Gratitude Or Judgment?

Take your Bibles this morning and let's turn to the book of Numbers. Remember, we are, this summer, just taking a mini-excursion into this book. We challenged last week to look at this Old Testament book and see what God has for us. He intends it for us today. He told us in 1 Corinthians, I wrote these things for you, upon whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.

So this isn't just an old boring book, but a book that is intended to teach us and to help us be faithful disciples of Jesus. I would ask you then to turn to Numbers chapter 11. Numbers chapter 11. Let's pray. God of heaven, now we come to you and ask that you would work in our hearts. Give us ears that hear.

Help us to listen carefully to your word. And then help us, Father, to learn from it, not just to learn some facts about long ago and far away, but to learn something of our own hearts, to learn something of your character, to learn much of your grace, and to learn how we can change. So, Father, open the text of Scripture to us now, and we will thank you.

In Jesus' name, amen. Amen. This last week I wrote a couple of notes to some folks. In fact, back in my hometown, folks that we had spent some time with, they were kind of thank you notes. And we all know that giving thanks is a matter of good taste or proper etiquette. It's polite to say thank you to someone who does something for you.

We get after our children and say, look, Grandpa just gave you some gum. Are you going to tell him thanks or not? It's considered poor taste if you forget to send a thank you note to someone who's given you a nice meal or done something nice for you. To complain or in any way to express ingratitude is to engage in socially unacceptable behavior. And yet the Bible says that ingratitude and complaining are truly despicable sins.

I know many of you have heard the story. But I never forget the time when our children were terribly complaining about what their mother had said before them And she said to them do you remember what grandpa said this week when he was preaching God kills people who complain Things were pretty desperate that day But in one sense she was absolutely right because that is what happened. It's truly a despicable sin.

It indicates that Thanksgiving is more than good manners. It's a mark of godly character. And to learn to grow in thanksgiving is to learn to be a good disciple of Jesus. So I want you to turn in your Bibles, as you have already, to Numbers chapter 11. And here you find a narrative of ingratitude. In fact, of all the texts in Scripture that talk about ingratitude, I have found this one, for me, to be the most helpful.

Because it describes exactly what's wrong with ingratitude. And it tells us why it's so bad and what to do about it. This is a good case study, and so I want us to pay careful attention to it. You follow along as I read Numbers chapter 11. And the people complained in the hearing of the Lord about their misfortunes. And when the Lord heard it, his anger was kindled, and the fire of the Lord burned among them and consumed some outlying parts of the camp.

Then the people cried out to Moses, and Moses prayed to the Lord, and the fire died down. So the name of that place was called Taborah, because the fire of the Lord burned among them. Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving, and the people of Israel also wept again and said, Oh, that we had meat to eat. We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic, but now our strength is dried up and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.

Now, the manna was like coriander seed in its appearance like that of bdallium. The people went about and gathered it and ground it in hand mills or beat it in mortars and boiled it in pots and made cakes of it. And the taste of it was like the taste of cakes baked with oil. When the dew fell upon the camp in the night, the manna fell with it. Moses heard the people weeping throughout their clans, everyone at the door of his tent.

And the anger of the Lord blazed hotly, and Moses was displeased. Moses said to the Lord, Why have you dealt ill with your servant? And why have I not found favor in your sight? that you lay the burden of all this people on me? Did I conceive all this people? Did I give them birth that you should say to me, carry them in your bosom as a nurse carries a nursing child to the land that you swore to give their fathers Where am I to get meat to give to all these people For they weep before me and say give us meat that we may eat I am not able to carry all these people alone.

The burden is too heavy for me. If you will treat me like this, kill me at once if I find favor in your sight, that I may not see my wretchedness. And the Lord said to Moses, gather for me 70 men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them, and bring them to the tent of meeting, and let them take their stand there with you.

And I will come down and talk with you there. And I will take some of the spirit that is on you and put it on them, and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, so that you may not bear it all yourself alone. And say to the people, Consecrate yourselves for tomorrow, and you shall eat meat. For you have wept in the hearing of the Lord, saying, Who will give us meat to eat?

For it was better for us in Egypt. Therefore the Lord will give you meat, and you shall eat. You shall not eat just one day, or two days, or five days, or ten days, or twenty days, but a whole month, until it comes out at your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you, because you have rejected the Lord who is among you, and have wept before him, saying, Why did we come out of Egypt?

