- It's hard to believe
00:00:00.73\00:00:01.96
that most of the
year is already behind us.
00:00:01.96\00:00:03.40
The leaves are turning and
it's Thanksgiving season again.
00:00:03.40\00:00:07.24
And today, I'm gonna talk
00:00:07.24\00:00:08.64
about why I think
Thanksgiving might be
00:00:08.64\00:00:11.47
the most important
holiday of the whole year.
00:00:11.47\00:00:14.74
[relaxed country music]
00:00:14.74\00:00:18.08
Quite a few years ago now,
00:00:35.96\00:00:37.50
my brother and I started
this friendly debate about
00:00:37.50\00:00:39.77
who came up with
Thanksgiving first.
00:00:39.77\00:00:41.84
Was it the
Canadians or the Americans?
00:00:41.84\00:00:45.37
Now, as an immigrant to
this country, I had no choice.
00:00:45.37\00:00:48.81
I had to take the position
00:00:48.81\00:00:50.08
that the Americans
invented the holiday
00:00:50.08\00:00:52.08
so it belongs to them.
00:00:52.08\00:00:53.85
As a Canadian,
00:00:53.85\00:00:55.35
my brother took the
other side of the question.
00:00:55.35\00:00:57.79
And see, you've gotta understand
00:00:57.79\00:00:59.62
that in my tribe
arguing is an art form.
00:00:59.62\00:01:02.22
It doesn't really matter
if you're right or wrong.
00:01:02.22\00:01:04.59
What matters is that
you win the argument.
00:01:04.59\00:01:07.30
And I'll admit,
debating is a pastime
00:01:07.30\00:01:09.86
that's kind of served me well
00:01:09.86\00:01:11.17
because it taught me to examine
00:01:11.17\00:01:13.23
other people's points
of view very carefully,
00:01:13.23\00:01:15.70
so that I at least understand
them, even if I don't agree.
00:01:15.70\00:01:19.81
And I guess I owe
some of the perspectives
00:01:19.81\00:01:22.21
I've adopted on this
show to a lifetime of debate.
00:01:22.21\00:01:26.51
Anyway, back to the
rather meaningless debate
00:01:26.51\00:01:28.75
about who invented Thanksgiving.
00:01:28.75\00:01:30.92
The story we tell
in America is rooted
00:01:30.92\00:01:33.36
in the first
harvest the pilgrims enjoyed
00:01:33.36\00:01:35.76
in November of 1621,
when the Wampanoag Indians
00:01:35.76\00:01:40.40
famously joined the pilgrims
for a celebratory feast.
00:01:40.40\00:01:43.93
And we don't know for sure
00:01:43.93\00:01:45.90
that they were
eating turkey that day.
00:01:45.90\00:01:47.80
We do know they
were eating birds
00:01:47.80\00:01:50.01
as recorded by the
famous pilgrim, Edward Winslow,
00:01:50.01\00:01:53.98
who actually made a note
of what they did that day.
00:01:53.98\00:01:57.21
He writes, "Our
harvest being gotten in,
00:01:57.21\00:02:00.18
our governor sent
four men on fowling,
00:02:00.18\00:02:02.72
so we might, after a
special manner, rejoice together
00:02:02.72\00:02:06.59
after we had gathered
the fruits of our labors.
00:02:06.59\00:02:09.36
They four in one day
killed as much fowl as
00:02:09.36\00:02:12.36
with a little help beside served
the company almost a week.
00:02:12.36\00:02:17.33
Now, as you probably know,
00:02:17.33\00:02:18.83
food wasn't exactly abundant
for those early colonists,
00:02:18.83\00:02:22.14
and they suffered a lot
of hardship when they first
00:02:22.14\00:02:25.57
arrived. In fact, if the
Wampanoags had not taught them
00:02:25.57\00:02:28.81
how to survive in the new world,
00:02:28.81\00:02:31.18
they probably
wouldn't have made it.
00:02:31.18\00:02:34.08
So the story of Thanksgiving
00:02:34.08\00:02:35.78
in America is really
well known, even legendary.
00:02:35.78\00:02:39.89
I mean, when I was
growing up in Canada,
00:02:39.89\00:02:41.62
even we watched the
American Thanksgiving specials
00:02:41.62\00:02:44.99
because most of
the TV shows we watched
00:02:44.99\00:02:47.86
were bleeding over the
border from the United States.
00:02:47.86\00:02:51.10
And so when I moved here,
00:02:51.10\00:02:52.77
I already understood
the cultural importance
00:02:52.77\00:02:55.27
of your biggest holiday.
00:02:55.27\00:02:57.37
So that's the American
version of Thanksgiving,
00:02:57.37\00:03:00.44
and I still maintain that.
00:03:00.44\00:03:02.08
It's a much bigger deal
here than it ever was in Canada.
00:03:02.08\00:03:06.11
I mean, don't get me wrong
00:03:06.11\00:03:07.22
Canadians also
celebrate Thanksgiving,
00:03:07.22\00:03:09.85
but they do it more
than a month before we do
00:03:09.85\00:03:12.22
because way up there
above the 49th parallel,
00:03:12.22\00:03:14.92
the harvest comes a lot
earlier than it does down here.
00:03:14.92\00:03:18.49
So they celebrate
Thanksgiving in October.
00:03:18.49\00:03:21.56
And while the holiday
is important to Canadians,
00:03:21.56\00:03:24.47
it's nowhere near as important
00:03:24.47\00:03:26.03
as it is down here.
00:03:26.03\00:03:27.70
In the United States,
Thanksgiving almost seems bigger
00:03:27.70\00:03:30.61
than Christmas but not
so much where I was born.
00:03:30.61\00:03:34.04
I mean, they still have
Turkey and cranberry sauce
00:03:34.04\00:03:36.78
and pumpkin pie and
special sermons in church
00:03:36.78\00:03:39.28
about being thankful and
even a little bit of football.
