Children can just be dismissed for children's church at this time. And if you would take your Bibles in turn if you would like to Acts chapter 17 or you can look up here on the screen. Acts chapter 17 and verses 24 through 26. This is the apostle Paul speaking in the city of Athens, Greece, introducing them to the God who made them. I'm going to start in verse 24.

This picks up with verse 25 up here on the screen. God that made the world all things therein. Seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth dwelleth not in temples made with hands. Neither is worshiped with man's hands as though he needed anything. Seeing he giveth to all life and breath and all things and it's made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth and hath determined the times before appointed in the bounds of their habitation.

Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Dear Lord, thank you for this day. Thank you Lord for this opportunity to praise your name and song, to come before you in prayer, to proclaim the good news of your word. Lord, I pray as the word goes forth that it would touch our heart today, that the spirit would use it as the sword of the spirit, to draw us closer to you, to open our eyes to areas which need to change, to convict us of our sin, to change us into the image of your son. Lord, may you be honored in all that we say and do.

Lord, also, I would like to pray for Kevin Bennett this morning that you would be with him and Sherry Kay that you bring healing to his body and wisdom to his doctors this week. May you receive all the glory. For your answer to our prayers today, in Jesus name, we do pray, amen. So, Thanksgiving's coming up. I'm never here for Thanksgiving.

I am always gone. It is the one vacation that I take every year. I I have been gone a few other times the last few years seeing as I had a son in Greenville that I did have to go get at times or take up there. But usually our our big trip of the year is at Thanksgiving and appreciate those who can help us out and fill in while we're gone. We're going to be gone a couple Sundays this year headed up to Virginia and Ohio and brother John Poe will be filling in for us and brother John does a good job I think and you'll we'll definitely want to hear him.

So, be here while I'm gone but I'm not leaving yet. Okay, it's just the beginning of November but but I said to say this, I'm not here to preach on Thanksgiving because I'm not here at Thanksgiving. So, I'm sort of preaching on it a bit the next couple weeks. What do you have to be thankful for? We have many, many, many things to be thankful for.

We sing a song in the hymn book entitled Count Your Many What? Blessings and if you really took time to count, it would take you hours, days to count all the many blessings that are ours in Jesus Christ. Sometimes, we get caught up in the difficulties and we forget about the blessings and even some of the difficulties indeed for the child of God are also what? Are also blessings and Paul said, in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. So, what do you have to be thankful for?

We're just going to look at one thing today and that is life. We have to be thankful to God. We need to be thankful to God. For life because life is a what? Life is a gift, a blessing from God himself.

It is a precious gift which has been so twisted in the world in which we live today. To the point that so many are depressed, so many are without hope, And so many even today take their own lives because they do not recognize the wonderful gift. Indeed that life is. Our physical life, our spiritual life, our eternal life in Jesus Christ. One of the greatest blasphemies being propagated by our modern world and our academia is that life is accidental.

That life has no source, no creator, and therefore, no moral purpose. If there is no source of life, if there is no creator, then there is no moral purpose for the life that we have. Life becomes meaningless and if meaningless than valueless. Human life created in the very image of God is perceived by so many today to be of little to no greater value than that of microbes or rats or chimpanzees and since it has no sacred value, it can therefore be capriciously taken. If it has no sacred value, it can be experimented upon.

It can be manipulated, altered, perverted for man's purpose as he sees fit. They're now trying to figure out how to make electronic components that can be melded into the human brain to enhance us. I don't think we need to enhance that which God made in his what? In his image. That is right.

In the past, we see the truths. We see the results of man's perception that man is the fruit of random, biological processes in the genocide of many people groups. The one that most of us think of would be the Jews by Hitler who not only took the lives of 6,000,000 Jews but used them as lab rats to experiment upon them for the good of the German people. How do you get to that point? Well, humanity gets to that point when humanity devalues life itself.

The life of every human being made in the image of God because they do not believe it to be made in the image of God. They do not believe it to be of any more sacred value than that of animals. Now, this nation alone. In this nation alone, we have taken the lives of more unborn children than the Nazis did Jews. Think about that for a second.

And Sri shrugged it off. As though it is a political dispute or a difference of opinion. It is not a difference of opinion. It is a travesty and it is rebellion to almighty God. It is sad and it is wrong.

Furthermore, we increasingly treat the lives of those physically and mentally handicapped or the lives of those terminally ill or elderly as though they are of lesser value than those who are strong, intelligent, young, or capable. Are they of lesser value to God? Should they be of lesser value to us? And the answer to that is no. Because they are made in the image of who?

