Republic of the Philippines ) Province of Negros Occidental ) S.S.

City of Bacolod ) X------------------X

AFFIDAVIT OF DAMAGE
I, Procopio Timbucto Dimacutac , Filipino, of legal age, single and a resident of Purok Cosmos, Brgy. Taculing, Bacolod City, Philippines, after being sworn to in accordance with law, depose and state: 1. That I am a duly licenced driver with Drivers Licence No. F03-98-006355 which is valid until June 6, 2014.

2. That on December, 3, 2011, at around 5 pm, I was driving a motor vehicle owned and registered in my name which is more particularly described as follows:

Make: Isuzu Chassis No. : XYZ- 278 Plate Number: FZX 666

Model: XUV Crosswind Engine No. : DXN-747 xxxxx Year Model: 2006

3. That while I was passing by Magsaysay Ave., in front of Shell gasoline station, the aforementioned vehicle was bumped in the right side by a white Toyota Fortuner van causing damage to its right side and smashing the right window shields.

4. That I am executing this Affidavit to attest to the truth and in support of the claim against the insurer for the repair of the damage caused to my vehicle. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 5th day of December 2011, Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Philippines.

Procopio Timbucto Dimacutac Affiant

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 5th day of December in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Philippines, affiant exhibiting to me his Drivers License Identification Card Number F03-98-006355 issued at Bacolod City on June 6, 2011.

Heber A. Bacolod Notary Public Until December 25, 2014

Doc. No. _____; Page No. _____; Book No. _____; Series of 2011.

Forgetting The Past And Going Forward In 2012

(PHIL. 3:12-16)
A) There is an old story about a happy little boy who went out into the field wearing a baseball cap ... And in one hand he carried a baseball, and in the other his trusty bat! * His face had a look of tremendous confidence ... Cocking his bat, he tossed the ball into the air, saying, Im the greatest batter in the world! * Then he swung and missed. * Strike one, he said. * He picked up the ball, examined it, and then threw it into the air again. * As he swung, he repeated, Im the greatest batter in the world. * Once again he missed ... Strike two, he said. * This time, he stopped to examine his bat to make sure there wasnt a hole in it. * Then he picked up the ball, adjusted his cap, and tossed the ball into the air for the third time. * He repeated again, Im the greatest batter in the world, and swung with all his might, and missed for the third straight time. * Now most boys might be discouraged by that, but this boy said, Wow! Im the greatest pitcher in the world! B) Today is the first Sunday of 2006, and as we look back over the last 12 months, Im not sure whether most of us would consider ourselves pitchers or batters! * One thing for sure, is that we have all struck out from time to time. * So I guess its good to be able to start fresh. * Kids are going back in school ....... * Young people will be headed back to college. * And most of us will soon recover from the holiday season and will be well into doing our jobs and the activities of the new year real soon. C) As we anticipate the next 12 months, some people might eagerly look forward to what each day will bring! * Others might be filled with dread, worried that this year will be worse than the last. * Like the little boy with his baseball bat, I would suggest that our attitude will make all the difference in the coming year. * How we react to its event will largely determine whether it is a year of victory or a year of defeat. D) The Apostle Paul was never one to let circumstances conquer him ....... * Rather, with the help of God, he was determined to win the victors crown. * Pauls personality, I believe, really comes through in these verses! * And, with these thoughts, Paul lays out some principles concerning our attitude that we can carry with us into the New Year! * The first of those principles is this ....... (1) FORGETTING YOUR PAST! * At the end of v.13, Paul said, ... forgetting .......