00:03:39.28\00:03:43.39
But in Canada, I could
safely schedule other events
00:03:43.39\00:03:46.79
across Thanksgiving
and not create a problem.
00:03:46.79\00:03:49.39
In fact, I used to host
a major fundraising event
00:03:49.39\00:03:53.33
on Thanksgiving and it
didn't kill attendance.
00:03:53.33\00:03:56.67
Jean and I even got married
00:03:56.67\00:03:58.57
on Thanksgiving and
everybody still turned out.
00:03:58.57\00:04:01.37
As most of you know, that
would not happen in America.
00:04:01.37\00:04:05.04
The first official Thanksgiving
in Canada was in 1879,
00:04:06.51\00:04:09.94
nearly 250 years after
the pilgrim celebrated theirs.
00:04:09.94\00:04:14.52
But of course, the
practice of Thanksgiving,
00:04:14.52\00:04:17.25
or at least the tradition
00:04:17.25\00:04:18.72
of harvest festivals goes
back a lot further than that.
00:04:18.72\00:04:22.82
So in some regards,
00:04:22.82\00:04:24.83
I'll admit my brother
was at least partly right.
00:04:24.83\00:04:28.40
History records a
Thanksgiving festival
00:04:28.40\00:04:30.47
in Canada back in 1579,
00:04:30.47\00:04:33.54
more than 40 years before
the famous dinner at Plymouth.
00:04:33.54\00:04:37.84
It happened when Martin
Frobisher, the English explorer,
00:04:37.84\00:04:40.91
was looking for the
fable Northwest Passage,
00:04:40.91\00:04:44.11
a route that could take you
over the top of North America.
00:04:44.11\00:04:47.98
He was up around Baffin Island,
00:04:47.98\00:04:50.82
a place that I love to visit,
00:04:50.82\00:04:52.75
and he intended to start
a small community up there.
00:04:52.75\00:04:56.12
He had 15 ships
loaded with supplies,
00:04:56.12\00:04:59.09
but then the weather
and the ice demolished one
00:04:59.09\00:05:01.60
of those boats,
00:05:01.60\00:05:03.06
which meant that he lost a
lot of his building material.
00:05:03.06\00:05:05.80
It was really discouraging,
00:05:05.80\00:05:07.57
and it meant there was
going to be a lot of hardship.
00:05:07.57\00:05:11.01
But then a minister by the name
00:05:11.01\00:05:12.54
of Mayster Wolfall preached
a sermon about gratitude
00:05:12.54\00:05:16.81
when they suddenly experienced
00:05:16.81\00:05:18.21
just a little bit of good luck.
00:05:18.21\00:05:20.18
According to one
historical record,
00:05:20.18\00:05:22.45
he made unto them a
godly sermon, exhorting them
00:05:22.45\00:05:26.59
especially to be thankful
to God for their strange
00:05:26.59\00:05:29.42
and miraculous deliverance
in those so dangerous places.
00:05:29.42\00:05:33.90
And putting them in mind of
the uncertainty of man's life,
00:05:33.90\00:05:37.70
willed them to make
themselves always ready
00:05:37.70\00:05:39.97
as resolute men to
enjoy and accept thankfully
00:05:39.97\00:05:43.97
whatsoever adventure his divine
providence should appoint.
00:05:43.97\00:05:48.61
So, that was 1579, and
a few years later in 1604
00:05:48.61\00:05:52.98
there was another
Thanksgiving feast
00:05:54.18\00:05:55.65
when the
Explorer Samuel Champlain
00:05:55.65\00:05:57.65
and his men
founded something known
00:05:57.65\00:05:58.89
as the Order of Good
Cheer, an organization
00:05:58.89\00:06:03.19
which held feasts of gratitude
00:06:03.19\00:06:04.96
with the local Indian tribes,
the same way the pilgrims did,
00:06:04.96\00:06:08.36
but they did it
15 years earlier.
00:06:09.53\00:06:12.43
So publicly, I guess I
have to concede the debate.
00:06:13.80\00:06:15.94
It appears that there
were Thanksgiving celebrations
00:06:15.94\00:06:18.14
in Canada before we
were doing it down here.
00:06:18.14\00:06:21.71
But then again
00:06:21.71\00:06:22.91
neither country
really invented the idea
00:06:22.91\00:06:25.35
because well,
harvest festivals have been
00:06:25.35\00:06:27.62
around for a
really really long time,
00:06:27.62\00:06:30.59
going back to
very ancient cultures.
00:06:30.59\00:06:33.66
What we often forget
here in the overfed West is
00:06:33.66\00:06:37.49
just how hard life
has been for most people
00:06:37.49\00:06:39.89
for most of our history.
00:06:39.89\00:06:42.16
When you and I talk about
food shortages, we usually mean
00:06:42.16\00:06:45.63
that we can't get our hands
on some of our favorite things,
00:06:45.63\00:06:48.57
unlike some
places on this planet
00:06:48.57\00:06:50.41
where people just hope
to find something to eat.
00:06:50.41\00:06:54.34
It would seem
that one of the things
00:06:54.34\00:06:56.08
that tends to
evaporate when times are easy
00:06:56.08\00:06:59.01
is a sense of gratitude.
00:06:59.01\00:07:00.95
Here in the
West, the more we have,
00:07:00.95\00:07:03.82
the more we appear to
feel entitled to have.
00:07:03.82\00:07:06.89
Today, after the dramatic
secularization of Western
00:07:08.36\00:07:12.06
society, there
are still millions
00:07:12.06\00:07:13.70
of people who continue
to pray before they eat.
00:07:13.70\00:07:16.93
And it's a gesture of gratitude.
00:07:16.93\00:07:19.27
But for many, well-meaning
North Americans, I think
00:07:19.27\00:07:21.60
that that prayer has become
something of a superstition
00:07:21.60\00:07:24.61
something they do from a sense
00:07:24.61\00:07:26.27
of obligation more than
an actual sense of gratitude.
