in

British

tradition.

And you

think to

yourself

wow

how could

we possibly

be thinking

along these

lines.

Now in part

you could see

what they were

meaning.

We don't

have turkey

just now

like they

do in

America.

We don't

sit and watch

American

football which

is such a

big part of

their

Thanksgiving

weekend.

We think

we don't

have that.

But to

say

Thanksgiving

has no

place in

British

tradition.

You know

sadly there's

truth in

that writing.

It's because

we've lost a

focus on

God and

Thanksgiving

almost has

no part

now.

But it

doesn't mean

that we are

not to be

thankful.

Because we

have so much

to be

thankful for.

not taking

in all

the

trappings

that might

go with

it.

But having

a focus

on God.

Thanksgiving

should very

much have

a place

in British

tradition.

As in

every

tradition.

Because

Thanksgiving

is to

God.

And so

we are to

be thankful

to God

in the

present

circumstances

of where

we are

for all

that he

has given

to us.

Again

another

writer

G.K.

Chesterton

put it

like this.

When it

comes to

life the

critical

thing is

whether you

take things

for granted

or take

them with

gratitude.

Isn't that

so true

of our

own

experience?

Do we

take things

for granted

or do we

take them

with gratitude?

So much

we just

take for

granted.

So much

in life

we just

think it's

going to

be there.

We go

to our

fridge,

we go

to our

freezer,

we go

to our

cupboard.

There's

food there

in abundance

of selection.

We go

to our

supermarkets,

we go

to our

shops,

we go

there and

we see

a selection

of different

kinds of

foods from

all over

the world.

We take

it for

granted.

And we

forget that

there were

days when

cupboards

were bare.

We forget

that there

were days

when there

was no

food to

put on

the table.

We forget

that there

were days

and even

today for

some it

is a

struggle to

put food

on the

table.

We take

so much

for granted.

And yet

the word

of God

is always

saying

remember.

Remember

the Lord.

Remember

what he has

given to

you.

Look to

him and

to his

word.

And often

in God's

word you

see a

way is

put in

place that

is a

constant

ongoing

remembrance.

Even

as the

children of

Israel came

out of

Egypt they

did so

with a

remembrance

of the

Passover.

How the

Lord delivered

them in

that night.

And the

Passover was

to be

remembered

going

forward.

To remember

their deliverance

from Egypt.

And then

throughout the

Old Testament

you find

different points.

And especially

putting up

stone piles

of remembrance.

In Joshua

Joshua 4:6

chapter 4

verse 6

it says

taking these

stones

may be a

sign among

you when

your children

ask you

in time

to come

what do

these stones

mean?

Then you

shall tell

them that

the waters

of the

Jordan

were cut

off before

the ark

of the

covenant

of the

Lord.

So they

went across

the dry

ground

of the

Jordan

and they

set up

a

remembrance

there

of the

Lord's

deliverance.

In 1 Samuel

7

Samuel it

says there

took a

stone

the

Ebenezer

stone

and set

it up

between

Mizpah

and

Shen

he called

it the

Ebenezer

stone

for he

said

till now

the Lord

has helped

us.

Hitherto

the Lord

has helped

us.

So there's

this

remembrance

ongoing.

In the

last few

weeks we've

come to do

remembrance

day.

Remembering

deliverance

from times

of war

an annual

event that

takes place

lest we

forget.

Next week

God willing

we will have

the Lord's

supper

a remembrance

of our

great

deliverance

from sin

that as we

put our

faith in

the Lord

Jesus

we have

that

deliverance

that salvation

from our

sin.

Again we

do that

in remembrance

of him.

And so our

thanksgiving

today is

in light

of so

many

different

things

going on

around us.

In our

present we

thank God

for all

that he

is doing

for us.

We do

that coming

today remembering

as James

acknowledges

in the New

Testament

every good

gift and

every perfect

gift is

from above

coming down

from the

father of

lights with

whom there

is no

variation or

shadow due

to change.

We look to

the one

who never

changes.

We are

dependent

upon him.

We have

past help

to remind

us of

thanksgiving.

We have

present

thanksgiving

too as we

look to

Jesus who

is the

rock of

our salvation.

And just

we will think

here the

children of

Israel on

the border

of the

promised

land.

To go

in there

not

forgetting

the

Lord.

We could

say of

ourselves

today in

our present

situation

we too

are on

the border

of a

promised

land.

We are

on the

border

of

eternity.

We are

on the

edge

of

eternity

and

eternity

is

before

us

all.

And

where

are we

going?

In

Matthew

25

Jesus

there

speaks

of

two

different

kingdoms

two

different

places.

In

Matthew

Matthew 25:34

25

verse

34

and this

is in

light of

those

who have

been

faithful

in

what

the

Lord

has

given

to

them.

He

says

there

to

those

who

have

been

faithful

then

the

king

will

say

to

those

in

his

right

come

you

who

are

blessed

by

my

father

inherit

the

kingdom

prepared

from

the

foundation

of

the

world.

There

is

blessing

in

going

into

a

land

prepared

for

the

Lord's

people.

But

there

is a

curse

as well

because

in

Matthew

25

the

same

passage

in

verse

41

it

says

then

he

will

say

to

those

on

the

left

depart

from

me

you

cursed

into

the

eternal

fire

prepared

for

the

devil

and

his

angels.

There

is

a

warning

there

to

remember

the

Lord.

The

warning

that we

see

in

verse

11

take

care

lest

you

forget

the

Lord

your

God

by

not

keeping

his

commandments

and

his

rules

because

in

forgetting

as it

goes on

to say

in

verse

19

if

you

forget

the

Lord

your

God

and

go

after

other

gods

and

serve

and

worship

them

I

solemnly

warn

you

today

that

you

shall

surely

perish.

take

care

lest

we

forget

the

Lord.

So

in

our

present

situation

we

have

this

warning

ringing

in

our

ears

if

we're

thankful

we are

not to

forget

the

Lord

but to

remember

every

blessing

that is

ours

in

him.

And

third

and

finally

here

we have

thanksgiving

looking

to the

future.

this

whole

chapter

for the