In the image of God. It is the result of six sick minds twisted by Satan and sin. Minds that do not know God, that do not fear God, and do not therefore recognize the immense value of human life in its most vulnerable state on either end of the spectrum. Furthermore, people who do not appreciate the great gift of life because they do not know from whence it came. They do not know the purpose of their being.

They do not understand its glorious potential. Nor its eternal end but we know, we know, God tells us clearly in his word. The answer to all those questions from whence our life has come. What is its purpose? What is its glorious potential?

What is its eternal end? Let's look at a few verses from scripture this morning. Ecclesiastes five eighteen Behold that which I have seen. It is good and comely for one to eat and to drink and to enjoy the good of all his labor. That he taketh under the sun all the days of his life which God giveth him.

For it is his portion. We have a portion of our life here on Earth today. It is a blessing. It is a gift from almighty God. In this bit of wisdom from Solomon, we find a very simple truth that our life is a gift from God, a gift which need not be wasted but enjoyed in acknowledgement and thanksgiving to the life giver.

Our God and creator in heaven. We read Acts seventeen twenty four to 26 a few minutes ago. It says again in verse 25, neither is worship with man's hands as though he needed anything, seeing he giveth to all life and breath in all things. It is not God who needs us, it is us who needs who? God.

It is not we that make God, it is God that who has made us. Life comes from him. It is a wonderful gift that you and I have been given. Sometimes, it is rocky. Sometimes, it is difficult.

Sometimes, it is painful. But it is a wonderful gift from God above. Every day we live, every breath we take is a gift from our creator who giveth to all life whether they acknowledge it or not. As Paul spoke to the Greek, spoke to the Greeks in Athens before their monument to the unknown God, he filled them in on the identity of this God who was unknown to them. The God who is the creator of the world and the giver of life and breath and all things which they were blessed.

It is he therefore who deserves our worship. It is he who deserves our Thanksgiving. It is he who deserves our very lives. And service all the days of our life To the one who has given us every day. As a gift from him.

Genesis one hundred twenty six and twenty seven tells us a little more about this gift that God gave to you and to me. Genesis one twenty six and twenty seven. It says, and God said, let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle and over all the earth and every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So, God created man in his own image. In the image of God created he him, male and female created he them.

In this passage, we read that man was created in the image of God, the likeness of God. That doesn't mean we look like God. What it does mean is in regards to all the rest of creation, we are unique and that we have an eternal soul. We are unique and that we think and can communicate and fellowship with our maker. We are unique and that we have a moral conscience and code that our maker has given us to live by.

We are unique and that we have a free will unlike the rest of the animal kingdom to choose to obey or to disobey our creator and we could go on. You're different. You have been given a unique life by your God. You are the pinnacle of God's creation. The creation of man was indeed the purpose for everything else.

Did God require light to see? Does God require air to breathe or water to drink or plants to eat? The answer to that is, no. God doesn't need any of those things. Why did God create the earth?

Why did he put water on it? Why did he give us an atmosphere? Why did he give us plants to eat and and animals? Why did he do that? Because not because he needed it because who needed it?

We needed it. Why were we created last? Because we were the reason for creation. A being who could fellowship, worship, and serve. Their creator by choice.

Among the sad things young people are being taught today is that we are here for the earth not understanding that the earth is really here for us. Yes, we have a responsibility to be good stewards of it. For if we are not, it will cease to yield its harvest for our necessity and its beauty for our enjoyment but the earth was not made in his image nor the flowers or the animals but mankind alone. You're special. And he didn't die for the flowers and he didn't die for the animals.

He died for you. There are many similarities between things that God made even between us and animals. But we are different Our DNA is different. Our soul is different. Primates will never learn to speak complex languages.

They will never build tall buildings. They will never do algebra. They will never write history or compose and sing great sonnets or devise governments and command millions. Nor do they have the same sense of self or morality or eternity that exists in the heart of who? Each and everyone of us who have been given life by our creator.

Because we alone are made in the image of almighty God. We are special. Genesis two seven, this is emphasized in the manner in which we were created and the Lord God formed man of the dust, the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul. Most of the rest of creation, God just simply said, let there be and there what? And there was.

But no, God took time to form us out of the dust of the ground and furthermore, to breathe his breath into us that we might become a living soul. He breathed into mankind. He became a living soul. The word soul in Hebrew is not unique to mankind. But the God created man inanimate and then breathed his life into him.