00:07:26.27\00:07:30.01
I mean, I remember
00:07:30.01\00:07:31.41
as a little kid,
wondering what might happen
00:07:31.41\00:07:33.18
if I didn't pray before I ate,
00:07:33.18\00:07:35.22
as if saying grace was
some kind of magical incantation
00:07:35.22\00:07:39.25
that removed dangerous
impurities from the food.
00:07:39.25\00:07:42.49
And I know I'm
not alone with that.
00:07:42.49\00:07:44.39
I've witnessed a lot of people
00:07:44.39\00:07:45.79
who suddenly stop eating halfway
00:07:45.79\00:07:47.56
through their first bite of food
00:07:47.56\00:07:49.23
trying to
remember, "Did I say grace?"
00:07:49.23\00:07:52.27
And some of them
get this mild look
00:07:52.27\00:07:53.94
of panic as if something
really bad is gonna happen
00:07:53.94\00:07:56.57
if they get the ritual wrong.
00:07:56.57\00:07:58.57
That mild sense
of fear is a legacy
00:07:59.74\00:08:02.61
that we kind of inherited
from our medieval past,
00:08:02.61\00:08:05.51
where a lot of Christian
preachers gave the impression
00:08:05.51\00:08:08.12
that God was
looking for some excuse
00:08:08.12\00:08:10.45
any excuse at all to strike
us dead with a thunderbolt.
00:08:10.45\00:08:13.76
If we stepped a
little bit out of line,
00:08:13.76\00:08:16.26
as if he was the
Roman God, Jupiter.
00:08:16.26\00:08:19.46
Because of that, a lot
of the religious rituals
00:08:19.46\00:08:22.13
back then were intended to
just stave off the wrath of God,
00:08:22.13\00:08:26.07
and a prayer before dinner
wasn't really a matter of faith.
00:08:26.07\00:08:29.34
It was just one
more thing you added
00:08:29.34\00:08:31.34
to your list of
religious good deeds
00:08:31.34\00:08:33.24
in order to keep yourself
out of the fires of hell.
00:08:33.24\00:08:37.25
Of course, I'm not
questioning the practice
00:08:37.25\00:08:40.72
of saying grace because
gratitude is a good thing,
00:08:40.72\00:08:44.49
and Christians have noted
that Jesus set the example.
00:08:44.49\00:08:48.16
In Luke 22 at the Last Supper,
00:08:48.16\00:08:50.09
you'll notice that
Jesus took bread, gave thanks
00:08:50.09\00:08:53.66
and broke it and
gave it to them saying,
00:08:53.66\00:08:55.83
"This is my body
which is given for you.
00:08:55.83\00:08:58.43
Do this in remembrance of me."
00:08:58.43\00:09:01.74
Now, that's just
the tip of the iceberg
00:09:01.74\00:09:04.17
when it comes to
the Bible's advice
00:09:04.17\00:09:05.87
that you and I cultivate
an attitude of thankfulness.
00:09:05.87\00:09:09.78
And in a world where
people seem to feel more
00:09:09.78\00:09:12.65
and more entitled and
where things like civility
00:09:12.65\00:09:16.12
and gratitude seem to be
fading into the background,
00:09:16.12\00:09:19.85
maybe this is something
we could afford to revisit,
00:09:19.85\00:09:22.76
especially during Thanksgiving.
00:09:22.76\00:09:25.76
I'll be right back after this.
00:09:25.76\00:09:27.86
- [Narrator] Dragons,
beasts, cryptic statues.
00:09:30.30\00:09:35.30
Bible prophecy can be
incredibly vivid and confusing.
00:09:36.60\00:09:40.18
If you've ever read
Daniel or Revelation
00:09:40.18\00:09:42.38
and come away scratching
your head, you're not alone.
00:09:42.38\00:09:45.38
Our free focus on
prophecy guides are designed
00:09:45.38\00:09:48.32
to help you unlock the mysteries
00:09:48.32\00:09:49.88
of the Bible and
deepen your understanding
00:09:49.88\00:09:52.19
of God's plan for
you and our world.
00:09:52.19\00:09:54.66
Study online or request them
00:09:54.66\00:09:56.52
by mail and start bringing
prophecy into focus today.
00:09:56.52\00:10:00.00
- I think one of the reasons
00:10:01.03\00:10:02.43
we often don't feel
very thankful is ironically
00:10:02.43\00:10:05.67
because we have so
much to be thankful for.
00:10:05.67\00:10:09.30
I mean, don't get me wrong, life
00:10:09.30\00:10:11.57
on planet earth is just as
frustrating as it used to be
00:10:11.57\00:10:14.48
at least from an
emotional perspective.
00:10:14.48\00:10:17.21
But a lot of our
material needs are being met
00:10:17.21\00:10:19.88
in a way that
would've surprised the socks
00:10:19.88\00:10:21.95
off our ancestors.
00:10:21.95\00:10:23.89
Even the poor among us
00:10:23.89\00:10:25.42
are much better off
than the poor of the past.
00:10:25.42\00:10:28.19
And overall, our level
00:10:28.19\00:10:29.69
of material
prosperity easily outstrips
00:10:29.69\00:10:32.36
almost every
generation that came before us.
00:10:32.36\00:10:35.56
In fact, many of us
live far more conveniently
00:10:35.56\00:10:39.03
than medieval nobles did.
00:10:39.03\00:10:41.27
But somehow at the same time,
00:10:41.27\00:10:43.84
we seem to be less
thankful than they were.
00:10:43.84\00:10:46.14
And I sometimes
wonder if a little bit
00:10:46.14\00:10:48.01
of hardship might
not be a good thing.
00:10:48.01\00:10:50.55
And judging by the
state of the world right now,
00:10:50.55\00:10:52.81
I have a sneaking suspicion
00:10:52.81\00:10:55.15
there's a bit of
hardship coming down the pike.
