1 Thes. 5:16-18 “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
// when you give thanks in tough time, thanksgiving does 3 things…
- Cultivates your Character.
- Notice that Paul says the cultivating of gratitude is the Will of God. “Cicero, poet “Thanksgiving is not only the greatest of all virtues, it is the parents of all virtues.”
- Parents recognize this principal wen raising children. One of the 1st virtues we try to instill in them is the virtue of thanksgiving. Or they selfish, narcistic, manipulative, complaining, World Revolves around them.
- Focus on your “haves,” not your “have-nots.” The Hymn Count your blessings count them ONE BY ONE and it will surprise you what The Lord has done. Forget not all his benefits Psm. 103:2
- Increases your Joy.
- The connect 16-17 Rejoicing and Thanksgiving. Greek Charis-Grace
- Thanksgiving is eucharis, and Joy is Chara. If you don’t give thanks, what will you give? Anger, resentment, doubt, complaint? • The secret to abounding in JOY is Gratitude in Attitude.
- Conquers your problems.
- It’s not that all your problems go away when you give thanks. I mean that your problem stop being such a problem. You live from the inside out rather than outside in. What going on around you no longer controls the condition of the world WITHIN You.
- “Bitterness comes to all. Sours some; sweetens others. I shall use it to sweeten my spirit.” E Stanley Jones • You can’t control the problem that come into your life- All the events could be summed up in the phrase “IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS”. • But you can control how you respond.
- Thanksgiving delivers us from a victim mentality and gives us a victor’s mentality.