A) Humans are very special beings, in that God has given us the ability to remember! * However, your memories can be you friend or your enemy. * Paul had a dreadful past and it could have easily haunted him for the rest of his life, if he allowed it to! * He persecuted the church ... He used his authority to kill Christians. * By his own admission he said, I am the chief of sinners. B) He could have walked around all his life with this tremendous burden of guilt crippling him! * And he wouldve never become the great Apostle and missionary for God that he went on to be. * Many people dwell on their past failures, mistakes, and sins so much so, that they become spiritually paralyzed, unable to live productively for God. * Paul is telling us that we can turn our past sins and failures over to God and start moving forward to what lies ahead. C) Our greatest glory is not in never failing, but in rising every time we fall! * Weve failed many times, although we may not remember. * We fell down the first time we tried to walk ... We probably almost drowned the first time we tried to swim. * Babe Ruth struck out 1,330 times, but he also hit 714 home runs. D) R. H. Macy failed seven times before his New York department store finally caught on! * We cant allow ourselves to become obsessed on our failures. * We are all human ... We make mistakes ... We sin ... We fail ... But what is worse, is missing the opportunities that God puts in front of us because we are afraid to fail. E) In a Nike advertisement some years ago, a voice came over the television saying ....... * Ive missed more than 9,000 shots in my career ... Ive lost almost 300 games. * Twenty-six times Ive been trusted to take the game-winning shot and missed. * Ive failed over and over and over again in my life ... And that is why I succeed. * Those words were spoken by Michael Jordan, by most standards the greatest basketball player who ever played the game! F) God once told the prophet Jeremiah that He would, one day, establish a New Covenant with the children of Israel! * And when He did, He said ....... * For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more. (Jer. 31:34) * That covenant was established when Jesus Christ died on the cross. * Since that day, Gods forgiveness is so complete that it is forgetfulness. G) If we have been washed in the blood of Christ, God has forgotten all of our failures and sins! * It is time that we forget them as well! * Lets follow Pauls example here, ... forgetting those things which are ....... * The first principle Paul teaches us for the New Year is Forgetting the Past, and the second is ....... (2) FOCUSING YOUR PRIORITIES! * In v.14 Paul says, I press toward the mark for the ... A) He introduced that statement in v.13 with but this one thing I do. * Obviously Paul did more than one thing! * He made tents ... He preached sermons. * He planted churches ... He wrote books ... Paul did a lot of things! * But what he is telling us is that his top priority in life was to press toward the mark for ...

* Paul is saying, I run straight toward the goal to win the prize that Gods heavenly call offers in Christ Jesus. * In other words, Pauls number one priority was the Kingdom of Heaven!

* He was running straight toward that goal, and he wasnt gonna let anything distract him from it! B) A while back an expert on the subject of time management was speaking to a group of business students! * After speaking to them for a while, he said, Okay, its time for a quiz. * He set a one-gallon, wide mouthed Mason jar on the table in front of him. * Then he produced about a dozen tennis-ball-sized rocks and carefully placed them, one at a time, inside the jar. * When the jar was filled to the top and no more rocks would fit inside, he asked, Is this jar full? C) Everyone in the class said, Yes. * Really? he said. * Then he reached under the table and pulled out a bucket of small gravel. * He dumped some gravel into the jar and shook it , causing pieces of gravel to work themselves down into the spaces between the big rocks. * Then he smiled and asked the group once more, Is the jar full? D) By this time the class was starting to catch on ... Probably not, one of them said. * Good! he replied. * Then he reached under the table and brought out a bucket of sand. * He started dumping the sand in and it filled all the spaces between the rocks and the gravel. * Once more he asked, Is this jar full? * No! the class shouted. * Again he said, Good! * Then he grabbed a pitcher of water and began to pour it in until the jar was filled to the brim. * Then he looked back at the class and asked, What is the point of this illustration? E) One eager student raised his hand and said, The point is, no matter how full your schedule is, if you try really hard, you can always fit something more into it! * No, the speaker replied, thats not the point ... The truth this illustration teaches us is this: If you dont put the big rocks in first, youll never get them in at all. F) What are the big rocks in your life? * As you look ahead over this year, what are your priorities? * Jesus said in Matt. 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God ....... * Drawing closer to God through worship, spending time with Him in prayer, and seeking His guidance for your life, by reading His Word ... These should be the big rocks in your jar! G) If you are considering resolutions for the New Year, let me make two suggestions: * (1) set aside 30 minutes every day to read your Bible and pray, and (2) determine to be more involved in Gods Kingdom. * By that I mean, attending the worship of the church and participating in other fellowship and evangelistic activities!

