Pastor Eric Crawford delivers a powerful Thanksgiving message emphasizing the importance of being thankful in all circumstances. He draws attention to the biblical mandate found in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, which instructs believers to give thanks in everything, highlighting that gratitude is not merely a reaction to positive experiences but a command from God. Throughout his sermon, he reflects on historical moments of gratitude, such as the first Thanksgiving by the Plymouth Colony and proclamations by national leaders, reinforcing the idea that thankfulness is deeply rooted in American tradition. Pastor Crawford also challenges listeners to recognize their blessings, even amid trials, and to instill a sense of gratitude in the next generation. He underscores that true thankfulness stems from understanding that all good gifts come from God, encouraging a mindset of appreciation that transcends life's challenges.

Pastor Eric Crawford delivers a compelling Thanksgiving sermon that underscores the significance of gratitude within the Christian life. He begins by revisiting the historical roots of Thanksgiving, particularly the struggles endured by the Plymouth Colonists, who, despite their hardships, chose to set aside time to express gratitude to God. This historical context serves as a foundation for his assertion that thankfulness is not just a seasonal observance but an essential component of faith. He cites 1 Thessalonians 5:18, which commands believers to give thanks in all circumstances, emphasizing that gratitude should permeate every aspect of life, regardless of external conditions.

Throughout his message, Pastor Crawford contrasts the experiences of Americans with those of individuals in developing countries, highlighting how even the economically disadvantaged in the U.S. are often better off than many globally. This comparison serves as a poignant reminder of the myriad blessings that surround us, from material possessions to the intangible gifts of family and freedom. He challenges his audience to actively cultivate a spirit of thankfulness, not only in their words but also through their actions, thereby modeling this behavior for future generations. Pastor Crawford stresses that gratitude is a command from God, urging the congregation to recognize the importance of obeying this directive as a pathway to peace and fulfillment.

As he concludes, Pastor Crawford addresses the challenge of maintaining a thankful heart during difficult times. He asserts that true gratitude arises from a deep-seated faith in God's sovereignty and goodness, referencing Romans 8:28, which reassures believers that God works all things for good. By reframing their perspective on adversity, he encourages his listeners to find reasons to be thankful even amid trials. The sermon culminates in a call for the congregation to acknowledge the source of their blessings and to embody a lifestyle of thankfulness, ultimately transforming their individual lives and strengthening the church community.

Takeaways:

• Pastor Eric Crawford emphasizes the importance of being thankful in all circumstances, as commanded in the Bible.
• He recounts the historical significance of Thanksgiving, linking it to America's early settlers and their gratitude to God.
• The pastor highlights the contrast between a thankful spirit and the current trend of ingratitude prevalent in society today.
• Crawford encourages listeners to recognize God's blessings and to express gratitude not only in words but also through their actions.
• He discusses the challenges of being thankful during difficult times, affirming that our perspective on God's control is crucial.
• Finally, he stresses the necessity of teaching children the value of gratitude, fostering a culture of thankfulness in families.

What a blessing that was worth coming tonight. Amen. Amen. What a wonderful blessing. Turn if you wouldn't your Bibles to first Thessalonians chapter five tonight. Just want to thank you, Lord.

I remember when our kids used to sing that song. Anyway, We have so much to be thankful for.

And so that's our politicians would do good to remember what Thanksgiving was originally set aside for. It wasn't just to thank and be blessed or thank us for our blessings, but thank God for our blessings. Thank God for what he's done for our nation.

We are so blessed. Look at 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 and we'll begin reading verse 17, you'll know the two verses. Pray without ceasing. Very long verse.

Pray without ceasing. In other words, we ought to always be in the attitude of prayer, always understanding and knowing that God is available and his door is never shut.

You ever go into a building, an office building, and some crazy person has put a big old huge window in the offices, in the wall of the offices of that building. Like you walk down the hallway and instead of having some privacy, every office has a big old window in it. That's crazy.