Moses said, The people among whom I am number six hundred thousand on foot, and you have said, I will give them meat that they may eat a whole month? Shall flocks and herds be slaughtered for them and be enough for them? Or shall all the fish of the sea be gathered together for them and be enough for them? And the Lord said to Moses, Is the Lord's hand shortened?

Now you shall see whether my word will come true for you or not. So Moses went out and told the people the words of the Lord, and he gathered 70 men of the elders of the people and placed them around the tent. Then the Lord came down in the cloud and spoke to him and took some of the spirit that was on him and put it on the 70 elders. And as soon as the spirit rested on them, they prophesied.

But they did not continue doing it. Now two men remained in the camp, one named Eldad and the other named Medad, and the spirit rested on them. They were among those registered, but they had not gone to the tent, and so they prophesied in the camp. And a young man ran and told Moses, Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp, and Joshua, the son of Nun, the assistant of Moses from his youth, said, My Lord Moses stopped them But Moses said to him Are you jealous for my sake Would that all the Lord people were prophets that the Lord would put his spirit on them And Moses and the elders of Israel returned to the camp Then a wind from the Lord sprang up and it brought quail from the sea and let them fall beside the camp about a day journey on this side, and a day's journey on the other side, around the camp, and about two cubits above the ground.

And the people rose all the day, and all night, and all the next day, and gathered the quail. Those who gathered least gathered sixty bushels, and they spread them out for themselves all around the camp. While the meat was yet between their teeth, before it was consumed, the anger of the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord struck down the people with a very great plague.

Therefore, the name of the place was called Kibroth Hata'ava, because there they buried the people who had the cravings. From Kibroth Hata'ava, the people journeyed to Hezeroth, and they remained at Heziroth. There's the story. Now for nearly a year, these people had been at Mount Sinai, receiving instructions from God through Moses, instructions that would make them distinctive among the nations, the covenant that God would make with them at Sinai.

It had been fertile country. Now they were on the move. And as they journeyed, they found themselves in inhospitable environment. It just wasn't as nice as it had been. And so they start complaining. Now, you may wonder about the twice it says they complained in the hearing of the Lord.

It's like, well, like, can you go somewhere in the camp where God can't hear you? And the point of that statement is God does hear and hears everything. He heard their complaining no matter where they were. Now, here's the first question can you give thanks in the midst of adversity can you give thanks in the midst of adversity these people encountered hardship after God delivered them from the oppressive Egyptians and after they spent the year at Mount Sinai all right they'd encountered some hardship now they found it hard to be thankful they were traveling they were now on the move after sitting for a year.

You know how that is. You get comfortable, now you've got to move. They were traveling. The environment was difficult. It was not easy at all. Do you find it hard to thank God when things aren't going well for you?

Do you find it difficult to give thanks when work starts demanding more hours and your co-workers don't fulfill their responsibilities making it harder for you? Do you find yourself giving thanks to God? Thanks then? Maybe your husband is not the man you hoped he'd be. You complain to him and to others about his failures, about his lack, and his love of affection, and the fact that he seems so grumpy.

Well, can you give thanks then? Or life seems hard at home with children who need all kinds of attention, a house that always needs repair, a wife who's never satisfied, or at least it seems to you, tension amongst family members that you have to deal with, a lack of money, and no time to do anything you want to do. Can you be thankful then? Is it time for Thanksgiving then?

Rather than an attitude of gratitude, you're depressed, and you lay in bed, wondering whether it's worth getting out of bed to face the day. Well, these folks are having a hard time. How does God respond to these poor folks and their, what often people would call, their misfortune? He sends them some discipline. A little bit of judgment for their ingratitude.

Fires start breaking out on the edge of camp. A bush bursts into flame here. A couple tents catch on fire. No one dies, but everyone's afraid. and so the people confess to Moses look we have sinned intercede with God for us which he does and God relents at that point from giving them more judgment but God certainly reveals a different attitude than we do when it comes to giving thanks misfortune may come your way but that does not mean the season for ingratitude has commenced and what's at the root of ingratitude what is at the root of ingratitude you ever thought about that it seems to me we got to do more than just talk about stop complaining we have to ask what's at the root of it what starts it let me point to you what i think is a key passage in understanding our own hearts and what we need to do.

Turn to James chapter one. James chapter one. I think this is a key passage and I would hope and I would I would press upon you this morning that not just in complaining but any sin that shows up that you think about this passage James chapter one Think carefully now Beginning in verse 12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life which God has promised to those who love him Let no one say when he is tempted, I am being tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.

