Thanksgiving Service

[0:00] Thank you for tuning into this message by David Entry. Every true revival is a product of the strong preaching of God's word. Will you receive a word from this message that will spark a revival in you?

[0:14] Luke 17 from verse 11, And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off.

[0:32] And they lifted up their voices and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shoo yourselves unto the priests.

[0:44] And it came to pass that as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks.

[1:02] And he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answered and said, Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God save the stranger.

[1:17] And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way. Thy faith has made thee whole. Here ends the reading of God's word.

[1:28] Amen. Let's pray. Father, thank you for 2025. All the many Sundays and weeks. And you have kept us through it all.

[1:41] Not all who started 2025 have seen today. And you have given us the privilege to see today. And for that, we say thank you. We know it's not an entitlement.

[1:54] It's just sheer grace of yours. So for this, we are grateful. As we hear your word, help us even to develop a stronger heart of gratitude.

[2:06] So we will never be out of thanks. To your glory in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. Hallelujah. Today, as I said earlier on, being the last Sunday of the year, it's just important not to be in a hurry to learn something new, but to be in a hurry to do something right.

[2:31] The Bible says in the book of Psalms that it is a good thing to give God thanks. It is in Psalm 92 verse 1, it is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord.

[2:46] Shall we all read it from the screen? Let's go. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord. And to sing praises unto thy name. Amen. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord.

[2:59] And to sing praises unto thy name. Oh, it is just right. It is just good. The text we read, in those days when you are a leper, the Lord forbids you to come into public or mingle with people because leprosy was highly contagious or infectious.

[3:24] So when you come amongst people, you contaminate them and you end up spreading the leprosy. So you have to see how far you can be away from people.

[3:35] Or actually, they had colonies where they keep all the lepers. So that's where you are. You come to town once in a while, maybe for something important. And for you to be free to enter into public spaces, you need to be healed.

[3:54] And to be healed, you cannot get up and say, I'm healed. You have to go to the priest. They have been trained to give you the certificate that, yeah, you are actually healed. So these guys, the text we read, they saw Jesus coming from afar off.

[4:08] They stood afar off because they couldn't come near. And then they lifted up their voices. The Bible says that they lifted up their voices and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy. You know, I just can't see that word in the scripture and just quickly pass on.

[4:25] That word, mercy. That word, mercy is such a powerful word. In Psalm 126 verse 1, it says that, oh, give thanks to the Lord for his good and his mercy.

[4:37] He said, I told you, people can thank God and make noise about the greatness of God. But it takes people who know God and the goodness of God to give him thanks. He said, oh, give thanks to the Lord for he is good.

[4:49] Say he's good. He is good. In other words, it doesn't matter what has been happening in your life. The fundamental point is God is good. God is good. God is good. God is good. He said, oh, give thanks to the Lord for he is good.

[5:02] And his mercy endures forever. That's a very serious biblical claim. It's a very serious thing that the scripture says that we are here, we are not consumed because of the mercy of God.

[5:19] In Lamentations chapter 22, 23. So it's because of his mercy that we are still around. Do you know why you are not in prison? It's not because you are very good.

[5:30] But your enemies have not gotten an upper hand over you. He says that if he had not been for the Lord who was on our side, may anybody say. There are people who suffered the kind of sickness that you were feeling last few months ago.

[5:44] And they couldn't survive. You even felt rougher. But look at today. You are almost like a tennis ball. You missed the place to have said thank you, Jesus.

[5:59] Thank you, Jesus. Yeah. So it says that it's because of his mercy that we are not consumed. Mercy. And he says, watch this. These mercies that guarantee our sustenance, they endure forever.

[6:14] That's serious. So, do you know what it means? The guarantee yesterday to today is still around to keep you for two. Thank you, Lord.

[6:25] Thank you, Lord. Some of you haven't realized that what I'm trying to say is that you are not dying now. Yes. No, you, listen.

[6:39] You have to see 2035. You know, one of the things I'm believing God for is that in 2040, I'll still be able to be jumping and jumping.

[6:54] That is why I'm giving God a reason to keep me in the jumping business. Oh, I have a plan. I have a plan that years after, I will still be jumping.

[7:14] I will still be strong. I will still. It's not an entitlement. Sometimes you have to just check your father's record and father's history and advise yourself and know that you are not likely to be very agile.

[7:27] But the message that has kept you now, it endures forever. So, when you are giving God thanks, your mind is on the mercy.