That just says if I look in there and I see you're not doing, I can just walk in, right? Do that to our banker too. Big old window means the door's always open. I'm thankful God's door is always open. He's always on the line.

His line is never busy. He's always there. Now verse 18 in everything give thanks. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you in everything giving thanks.

Let me pray again. Heavenly Father, bless the time we've had. We have here together for just the next few minutes.

Lord, may we again see the importance of being a thankful people. In Jesus name, Amen. We in America are so, so blessed. So blessed by God.

And then we've had the opportunity as many of you to go to some other countries, especially those who are in developing countries. We used to call them third world countries. You can't do that anymore, these developing countries.

And you go there and you see things that you just never thought you'd see, learn of things you never thought were still possible in the modern era. How someone. Our people could not afford to get glasses. Our poorest people in America are rich.

Go do the stats, you'll find out that the 1%, that's a farce. Nearly every American is in the 1%. If you go by what the world has proven. Our poorest people are rich compared to many people in the world.

In fact, compared to most people in the world. We are blessed beyond measure. We're blessed not only with, you know, finances and the ability to have food on our table.

God's been so good to us, our freedoms, our family. I mean, we could just go down the list, couldn't we?

In Psalm 104, the Bible says, enter into his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise. Be thankful unto him and bless his name. Be thankful unto him. But what does it mean to bless his name? It means we ought to do it with our lips.

Bless his name with our lips. I mentioned Sunday about those who denigrate the name of God and take the name of God in vain. And it happened to me just a few days ago.

I'm like, why would you, why would you need to say those words? Why would you do those things? We need to be thankful to God, thankful to him. And the negative part of this, and we do this every Thanksgiving.

And it needs, we need to be reminded of this too, that the majority of people today are unthankful, that those of us who I believe hopefully in this room are thankful, that we sit in the minority. We live in a generation, we live in a day and age in which people are ungrateful, especially in the United States of America.

We know this is part of prophecy. That's why I mention it. Second Timothy, chapter three. Know this, that in the last days perilous times shall come. Goes on to give you a list.

People will be lovers of themselves, covetous, proud, high minded. And in that same list, it says unthankful.

It just amazes me that in all of this big list of just terrible things, lovers of their own self, covetous, proud, unthankful.

It's kind of like when you read Romans chapter one and you're reading down through there and Paul says the invisible things that we do not see conclude. We conclude that there is a God.

And that those who conclude there's not a God are without excuse because again, what he's saying there is that creation tells us that there is a God. He, he said, but they have willfully denied God. I'm summarizing. And because of that, ungrateful, unthankful to God.

And then the next verse it says, and he gave them up to a reprobate mind. So in that list, and I didn't, I'm not going to go read it, but there's a bunch of bad stuff in there and right in the middle of it, unthankful.

I believe that God puts a lot of stock in those individuals who are thankful and that those who are unthankful, he. How do I put this nicely? They don't like it. And there are repercussions for that.

And many people today are experiencing those repercussions because they are, again, unthankful. We have raised a couple of generations of those individuals who are in America especially unthankful, Very unthankful. From kids to adults.

Have you ever seen, ever been a time in your life where you've seen such a large group of people with a sense of entitlement? That's because they all receive participation trophies and they think everybody ought to get one.

I know we make fun of that, but it really is some of the problem. Kids didn't learn how to lose. Sometimes you lose, sometimes you don't get the job, sometimes you don't get the raise.

You're not entitled to the raise. You're not entitled to health insurance. Oh, man, sorry, I got off on that. You're not entitled. None of us deserve it, man. It's amazing, isn't it?

Several generations with a lack of wisdom. A lot of people with no common sense. I promise I'm going to get off the negative in a minute, brother Billy, but it's good for us, you know.

Hey, it's true. We can't just bury our head in the sand and just. I'll just ignore it. Those 35 year olds living in their mom and daddy's basement, that's a problem.

Can I tell you, a lot of the problem is with the parents. And I know I'm preaching to the choir tonight and you guys are teaching your children correctly. At least I hope you are.