I want to stop there just for a moment. I know that, I would guess that none of you here has ever uttered the words, you know what, it's God tempting me right now. We all know better than that. So what's he driving at? Here's what he's driving at. It's when we start saying, God's put me in a position where the only thing I can do is sin.

He's made it impossible for me to do anything but sin. Like these folks. He's put us in this impossible situation. I mean, we're traveling. All these things are happening to us. It's hard.

Of course, who's not going to complain, right? It's extraordinarily difficult. Things are really hard. And who brought me here? God in a sovereign plan brought me here. Of course, I'm going to complain.

Can't ever say that. God's intention is never to tempt you. God's intention is never, ever to put you in a place so that you inevitably have to sin. Okay? So that deals with that verse. Now notice what he says.

So where does temptation come? Where does sin come? But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Now notice, it doesn't say evil desire. Any kind of desire. Even a good desire.

Okay? You are lured by that desire and enticed by your desire and then desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully grown, brings forth death. Desire lies at the root of ingratitude. Hardship. Hardship may tempt you to ingratitude, but hardship does not determine you to be ungrateful. It's never the environment that makes you sin.

It always starts in your own heart. A desire They wanted an easier trip They wanted an effortless deliverance They wanted a different reality than the one that God gave them You see there their desire What different reality have you proposed that drives your ingratitude in adversity? What's your desire? What's the alternative reality? I would only be happy if my husband would change.

I would be able to give thanks if, right? Alternative reality. Not the reality that God gave you, but the one you want. There's your desire. My dear wife, Becca, has taught me this very well. She has been a great teacher to me.

She has a statement. This is what God has for me today. Okay. This is what God has for me today. Not what I wanted. That's what God has for me. now what's at the root of God's response to these people why does he get angry about this I mean come on give me a break it's hard it's hot you ever been in the desert you know I can't stand to go past the Ohio River to meet this week it was torment it's so hot I don't think I complained about it but nevertheless did i just complain anyway i can understand why they would be tempted while they're traveling in this hot environment right so what's at the root of god's response why does he get angry i think the key is found in verse 20.

I honestly think the key is found in verse 20 because God explains it. Look at what he says, verses 19 and 20. This is after, you know, he said, I'm going to give you all the meat you want. You shall not eat just one day or two days or five days or ten days or twenty days but a whole month until it comes out of your nostrils and becomes loathsome to you because you have rejected the Lord who is among you and have wept before him saying, why did we come out of Egypt?

You see what he says there? They forgot God's presence and purpose. That's why ingratitude is so grating, is so despicable is so wicked Because at its heart you forget God presence and his purpose They had rejected he says they have rejected me They had rejected their God because his powerful presence among them was not enough. His powerful presence among them was not enough.

He is the greatest blessing of all. The fact that you have God is the greatest blessing of all. Even in the midst of hardship, they had God. They had God. And he's the greatest blessing. God, you're not enough.

I want something else. And they had rejected God for forgetting his gracious purpose for them. why did we come out of Egypt? Seriously? Seriously? Are you really asking that question? What happened in Egypt?

They're being beaten to death. They were worked as slaves. They were dying because of Pharaoh and his policies to them because they were slaves. He delivered them from oppression and by doing that he had showed the nations his majesty and his glory. He had showed the nations how great he was. Remember what he says?

I harden Pharaoh's heart. Why? So people would see how great I am. And he had delivered them with incredible miracles. And he showed his might and his glory. He delivered them so that they would possess a land of freedom and plenty.

He was taking them to a land that he even told them, hey, for the first year, you don't have to do anything. You just have to reap the harvest. From slavery to freedom in plenty. You see? They have forgotten God's goodness in the past, and they've forgotten His promise in the future. That's why He's angry.

He was not enough. His presence and His purpose were not enough. How can you give thanks in the midst of adversity if you believe that God is enough? when you lay in bed in the morning wrestling with your thoughts you remember that you possess god himself and he has a gracious purpose for you we forget that god has delivered us from the punishment that is our due for our sin and we forget that he has promised us a life of joy and a life of unending bliss when he comes again.

We forget those things. That's not enough. We want another reality. We have ignored all that God has done and will do for us in Christ, his past deliverance, His present plan. This is what God has for me today. And it is full of grace.

You see. His future promises. His future purposes for us. These are what we need to remember. Listen to me. Listen to me now.

