I realize that as upside down as our world is and as corrupt as much of our national and state politics are and as wicked as our society increasingly is, there is much for any logical, rational, biblically minded follower of Jesus to complain about or even be discouraged by. However, at the same time there is far more to be thankful for right here in our little place in God’s glorious creation. I am thankful for the promise of Heaven for eternity for every blood bought believer in Jesus Christ. The older I get the more of those I have loved and have loved me, who also knew the Lord as their Saviour, have already arrived there before me. I am thankful for the many wonderful blessings I enjoy in my life and the great ways God has blessed in my life over the years. I am thankful for the beautiful places I have been allowed by God to live in and visit in His awesome creation, for the incredible people God has brought into my life, and the amazing opportunities God has given me in serving with Him. I am thankful for the privilege to serve Him here with you and many others over for the past twenty-two years and for the wonderful blessings He has bestowed on His church here in this place. I am thankful for many souls that have been saved over the years and even a few in recent days. I am thankful for the many servants of God who are serving the Lord in other places in other churches who had their beginnings of ministry or some growth of ministry here with us in this church. I am thankful for the faithful servants of God who obediently serve with the Lord in His church here with me that make the weekly ministries take place, as well as special events like we just had with a successful Vacation Bible School, or like the incredible Bible conference we hosted in April. I am thankful to the faithful givers who obediently give tithes and offerings to God through His church to support His work on earth from this place. I am thankful for every prayer warrior that gathers faithfully in God’s house for prayer meetings, in homes for prayer groups, and who pray personally before God’s throne interceding for the needs of others, the church family, and the work of God around the world. I am thankful for the missionary families and ministries that we have the privilege of partnering with here in our state, in our nation, and in many places around the world through the faith mission giving of several in our church family. I am thankful that I have the resources and the permission to help a preacher out with a need and to be a blessing to a missionary financially because the people of God who vote to support the budget have a desire to be generous to the servants of God. I am thankful that we have had many wonderful events take place in our ministry this year and many more still to come as the Lord blesses and allows. I am thankful for Bible colleges like West Coast Baptist College visiting with us this morning who are staying faithful to the Word of God and to His glory to train the servant leaders of the next generation. Yes, there are many good things to be thankful for as a child of God but, sadly, we so often only see the negative things that cause us to complain.