2. Introduction
What is thanksgiving but the offering of
praise to God for all His wonderful acts towards
us who believe? Indeed, it is a mark of a
darkened heart made foolish by ignoring God’s
works.
Romans 1:21-23 (NIV) 21For although they knew
God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave
thanks to him, but their thinking became futile
and their foolish hearts were darkened.
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3. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they
became fools 23and exchanged the glory of the
immortal God for images made to look like
mortal man and birds and animals and
reptiles.
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5. I. Let Us Testify to His Love.
A. He loved us enough to give us His son, Rom 5:6-8.
Romans 5:6-8 (NIV) 6You see, at just the right time,
when we were still powerless, Christ died for the
ungodly. 7Very rarely will anyone die for a
righteous man, though for a good man someone
might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates
his own love for us in this: While we were still
sinners, Christ died for us.
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6. B. He loved us enough to base our salvation not on our
own righteousness, but through Christ, Titus 3:3-5.
Titus 3:3-5 (NIV) 3At one time we too were foolish,
disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of
passions and pleasures. We lived in malice and envy,
being hated and hating one another. 4But when the
kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, 5he
saved us, not because of righteous things we had
done, but because of his mercy. He saved us through
the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit.6
7. C. He loves us enough to call us His children, 1 John 3:1.
1 John 3:1 (NIV) 1How great is the love the Father has
lavished on us, that we should be called children of
God! And that is what we are! The reason the world
does not know us is that it did not know him.
D. He loves us enough to keep us, Rom 8:38-39.
Romans 8:38-39 (NIV) 38For I am convinced that
neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,
neither the present nor the future, nor any
powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else
in all creation, will be able to separate us from the
love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. 7
8. II. Let Us Testify to His Goodness.
When all the Israelites saw the fire coming
down and the glory of the LORD above the
temple, they knelt on the pavement with their
faces to the ground, and they worshiped and
gave thanks to the LORD, saying, "He is good;
his love endures forever."
(2 Chronicles 7:3)
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9. A. His creation was good, Gen 1:31.
Genesis 1:31 (NIV) 31God saw all that he had made,
and it was very good. And there was evening, and
there was morning—the sixth day.
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10. B. His works toward us are good even when others
mean us harm, Gen 50:19-20, Rom 8:28.
Genesis 50:19-20 (NIV) 19But Joseph said to them,
“Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? 20You
intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to
accomplish what is now being done, the saving of
many lives.
Romans 8:28 (NIV) 28And we know that in all things
God works for the good of those who love him, who
have been called according to his purpose.
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11. C. His promises are good, Josh 23:14.
Joshua 23:14 (NIV) 14“Now I am about to go the
way of all the earth. You know with all your heart
and soul that not one of all the good promises the
LORD your God gave you has failed. Every promise
has been fulfilled; not one has failed.
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12. D. His gifts to us are good, Psa 84:11; James 1:17.
Psalms 84:11 (NIV) 11For the LORD God is a sun and
shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no
good thing does he withhold from those whose
walk is blameless.
James 1:17 (NIV) 17Every good and perfect gift is
from above, coming down from the Father of the
heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting
shadows.
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13. E. His news to us is good, Acts 13:32-33a.
Acts 13:32-33 (NIV) 32“We tell you the good news:
What God promised our fathers 33ahe has fulfilled
for us, their children, by raising up Jesus.
F. His purposes for us are good, Jer 29:11.
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) 11For I know the plans I have
for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you
and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a
future.
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14. III. Let Us Testify to His Faithfulness.
For the LORD is good and his love
endures forever; his faithfulness
continues through all generations.
(Psalm 100:5)
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15. A. God testified to His own faithfulness, Exo 34:6-8.
Exodus 34:6-8 (NIV) 6And he passed in front of
Moses, proclaiming, “The LORD, the LORD, the
compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger,
abounding in love and faithfulness, 7maintaining
love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness,
rebellion and sin.
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16. Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished; he
punishes the children and their children for the sin
of the fathers to the third and fourth generation.”
8Moses bowed to the ground at once and
worshiped.
God is faithful . . .
1. In His love for us
2. In His forgiveness of our sins
3. In His judgment of the wicked
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17. B. Scripture testifies to God’s faithfulness
1. To His holiness, Deu 32:4
Deuteronomy 32:4 (NIV) 4He is the Rock, his
works are perfect, and all his ways are just.
A faithful God who does no wrong, upright
and just is he.
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18. 2. To His plans for us, Isa 25:1
Isaiah 25:1 (NIV) 1O LORD, you are my God; I will
exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect
faithfulness you have done marvelous things,
things planned long ago.
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19. 3. To keeping us until Christ comes, 1 Cor 1:8-9
1 Corinthians 1:8-9 (NIV) 8He will keep you
strong to the end, so that you will be blameless
on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9God, who
has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus
Christ our Lord, is faithful.
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20. 4. To provide a way to endure and escape
temptation, 1 Cor 10:13
1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV) 13No temptation has
seized you except what is common to man. And
God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted
beyond what you can bear. But when you are
tempted, he will also provide a way out so that
you can stand up under it.
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21. IV. Let Us Testify to His Power
and Strength
Be exalted, O LORD, in your strength;
we will sing and praise your might,
(Psalm 21:13 NIV)
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22. Can you say with Paul that during your most trying
times…
The Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so
that through me the message might be fully
proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I
was delivered from the lion’s mouth. The Lord will
rescue me from every evil attack and will bring me
safely to his heavenly kingdom. To him be glory for
ever and ever. Amen. 2 Timothy 4:17-18 (NIV)
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23. Remember when you feel like giving up, that is when
we need to remind ourselves of these incredible
promises from God.
A. The Lord has promised to stay by our side,
Mat 28:19-20.
Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV) 19Therefore go and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of
the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and
teaching them to obey everything I have commanded
you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end
of the age.” 23
24. B. The Lord has promised to give us strength,
Phil 4:12-13.
Philippians 4:12-13 (NIV) 12I know what it is to be
in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I
have learned the secret of being content in any
and every situation, whether well fed or hungry,
whether living in plenty or in want. 13I can do
everything through him who gives me strength.
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25. C. The Lord has promised to deliver us from every
evil attack, even if He has to bring us to heaven to
do it, Gal 1:3-4; 2 Pet 2:7-9.
Galatians 1:3-4 (NIV) 3Grace and peace to you from
God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, 4who
gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the
present evil age, according to the will of our God
and Father,
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26. 2 Peter 2:7-9 (NIV) 7If he rescued Lot, a righteous
man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of
lawless men 8(for that righteous man, living
among them day after day, was tormented in his
righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and
heard)— 9if this is so, then the Lord knows how to
rescue godly men from trials and to hold the
unrighteous for the day of judgment, while
continuing their punishment.
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