But there are a lot of people today who have a lack of understanding in finances. There's a lot of people who just lack common sense in math. I think two plus two equals five. Because they've been, if they put that down.

They haven't been marked wrong. So I'm glad. In Texas, for the most part, the teacher will mark them wrong. Unless you're in Dallas, probably, or Fort Worth. I should go on.

And I don't. Where does stuff come from? Where does stuff come from?

When your kids are little, did you ever ask them, you know, hey, they're eating a hot dog or they're eating a hamburger, maybe, whatever the case is. And as they're eating it, there's some question comes up, and you. And you're having to answer where that thing.

And you say, well, that came from a cow or that came from a pig. And they finally get to the age where they sort of understand, and it just clicks for them for a little bit, and they go, that's good.

At least that's the guys anyway, right? The boys. That's good stuff. But they finally figured out, you know, the egg didn't just magically appear. It has to come from somewhere.

If the government's going to give away money, it has to come from somewhere. You wouldn't go over and grab your neighbor's wallet, take money out of it and go over and say, well, I'm entitled to it, but the government does it.

And people have that sense of entitlement. A generation, two generations, slightly three generations. Where does stuff come from? Where's the food on our table come from?

I think it's good to teach our kids. Hey.

And I had this conversation up when I was at Brother Glenn's place in North Carolina, of course, was picking on a kid, and he was giving kind of blabbing at his mom a little bit. So I just simply said, you know, who put the roof over your head? Who puts the roof over your head? And he said, my mama does.

Oh, he had a really good, strong accent. My mama does. He's a good boy. He's 11 or 12 years old. Mama was sitting right there. You better believe I do. Who puts the food on your table? Mama does.

All right, then I think it's reasonable that you should mind her. As you know, I've told this story a thousand times. I used to tell our boys, that door on Your room cost $35.

You never shut the door on me because I'll come right through it. I paid for that door. It's kind of like that old saying, I brought you in this world, I can take you out, right?

Where does stuff come from, ultimately? From God. Everything comes from him. Everything we have comes from him. I don't have no stuff. I have Nothing.

I hope Brother House is able to make it this Sunday. Pray for him that he's able to be here Sunday morning. I don't have any stuff God's given me. Everything comes down from the Father of Lights.

By the way, that verse says for us to enjoy. Absolutely. God gives us these things for us to enjoy. Can you imagine if all food was made to taste the same? But it wasn't and it isn't. Hallelujah.

But God could have made it all taste the same. God could have made everything black and white. God's so good to us. God is so gracious. We are the center of his creation.

We are the pinnacle, if you would, of his creation. He loves us and has given us this earth to enjoy and the things of this earth to enjoy. God is so good, and all things come ultimately from Him.

And we need to be thankful. We need to be thankful. Not just say it, but also show it and practice it in front of our children to teach our kids.

I know small things, but we say this every year around Thanksgiving to teach our kids to say thank you. I know I'm preaching to the choir again, but maybe somebody's listening online.

Every parent ought to be teaching their kid to say thank you as they get older. You give them something, Johnny, say thank you. Somebody else gives them something and they don't say thank you.

You take it away and you give it back to the person who gave it to them. Amen. Say thank you. Say thank you. Let's go ahead and just say, yes, sir. No, sir. Yes, ma', am. No, ma'. Am.

I love some of the memes and some of the reels on social media. Southerners. Northerners. Make some Northerners. Not all. You know, I pick on you Northerners all the time. Let me clarify. Some Northerners have an issue.

They don't. They weren't raised around saying, yes, ma' am and no, ma', am, and yes, sir and no, sir. It's just good hospitality. Okay, I'll stop.

But saying thank you is important. I paid the bills. You'll do what I say. Amen. Right? Teaching them to be grateful. Teaching them to be thankful.

Sometimes adults need to learn the same thing. We are commanded to be thankful.

In Colossians, chapter three, verse 15, Paul said, and let the peace of God rule in your hearts to the which also you are called in one body. And be. Be ye thankful. Be ye thankful. It's a command. And of course, here in our verse, it says in everything, give thanks. It's a command.