00:10:55.15\00:10:58.22
I was born a very
privileged time in history,
00:10:58.22\00:11:00.92
certainly more privileged
than even my own parents.
00:11:00.92\00:11:04.56
I don't have to
deal with Nazi occupation
00:11:04.56\00:11:06.83
or state orchestrated famines.
00:11:06.83\00:11:09.06
I didn't even have
to deal with things
00:11:09.06\00:11:10.57
like polio or iron lungs
00:11:10.57\00:11:12.33
because a lot of
those kinds of problems
00:11:12.33\00:11:14.40
had been mostly eliminated
00:11:14.40\00:11:16.44
by the time I
drew my first breath
00:11:16.44\00:11:19.24
I didn't have to
go and fight a war.
00:11:19.24\00:11:21.48
I didn't have to go
and beg on a street corner,
00:11:21.48\00:11:23.55
hoping for just enough
change to get something to eat.
00:11:23.55\00:11:26.88
I mean, it doesn't
mean that my life was easy
00:11:26.88\00:11:28.88
because it really wasn't,
but it was certainly easier
00:11:28.88\00:11:31.92
for me than the
people who came before me.
00:11:31.92\00:11:35.29
And yet my generation, the
ones coming after me as well,
00:11:35.29\00:11:39.46
somehow we seem a
lot less thankful,
00:11:39.46\00:11:42.33
and we assume that we deserve
what we have, maybe more.
00:11:42.33\00:11:46.50
So maybe today.
00:11:46.50\00:11:47.70
In light of the
Thanksgiving holiday,
00:11:47.70\00:11:48.77
I'd like to share some reminders
00:11:48.77\00:11:50.21
from the scriptures
that Christian believers
00:11:50.21\00:11:52.67
should always be
cultivating gratitude.
00:11:52.67\00:11:56.24
And I think I wanna
start with a passage
00:11:56.24\00:11:58.91
from the book of
Philippians, which was written
00:11:58.91\00:12:00.92
by the apostle Paul, a man whose
life was anything but easy.
00:12:00.92\00:12:05.65
He writes in Philippians 4,
00:12:05.65\00:12:08.62
"Be anxious for nothing
but in everything by prayer
00:12:08.62\00:12:12.03
and supplication
with thanksgiving.
00:12:12.03\00:12:14.93
Let your request be made known
to God and the peace of God
00:12:14.93\00:12:18.63
which surpasses all
understanding will guard your
00:12:18.63\00:12:21.44
hearts and minds
through Christ Jesus."
00:12:21.44\00:12:24.87
Now, there's a lot
00:12:24.87\00:12:26.14
of information packed
into that short verse,
00:12:26.14\00:12:28.21
so let's see if we can
just unpack it a little bit.
00:12:28.21\00:12:31.61
First of all, I
want you to notice
00:12:31.61\00:12:33.18
that he writes
this in the context
00:12:33.18\00:12:35.08
of people having
serious problems.
00:12:35.08\00:12:37.42
The Philippians were
anxious, which is a phenomenon
00:12:37.42\00:12:40.39
that is certainly
widespread again today.
00:12:40.39\00:12:42.59
In fact, something
like 40 million adults
00:12:42.59\00:12:45.66
in this country find
themselves struggling
00:12:45.66\00:12:47.66
with an anxiety
disorder during any given year.
00:12:47.66\00:12:51.60
We might be the most
prosperous generation
00:12:51.60\00:12:54.14
in the history of the
world, but it's starting to look
00:12:54.14\00:12:56.77
like we might also be
one of the most anxious.
00:12:56.77\00:12:59.91
And while some
people are dealing
00:12:59.91\00:13:01.44
with a genuine mental illness
or a devastating condition
00:13:01.44\00:13:04.25
like PTSD, which might
require some professional help,
00:13:04.25\00:13:08.48
for the rest of us, Paul is
offering a remedy for anxiety.
00:13:08.48\00:13:12.82
He says, "Be
anxious for nothing."
00:13:12.82\00:13:14.99
which implies
that you have a choice.
00:13:14.99\00:13:17.59
And I don't know about you,
00:13:18.46\00:13:19.96
but for me simply
choosing not to be anxious, well
00:13:19.96\00:13:22.13
that hasn't
really worked very well.
00:13:22.13\00:13:24.50
I'm one of those
people who lies awake
00:13:24.50\00:13:26.07
in the middle of the
night almost every single night,
00:13:26.07\00:13:28.77
worried about
problems that I can't fix
00:13:28.77\00:13:31.17
at two o'clock in the morning.
00:13:31.17\00:13:33.27
And rationally, I know
00:13:33.27\00:13:35.01
that I'm wasting my
time in the wee hours,
00:13:35.01\00:13:37.61
but emotionally it's
really hard to turn off
00:13:37.61\00:13:40.12
the feedback loop that
keeps the problem alive
00:13:40.12\00:13:42.45
in my middle of
the night imagination.
00:13:42.45\00:13:45.62
And I do all the usual
things that people recommend.
00:13:45.62\00:13:48.99
I get out of bed and make
a list of things I plan to do
00:13:48.99\00:13:51.56
in the morning,
which convinces your brain
00:13:51.56\00:13:53.83
that the problem has
been taken care of for now.
00:13:53.83\00:13:57.23
I remind myself as I
lay there in the dark
00:13:57.23\00:13:59.40
that most of the
things we worry about
00:13:59.40\00:14:01.54
never actually happen.
00:14:01.54\00:14:03.57
I take a few deep breaths.
00:14:03.57\00:14:04.91
I listen to the
radio to distract myself.
00:14:04.91\00:14:08.08
And all of those
exercises certainly help,
00:14:08.08\00:14:10.98
but it's not enough.
00:14:10.98\00:14:13.11
So Paul adds another very
important component to the power
00:14:13.11\00:14:15.98
of choice, and that's
the practice of gratitude.