[7:40] The mercy. The mercy. You are eyeing the mercy. You know, have you been to a restaurant with one or two friends and maybe they bring some starters? Maybe kebab.

[7:52] You know, sometimes the portions look different, especially ribs. You know, some spare ribs look fatter.

[8:03] Others look skinnier. And when you are hungry and it comes, you eye the fatter one. What is not nice is when they push it in front of you.

[8:14] And the way they do it is the skinny one that you actually, if you want to be very gentle, you just have to take the one in front of you. But sometimes, no, you have to dig under it and pull.

[8:25] Because you are eyeing the fat one. Sometimes, as you give God thanks, you are eyeing some many more mercies. The reason why actually you need mercies is because you have a few mercies.

[8:40] You haven't been all that good, you know. No, you haven't yet. We haven't been all that good. But God has been always good. But it's not just always good.

[8:52] He has been very merciful. So when you give, He said, oh, give thanks to the Lord for His good and His mercies. This thing that has kept you now is still going to be around to keep you forever.

[9:07] For His good and His mercies. And so these lepers, they stood afar off and they said, Jesus, Master! What did they ask for?

[9:18] They asked for mercy. They asked for mercy. And Jesus said, just go to the priest and show yourself. Do you know what that means? Go for examination. Because that's where you have to go for medical report.

[9:31] So on their way going, they were cleansed. Simple instruction delivered their miracle.

[9:42] Simple instruction. We said, say, thank you. Thank you. Simple instruction. We said, shout, hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Hallelujah.

[9:53] Like Johnny, who is not happy? Johnny, smile. I will smile. Then later on, how many of you have noticed that sometimes, after a picture is taken, you realize, maybe you should have been taking the picture.

[10:05] Sometimes you should have to take some pictures. Your husband says, come on, let's smile. Listen. And after he came, you look like something you never could identify with.

[10:20] And everybody looks nice in the picture. So next time, when we got out to take the picture, you see that. I'm just telling you about how next year is going to favor you.

[10:37] Why don't you give it a try? Thank God for everything in this year. And see if next year will not be better. Thank God for everything.

[10:50] He says that, and when they were going, based on the instructions, they found out that they were cleansed. And then he says that one of them, when he found out, one of them, say one of them.

[11:03] One of them. Say, I'm the one. One of them. One of them. One of them. One of them. One of them. One of them. One of them. One of them. When he saw he was healed.

[11:15] Returned. And he wasn't diplomatic about it. In a moment, we are going to show appreciation through dancing. You can't tell me you don't know how to dance.

[11:28] Why should I dance in church? You are not dancing in church. David said it was before the Lord was dancing. Sometimes in church, when you are in a crowd and your heart is grateful, is grateful you just move yourself in the crowd but you are in a state it's it's almost like just between you and God and you are doing your thing giving an expression to the condition of your heart the gratitude in your heart giving sometimes you know you want to speak forget so quickly you forget so people can do things for you and you forget yeah be thankful to God I am very grateful as look at your child's condition look at the academic achievement somebody will pay anything for half of they have all the money for half of your child's academic attainment meanwhile this your child doesn't even push much and the things are just flowing the year is about to end some people are without a job you are still in that job you are not really qualified for somebody shout thank you Jesus thank you Jesus thank you Jesus thank you Jesus one of them one of them when he realized he was healed returned aborted the mission to go and get certificate to live a normal life he said normal life I'll live later let me abandon everything to just come to Jesus and say thank you he returned with a loud voice he was making noise making noise but what was in his heart was noisier than what his mouth could do so he said guys sorry take me like that what God has done for me guys take me like that what God sometimes when we come to church be careful the way you are eyeing people the way they are dancing is it your leg there you see one out of the ten don't praise God based on how others are praising him praise God based on what you know he has done for you there are things God has done for you and it's not like other friends who tell people what they've done for you there are things God has done for you and no one will know no one will know no one will know look at what Jesus said

[13:59] Jesus said were there not ten cleansed he said but where are the nine is it possible that Jesus is looking for you we are in church but he is waiting for your thanks and you are also commanding Father bless me oh Lord and he is just waiting so where is the thanks where is the thanks pastor you need to really pray for me Jesus said pastor if you try it I will take away your anointing Jesus said where is my thanks where is my thanks where is my thanks many of us right now if I say get up you will rise up but if I say sit down you will sit down because you are agile some people when they say get up yeah yeah you see don't let anything God does look small because you are comparing yourself to somebody recently your sister's husband bought a five bedroom house and your husband has been able to buy one bedroom flat and because of that you are not grateful you are not grateful somebody say thank you Jesus thank you Jesus thank you Jesus where they are not he is aware they are ten he knew it he knew he didn't demand it but he expected us to remember to give thanks quickly let me add this