H) Its a sad, but true fact, that many Christians do not make Gods Kingdom a priority in life! * There will be, generally, one third fewer Christians lifting their voices in praise at 6:00 pm than at 11:00 am. * Those who feel like they are doing their spiritual duty by going to church once a week, punching

their spiritual timecard, are not seeking first His kingdom. * If we intend to press on toward the mark to win the prize that Gods heavenly call offers, then we need to make God and His kingdom our top priority in life! I) There is just one more principle that Paul offers us for the New Year, which is ....... (3) FUNCTIONING IN THE PRESENT! * Please notice v.13 again ....... A) Paul said, Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, * Notice that Paul did not say, one thing I will do. * He didnt say, one thing Im going to do, * Or one thing I will get around to someday. * He said, one thing I do. B) Paul was living and acting in the present! * Many people today try to live in the future. * Do you know what the busiest day in the world is going to be? * Its not Christmas ... Its not the day after Thanksgiving ... It is someday. * Everyone in the world has something scheduled to do someday. * You hear people all the time saying, Someday, Im gonna do this or that ... * the problem is that someday is not on any calendar. * Im sure that weve all made plans for someday, but the fact is, someday will never come! C) Paul is the ultimate example of living each day to the fullest ... Living each day as if it were your last! * For example ....... * When he was imprisoned in Rome, he didnt sit there stewing, thinking about all the things he would do when he got out of jail. * He wrote letters to churches, sang praises to God, and even converted some of the people who had imprisoned him! * Paul used everyday to the uttermost. D) Benjamin Franklin once said, Do you love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff that life is made of. * It was Abraham Lincoln who first said, The leading rule for a man of every calling is diligence; never put off until tomorrow what you can do today. * Thats not my thinking all the time! E) Perhaps, the saddest example of procrastination is found in the life of the Roman Governor Felix, who listened to Paul speak about faith in Christ Jesus. * But as he was discussing righteousness, temperance and judgment to come, Felix became frightened and said, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient ... (Acts 24:25)

F) Never again did Felix listen to Gods Word! * Once he had put it off for a time, as with so many things in life, that time never came. * We all ought to be more like the psalmist, who wrote in Psalm 119:60, I made haste, and delayed not to keep thy commandments. CLOSE A) What if there were no church tomorrow because we were too busy to worship God today? * What if God could not hear your prayers tomorrow because you were too busy to pray today?

* What if there were no Bible tomorrow because you would not read His Word today? * What if there were no forgiveness tomorrow because you did not stop sinning today? * What if there were no invitation tomorrow because you did not respond today? B) As we embark on the journeys of this New Year, let us determine ahead of time that it will be a year of victory! * Let us choose our own attitudes and follow the advise of the Apostle Paul. * Resolve to ... Forget your Past: Look beyond the sins and failures of yesterday; learn from them, repent of them, and then move forward. C) Focus your Priorities: Place God at the top of your to do list everyday! * Worship Him ... Study His Word ... Put His Kingdom first in your life and everything else will fall into place! D) Function in the Present: Stop living in the future! * Do not put off until tomorrow what you can do today. * Invitation: Would you bow your heads and close your eyes for a moment? E) This morning, the absolute best way to start this year is to become a part of Gods eternal Kingdom! * Focus your priorities by making Jesus the Lord of your life ... Allow the cleansing power of His blood to wash away your past sins, and start living your life for Christ everyday! * The Bible says in 2 Cor. 6:2, Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of ... * the invitation is open to all! * If you are ready to be begin your life anew today ... Or if you are already a Christian, but need a fresh start ... The Lord invites you to please come!

New Years - NOW IS THE HOUR!

A. Im sure youve noticed that each year almost all the major news magazines put out an issue with special pictorial sections recalling people & events that made news during the previous year. Many magazines also include articles by experts predicting what they expect to see happening in the years ahead. Some even go so far as to make predictions covering 10, 20, or more years in the future. In the past, a few of these predictions have proven amazingly accurate, while others couldnt have been more wrong. ILL. For example, back in 1967, experts predicted that by the turn of the century technology would have taken over so much of the work we do that the average American work week would be only 22 hours long, & that we would work only 27 weeks a year. As a result, one of our biggest problems would be in deciding what to do with all our leisure time. Well, I dont know about you, but that prediction certainly missed the mark as far as my life was concerned!