We're commanded as Christians to be thankful. To be thankful. Thinking brings thanksgiving.

As we think about the blessings that God has given us, as we think about the goodness of God, as we think about the stuff he's given us, we think about our family. I mean, we could go on and on and on. The list gets longer and longer and longer in my life every year.

I'm so thankful for what he's given me, for what he's done for me. I'm thankful for the hope that I have. I'm so thankful. Be careful, boy. The devil loves, loves, loves to get you on the negative.

He loves to get you thinking about the negative. He loves to get you thinking about the bad stuff. Thankful that life is made up way more of good stuff than bad. We need to be reminded of that.

Colossians, chapter three. Again, it says there, and let the peace of God. I want to remind you there that it doesn't say make the peace of God. It's let the peace of God.

Let the peace of God rule in your hearts. Rule in your hearts. The peace of God. I'm glad when I got saved, I got peace with God. And then as a Christian, I get the peace of God.

Philippians describes as the peace of God that passes all understanding. There's many places where it refers to the peace of God. I'm so thankful for the peace of God. The peace of God should rule in our hearts.

God should sit on the throne of our heart. And the understanding and the knowledge that he's in control should rule in our hearts. And if he's in control, then we will have peace.

Hang on, let's say that differently. If we believe and have faith, knowing that he is in control, we'll have peace. The peace of God.

Whether good or bad things happening in our life now, let the peace of God rule in our hearts to the which also you're called in one body. In other words, rule in our hearts means that God rules in our hearts. We are walking with him, we are talking with him.

And this produces fruit in our life. The fruit that walking with God produces in our life is a love for others.

Here it refers to the body, the body, the church, fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, unity, commonality, same goals, same purpose. I love this one. Each walking with God, therefore in the same direction. If we're all walking with God, we're all walking the same direction. Amen.

All the same goals, all the same purpose. Loving others as we love ourselves, experiencing the peace of God. And all of that results in being a thankful people, a thankful church.

Aren't you thankful as a church? And maybe you get tired of hearing it. Preachers come in here that special speakers and they brag on you. They brag on us. I wonder why.

Have you been to some other churches lately? I don't even like going out of town. I seriously don't. I know I'm. You know, I'm biased. I love our church.

Not a lot of churches out there like this one. Just not. Do you believe that? Go find out. It shouldn't be that way now. I'm thankful for Worth Baptist Church. I'm thankful for Victory Baptist Church.

I'm thankful there are absolutely some wonderful churches out there. But man, it's really hard to find. We are to be a thankful people.

Understanding as we walk with God and as we walk in the same direction as we keep the main thing. The main thing and that's spreading the gospel that that we as a church family should be a thankful family.

A congregation that recognizes God's blessings. Notice the verse again. Look back at it with me first. Thessalonians 5:18. For in everything give thanks. Is that what it says? Doesn't say for.

It says in. And there is a difference in everything give thanks. It doesn't even say be thankful in most things. It says in everything. In everything.

And you know where I'm headed with this one. That's Romans 8:28. And we know that all things work together for good to them who love God. To them who are the called according to his purpose.

The called according to his purpose. We know the vexed verse says for whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son.

That God works everything to our good is a biblical principle. It is fact. It is something we have to accept by faith.

That God is working in our lives both in the good and the bad that we perceive to be good and the bad and working all those things to our good. It's easy to be thankful when in the good times. Amen. Isn't is for me when things are going great. When you're healthy. I got made to go to the doctor.

People are so mean. So I had a blood test. Test. Came back today, got the phone call. They said on the phone to me everything is wonderful. That's great. Praise the Lord.

They really did. That happened just before church. Until the next time. 51 years old. Blood work came out great. It's great when everything is great.

We can be thankful when again our health is all right. The money in the bank Kids are halfway behaving, spouse is minding. Just quit looking at each other. You're going to get in trouble. It's Thanksgiving.