I'm preaching to myself here. I hope you understand that. As I was reviewing my notes, which I do on Sunday morning, I just go over my notes. And this morning it just hit me. Man, you need this sermon. Speaking to me, not you.

You need this. God's presence and His purpose ought to be reigning in our thoughts. Well, let's go on. That's just the first three verses. can you give thanks in the midst of the mundane verses 4 through 10 can you give thanks in the midst of the mundane having moved on a bit the rabble starts complaining and like a fast moving cancer the complaint spreads to the rest of the nation the rabble are the non-israelites the non-jewish people who joined them in the exodus who left with them and they picked up the banner of discontentment.

They were no longer content with the daily provision of food from God, which was manna. They were no longer content with that. And so the banner of discontentment is waving, and all of Israel joins the forces, and they all start complaining. Certainly, this is the mundane, the everyday, the regular routine, the normal flow of life. They weren't thankful for this daily provision of manna because they now desired fresh vegetables, fish, fruit, and a steady diet of meat.

God was giving them enough You see the problem is they were not hungry They weren hungry The problem is they had no variety You see they had enough but it wasn what they wanted They wanted variety They wanted something different And verses seven through nine where it describes manna highlights their dissatisfaction for what God had supplied was pleasing to the eye pleasing to the taste and easy to prepare They had all that they needed, but that wasn't enough. Now, what's at the root of this dissatisfaction, this ungrateful attitude? The desire, I want another reality.

I would be satisfied if only I had these things. They focused not on what God had provided. They focused on what they did not have. Now, get this. They did not focus on what God had provided. they focused instead on what they did not have. You see, there's the alternate reality.

There's the desire. By the way, let me give you a footnote. If you're taking notes, here's a footnote. It's not in my notes. Okay? Think about this.

When you're running your sin down to the root, you see desire. Remember this. Here's what Ephesians 4.22 says. put off the old man which is being corrupted by its key phrase deceitful desires here's the thing you need to remember the desire that leads to sin is always deceitful you are always saying to yourself i will be happy i will be fulfilled i will find whatever if i get this always remember that desire is deceitful it will never pay off hear me now It will never pay off.

So these folks are saying, if only we had fish. What happened to the melons and the leeks and the garlics? If only we had those, then we would be happy. And the point is, if God had given them that, they would still not be happy. You remember that now. When you run your sin down to the desire at its root, that desire is deceitful.

It will never pay off. Oh, if only my husband would change. You know, if God would change your husband, if you have that attitude, and God changed your husband, guess what? It wouldn't be enough. Oh yeah he changed greatly but if only he do this You see Keep that in mind All right And so these folks again have a desire for another reality We want this kind of food.

And here's what happens when desire takes control. You sin. So you start complaining. Notice this. You also get a distorted memory. Do you notice that?

The old days are always golden. Your memory is distorted. When you're ungrateful, your memory is going to be distorted. What does it say? They talk about the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing. Do you catch that?

The fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing. No, nothing but bleeding backs. Nothing but the loss of people because they're working so hard that they're dying in their labor. No, the fish didn't cost you anything. Come on. Distorted memory.

It also gives you a distorted perspective. It can't get any worse than this, they say, but now our strength is dried up. Oh, it's not. Are you kidding? You get a distorted perspective. Always note that when ingratitude takes a grip, your memory is going to go crazy.

And your perspective is not going to be what it should be. All right? Do you see how God judges them? You know how God judges them? Two things. He gives them what they want.

That's his judgment. You want meat? I'll give you meat. I'll give you so much meat, you're going to get sick of it. Right? I'll give you exactly what you want, and you'll hate it. and then what else a plague is unleashed for their ingratitude God judges them again why is God angry verse 20 because of God's presence and his purpose it's not good enough we've got God that's not good enough.

God's purposes are gracious for us. That's not good enough. You see? How sad. That why God judges them That why God judges them How can you be content and grateful in the mundane of life in the mundane things of life For these people they needed to look beyond the mundane to the glory and purpose to the glory of God's purpose and presence, to His glory.

When you find it hard to be thankful in the mundane of life, the everyday getting up and going to work, standing there at the sink doing the dishes or loading the dishwasher and just chasing the children around the house. When you get tired of the mundane, you need to look to the glory of God. It's fascinating to me. Forty years later, God says this to these people.