In fact, most of us seem to be very busy. Were always in a hurry. We walk fast, & talk fast, & eat fast. And after we eat, all too often, we stand up & say, "Excuse me. Ive gotta run." B. So here we are, at the first Sunday of 2010. I wonder how well do this year? Will we be as busy? Will we make any better use of our time? In 362 days, when this year is over, will we be looking back with joy, or with regret? Will we be looking at the future with anticipation, or with dread? There is a passage of Scripture that I believe can be of help to us as we look forward to the rest of 2010 if well listen to it. The passage is Ephesians 5:15 17, & here is what it says, "Be very careful, then, how you live not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lords will is." PROP. I think that in this passage the Apostle Paul presents some important lessons that we need to consider. I. OUR TIME ON THIS EARTH IS LIMITED A. First of all, we must be very careful how we live because our time on this earth is limited. The Psalmist wrote, "Show me, O Lord, my lifes end & the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life" (39:4). And again, "The length of our days is 70 years or 80, if we have the strength...they quickly pass, & we fly away" (90:10). Now, I realize that for some of you younger folk, 70 or 80 years sounds like a long, long time. In fact, I can remember when I thought anyone over 40 was ancient. But no longer. It is all rather relative, isnt it? ILL. For example, for teenagers in love talking together in the car, an hour or two seems like a blink of an eye. But for mom & dad worrying about whats going on out in that car, an hour or two seems like an eternity. B. The Psalmist also tells us to number our days so that we will develop a heart of wisdom. ILL. A few years ago People Magazine published an article entitled "Dead Ahead" telling about a new clock that keeps track of how much time you have left to live. It calculates an average life span of 75 years for men & 80 years for women. So you program your sex

& age into the clock, & from then on it will tell you how much time you have left. It sold for $99.95. I didnt buy one. But it is an intriguing idea. Isnt that what the Psalmist told us to do to number our days?

When I first heard about the clock I figured out that if I lived to be 75 years old that I had just about 2,345 days left to live. Thats all, just 2,345 days left to live. But wait a minute. Neither you nor I have a guarantee of even one day more to live. In fact the Bible tells us not to count on tomorrow because tomorrow may not come for you or for me. All we have is right now. So our time on this earth is valuable because it is very limited. II. MAKE THE MOST OF EVERY OPPORTUNITY Secondly, Paul tells us that we must make "the most of every opportunity." And he gives a reason, "because the days are evil." A. Jesus said that Satan is a robber & a thief, & one of the things he tries to rob from us is our time because time is a very precious possession. Just think of the time wasted in sinning. Think of the time wasted in bars or in gambling casinos or in shallow affairs. Think of the time wasted in gossiping or spreading rumors. Or think about all the time wasted worrying about the consequences of the sins we have committed. Satan is a thief & a robber! B. But it is not just sin that makes demands on our time. Sometimes even good things can make demands. ILL. Jesus went to the home of Mary & Martha & Lazarus. He sat down to teach, & Mary was sitting at His feet just soaking in every word. Meanwhile, Martha was out in the kitchen preparing dinner. Now, you know the story. It is found in Luke 10. Martha gets upset because Mary is not in the kitchen, too. So she complains to Jesus, "Lord, dont you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!" "Martha, Martha," Jesus answered, "You are worried & upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, & it will not be taken away from her" [Luke 10:40 42]. Now was Martha committing a sin by fixing a meal in the kitchen? No, of course not! But heres the problem. She was so preoccupied with what she was doing that she didnt realize that God was in her living room. APPL. Thats the same mistake you & I make almost every day. We get so caught up in the here & now that we fail to deal with the eternal, the things that will last forever & ever. ILL. Richard Swenson, a medical doctor, wrote a book in which he discusses one of the major maladies of our time anxiety & stress. He calls it "overload," & says that people are just plain overloaded.

