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[753.52 --> 754.26] that I'm gonna say.
[754.70 --> 757.96] The first is practicing gratitude.
[759.18 --> 761.30] From beginning to end,
[761.78 --> 763.88] the Bible opens up for us
[763.88 --> 766.50] a God who owns the whole earth.
[766.50 --> 768.62] He owns our countries,
[768.90 --> 769.42] our cities,
[769.66 --> 770.18] our homes,
[770.32 --> 770.90] our lives,
[771.00 --> 771.56] our jobs,
[771.64 --> 772.76] and our money.
[773.26 --> 774.12] And as a result,
[774.76 --> 776.16] believers do not need to fear
[776.16 --> 776.92] or be anxious
[776.92 --> 778.40] about our property or possessions
[778.40 --> 780.42] because God gives them to us generously
[780.42 --> 781.54] and he knows our needs
[781.54 --> 782.56] and will take care of us.
[783.12 --> 784.12] Isn't that a beautiful reality?
[784.80 --> 785.74] Your neighbors don't know this,
[785.80 --> 786.20] by the way,
[786.76 --> 787.48] that we have a God
[787.48 --> 789.46] who provides for us
[789.46 --> 790.78] and who is generous
[790.78 --> 791.94] with giving us what we need,
[792.02 --> 793.24] often much more than we need
[793.24 --> 794.34] so that we can care for others.
[794.34 --> 795.78] He owns it all.
[796.44 --> 798.04] And our response to that God
[798.04 --> 799.64] on more than just Thanksgiving Sunday
[799.64 --> 801.24] is gratitude.
[802.56 --> 803.00] Thanksgiving.
[803.58 --> 804.74] Because he knows what we need
[804.74 --> 806.00] and he provides for us.
[806.90 --> 807.54] And by the way,
[807.62 --> 808.46] when you start reflecting
[808.46 --> 809.70] on the ownership of God
[809.70 --> 810.46] over all things,
[810.56 --> 811.62] including your stuff,
[812.28 --> 814.00] it changes the way you live with it.
[814.46 --> 814.64] Right?
[815.50 --> 817.04] I have a teacher from years ago
[817.04 --> 818.48] and they had this practice.
[819.00 --> 819.98] This is before the days
[819.98 --> 820.70] of direct deposit
[820.70 --> 822.48] when you would get a check
[822.48 --> 823.20] from your job.
[823.28 --> 824.18] Anyone know what I'm talking about?
[824.18 --> 825.12] Do I need to explain this
[825.12 --> 825.98] to our younger generation?
[826.38 --> 827.70] A check is this little rectangle
[827.70 --> 828.64] that had numbers on it.
[828.72 --> 829.16] It's your pay.
[829.88 --> 830.80] And they'd get a check
[830.80 --> 831.44] from their employer,
[831.54 --> 831.92] their teacher,
[832.02 --> 832.84] and they'd take it home,
[832.96 --> 833.74] put it on the table,
[834.14 --> 834.66] and they would,
[834.78 --> 835.52] every single time
[835.52 --> 836.02] they got a check,
[836.40 --> 837.54] thank the Lord
[837.54 --> 839.54] for giving them a job,
[840.18 --> 841.66] for providing for them income
[841.66 --> 842.74] to take care of their family
[842.74 --> 843.64] and pay their bills
[843.64 --> 844.50] and live their life.
[844.56 --> 845.42] It was a practice they did.
[845.50 --> 846.12] And then they would take it
[846.12 --> 846.72] off to the bank.
[847.12 --> 848.30] This also for younger people.
[848.42 --> 848.92] It's a building
[848.92 --> 849.70] where you take money
[849.70 --> 851.74] and you deposit that check
[851.74 --> 852.36] to a person.
[853.26 --> 854.30] But that was their practice.
[854.38 --> 855.00] It's a way of saying
[855.00 --> 856.14] this job is a gift,
[856.32 --> 857.32] this income is a gift,
[857.38 --> 858.94] and I want to give thanks to God
[858.94 --> 860.16] and live with a posture
[860.16 --> 860.88] of gratitude.
[862.04 --> 862.94] Now, I don't have the time
[862.94 --> 864.12] to get into this this morning,
[864.22 --> 865.06] but I also have this
[865.06 --> 866.10] emerging hunch,
[866.38 --> 867.22] and that's this,
[867.72 --> 869.34] that people who live gratefully
[869.34 --> 871.44] will live with increasing levels
[871.44 --> 872.40] of contentment
[872.40 --> 873.72] and simplicity.
[874.64 --> 875.58] Because when you're grateful,
[875.80 --> 876.80] you're not just constantly
[876.80 --> 877.64] hungering for more.
[877.64 --> 878.60] You're not chasing after
[878.60 --> 879.38] whatever technology
[879.38 --> 880.54] your neighbors and friends have
[880.54 --> 882.28] or just constantly aching for more
[882.28 --> 882.82] because you know
[882.82 --> 884.04] God will take care of you.