In Deuteronomy chapter 4, beginning in verse 32. This is a fascinating passage. passage so a generation later 40 years later god says something that i think we all need to hear that they needed to hear here's what god said for ask now of the days that are past which are before you since the day that god created man on the earth and asked from one end of heaven to the other whether such a great thing as this has ever happened or was ever heard of did any people ever hear the voice of a God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as you have heard and still live? Or has any God ever attempted to go and take a nation for himself from the midst of another nation?

By trials, by signs, by wonders, and by war, by a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, and by great deeds of terror, all of which the Lord your God did for you in Egypt before your eyes? to you it was shown that you might know that the Lord is God there is no other besides him in the mundane of life they needed to see this God no other God had ever done this this is incredible what you're seeing and so it is with us contentment and thanksgiving grow when you look beyond the mundane to the glory of God's presence and purpose a memory verse I'm working on right now. This is my memory verse that I'm working on right now. It's John 14, 23.

Jesus answered him, if anyone loves me, he will keep my word and my father will love him and we will come to him and make our home with him. Now, what's Jesus saying there? He says, you walk in obedience. The very presence of God will grow and grow and grow. You see, we have God and He makes Himself known. We have the privilege of showing the glory of God to all men, even in the mundane things of life.

We can be thankful even in the mundane, boring, natural flow of life. Why? Because of the glory of God. Now the last thing I'd point out from this passage, And it's not all that's in this passage, but at least for our purposes. Here's the last question. Can you give thanks in the midst of your discouragement?

The rest of the chapter. Do you notice that Moses even succumbs to the disease of ingratitude? Poor guy. I mean, you've got all these people in their tent openings howling, right? I think I'd get discouraged too, right? But you know, he wasn't always that.

Turn back to the previous chapter, in chapter 10. Look what he says, starting in verse 29. And Moses said to Hobob, the son of Reoel, the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, We are setting out for the place of which the Lord said, I will give it to you. Come with us and we will do good to you for the Lord has promised good to Israel. But he said to him, I will not go.

I will depart to my own land and to my kindred. And he said, please do not leave us for you know where we should camp in the wilderness and you will serve as eyes for us. And if you do go with us, whatever good the Lord will do for us, the same will we do to you. Right. You talk about optimism. right he says man god's going to do great things come along you get to you'll get to be a part of that but what we said and find in this what we find instead is that moses gets to the point of near depression and grumbling why do i say near depression do you see what he says i love it he says god just kill me he's not going to commit suicide he'll just have god do it for him right He says, God, why don't you just kill me?

Do you see that? Why don't you just kill me? I mean it so bad God that you might as well just kill me That pretty bad Again the surest way to lose a thankful heart is to give in to desire, the springboard to sin. Desire for an alternative reality expressed in wrong thinking. Verse 11, notice what he says. when adversity comes your way do you say god is punishing me god you must be punishing me verse 11 most of the lord why have you dealt ill with your servant you you must be punishing me verse 14 i'm all alone i'm all alone in this really again verse 14 it's too much it's just too much god another reality right make it easier for me and again you see distorted memory and distorted perceptions did i conceive these people no no it's up to me to get them where they're supposed to be it's up to me to feed them no no it's not that's what he's thinking and desire will give you a wrong goal every time look what he says in verse 15 he says i'm going to be ruined i can't do the job and these people will turn on me i want success i want it easier there's his goal i just want it easier can i tell you something this point right here.

This is a pastoral problem. What I mean by that is, this is where pastors end up oftentimes. And even though they may not use the same words, they get discouraged. They're ready to give up because they have the same thinking. You know what it is? It's up to me.

It's up to me to get this all thing. It's up to me to make sure everything's working okay. It's up to me to make sure people grow. It's up to me. Right? That's the short route to discouragement.

No, it's not. God never said it was. You're just an instrument. Now, you may get that way too. When you ministering in your particular ministries at work at home all the other ministries that God has given you you may get the point it up to me It up to me to make sure my kids turn out all right No It up to you to be faithful to what God has called you to do Right?

It's not. So, how does God respond to these complaints that arise out of discouragement? How does He respond to this complaint that arises out of discouragement? You know what He does? You know how He acts? Graciously.

Isn't that interesting? God looks at Moses and says, Oh, my poor boy. He doesn't unleash judgment on him, does he? He acts graciously. What does he do? Verses 16 through 20, he says, Moses, here's a plan.