1. Were overloaded with commitments. Weve committed ourselves to go here & there, to take part in this activity & that social function. As a result we soon begin meeting ourselves coming & going because we have overloaded ourselves in the area of commitments. 2. Were also overloaded with possessions, he says. Our closets are full, & our garages are overflowing. Weve gone into debt to pay for all of these things that we "simply must have." And now were so afraid that someone will steal them. We are overloaded in the area of possessions. 3. Thirdly, we have an overload in the area of work. We get up early, fight traffic, & experience intolerable working conditions because we have to if were going to pay for all those
possessions that weve accumulated. 4. There is also an information overload. He said that as a doctor he has to read 220 articles a month just to keep up with all the changes in his profession. And now with the internet theres an information superhighway. But the problem is that we cant possibly absorb it all. So we feel an overload in this area, too. SUM. Well, I could go on & on, but you get the picture. There are so many demands on our time, so many good things that need to be done. But there are just 8,760 hours in this year, & weve already used 58 of them. We do want to make the most of every opportunity, so what are we to do? III. UNDERSTAND WHAT THE LORDS WILL IS Well, to answer that, Paul tells us, "...do not be foolish, but understand what the Lords will is." Now what do you think Gods will is for you in this new year? Do you think He wants your mind so saturated with worries & anxieties that you cant think spiritual thoughts? Do you think He wants your calendar so crowded that you dont have time for the important things? What do you think Gods will is for you this year? A. Let me make a couple of suggestions for you to consider. First of all, establish your priorities. 1. Im assuming that since youre in church this morning that you believe God should be a part of your life. But when you begin to establish priorities, you have to decide just where He stands in your life. So ask yourself, "Who or what is most important in my life?"

And Im hoping that your answer will be, "My relationship with God, through Jesus Christ, is most important to me." If so, then put that at the top of your list of priorities, & say, "This will affect my decisions, my scheduling, my relationship with others, & my whole outlook on life."

"Therefore, when Sunday rolls around neither rain nor shine nor football kickoffs will interfere with my being in church, because He comes first in my life. Ill worship the Lord & nothing will interfere with that." 2. You also need to schedule some definite time each day to pray & to read His Word. Pray for yourself & for your family & for people around you. Pray for the church, & for the missionaries. Sometimes they feel so alone & so far away. Youll never know how much your prayers will mean to them. But youll be blessed as you grow in your faith & trust in the Lord! 3. You must also spend time with your family. Every husband here ought to have a date night with his wife. Im serious. You ought to have a date night with your wife, a time when just the two of you get away & dont have anything else to interfere. No beepers, no telephones, no interruptions, & you can just talk. Maybe at a nice restaurant or maybe at home. Wherever it is, spend some time together. Spend time with your children, too. Theyre growing up ever so fast. These are precious moments. Dont let them get away. Make sure that you spend quality time with your children. Make sure that your family is very high on the list. 4. Now most of us have to work. And I think Christians ought to be good workers. When someone hires a Christian they ought to know theyre getting someone who will give them an honest days work, & not cheat them. Because were Christians we have a responsibility to the Lord to honor Him even in the marketplace. SUM. So first of all, establish your priorities. B. And then, learn how to live today. The two greatest enemies of time are regrets for things we did in the past, & anxiety about what will happen to us in the future. Many of us are living either in the past or in the future. In fact, many of us are engaged in the little game of, "I wish it were." "I wish it were next week," or "I wish it were next month," or some such thing. Kids go to school & say, "Boy, I wish this day were over." ILL. Gary Freeman tells about a girl who went to college & just hated it. But she told herself, "If I can ever get out of college & get married & have children, I know Ill finally be able to enjoy life." So she stuck with it. She went to classes every day & finally graduated from college. Then she got married & had children, & discovered that children are a lot of work. So she told herself, "If I can just get these kids raised, then Ill be able to relax & really enjoy life." But about the time the kids were entering high school her husband said, "Guess what? We dont have enough money to send our kids to college. I guess youll have to get a