00:14:15.98\00:14:19.55
"Be anxious for nothing,"
00:14:19.55\00:14:21.02
he says, and you'll
notice he doesn't say,
00:14:21.02\00:14:23.39
"Try not to be anxious."
00:14:23.39\00:14:24.89
He just tells you not to
do it, which is a command.
00:14:24.89\00:14:28.16
And at first
clients, that's a tall order.
00:14:28.16\00:14:30.57
I mean, how in the world
00:14:30.57\00:14:31.77
do you just shut off
your obsessive thinking?
00:14:31.77\00:14:34.60
Well, Paul suggests that we
do it by bringing those thoughts
00:14:34.60\00:14:37.27
to God with
prayer and supplication.
00:14:37.27\00:14:40.18
In other words, take the problem
00:14:40.18\00:14:42.78
and give it to somebody
far more capable than you.
00:14:42.78\00:14:46.51
And really that
makes a lot of sense,
00:14:46.51\00:14:48.08
because when we were kids
00:14:48.08\00:14:49.78
and our parents promised
to solve a problem for us,
00:14:49.78\00:14:52.39
we usually breathe
a big sigh of relief
00:14:52.39\00:14:54.96
because somebody
bigger than us was
00:14:54.96\00:14:56.62
on the case and we could
just let go of the thing.
00:14:56.62\00:15:00.56
But for some
reason, after childhood,
00:15:00.56\00:15:02.80
we tend to doubt God's
ability to handle things,
00:15:02.80\00:15:06.13
even if we say
we believe in him.
00:15:06.13\00:15:08.54
And I know some
people laugh at faith
00:15:08.54\00:15:10.47
in God as if it's a
crutch for simpletons,
00:15:10.47\00:15:13.17
but that tells me
they've never actually tried it.
00:15:13.17\00:15:16.41
There's nothing easy
about a relationship with God,
00:15:16.41\00:15:19.98
but if you can learn to do it,
00:15:21.15\00:15:22.98
surrendering makes all
the difference in the world.
00:15:22.98\00:15:26.39
Let me diverge from the book
00:15:26.39\00:15:27.79
of Philippians
for just a moment,
00:15:27.79\00:15:29.52
and I wanna show you
something in the Book of Psalms
00:15:29.52\00:15:31.86
that I was reading
just, well, a few weeks ago.
00:15:31.86\00:15:34.83
And if you're following
along in your own Bible,
00:15:34.83\00:15:37.23
you might wanna
bookmark Philippians 4
00:15:37.23\00:15:39.13
because we're
gonna come back there.
00:15:39.13\00:15:40.64
But for now, let's
take a look at Psalm 1:31.
00:15:40.64\00:15:44.17
It says, "Lord, my heart is
not haughty, nor my eyes lofty.
00:15:44.17\00:15:48.88
Neither do I concern
myself with great matters
00:15:48.88\00:15:51.48
nor with things
too profound for me."
00:15:51.48\00:15:54.05
Take a moment and ask yourself,
"What do I really know?"
00:15:55.38\00:15:59.15
How much of this
universe am I in charge of?
00:15:59.15\00:16:01.92
Some of the wisest philosophers
00:16:01.92\00:16:03.59
in the history of the world came
00:16:03.59\00:16:05.16
to the conclusion that they
really didn't know much at all.
00:16:05.16\00:16:08.33
I mean, apart from a
few accomplished physicists,
00:16:08.33\00:16:11.37
how many of us really
understand how gravity works?
00:16:11.37\00:16:14.97
Most of us just trust it.
00:16:14.97\00:16:16.40
We use gravity
to get things done.
00:16:16.40\00:16:19.07
How many of us can grasp
how tiny little particles
00:16:19.07\00:16:21.98
seem to communicate
across vast distances,
00:16:21.98\00:16:25.35
faster than the speed of light
through quantum entanglement?
00:16:25.35\00:16:28.62
If you don't understand that,
00:16:29.52\00:16:31.69
are you gonna
stop living your life?
00:16:31.69\00:16:33.92
Do you really understand
how ball lightning works?
00:16:33.92\00:16:36.86
Do you know what dark matter is,
00:16:36.86\00:16:38.36
or what the universe
is actually made out of?
00:16:38.36\00:16:41.06
There are lots of things
00:16:41.93\00:16:43.03
that you and I
struggle to understand,
00:16:43.03\00:16:44.97
but that doesn't
mean they don't exist.
00:16:44.97\00:16:47.64
And just because the
Bible has inexplicable concepts,
00:16:47.64\00:16:51.11
that doesn't mean
this book isn't true.
00:16:51.11\00:16:53.44
In fact, if this
book was inspired
00:16:53.44\00:16:55.78
by an omniscient infinite God,
00:16:55.78\00:16:58.51
you'd have to expect that
you don't understand it all.
00:16:58.51\00:17:01.52
But that's another
show for another day,
00:17:01.52\00:17:02.95
and we've gotta
get back to Psalm 1:31.
00:17:02.95\00:17:05.45
David simply tells us
00:17:05.45\00:17:06.92
that he doesn't
waste a lot of time worried
00:17:06.92\00:17:08.72
about the things
he doesn't understand.
00:17:08.72\00:17:11.26
He just accepts them
00:17:11.26\00:17:12.49
because he's come to
know that God is real.
00:17:12.49\00:17:15.40
Which brings us to his
second verse where he says,
00:17:15.40\00:17:18.60
"Surely I have
calmed and quieted my soul
00:17:18.60\00:17:22.17
like a weaned
child with his mother.
00:17:22.17\00:17:24.64
Like a weaned child
is my soul within me."
00:17:24.64\00:17:27.21
One of the most
frequent metaphors found
00:17:28.28\00:17:30.28
in the Bible is the
image of parenthood.
00:17:30.28\00:17:32.68
Over and over, the Bible
describes God as our father
00:17:32.68\00:17:36.38
and you as his child.