Here's a plan. And he gives him a plan to do. Gather the elders. Say to the people. And when Moses hesitates, in verse 23, God rebukes him and says, Do it now. he graciously tells him what to do about it now how do you keep from getting to this point we are complaining in the midst of discouragement what did means moses need to do he needed again to recall the glorious presence and purpose of god how about you how about you when you're discouraged what are you saying when you're discouraged what are you what's going on here's what you need to say is God for me or against me has he given you too much you have the privilege of serving the God of the universe and making his name famous I'm reminded of the apostle Paul in 2nd Corinthians 4 Jim read for us from chapter 4 that do not lose heart chapter I love 2nd Corinthians 4 it's what I call the do not lose heart chapter and at the beginning of it the apostle paul writes therefore since through god's mercy we have this ministry we do not lose heart we have it through god's mercy god's been merciful to us he's not he's not being hard on us he's not trying to make our life miserable he he has had mercy on us he's delivered us from what we deserve and what's your goal what's your goal an easy life or making Jesus well known Now this is what I had to think about as I reviewed my notes What my goal What a privilege to make Jesus known to magnify Jesus so he looks great Listen to the Apostle Paul Philippians chapter 1 I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage.

By the way, let me just say this again. This is where he's up for a hearing that's going to determine whether he lives or dies. You talk about a moment of discouragement after serving the Lord, where does he end up? He may end up on the chopping block. So what is his attitude? I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always, Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.

If they kill me, I want them to see Jesus. If they let me live, I want them to see Jesus. That's my whole purpose for living. for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain if I am to go on living in this body this will mean fruitful labor for me yet what shall I choose I do not know I am torn between the two I desire to depart and be with Christ which is better by far but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body convinced of this I know that I will remain and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in faith so that through my being with you again your boasting in Christ Jesus will abound on account of me see what he's saying hey you know what I'm living for I'm living for that Jesus would be exalted in my body and I want to minister to people so that they're boasting in Jesus as they magnify Jesus it'll be because I ministered to them.

That's how we ought to be thinking. That's how we ought to be thinking. What is my goal? When I get discouraged, I've got to say, my goal is not, my goal is not to change people. My goal is not to make sure everything's running right. My goal is that I minister to people in such a way that they will magnify Jesus.

That'll take care of discouragement. That'll move me to Thanksgiving. alright so look you can see then that thanksgiving goes far beyond merely remembering the food clothes and job that God gave you it goes beyond a polite nod to God for giving you good things thanksgiving giving thanks to God is not like a thank you note It's the very heart of my life. I ought to be known as a thankful person.

I ought to see the severity of my complaining. Now some of you here today, you may be really enthused about this. Yeah, I need to do it. But you are powerless to do it. You know why? Because your heart has not been changed by Jesus.

And you're excited. You're going to leave here. and you're going to try and it's going to fail and it's going to fail and it's going to fail and you're going to find yourself complaining. And I'm going to say to you, the reason why that is, is you need a new heart. You need a heart that's been utterly reborn by the Spirit of God. You need to cast yourself on Christ and say, I am an ungrateful, wretched person because of my sin.

And I come to Jesus and I come to Him and I cry out for mercy and I say, I'm going to rely on what you've done. If you do that, watch what happens. God will transform you. Now those of you here who are believers, what are you going to walk away with today? Let me just say this. Number one, put to death the desire for an alternate reality.

Put it to death. Why? Because God is for you. He's not against you. And what you're going through now, God has grace in it. He's doing something in you and for you.

Right? Destroy the desire. Kill that desire. When that desire comes up for what you want and it's not what God has given you, kill it. and turn and thank God and say, God you for me not against me I know that the events of today that are just eating at me are you intent for good Put to death that desire for an alternative reality And embrace God. He's yours.

He's yours to enjoy. Find pleasure in Him. God, you are great. God, you're the one who split the Red Sea. God, you're the one who provides every day for me. God every day you look at me in love and what you want to do is to conform me to Christ and you want me to know the joy of that the purpose of God the power of God He can do it God help us God help us to be thankful people Lord God we have found ourselves in this chapter we found ourselves there and yet we've also found Jesus the one who is the ultimate expression of God's gracious purpose he is the one who has saved us so that we might know the joy of loving you Father with that in mind help us to be a people known for our gratitude.

And not just known, but actually people who are thankful. Help us to see the wickedness of ingratitude. And flee to Christ. Find power in Him. And to be ever more so every day as we grow. Grateful people.

Thank you now, in Jesus' name. Amen.