job." Well, she didnt want to, but she knew he was right & they needed the money, so she went to work. And she hated it. But she told herself, "If I can just get these kids out of college, & get all of the bills paid, then I can quit work & really enjoy life." Finally, the last child graduated from college, & all the bills were paid. So she walked into her employers office & said, "I quit." He said, "Oh, you dont want to quit now. If you stay with us just another 8 years youll have a pension for the rest of your life." She thought, "Well, I dont want to work another 8 years, but theres all that money there, & I really cant turn down the opportunity." So she worked for another 8 years. Finally, she & her husband retired at the same time. They sold their home & bought a little retirement cottage. Then they sat down on the swing on their front porch & looked at the family picture album & dreamed about the good old days. ILL. Someone said, "Life is what happens to you while youre making plans to do something else." True, isnt it? Another year has come & gone. A new year stretches before us. Help us Lord, to redeem the time. So have a happy new year! ILL. And during the New Year may you have: enough happiness to keep you sweet - enough trials to keep you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human - enough hope to keep you happy, enough failure to keep you humble - enough success to keep you eager, enough friends to give you comfort - enough wealth to meet your needs, enough enthusiasm to make you look forward to tomorrow, & enough determination to make each day better than the day before. Lord, please help us to use the 8,760 hours of this year the wisest way we can for you, & for your glory. CONCL. Romans 13:11 12 says, "The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness & put on the armor of light."

Expressing Our Thanks

Scripture: Luke 17:11-17:17

We read in the Bible that Solomon was the richest man in the world. Maybe youve found yourself thinking, What a lucky man he was! --But Solomon, with all his gold, never enjoyed the benefits of electricity. --He never owned an air conditioner, never talked on a telephone, never drove a car or flew in an airplane. --Solomon never experienced the joy and benefit of a flush toilet, never tasted a hot, freshly-baked chocolate chip cookie. --When he got a cold, he couldnt run down to the store and pick up a bottle of Nyquil to help him sleep better. --He never listened to a radio or viewed a television, let alone be able to e-mail a friend or send a text message to anyone. --In fact, we have numerous luxuries surrounding us that we consider ordinary, but Solomon, the richest man in the world, never even dreamed of such luxury. As we noted last week, we should be demonstrating a 24-7 attitude of gratitude for all God has blessed us with. --And this Thursday is the day many people will finally take time to stop and count their blessings. <>But being aware of what we should be thankful for, and knowing how to express our thanks to God are two different things. Today, we want to go beyond having an attitude of gratitude and look at HOW we can express our thanks to God. I invite you to open a Bible and turn once again to Luke 17. --ILL>While youre turning, I recently found this list of seven things mothers can be thankful for: ----Automatic dishwashers -- They make it possible to get out of the kitchen before the family comes back in for their after-dinner snacks. ----Husbands who attack small repair jobs around the house -- They usually make them big enough to call in professionals. ----The bathtub -- The one place the family usually allows mom some time to herself. ----Children who put away their things and clean up after themselves -- Theyre such a joy you hate to see them go home to their own parents. ----Gardening -- Its a relief to deal with dirt outside the house for a change. ----Teenagers -- They give parents an opportunity to learn a second language. ----And smoke alarms -- They let you know when the turkey is done. Last week we noted that having an attitude of gratitude allows us to have a changed perspective, to be able to see good stuff even in tough times. <>But theres still more to truly understanding and in truly pursuing thanks. --ILL>One Thanksgiving season, a family was seated around the Thanksgiving Day table, looking at the annual holiday bird. From the oldest to the youngest, they were to express their thanks. The last to speak, when they finally came to the five-year old in the family, he began by looking at the turkey, expressing thanks for the turkey, saying that although he had not yet tasted it he knew it would be good. Then he went on to thank his mother for cooking the turkey, and his father for buying the turkey. But he went beyond that...he joined together a multitude of those he wanted to say thank you to: He expressed thanks for the checker at the grocery store who checked out the turkey, the grocery store employees who put the turkey on the shelf, the farmer who made the turkey fat, the man who made the feed that the turkey ate, and even those who brought the turkey to the store. In a Columbo-like little mind, he traced the turkey all the way from its origin to hisplate. Then, in the end, he asked, Did I leave anybody out? His smart-aleck older brother, embarrassed by the proceedings to this point, then said, You left out God. Without being flustered at all, the five-year old said, I was about to get to Him.