00:17:36.38\00:17:38.65
And here in the Psalms,
00:17:38.65\00:17:39.85
David tells us what
kind of children we are.
00:17:39.85\00:17:41.49
He says, "We're
weaned," which means
00:17:41.49\00:17:44.16
that from heaven's perspective,
you and I have barely moved
00:17:44.16\00:17:47.20
beyond the stage of
complete and utter helplessness.
00:17:47.20\00:17:50.47
We're like
toddlers, maybe even younger.
00:17:50.47\00:17:53.47
The only real skill
00:17:53.47\00:17:54.97
from a cosmic perspective
that we've developed is
00:17:54.97\00:17:57.47
of the ability to eat a
little bit of solid food.
00:17:57.47\00:18:00.94
Now, you and I like to think
00:18:00.94\00:18:02.21
that in the
cosmic scheme of things,
00:18:02.21\00:18:03.58
the human race
has reached some kind
00:18:03.58\00:18:05.25
of developmental pinnacle.
00:18:05.25\00:18:07.82
We think you and I
are the executive chefs
00:18:07.82\00:18:10.12
and master
painters of the universe,
00:18:10.12\00:18:11.92
but according to the Bible,
we're still busy making mud pies
00:18:11.92\00:18:15.32
and meaningless
scribbles with crayons.
00:18:15.32\00:18:17.96
And judging by the mess
we've made of this planet,
00:18:17.96\00:18:20.26
there's a really good chance
00:18:20.26\00:18:21.46
that the human
race is probably still
00:18:21.46\00:18:24.07
at the stage of
soiling its diapers.
00:18:24.07\00:18:26.57
Of course,
00:18:27.70\00:18:29.20
it's not that we're completely
helpless because we're not.
00:18:29.20\00:18:31.74
I mean, the human race
is incredibly inventive,
00:18:31.74\00:18:34.11
incredibly resourceful, at
times, incredibly inspiring.
00:18:34.11\00:18:38.61
But I don't think there are
too many people who would say
00:18:38.61\00:18:40.78
that somehow the
human race has arrived.
00:18:40.78\00:18:43.65
According to the Bible,
00:18:43.65\00:18:44.89
our place in
this universe is that
00:18:44.89\00:18:47.26
of a recently weaned infant.
00:18:47.26\00:18:49.62
And if you think
about really small children,
00:18:49.62\00:18:51.93
you'll notice
something fascinating.
00:18:51.93\00:18:54.10
Sometimes
they're far too confident
00:18:54.10\00:18:57.43
because they don't understand
their own limitations.
00:18:57.43\00:19:00.90
Oh, they like to play grown up.
00:19:00.90\00:19:03.27
They like to try
00:19:03.27\00:19:04.47
and convince us that
they're ready for life,
00:19:04.47\00:19:06.04
but then at other times,
they're far too frightened,
00:19:06.04\00:19:09.04
hiding behind
their mother's skirt,
00:19:09.04\00:19:10.78
and we have to
convince the little ones
00:19:10.78\00:19:12.95
to exercise a
little more courage.
00:19:12.95\00:19:16.15
And that's who we are
according to the Bible.
00:19:16.15\00:19:18.32
So when David faced
anxiety, he reminded himself
00:19:18.32\00:19:21.92
we're not alone in this universe
00:19:21.92\00:19:23.69
and there are things we
absolutely will not understand.
00:19:23.69\00:19:27.66
But at the same time, we're
children who have a father,
00:19:27.66\00:19:30.20
and we can leave the
biggest problems with him.
00:19:30.20\00:19:33.17
David says that's how he
calmed and quieted his soul.
00:19:33.17\00:19:38.04
I'll be right back after this.
00:19:38.04\00:19:39.94
- [Narrator] Here at The Voice
of Prophecy, we're committed
00:19:42.34\00:19:45.18
to creating top quality
programming for the whole
00:19:45.18\00:19:48.28
family. Like our audio adventure
series, "Discovery Mountain."
00:19:48.28\00:19:51.69
"Discovery Mountain"
is a Bible based program
00:19:51.69\00:19:54.26
for kids of all
ages and backgrounds.
00:19:54.26\00:19:56.59
Your family will enjoy
the faith building stories
00:19:56.59\00:19:59.36
from this small
mountain summer camp
00:19:59.36\00:20:01.03
and town with 24
seasonal episodes every year
00:20:01.03\00:20:04.67
and fresh content every week.
00:20:04.67\00:20:06.84
There's always a new
adventure just on the horizon.
00:20:06.84\00:20:10.01
- Just before the break,
we were looking at Psalm 1:31
00:20:14.01\00:20:17.05
where David reminds
us that we're barely
00:20:17.05\00:20:19.48
weaned children when it comes
to our place in the universe,
00:20:19.48\00:20:23.12
but he also
suggests we have a father
00:20:23.12\00:20:24.85
who knows we can't
always fend for ourselves.
00:20:24.85\00:20:27.19
And he says, we
can learn to trust him.
00:20:27.19\00:20:29.69
We can let go of those obsessive
thoughts that plague us
00:20:29.69\00:20:32.93
and we can find
comfort in knowing
00:20:32.93\00:20:34.83
that somebody
else is going to deal
00:20:34.83\00:20:36.87
with the things
we can't control.
00:20:36.87\00:20:39.27
Now, of course, it's easier
to say that than to do it,
00:20:39.27\00:20:43.34
but I've got to tell you,
00:20:43.34\00:20:44.77
even though I haven't
mastered this by a long shot,
00:20:44.77\00:20:47.11
as the years go by, it's
definitely getting better.
00:20:47.11\00:20:51.05
David concludes by saying,
"Oh, Israel hope in the Lord
00:20:51.05\00:20:54.92
from this time
forth and forever."