Is unique. And unlike any other part of his creation. God breathed his life into you. You're different. We are special.

It is a gift from God. Likewise, the woman was also created in a unique fashion. As God formed her out of a piece of Adam's side, a rib, brought her to the man himself, the most beautiful thing which God had made to finish his creation and complete humankind. And establishing the family. From the very creation of man, God and man shared a very unique connection.

In the cool of the day, God came down and he walked and he talked and he fellowship with Adam and Eve. He gave them commands to be obeyed. Jobs to do and a restriction to be kept. Only man, only us. Our life, a gift from God.

Particularly from Jesus Christ. We learn in John one one. In John one verses one through four It says, in the beginning was the word, the word was with God, and the word was God. The word is Jesus by the way. The same was in the beginning with God.

All things were what? All things were made by him. Without him was not anything made that was made and him was what? Life. What's the source of life?

God. Jesus Christ is the source of life. Physical, spiritual, eternal. It all comes from who? It all comes from Jesus.

He is the source of all life. Not evolution, not biological accidental processes. God himself is the source of life. With everything, the the artificial intelligence and all of this that we are capable of making today. The one thing we still can't make is life.

You would think we'd be able just to take these peace elements and these atoms and molecules and put em together and poof. We just made life but you know something? We can't do that. When Charles Darwin postulated originally the theory of evolution, he was under the impression that life could come from non life. That's called spontaneous generation.

His whole theory was based upon the concept that life could sprout from non life. Well, that's been disproven now for one hundred and fifty years. We know that life does not come from non life. We can't even make it happen with all of our great intelligence and technology. Why?

Because life comes from God. Your life is an extension of his life. You have been given life through him. Jesus in him was life and the life was the light of men which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. We understand that from the light that beats down on this globe, life grows and sprouts.

Jesus is the source of that light and the source of all light. He is the source of life that lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He gives life to every person not merely biological processes and not only physical life but spiritual life. Self awareness, moral consciousness, and eternal purpose are all gifts from our maker and our creator. Jesus Christ.

Colossians one sixteen and seventeen, it says this, for by him, by Christ, were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities and and or powers, all things were created by him and for him and he is be all before all things and by him, all things what? Consist. By him, all things consist. Now, in the Greek, this not only is declaring that they consist because he created them but it is a continuing action. They continue to consist by his what?

By his power. They continue to consist by his power and by his power alone. If you are alive here today, it is because of the power and the grace and the love of your creator and your maker who sustains your life. As I studied science in high school and college, I became more and more aware of how fragile the human body is. Just one little molecule, just just one lack of a certain substance in your body and it can shut down just like that.

So complex. Created and sustained by our maker. The very atoms of which everything in God's universe is made. The nucleus of every atom is held together by something called the strong force. You know why scientists call it the strong force?

Because they have no idea what it is. They just know it is strong. Because when you take an unstable atom and you split it in two, what do you end up with? You end up with a nuclear explosion and a mushroom cloud. And it doesn't take but a handful to wipe out an entire city.

What holds the nucleus, the nuclei of every atom in this universe we live in together. The strong force is not a thing. The strong force is a what? Is a person. Who holds this world together.

By his very word and power who gives us life, who sustains our life in the world in which we live and yet today, that God, that creator is not given. His due glory or credit or worship. The creation of mankind, your inception, your growth, your intellect, your physical sustenance, your capacity for love, and relationships, and reproduction, and eternal life are gifts from God. The God who made you, who made you for his glory, and for his pleasure. Revelation four eleven, thou art worthy, oh Lord, to receive glory and honor, and power.

For thou hast created all things and for thy pleasure, they are and were created. Why were they created? Why do you have life? Why are you living here on this world today? Because you were created for the glory and for the pleasure of who?

Of God, of Jesus Christ, your maker. You are not a mistake. There's some people that sadly believes that's exactly what they are in this world today. They're a mistake. They're not.

You are not an accident. You have a purpose in being on this Earth and God has a will and a purpose for you. It is his will that you enjoy every day of the life you have been given on this Earth. It is his will that you acknowledge and give thanks to the one who gave it to you. It is his will that you use this life to demonstrate your love and gratitude to him by your actions and service.

It is his will that you love your neighbor as yourself and not only bring pleasure to your God by your worship and service to him but by the good that you do to others. It is his will that you reproduce your life and offspring and protect them and teach them about who? About him. It is his will that you be saved and redeemed from the perversion of sin and rescued from an eternity in the lake of fire. It is his will that you are born again and received not just physical life but what?