[15:39] Bible says that when they knew God Romans chapter 1 verse 21 when they knew God they were not thankful because although they knew God they did not glorify him as God nor were thankful well that's why I said our theology is supposed to produce doxology if we keep teaching teaching about God and it's not producing appreciation in your heart for God that teaching is wrong that teaching is wrong check scriptures every sound Godly teaching is always ended with doxology to him be all the praise to him be all the glory to him be all the praise to him be all the glory what theology is this that is not producing Christocentric doxology it must be doxology producing teaching so it's not necessary to understand when they knew God they were not thankful God said I don't have time for such people Bible said therefore God gave them up thanklessness is more dangerous than you realize because then you are left on your own at the mercy of the elements in the book of 2 Timothy chapter 3 verse 1 to 3 he says that but notice that in the last days perilous hard times will come why?

[17:01] Satan will be at work very hard no no he didn't say Satan he didn't say Satan the reason he said men men hard times is because of people's attitude hard times yes I know Satan is working on but for all you may know you are working more than him Satan I mind you Satan I mind you submit to God first resist the devil he will flee from you so he said for men will be lovers of themselves lovers of money how many of you know somebody like that?

[17:40] how many of you know somebody like that? they love themselves how many of you know somebody who loves money? yeah I didn't say how many of you love money just you just know somebody boasters how many of you know someone who is a boaster?

[17:55] yes boasters proud proud one of the preachers I was saying what is there to celebrate about pride? there's nothing to celebrate about someone who is proud nobody feels comfortable with proud around no one enjoys being around proud people he says that difficult times will come because people will be lovers of themselves lovers of many boasters proud disobedient to parents that's why life is hard yeah because of your relationship bad toxic relationship with your mother and father life will be hard for you no it's a law in life if you want life to be soft for you find a way ask for pastor you don't know my mother hates me my mother hates me no problem your own is not to be disobedient not to be disrespectful!

[18:54] because obedient to parents especially those of us who work the whole year you haven't been able to say thank you because your mother has more money than you you haven't been able to say thank you some of you don't know it's coming closer let me bring it closer to you my mom is dead my dad is dead so there's nobody don't you have a sister for the sake of your mother for the sake of your father show gratitude to your mother's sacrifices by the way you just forgive this your noisy annoying sister am I pretty at all?

[19:30] well disobedient to parents the next one is a very big one what? I'm not surprised what? what? what?

[19:41] what? what? Do you see why hardships come in life? One of the reasons for hardship is unthankfulness. Please, if you're a good parent, you have to make it your aim that I will train my children to be thankful.

[19:59] Train my children to be thankful. Because if they fail to be thankful to God, to their parents, to humanity, and to whoever has been a blessing and helped them, life will be harsh for them.

[20:14] Life will be harsh for people who are unthankful. Perilous. The Bible says perilous times shall come. So it looks like this text is talking about 2026.

[20:26] But minus those who are thankful. Oh, I thought I heard you say amen. So quickly, ingratitude can cost you your portion in God.

[20:42] The real thing God had for you is not what you have got. Jesus told the lepers, he said, were there not turned healed? Where are the nine?

[20:53] He said, was there not found any to come back to give God glory? When you give thanks, you are giving God glory. You are returning to say that God, you have done it. You are behind it. I know I passed the exam, but you gave me the strength.

[21:04] I know I got a great job. I know I bought the house, but it's your favor. You know, so you give God glory. And so when Jesus said, were there not, the next verse 18 says that, were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?

[21:21] You know, sometimes when you have a sense of entitlement, you'll be ungrateful. Look, what your husband has done for you, a lot of women will want that. I know he snores too much.

[21:33] I know sometimes he's not patient. I know what, look at your wife. Look at your wife. Because of her, you have never had food poisoning. Look at your wife.

[21:48] Your other colleagues are struggling because their wives are very harsh. So they are struggling in last, struggling. But look, you are a free man.

[21:58] Be thankful for your wife, okay? Be thankful. All right.

[22:11] So Jesus said, were there not then? Were there nine? It's only this foreigner. The one who knows that is not my entitlement. Is there not anyone to say thank you apart from the one who thinks he didn't deserve it?