00:20:54.92\00:20:58.19
Now before the clock
runs out on me yet again,
00:20:58.19\00:21:00.72
let's go back to that passage
00:21:00.72\00:21:02.56
in the book of Philippians 4,
00:21:02.56\00:21:04.56
where Paul is
giving us some advice
00:21:04.56\00:21:07.10
for dealing with anxiety.
00:21:07.10\00:21:09.10
"Be anxious for nothing,"
00:21:09.10\00:21:10.53
He writes, "But in everything
00:21:10.53\00:21:12.13
by prayer and
supplication with thanksgiving,
00:21:12.13\00:21:15.17
let your request be made known
to God and the peace of God,
00:21:15.17\00:21:18.61
which surpasses all
understanding will guard your
00:21:18.61\00:21:21.78
hearts and minds
through Christ Jesus."
00:21:21.78\00:21:25.01
Sometimes you'll
hear Christians refer
00:21:25.01\00:21:26.68
to something they call the
peace that passes understanding
00:21:26.68\00:21:29.92
and this is what
they're talking about.
00:21:29.92\00:21:32.75
It's the peace
00:21:32.75\00:21:34.16
of mind you get when you
realize you're a cosmic toddler
00:21:34.16\00:21:36.69
with a heavenly
Father, a personal God
00:21:36.69\00:21:39.49
a God who's very interested
in what happens to you.
00:21:39.49\00:21:42.30
And the secret,
according to Paul
00:21:42.30\00:21:44.93
is not only leaving
your problems with God,
00:21:44.93\00:21:47.07
but leaving them behind with
an attitude of thanksgiving.
00:21:47.07\00:21:51.17
In other words, be
grateful for what you have.
00:21:52.51\00:21:55.44
That's the reason
00:21:55.44\00:21:56.88
that Thanksgiving is
really my favorite holiday.
00:21:56.88\00:21:58.78
I mean, yeah, I enjoy the
nice meal that Jean makes.
00:21:58.78\00:22:01.32
She's a much
better cook than me.
00:22:01.32\00:22:03.55
And yeah, I've been
known to crash on the couch
00:22:03.55\00:22:05.65
and watch a little
football when my tummy is full.
00:22:05.65\00:22:08.12
But it's the original concept
00:22:08.12\00:22:10.33
behind the holiday that
really makes me treasure it.
00:22:10.33\00:22:14.36
I mean, other
holidays like Christmas,
00:22:14.36\00:22:16.33
they come with a lot of
stress and a lot of activity
00:22:16.33\00:22:19.00
and lot of obligation.
00:22:19.00\00:22:21.27
But there's something
pure about Thanksgiving.
00:22:21.27\00:22:24.97
It gives us an opportunity
to stop and be grateful,
00:22:24.97\00:22:27.74
which is huge when it comes
to finding real peace of mind.
00:22:27.74\00:22:32.21
You know, back when
the pilgrims celebrated
00:22:32.21\00:22:34.48
that first Thanksgiving in 1621,
00:22:34.48\00:22:37.19
they had a lot
to be thankful for.
00:22:37.19\00:22:39.52
A lot of their
friends and family had died
00:22:39.52\00:22:41.49
from the brutal
hardship of living in Plymouth,
00:22:41.49\00:22:43.83
especially in the winter.
00:22:43.83\00:22:45.83
But now they suddenly
had this abundance of food.
00:22:45.83\00:22:48.90
In the old world,
00:22:48.90\00:22:50.37
they were forced to
leave England and relocate
00:22:50.37\00:22:51.70
to the Netherlands
because the state church
00:22:51.70\00:22:54.10
had outlawed a
lot of their beliefs.
00:22:54.10\00:22:56.71
And now as they gathered
around a table with friends,
00:22:56.71\00:22:59.87
they were celebrating one
00:22:59.87\00:23:01.44
of the most precious
gifts a person could hope for,
00:23:01.44\00:23:04.05
religious freedom.
00:23:04.05\00:23:05.08
You know, there's a big
part of me that suspects
00:23:06.28\00:23:08.38
that our generation
probably complains a lot more
00:23:08.38\00:23:11.22
than our ancestors did,
00:23:11.22\00:23:12.62
even though we have
less to complain about.
00:23:12.62\00:23:15.89
Some of my relatives
endured incredible hardship
00:23:15.89\00:23:18.83
when the Nazis
seized their towns
00:23:18.83\00:23:20.70
and put them in labor camps.
00:23:20.70\00:23:22.70
You know something?
00:23:22.70\00:23:24.17
Growing up, I never heard
one of them complain about it.
00:23:24.17\00:23:28.40
They had to work
harder than we do.
00:23:28.40\00:23:30.31
They had far fewer
prospects of an easy life,
00:23:30.31\00:23:33.54
and they lived life with a smile
00:23:33.54\00:23:35.94
and a heart full of gratitude.
00:23:35.94\00:23:37.45
And it occurs to me that
the less we actually have,
00:23:38.88\00:23:41.55
the more likely we
seem to be to be grateful.
00:23:41.55\00:23:44.79
I'm reminded of that
scene from "Pilgrim's Progress",
00:23:44.79\00:23:47.92
where the lead character
00:23:47.92\00:23:49.09
named Christian
approaches the cross,
00:23:49.09\00:23:51.43
and the huge
burden he was carrying
00:23:51.43\00:23:53.26
on his back
suddenly falls to the ground.
00:23:53.26\00:23:55.93
Bunyan writes, "Up this way
00:23:55.93\00:23:58.30
therefore did
burdened Christian run,
00:23:58.30\00:24:00.50
but not without great difficulty
00:24:00.50\00:24:02.20
because of the load on his back.
00:24:02.20\00:24:04.47
He ran thus till he came
to a place somewhat ascending,
00:24:04.47\00:24:07.78
and upon that place stood across
00:24:07.78\00:24:10.28
and a little below
in the bottom a tomb.
