Empowered through thankfulness

Empowered through thankfulness

 The Bible tells us to give thanks

Charles Dickens said, we should set aside one day a year to complain, and give thanks 364

(Ephesians 5.19-20).

"Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ"

Giving thanks in difficult times

 1st .In the Old Testament, there is a story of a prophet by the name of Habakkuk who lived at a time when the people of God lived in rebellion against His holy principles. Habakkuk was the prophet called to confront them in their wickedness, so he stood in their midst and cried out, “God, what are You going to do about this?”

 The second verse of that prophet’s book reminds us of Psalm 13. Habakkuk says, “O Lord, how long shall I cry, and You will not hear? Even cry out to You, ‘Violence!’ and You will not save.”

 And yet Habakkuk finally does come to another conclusion: “Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and the fields yield no food; though the flock be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls—yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer’s feet, and He will make me walk on my high hills” (Hab. 3:17–19).

 2nd Leprosy was a horrible disease. Though modern medicine has nearly eradicated it over most of the world today, there was a time when it was epidemic and catastrophic among men. There was no cure. You simply waited in horrible pain, ostracization, and isolation to die.

 One day 10 lepers approached Jesus outside a village, loudly pleading with Him to heal them. In an instant He restored them all to perfect health—but only one came back and thanked Him. All the rest left without a word of thanks, their minds preoccupied only with themselves, gripped with a spirit of ingratitude.

Ingratitude is a sin, just as surely as is lying or stealing or immorality or any other sin condemned by the Bible. One of the Bible’s indictments against rebellious humanity is that “although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him”

(Romans 1:21, NIV). An ungrateful heart is a heart that is cold toward God and indifferent to His mercy and love. It is a heart that has forgotten how dependent we are on God for everything.

From one end of the Bible to the other, we are commanded to be thankful. In fact, thankfulness is the natural outflowing of a heart that is attuned to God. The psalmist declared, “Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving” (Psalm 147:7, NIV). Paul wrote, “Be thankful” (Colossians 3:15, NIV). A spirit of thanksgiving is always the mark of a joyous Christian.

Sometimes we are not thankful because we are so caught up in our own lives.

Today, too, ingratitude and thanklessness are far too common. Children forget to thank their parents for all that they do. Common courtesy is scorned. We take for granted the ways that others help us. Above all, we fail to thank God for His blessings.

The sin of the 9 lepers -- FAILING TO GIVE THANKS!

 Psalm 22:3  But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.

 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Ps 100:1

 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

 12 Benefits of Giving God Thanks

1. Gratitude glorifies God.

2. Gratitude helps us see God.

3. Gratitude puts us squarely in God’s will.

4. Gratitude brings peace.

5. Gratitude draws us to God.

6. Gratitude brings contentment.

7. Gratitude deepens faith.

8. Gratitude leads to joy.

9. Gratitude defies Satan’s lies.

10. Gratitude guards against envy.

11. Gratitude helps us live in the present.

12. Gratitude is a testimony.

Thank God for the Material Blessings That He Gives You

We seem never to be satisfied with what we have

Paul declared, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want” (Philippians 4:12, NIV). A spirit of thankfulness makes all the difference.

Thank God for the People in Your Life

Do you let others know that you appreciate them and are thankful for them?

The Christians in Corinth were far from perfect, but Paul began his first letter to them by saying, “I always thank God for you” (1 Corinthians 1:4, NIV).

When a group of believers (whom Paul had never met) came out to greet him as he approached Rome, we read that “at the sight of these men Paul thanked God and was encouraged” (Acts 28:15, NIV). Thank God for those who touch your life.

Thank God in the Midst of Trials and Even Persecution

And yet in the midst of those trials we can thank God, because we know that He has promised to be with us and that He will help us. We know that He can use times of suffering to draw us closer to Himself: “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance” (James 1:2–3, NIV).

 Thank God Especially for His Salvation in Jesus Christ

God has given us the greatest Gift of all—His Son, who died on the cross and rose again so that we can know Him personally and spend eternity with Him in heaven: “Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15, NIV).

Thank God for His Continued Presence and Power in Your Life

In ourselves we do not have the strength that we need to live the way God wants us to live. But when we turn to Him, we discover that “it is God who works in [us] to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13, NIV).

Giving thanks replaces grumbling.

If we are giving thanks and rejoicing even in our difficulty, we are not grumbling and complaining. Paul says in Philippians, “Do everything without complaining and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure children of God…”

 Giving Thanks Produces Joy

The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.  Glad songs of salvation are in the tents of the righteous …. I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Lord. (Psalm 118:14-17)

As we remember and thank God for all that he has done, our transformation continues, and we are filled with joy.  The humble posture of giving thanks allows the Holy Spirit to produce His fruit in our lives.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote:  It is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.

Take this week and survey your life.

 Ask God to bring instances to your mind when you completely forgot to thank some benefactor. Maybe it was a small favor.

 Remember: Why don’t you be the "one" in ten who is always grateful.