<>Well, true thanks begins with recognizing that it is God who is the giver of all good things. Today I want us to look at... FIVE WAYS THE BIBLE TEACHES US IN HOW WE CAN EXPRESS OUR THANKS TO GOD...* 1) SPEAKING OUR GRATITUDE. -- Stopping to say, Thank you. --Luke 17:15-16 -- ...one of them, when he saw that he had been healed, turned back...glorifying God with a loud voice, and he fell on his face at His feet, giving thanks to Him. Its not really that hard, but its often times neglected. --ILL>A Vermont couple was sitting together, swinging in their front porch swing. They had been together forty-two years. The husband looked over at his wife, and in his Vermont close to the vest, stiff upper lift way, said to her, Wife, you have been so wonderful to me all these years, I can hardly keep from telling you. --ILL>I was raised in a home that might have been similar to the one you were raised in, one in which there were some magic words. The first was Please, and the others were, Thank you. ----They were magic because they put a smile on the face of the person you said them to, and magic in the sense of helping you learn manners and learn the power of being nice. -As we grow older, saying thanks is sometimes done so by way of a thank you note or a greeting card, but its still saying thanks. -When it comes to thanking God, sometimes it takes the form of singing songs of praise and thanksgiving, similar to how Mary sang The Magnificat in Luke after she learned God had selected her to be the mother of the Messiah. --ILL>Years ago Mike and the Mechanics came out with a song that said it well...Say it now, say it clear...its too late when we die. ----The idea is we shouldnt wait to say good things about a person when the persons body is lying in a casket. ----We need to say those words NOW. Say them today. <>Unfortunately, though, Thank you is not being spoken as much as it should be. --ILL>On a crowded New York City subway, a man got up and offered his seat to a lady. She was overwhelmed by the rarity of such kindness she passed out. When she came to, she said Thank you to the man, then HE passed out. Its sad that saying thanks and demonstrating an attitude of gratitude has become such an oddity in our world. --ILL>Rudyard Kipling became very wealthy as a writer. A cynical reporter found him one day and said, Mr. Kipling, it has been discovered that you make as much as $100 for every word you write. The reporter than pulled out a $100 bill, handed it to Kipling, and said, Could you give me a $100 word? Kipling folded the bill, put it in his pocket, and said, Thanks. Thanks is the one hundred dollar word alright, and once we understand that God is the giver of all good gifts, our thanks should be spoken to Him. <>It takes such a little bit of time, but just as the one leper who returned to say thank you was a blessing to Jesus, our saying thanks should also be a natural activity in our lives. -->Notice: Even Jesus was disappointed that the other nine lepers didnt bother to say

thank you. <>I wonder how many times we disappoint the Lord when we dont bother to acknowledge His gifts to us. 2) TESTIFYING TO OTHERS. -- Telling others of the goodness of God and how He has blessed our lives. --Acts 4:20 -- for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard. <>I dont preach because Im a preacher...I preach because Im a satisfied customer. ---And out of gratitude for what the Lord has done for me I want others to know He can make a difference in their lives too. ---Its a fire down in my bones...true heartburn...a burning desire to tell others of Gods goodness. --ILL>Would you ever believe a lady was truly thankful and excited about receiving an engagement ring if she kept it hidden all the time, never showed it? ----No, thats not what a lady does. She immediately calls her friends, holds her hand up high every opportunity she has, and shows off her prized possession, and tells of her wonderful guy, and how she loves him so much. -The gospel is the good news. --We should be thankful for the privilege of telling others about Gods goodness. --And we should be ready, looking for every opportunity. ---1 Peter 13:15 -- but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to...give an account for the hope that is in you... 3) HELPING OTHERS. -- Spreading His goodness by helping others in response of how Hes helped you so. --Acts 20:35 -- ...you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, It is more blessed to give than to receive. <>It means we are to pay it forward. --Paying it forward as a means of paying it back. --In sociology its called serial reciprocity. ---It is purported to have started with Benjamin Franklin, who wrote an accompanying note to a person to whom he was giving money: I do not pretend to give you such a sum; I only lend it to you. When you...meet with another honest man in similar distress, you must pay me by lending this sum to him, enjoining him to discharge the debt by a like operation, when he shall be able, and shalt meet with another opportunity. I hope it may thus go through many hands, before it meets with a knave that will stop its progress. This is a trick of mine for doing a deal of good with a little money. --ILL>In 2000, the movie entitled, Pay It Forward, based on the novel by Catherine Ryan Hyde, described paying it forward as doing three good deeds for someone for every good deed, good gift given to you by someone else...with the result being exponentially powerful in putting smiles on peoples faces. --ILL>In my first semester as a seminary student (first time around, first Masters degree), being on a very limited budget, my cars water pump went out, and I didnt have the funds to fix it. Yet, I had to have it fixed because I needed to drive 80 miles each way to serve at my church in Van Alstyne, Texas. A man in the church stepped in to pay for the repairs, even though I explained to him I was not going to able to pay him back anytime soon. His response: "You can pay it back to me sometime later on your life when youre able to afford it...paying it back by helping out someone else who has a similar need. Help them in the same way Im helping you, and youll be paying me back." <>You see, the idea helping others because of the good things God has brought into our own lives didnt originate with Ben Franklin...