00:24:10.28\00:24:13.25
So I saw in my dream
that just as Christian came
00:24:13.25\00:24:15.82
up with the cross, his burden
loosed from off his shoulders
00:24:15.82\00:24:18.92
and fell from off his
back and began to tumble.
00:24:18.92\00:24:22.02
And so continued
to do till it came
00:24:22.02\00:24:24.46
to the mouth of the
tomb, where it fell in.
00:24:24.46\00:24:27.50
And I saw it no more.
00:24:27.50\00:24:29.26
Then was Christian glad
00:24:29.26\00:24:30.77
and lightsome and
said with a merry heart
00:24:30.77\00:24:32.77
he had given me rest by his
sorrow and life by his death."
00:24:32.77\00:24:37.44
When Bunyan's protagonist
approached that cross,
00:24:38.84\00:24:41.08
the heavy bundle he was carrying
00:24:41.08\00:24:42.88
on his back suddenly fell off,
00:24:42.88\00:24:44.51
and Bunyan said at that
point he was glad and lightsome.
00:24:44.51\00:24:48.55
And do you know, over the years
00:24:48.55\00:24:49.95
I've kind of noticed
something really important.
00:24:49.95\00:24:52.69
Sometimes people who grow up
00:24:52.69\00:24:54.19
in the church kind of take
what they have for granted.
00:24:54.19\00:24:57.13
And when someone from
outside the church suddenly
00:24:57.13\00:24:59.73
finds the church, well,
the lifetimers are amazed
00:24:59.73\00:25:04.37
at his or her excitement,
00:25:04.37\00:25:06.27
and maybe it has something to do
00:25:06.27\00:25:07.84
with the size of their burdens.
00:25:07.84\00:25:10.01
Sometimes people outside
the church are a lot more honest
00:25:10.01\00:25:13.01
about their
imperfections and their guilt.
00:25:13.01\00:25:15.64
They feel the burden of living
00:25:15.64\00:25:17.35
in a broken
world far more keenly.
00:25:17.35\00:25:20.15
And when they
finally find relief,
00:25:20.15\00:25:21.62
they feel that relief a lot
more keenly than the rest of us.
00:25:21.62\00:25:26.02
I'll be right back after this.
00:25:26.89\00:25:28.19
[upbeat music]
00:25:32.23\00:25:33.80
- [Narrator] Are you
searching for answers
00:25:33.80\00:25:35.00
to life's toughest questions?
00:25:35.00\00:25:36.63
Like, where is
God when we suffer?
00:25:36.63\00:25:38.90
Can I find real happiness?
00:25:38.90\00:25:40.74
Or is there any hope
for our chaotic world?
00:25:40.74\00:25:43.84
The "Discover Bible
Guides" will help you
00:25:43.84\00:25:45.47
find the answers
you're looking for.
00:25:45.47\00:25:47.68
Visit us at biblestudies.com
or give us a call
00:25:47.68\00:25:51.38
at [888] 456-7933
00:25:51.38\00:25:55.65
for your free
"Discover Bible Guides."
00:25:55.65\00:25:58.05
Study online on
our secure website
00:25:58.05\00:26:01.19
or have the free guides
mailed right to your home.
00:26:01.19\00:26:03.73
There is never a
cost or obligation.
00:26:03.73\00:26:06.29
"The Discover Bible Guides"
are our free gift to you.
00:26:06.29\00:26:09.50
Find answers and guides like
00:26:09.50\00:26:10.87
"Does my Life
Really Matter to God?"
00:26:10.87\00:26:13.17
And "a Second Chance at Life."
00:26:13.17\00:26:15.27
You'll find answers to
the things that matter most
00:26:15.27\00:26:17.21
to you in each of the
26 "Discover Bible guides."
00:26:17.21\00:26:20.31
Visit biblestudies.com
and begin your journey
00:26:20.31\00:26:24.01
today to discover answers
to life's deepest questions.
00:26:24.01\00:26:28.65
[light music]
00:26:28.65\00:26:31.15
- The Thanksgiving holiday gives
00:26:32.45\00:26:33.92
us an incredible opportunity.
00:26:33.92\00:26:36.16
Right now, I know that some
00:26:36.16\00:26:37.59
of you are still
carrying a load on your back,
00:26:37.59\00:26:39.39
and you've been weighed
down by worry, regret, guilt
00:26:39.39\00:26:44.03
and it's been robbing you
00:26:44.03\00:26:45.30
of the peace of
mind that Paul promises.
00:26:45.30\00:26:47.67
The good news is that
you can drop your burden now.
00:26:47.67\00:26:50.87
You can remind yourself
you're a cosmic toddler,
00:26:50.87\00:26:53.24
and you have a father in heaven
who's willing to handle it.
00:26:53.24\00:26:56.95
You're not alone.
00:26:56.95\00:26:57.88
This is an opportunity
to practice real gratitude
00:26:59.31\00:27:01.72
and quit living
with brutal anxiety.
00:27:01.72\00:27:04.59
Maybe take a
moment to express out loud
00:27:04.59\00:27:07.22
what you're grateful for.
00:27:07.22\00:27:08.46
Just sit there for a
moment and make a list
00:27:08.46\00:27:11.09
and then read that list
and choose to be thankful.
00:27:11.09\00:27:15.50
I think you might
start to get a sense
00:27:15.50\00:27:17.07
of what those
pilgrims felt in 1621.
00:27:17.07\00:27:19.30
And once you've done this once,
00:27:20.67\00:27:22.44
rehearse what
you're thankful for.
00:27:22.44\00:27:24.81
I'm guessing
you're gonna want to do it
00:27:24.81\00:27:26.91
a whole lot more often.
00:27:26.91\00:27:28.98
I'm Shawn Boonstra.
00:27:28.98\00:27:29.84
Thanks for watching.
00:27:29.84\00:27:31.31
Thanks for joining us this
week, and happy Thanksgiving.
00:27:31.31\00:27:34.58