[22:24] When you have a sense of entitlement, you block your heart from saying thank you. Then Jesus says, turn to the foreigner.

[22:35] Turn to the Samaritan. And he says that, go your way. Your faith has made... You see, so that means the others have not got the real deal. I am here to announce to you that as we step into Thanksgiving, the coming year will be the actual year your destiny has always waited for.

[22:56] Now, I know you celebrated your 40th already. I know you celebrated your 50th already. I know you celebrated your 30th already. But I'm telling you, the next year will be like your real celebration year.

[23:09] Your real celebration year. If you're the one I'm talking about, shout yes Lord. I can go on and on and there's so many reasons why I can.

[23:20] Let me just throw this in about memory. If you remember, God hasn't learned enough. Look at me. Look at all my friends.

[23:30] Look at where I am. Look at all my friends. You know, God blocks access to himself from you. Or to you. He blocks access to himself. He says in 1 Corinthians 10, verse 5 says that, but with most of them, God was not pleased.

[23:45] Hey, think about it. It's like the man whose friend came to eat his food and was asked to plug. The man was not pleased with his face. But with most of them, God was not well pleased.

[23:57] Meanwhile, he fed them with manna in the wilderness. The Bible said they were all baptized into Moses. And the Bible says, God gave them water to drink. The rock that followed them, which was Christ.

[24:08] Christ was following them before he even was born by Mary. God went extra length to make sure they were fine. And yet, the Bible said, but with most of them, God was not well pleased.

[24:23] Why? We have to find out why. And he said their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. So you see, it wasn't Satan at work. This one was man's attitude at work.

[24:36] They're scattered because of their attitude. You will not suffer such scattering. You will not scatter. Your finances will not scatter.

[24:47] Your family will not scatter. Your testimony will not scatter. In the name of Jesus. Why? Verse 6 says that it's happening to them for us to learn.

[25:00] So it's not about them, it's about us. Then the verse 7, it says that, do you know what the things they did? First of all, idolatry. He said, so we do not become idolaters as were some of them.

[25:12] And when you become an idolatrous person, God's displeasure rises against you. The only focus on their, the job God gave them became more important than the God who gave them the job.

[25:24] The money God gave them became more important to them than the God who gave them the money. The child God gave them became a golden boy. At the expense of their worship.

[25:39] That's idolatry. Look at the next verse, verse 8. Neither let us commit fornication. When people become idolaters, it always goes with sexual misbehavior. Yeah.

[25:50] I'm telling you. That's why when people attack the work of God, you have to leave their attacking and look behind. There's some sexual misbehavior somewhere. Because sexual deviance and sexual pollution is always a sign that idolatry has come in.

[26:08] And idolatry will always open door to sexual misbehavior. I like the way the place is quiet. Yeah.

[26:20] It's there. When you study scripture, it's there. In Acts chapter 15, it says, It always goes. Jezebel, in Revelation chapter 2, verse 21, He taught my servants to commit fornication.

[26:35] And she taught her to eat food offered to idols. In Revelation chapter 2, verse 14, it says, Balaam, who taught the people of Israel to commit fornication and to idolatry.

[26:46] You study the scripture very carefully. You always say, anytime idolatry comes in, sexual perversion also shows up. So what we see in our days is not strange. All right.

[26:57] So we don't belabor the point. It says that, Neither commit fornication as some of them committed and fell in one. Thousands fall low. Thousands. So why is the church always talking about sex?

[27:08] Because we don't want people to fall. And the falling can take all kinds of shapes and forms. This Christmas, look, at least you let's come for mercy and thank God. The place is getting too quiet for my comfort.

[27:21] I don't like that. I don't like that. I don't like that. It looks like somebody understands what I'm trying to say. It said, And fell in one day.

[27:32] It doesn't take long. One day. 20,000 people. One day. One day. All right. That's not a topic. So they entered into idolatry.

[27:42] And God gave them up. Fornication. That's why God was not pleased with them. One day many fell. Look at the next verse. The next verse says that, Neither let us tempt Christ. As some of them tempted and were destroyed by serpents.

[27:57] Serpents. There's always a serpent around. You know one thing about serpents. They can lie with you. They can be around you for years without knowing they are dead. Yeah. There can be a serpent somewhere here.

[28:09] And serpents can be in any climate. Serpents can be in the jungle. Serpents can be in the river. Serpents can be in the house. Yeah. Desert. There's no climate.