<>The Bible encourages us to give to others in gratitude to God. <>Hes given us so much, were to help others in need. --ILL>The reason my mom brings guests, homeless persons, to her Thanksgiving meal table? ----Because God has given her so much she wants to provide someone with a hot meal and a place of acceptance that day who might miss out otherwise. --ILL>Why are we going to Nogales this Friday to prepare and serve lunch to needy persons at the Crossroads Rescue Mission? ----Same reason: Were grateful for what the Lord has done for us, and we want to pass it along to others. --ILL>Why did we send out 37 shoe boxes last week full of toys and treats for children overseas? ----Same reason: Because God has been so good to us we want boys and girls to hear of how God loves them so. The final two ways are not as obvious, but every bit as important... 4) OBEYING HIS INSTRUCTIONS. -- Doing what He has instructed us to do. <>Twice in Psalm 116 the Psalmist says, I shall pay my vows to the Lord; Oh may it be in the presence of all His people. <>Paying our vows means fulfilling our responsibilities to God. --Those of us who are Christians made a vow to God as we accepted Jesus by faith, as we turned over our lives to Him as Lord. --We promised we would put Him first in our lives. ---That we would serve Him with all of our strength and ability...and that wed so for the rest of our lives. <>If were truly thankful, we shall fulfill that vow before the Lord. <>In fact, total unconditional surrender to God is the highest form of thanksgiving. --ILL>My first car was a 55 Chevy, left to me by my grandmother in her will. I loved that car, and I loved the thrill driving it brought me as a 16-year old. However, although the car belonged to me, the keys belonged to my dad. In other words, if I ever disobeyed the house rules, my keys could be taken away from me. ----Do you think I bucked the idea of taking out the garbage if that meant I could lose my privilege of driving? Not on your life. ----I was so thankful for the privilege of driving I fulfilled my vows gladly. 5) GIVING OUR TITHES AND OFFERINGS. -- Giving back to God a portion of what He has given us. --2 Corinthians 9:7 -- Each one must do just as he purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. <>Being a cheerful giver is only possible because were grateful to God for all that He has given us, and were thankful to have the opportunity of giving back to Him. --We talked last week about the mom who, hearing of parents who gave a gift to the church in honor of their son who was killed in the war, whispered to her husband that she wanted to give an equal gift in honor of her son...because God spared him, bringing him through the war with his life. --We even call some gifts for services rendered an honorarium, because it conveys thanks, wanting to honor the persons contributions.

--In the weeks upcoming youll hear us talking about the Lottie Moon Christmas offering for International Missions...and well give an over-and-above our tithes to support missionary work around the world because were thankful for what God has given us, and because we want to pass those benefits along...around the world. Bringing it home... After an especially tough fall and winter, the Pilgrims gathered together to give thanks to God for bringing them through, and providing for them. <>Now its our turn. --I invite you to ask yourself these questions today... --1) Have I said thank you to those for whom I truly am thankful? ----Say it now, say it clear. Dont wait. ----Dont be caught after their gone, wishing you had one more time to tell someone how much you appreciate them. ----You have one more opportunity...TODAY. Tell them today. --2) Am I telling others of how good God has been to me? --3) In response to my gratitude to God for all Hes given me, am I paying it forward, responding by helping others in His name? --4) Am I obeying His instructions...the instructions He gave me because He loves me and truly does know what it best for me? --5) And...am I holding back or am I giving financially a tithe of my income, and over and above offerings as He leads me to do? <>As the poet once said... --Lord, you have given me so much. Please give me one more thing: a grateful heart.