Part 1: An attitiude of Gratitude

DEUT 8:1-20

THE COMMAND....

Deuteronomy 8:1–5 (NIV)

1 Be careful to follow every command I am giving you today, so that you may live and increase and may enter and possess the land the Lord promised on oath to your ancestors. 2 Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. 3 He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. 4 Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years. 5 Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the Lord your God disciplines you.

Deuteronomy 8:6 NIV

6 Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him.

THE PROMISE.....

Deuteronomy 8:7–9 (NIV)

7 For the Lord your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with brooks, streams, and deep springs gushing out into the valleys and hills; 8 a land with wheat and barley, vines and fig trees, pomegranates, olive oil and honey; 9 a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing; a land where the rocks are iron and you can dig copper out of the hills.

HE IS SAYING ITS THE LAND OF PLENTY

WHATEVER YOU NEED IS AVAILABLE FOR YOU....BUT

HE SAID....

YOU CAN DIG COPPER OUT

OH COME ON SOMEBODY......

AS LONG AS YOUR WILLING TO DIG....

YOU CAN FIND WHAT YOU NEED AND ARE LOOKING FOR.

INSTRUCTION & WARNING

Deuteronomy 8:10–20 (NIV)

10 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. 11 Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. 12 Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, 13 and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, 14 then your heart will become proud and you will forget the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 15 He led you through the vast and dreadful wilderness, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. 16 He gave you manna to eat in the wilderness, something your ancestors had never known, to humble and test you so that in the end it might go well with you. 17 You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” 18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

19 If you ever forget the Lord your God and follow other gods and worship and bow down to them, I testify against you today that you will surely be destroyed. 20 Like the nations the Lord destroyed before you, so you will be destroyed for not obeying the Lord your God.

…..OPEN IN PRAYER……

I WANT TO TALK TO YOU TODAY ABOUT...

HAVING AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE IN YOUR LIFE

TOO OFTEN WE FORGET....

WHERE THE LORD HAS BROUGHT US FROM AND

WHAT THE LORD HAS BROUGHT US THROUGH

UNDERSTAND THIS....

YOU CAN BE SURROUNDED BY BLESSING IN YOUR LIFE BUT...

IF YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO TURN BLESSING INTO PRAISE

INTO THANKSGIVING.....

IT WILL TURN TO PRIDE IN YOUR HEART AND...

YOUR LIFE WILL NEVER BE FILLED WITH THE JOY THAT COMES FROM A LIFE OF GRATITUDE

MOSES IS TELLING THE PEOPLE...

MAYBE WHAT YOU NEED IN LIFE ISNT...

MORE ACCOMPLISHMENT

MORE ACCUMULATION BUT....

INSTEAD.....MORE APPRECIATION

OH COME ON.....

STUDIES SHOW THAT HAPPINESS DOES NOT COME TO THOSE WHO HAVE THE MOST OF EVERYTHING BUT...

TO THOSE WHO MAKE THE MOST OF WHAT THEY DO HAVE

THERE ARE THESE MOMENTS IN MY LIFE WHEN

I STILL GET GET A CHANCE TO TEACH MY KIDS.....

I KNOW IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE....

BECAUSE THEY ALREADY KNOW EVERYTHING......LOL

I MEAN …..WHAT CAN YOU POSSIBLY TEACH SOMEONE WHO KNOWS EVERYTHING

BUT I GET TO GIVE THEM......LIFE LESSONS WITH DAD

AND IF YOU ARE PAYING ATTENTION TO YOUR KIDS...

YOU WILL FIND THAT YOU TOO....

HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO TEACH YOUR KIDS

FOR EXAMPLES:

if we only had a bigger house then,,,,,

IF WE COULD JUST GO ON THIS VACATION TO THIS PLACE....THEN,,,,,,

WHY DO THEY GET TO DO THAT AND WE DON’T

WHAT AN OPPORTUNITY TO TEACH THEM…

HOW TO LIVE A LIFE OF CONTENTMENT

AND THE IMPORTANCE OF GRATITUDE

HAVE YOU EVER MET SOMEONE WHO HAD LESS THAN YOU.....

YET, THEY SEEM TO BE MORE HAPPY THAN YOU ARE?

WHY IS THAT???

BECAUSE THEY HAVE LEARNED TO BE CONTENT AND HAPPY WITH WHAT THEY HAVE

THEY UNDERSTAND THAT HAPPINESS IS NOT SOMETHING YOU CAN BUY

THEY UNDERSTAND THAT JOY DOES NOT COME FROM STUFF BUT...

