The Attitude of Gratitude (4)

Last week we discussed the 10 healed men and on the one who came back to thank Jesus for the healing. I pray that this week you were one of those who returned to Jesus to be thankful for what he has done for you. If you take a look at your ordinary day, an honest evaluation, you will see that you have more things to be thankful for than you do to complain about.

The issue is that the extraordinary usually sticks out the most. Those times we have to complain are less than the times God has provided, but like the dishes no one notices they are done, until someone stops doing them.

This morning I want you to open your bibles to

2 Timothy 3:1–2 (ESV)

1 But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.

2 …ungrateful...

Now I altered this verse a little bit, because there is a huge list that will make the end times difficult, but as I was reading this list the fact that ungratefulness is even apart of it among all the other sins shocked me.

As we have discussed through the weeks being ungrateful takes our eyes off of God and places them onto ourselves and we when focus on ourselves we see nothing but problems. Why? Because if we are honest we are a problem.

Romans 1:21 ESV

21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Being ungrateful draws us away from God.

If we look around today would we be able to say that the world is more grateful today than it was a decade ago? We have more stuff, we increased technology. People are drawing away from God. Ungratefulness causes us to sin. It brings out statements like

Well if God isn’t going to take care of me than I might as well do what I want.

Why am I following God if life is going to stink anyway?

If this is what being a Christian is than why am I a Christian?

Gratitude and thanksgiving are the keys to keeping these thoughts at bay.

1. Gratitude has the same root word as the word grace.

Looking back on your morning can you see a place this morning where God wasn’t gracious? Where God wasn’t kind? Where God abandoned you or left you?

Last night we discussed several directives from God in most of the directs are short and sweat. Pray without ceasing. Rejoice at all times, but then you come to V18

1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV

18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

and this verse is one of the only ones with an explanation. Why is giving thanks the will of God for your life?

Because a thankful heart continues to grow in grace.

2. Thanksgiving is the same root word as think.

There are two major words about thanksgiving in the bible

ydh

Thanksgiving is used 102 times in the Old Testament 72 times it’s this word Yudah

Which means Acknowledging what is right about God in Praise and Thanksgiving.

When we think about giving thanks we think about giving thanks for what we have, but more than 70% of the time in the OT we are commanded to give thanks for who God is.

1 Chronicles 16:34 ESV

34 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

Then we know the second one because we talked about it 2 weeks ago.

2. Eucharisto

used about 71 times in the bible

Its where we get our term eucharist. Which means to give thanks.

Jesus gives thanks 7 times in the New Testament.

Several of those times it was right before the happenings of miracles.

I find it interesting that the root word for thanksgiving is the word think. Because it’s easy to be ungrateful, but if we think and concentrate we can rewire our brains to think with a thankful spirit, but this does take time and effort. It doesn’t mean that you are oblivious to the negative, it just means that you trained your brain to focus on God instead on the things going on around the world.

Gratitude boiled down is this:

What are you acknowledging in your life?