Eternal life. From the only one who can give you that one also. And that is Jesus Christ. For all life comes from him. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life.

God wants you to have everlasting life. That life is only found in the source of life who is Jesus Christ. Sadly, after Adam and Eve were formed and placed in the garden, they defied their maker, they forsook his command, they plunged humanity in sin, and lost eternal life. But it can be regained the spiritual and moral life within man became twisted by sin. Man forgot and forsook his purpose of worshiping serving God.

He rebelled against God, against his right to rule his creator in his life, his purpose to bring glory to his maker and his obligation and privilege of serving God. That which his life was made for. And you wonder why people take their life. Why people are lost and confused and depressed because they do not know why they are here. They have no purpose.

They do not understand because it has been robbed from them. The knowledge that they are made in the image of God to serve him, to enjoy his blessings. Man's physical life began to wane. His spiritual heart was darkened. Man lost his fellowship with God began quite quickly to turn away from his maker earning for himself everlasting punishment.

When this life ends, Unless he returns to God through faith in who? Through faith in Jesus Christ. Eternal death or eternal life? Which is it? The Bible says, the point in the man wants to die because of our sin but after this, the what?

The judgment. God will divide the sheep from the goats. God will divide those whose names are in the book of life from those whose names are not in the book of what? The book of life. How do you get your name in the book of life?

By trusting in Jesus Christ, the source of life. Who gave his life for you. Marvel not. He says in John three seven, you must be one. Born again, born anew into a new life, eternal life in Christ.

He is the only source of that life. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the what? Life. He's not talking just about physical life. He's talking about spiritual life.

He's talking about eternal life. That was lost in the garden. He is the way back. He is the way to be restored in your life with God. The image of God to be restored in us.

So, God sent his only son. He became one of us that he might die for us on the cross to pay the penalty that we had earned. He gave his life for our for our sin. And he in turn has offered to give us life in him. If you will accept Christ who made you and who gave you life, he will restore in you that which was lost.

So, the Bible tells us Romans six twenty three, for the wages, the result of sin is what? Death but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Not just physical life but what? Eternal life in Jesus Christ. Romans five, John five twenty four and ten ten, verily, verily I say unto you, he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me hath, everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto life.

I am come that they might have life and that they might have it more abundantly. If you're here and you know Christ today, you have life. You don't just have life, you have life what? More abundantly in Jesus. You have eternal life.

You have spiritual life. And God is restoring in you that was taken away by Satan. John twenty thirty one, but these are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that believing you might have life through his name. Ephesians two one, and you hath he quickened or made alive, who were dead in trespasses, and in sins. Jesus Christ died and gave his life that he might restore the life which we had lost.

It troubles me that my neighbor doesn't have this life that I have. That he does not acknowledge and give thanks to the one who has given him life at all. But I have the message that he needs to hear that if he will receive, God will give him the life that he has given you and that he has given me. And one day, if he will accept then he will experience this the same as the rest of us and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. There shall be no more what?

Death, neither sorrow, nor cry, neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are all passed away. Praise God for the wonderful gift. Of life. Have you today thank God for your life? We get caught up in so many little things that are irritating us and aggravating us that we forget to thank God for just the fact that we're here and more importantly, we forget to thank God for the eternal life that he has given us in Christ.

That which we lost by right but which God has given to us by grace. Have you accepted Christ's offer of eternal life through faith in him? You don't have it if you don't what? If you don't trust in Jesus. If you don't accept him as Lord, you don't have eternal life.

Your name is not written where? In the book of life but it can be written there today. And are you living each day demonstrating your love and gratitude for your maker and savior? Are you just doing your own thing serving your own interests? I hope not.

I hope not. I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice. Holy acceptable unto God. Which is your reasonable service. Let's pray.

Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord for this day. Thank you for your word. The reminder that the life that we have each day, every breath we breathe is a gift from you. Lord, most of all, we thank you for Jesus Christ, our savior, who not only made us, but when we went astray, came and gave his life for us that we might have life again and everlasting life in Jesus Christ. Thank you Lord for doing that for us which we could not do for ourselves.

Thank you for caring so much as to give of your only son to restore in us that which was lost. By our own doing. And Lord, may we take the life that we have been given. And may we use it for you to bring pleasure to our creator and glory to the name of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. In Jesus precious name, we do pray.

Amen.