You're going to be in the house together the next couple of days. Be careful. No, no. Everything. It's easy to be thankful when things are going good. But what happens when you.

When you get the phone call and instead of saying, hey, the blood work was great. Hey, we need you to come in. Most of us have been there, haven't we?

Get a test result back from your child who has a problem and you have to go in or the doctor meets with you in another room. My wife and I have been through that. It's hard to be thankful in those times.

It's hard to be thankful when the money is, you know, you're at the end of the money. And I know, again, I've already said the poor in America are rich compared to others.

But when we live on this plane, on this level, most of us live according to our, you know, maybe above our means sometimes. And you find yourself in hot water. It's tough, isn't it? Sometimes of your own making, but sometimes not of your making.

Things that happen in your life that you have no control over and you find yourself in the middle of it. The Bible says to be thankful, That's a tough order. Again, it's a command. That's a tough order. Amen. Would you not agree? That is a tough order.

It's hard to be thankful in the bad times we've had. Know of a couple of men here lately who are in their 40s who had a stroke, who are associated with our church or with our school. I just.

It boggles my mind.

And then the ramifications that happen because of that, and maybe a job loss, and then all of a sudden it just kind of spins out of control and the medical bills build up and I feel for them. We've been able to help them some and, you know, pray for them, but it's hard to be thankful in those times.

It's hard to be thankful when you get the phone call that your kid was taken to the pokey, the jail. I haven't been there yet, but I know some parents who have. And they've called me and said, hey, preacher, my son is this.

Or my daughter, what do I do? That's tough, isn't it? Or when a kid just rebels and, you know, why are we to be thankful at all times? How can we be thankful in everything?

Well, the verse tells you, for this is the will of God. In Christ Jesus concerning you. The only way you can give thanks in everything is, is if you believe the next statement.

For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. You see, God again uses circumstances in our life to conform us into the image of His Son.

He brings us through tests or he allows things into our life to help us grow and in our faith to be conformed to the image of His Son. And then secondly, sometimes it's his chastening whom he loveth. He also chasteneth, right?

I mean, we understand that children, in order to have them grow up properly, to train them properly, is they need chastening, they need love. They need love that's not just spoken, but love that is showed. And that love is also the chastening rod. Whom the Lord loveth, he chasteneth.

In fact, the Bible says that if you do not use the rod with your child, you hate them. Well, that's strong words, isn't it?

That's because the chastening of a mom and a dad of a child, it should be and it ought to be, and it is, if done right. Love showing love to that kid. Hey, I have your best interest in mind. You don't need to do this or you should do this.

Because that is the best way, that is the right way. And you're going to find out that mom and dad know better than you.

You train them, you're helping them developing right and wrong and all those things. And God does the same thing with us. Do you believe that God is truly in control? It really comes down to that, right? It's God who sets up kings.

It's God who takes them down. Do you really believe that God is in control of everything? Of everyone?

There are so many who believe that God just started everything and then just kind of wound it up and threw it into space and doesn't care. But no, that's not the God of the Bible. That's somebody's box they put God in. As far from the Bible as you can be.

Because the Bible says that God is not very far from any of us. That God cares for us, that he never leaves us and never forsakes us. He also says he would never fail us.

You ever been in a spot where you feel like God failed you? Be thankful. In everything. In everything, be thankful. Do you truly believe that God's in control?

He is the one who brings or allows the storms in our life in order to conform us to the image of his son. If you truly believe that he's in control, you can be thankful in all things. Count your blessings. Name them one by one.

You won't believe what God has done for you. I have in my office many times said to somebody, I really do think it works. Sit down one day and just start counting your blessings.

We have a lot of people now, especially social media, who do the, you know what I'm thankful for, you know, for 30 days. And that's super easy to do.

But I guarantee if you try to make up the list of the bad stuff, you'll find that that list is far shorter than you think if you actually put it down. God is working in our lives and we need to be thankful for that. By the way, live long enough and you'll view the storms of the past differently.