[28:20] A serpent cannot survive there. But a serpent will stay around you for a very long time. And be eating and growing around you. And you never know he's there. Until you begin to tempt Christ.

[28:32] Serpents. And they said they were destroyed. Serpents destroyed. You will not be destroyed in the coming year. Your marriage will not be destroyed.

[28:45] Your health will not be destroyed. Your business will not be destroyed. Your career will not be destroyed. Your family life will not be destroyed. In the name of Jesus. Yes.

[28:57] Let's add the last one. 10. Verse 10. Is where we are going. God was not happy with them. He said. Neither member ye. As some of them also membered. And were destroyed by the destroyer.

[29:10] Membered. Look at me. Why is it that everybody is going on? I'm not going on. Every time. Every time I'm always in church. And just singing. Every time. And just say. Look at me. Everybody's gone. I don't have money.

[29:20] Please. Please. Please. Please. Where are the nine? Where are the nine? In Psalm 116 verse 12. He says that.

[29:31] What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits? There are so many things God has already done. There are so many things. There are so many. In fact. To sleep and wake up. Is a breakthrough.

[29:44] It's a breakthrough. That's why I started by saying. 52 Sundays. You have seen them all. That means you have seen Mondays as well. You have seen Tuesdays.

[29:55] This is a reason. You block your mind from all other things you haven't seen. And thank God for what you have seen. And once you thank God for what you have seen. He said you are thanking me for this.

[30:06] Because you didn't know he has something bigger in stock for you. Please. I'm begging you. I have an announcement to make. The coming year is going to be far bigger and better. For thanksgivers.

[30:18] For thanksgivers. For thanksgivers. In a moment we are going to rise to our feet. Before we even think. There are different ways of expressing thanksgiving. Because thanksgiving must not be suppressed.

[30:29] It must be expressed. Thanksgiving is a state of the heart. Thankfulness is a state of the heart. That births thanks. An act of thanksgiving. Giving of thanks.

[30:40] Giving of. Sometimes you might be quiet. But Lord I thank you. Lord I thank you. Lord I thank you. Lord I thank you. Two things that shouldn't be absent from your vocabulary.

[30:51] Daily vocabulary. Is mercy. And thank you. Mercy. Thank you. Mercy. When you even hear bad news. Say thank you. Bible says that.

[31:02] Give thanks. Colossians chapter 3 verse 15. It says. Be thankful. Be thankful. Be thankful. Be thankful. Ephesians chapter 5 verse 20.

[31:14] It said giving thanks. It's a instruction. Give thanks. Ephesians chapter 5 verse 20. It said giving thanks always. For all things to God the Father. In the name of Allah.

[31:25] Giving thanks always. Be thankful. Every day you must have something to thank God for. How much more when we have. Do you know why people celebrate Valentine's Day? Because they love their lover anyway.

[31:37] They love the person in their life anyway. But that day is dedicated for lovers. So they say. Well the way I love you. And there's a day dedicated. Let me use it. That's what makes me like Christmas. Because.

[31:48] I just celebrate this whole story about. God coming on earth to die for my sins. So much so that. Any day dedicated. Every day is Christmas for me. But if everybody is celebrating a day for that.

[32:00] I will join them now. Every day is Thanksgiving for me. There's. Some of you as I'm preaching. There's already music in your heart. You've had enough. You don't need a preacher to tell you to be thankful.

[32:11] Before we sing. Before we dance. I want you to. From your own heart. Express thankgiving. Express. Thank God for your family. Thank God for your husband.

[32:22] Thank God for your wife. Thank God for your children. Thank God for your daughter. Thank God for your son. Thank God for your grandchildren. Thank God for your family. Is there somebody here. Who wants to say thank you.

[32:34] Lift up your voice. Lift up. You can throw up your hands. Thank you. Thank God for the journeys. Thank God for your health. Thank God for the medical assistance you received. Thank God for the medical assistance.

[32:47] Thank God for your wedding. Thank God for how things have been for you. Thank God. He has done something. He has done a lot. We thank you Lord. We thank you Lord.

[32:59] We thank you Lord. Thank you for listening to this message by David Entry. We pray you have been revived towards God. You can connect with David Entry on all relevant social media platforms.

[33:12] Including Instagram and LinkedIn. You can also hear more messages from David Entry. On all relevant streaming platforms. And the Carish Church app. Don't forget to like and share the message.

[33:23] Be blessed. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.