Amazing how time gives past storms perspective. Not all of them. There are some storms that we have faced that we won't know until eternity, why or how or what.

And those we truly have to put our confidence in God and faith in him that he has our best interest in mind, that he's in control. Being thankful is recognizing that everything comes from God. That's the basis of Thanksgiving. Everything comes from God. I have no stuff.

It's teaching that to our kids, helping them to understand and realize the cost of things. That's why kids ought to have chores, Kids ought to learn the value of earning something. And kids ought to get jobs as they get older.

And kids ought to be taught the value of things. Where stuff come from. Might be good to take your kid to a farm. Be really good for them, actually, where does their stuff come from?

Where's their food come from? Comes from the store. No, be thankful. We ought to be thankful in the good and the bad. And again, as I said before, that's a tough order.

We ought to be thankful in all things. That's a command. Think about it. It's a command from our heavenly Father, from God. And when we are not thankful, we are breaking God's command.

And when we break God's command, that's a sin. Being unthankful is a sin. It's wrong. So, preacher, I've gone through this and I've gone through that. Listen, I have too.

And sometimes it takes a while. Now, it says here, be thankful in all things. That means while you're in it.

But I can tell you from my experience, sometimes when I'm in it, I'm not as thankful as I should be. But it's not until a little while later that I look back and go, oh, thank you, Lord.

Thank you for being so good to me, providing me the grace that I needed at the time I needed it. Sometimes that grace that's shed abroad in our hearts. Is really not revealed to us till sometime later.

We ought to be thankful in all things again, to think is to be thankful. Thankfulness produces thankfulness. And then I would say to you too tonight that thankfulness really is a choice. Thankfulness is really an attitude.

Amen. It's an attitude. It's an attitude created by perspective. How big is your God? Is your God truly in control? Do you. Do you believe, honestly believe.

Do you truly believe that God has your best interests in mind? I believe he does. The Bible teaches that emphatically. He does have your best interest in mind. He had Israel's best interest in mind.

He said he did all things for them. He said he did all things for them for their good. Look it up. Deuteronomy, around chapter six or seven. All things for their good.

Everything he did for them. Have you been. Have you thanked him lately? Have you thanked God lately? Seriously, have you? Have you thanked Him? Man, the list is long, isn't it?

Have you thanked him not only with words, but by your actions? It's one thing to say you're thankful, it's another thing to show it. So many times we question God in the midst of the storm.

We question his power, his abilities, even, maybe even his motive.

And we find ourselves in a position where we become ungrateful to the God of the universe, who saved us from the wrath of God, who saved us by sending His Son to save us from the penalty of sin. If all he did, if God. The only thing God did for us was to give His Son, Jesus, if that's the only thing he did, was to send His Son into this world.

If the only thing he did was for His Son to give his life for us for our sins, to pay the price for our sins, to shed his blood for our sins. The Creator of the universe shed his blood for us. If that's all he did.

He went to the cross for us, took the beating that he took for us, put in that tomb. If that's all he did for us. Rose again the third day, defeating death, hell and the grave. Amen.

If that's all he did for us, we ought to be a grateful people. We ought to be thankful. Because this life, compared to eternity, is just a speck of dust. Just that long. I get to live forever with the Lord.

I get to live forever with the loved ones who've gone on before me. I get to live forever with Noah Got lots of questions Adam Lots of questions. Peter, how big was his foot?

I have lots of questions we ought to be a thankful people Amen.

Amen let's all stand with verse invitation tonight hymn 113 sweet hour of prayer after we pray Heavenly father Lord help us by your grace by the power of the Holy Spirit to be a thankful people Lord because it doesn't come natural to us and we realize that we are a selfish people but Lord, we know that through you we can be a grateful people and Lord we pray tonight if someone's here who doesn't know you as their savior they never accepted you they never trusted in you and you alone as the means of escaping hell and having a home in heaven as a means of having their sins forgiven Lord, may they accept you today before it's too late. Lord, we thank you once again for all that you've done for us in Jesus name amen.