IT COMES FROM SOMETHING ELSE

The hedonic treadmill (also known as hedonic adaptation)-

is the observed tendency of humans to quickly return to a relatively stable level of happiness despite major positive or negative events or life changes. According to this theory, as a person makes more money, expectations and desires rise in tandem, which results in no permanent gain in happiness.

IN OTHER WORDS...

WHEN YOU MAKE MORE..... YOU SPEND MORE

WHEN YOU SPEND MORE ......YOU GOTTA WORK MORE

SO MORE STUFF EVENTUALLY JUST BECOMES YOUR NEW NORMAL

IT DOESN'T BRING THE HAPPINESS AND FULFILLMENT LONG TERM

MAYBE FOR A SEASON, BUT NOT LONG TERM

LEARNING TO BE CONTENT AND HAPPY WITH WHAT YOU HAVE IS THE KEY TO HAPPINESS.

THEY DID A STUDY ON 70 PATIENTS WHO HAD STAGE B HEART FAILURE.

THEY HAD THEM FOR A PERIOD OF TIME KEEP GRATITUDE JOURNALS

AFTER THIS STUDY WAS DONE

ALL OF THE PATIENTS SHOWED AN INCREASE IN HEALTH

THEIR BLOOD PRESSURE DROPPED

AND THEIR HEART RATE IMPROVED

ANOTHER STUDY SHOWED THAT GRATEFUL PEOPLE-

HAVE FEWER HEADACHES

HAVE FEWER DIGESTIVE PROBLEMS

AND THEY HAVE FEWER SLEEP ISSUES

IN FACT, DID YOU KNOW THAT KEEPING A GRATITUDE JOURNAL

IMPROVES ENTHUSIASM TOWARDS YOURSELF AND YOUR LIFE

AND THAT IT ALSO IMPROVES RELATIONSHIPS AND INTIMACY

DEVELOPING AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE IS....

A VERY IMPORTANT KEY TO HAPPINESS

UNDERSTAND THIS ...

THAT SHOWING YOUR GRATITUDE IS IMPORTANT

AND PRACTICING GRATITUDE IS A MUST

AS A MATTER OF FACT.....

IF YOU ARE GRATEFUL AND NEVER SHOW OTHERS THAT GRATITUDE

IT'S A LOT LIKE HAVING FAITH WITHOUT WORKS

IT'S DEAD.....

OH COME ON SOMEBODY....

WATCH THIS……10 LEPERS

Luke 17:11–19 NIV

11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” 14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.”

DO YOU SEE THE IMPORTANCE OF GRATITUDE?

GIVING THANKS IS A MUST

FEELING GRATITUDE AND SHOWING IT

ARE TOTALLY DIFFERENT

IT IS THE GIVING OF GRATITUDE AND PRAISE TO GOD

THAT HE SAID HAD SAVED HIM

IT WAS THE ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF THE ONE WHO GAVE

IT WAS THE SACRIFICE MADE TO ACT ON HIS FEELING OF GRATITUDE AND ….

TO SHOW THE ONE WHO GAVE… THE PRAISE HE DESERVED

OH COME ON SOMEBODY.....

THE BIBLE SAYS IN PSALMS....

LET THE REDEEMED OF THE LORD....SAY SO

IF YOU THINK THAT SOMEONE IS DOING A GREAT JOB....

SAY SO

IF SOMEONE HAS BEEN A BLESSING TO YOUR LIFE

SAY SO

(Praise break)

IF YOUR HERE THIS MORNING AND ARE GRATEFUL FOR WHAT GOD HAS DONE IN YOUR LIFE...

THEN SHOW HIM SOME GRATITUDE AND PRAISE FOR WHAT HE'S DONE IN YOUR LIFE

TURNING BLESSINGS INTO PRAISE........

DON'T FORGET CHURCH

OH COME ON... I SAID DON'T FORGET WHAT HE'S DONE IN YOUR LIFE

I LOVE WHAT VERSE 17 & 18 SAYS....

Deuteronomy 8:17–18 (NIV)

17 You may say to yourself, “My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me.” 18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.

OH THAT IS GOOD....

IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL STRENGTH THAT GOD HAS GIVEN YOU.......

OH COME ON SOMEBODY....

IT IS GOD THAT GIVES YOU THE ABILITY TO DO WHAT YOU DO.

THE ABILITY TO PROVIDE FOR YOUR FAMILY

THE ABILITY TO PUT FOOD ON YOUR TABLE

THE ABILITY TO PUT GAS IN YOUR CAR TO DRIVE YOUR FAMILY TO CHURCH

HE IS THE REASON YOU ARE ABLE

Deuteronomy 8:10 (NIV)

10 When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you.

YOU KNOW WHO ELSE REQUIRES THANKS GIVING IN ORDER TO RELEASE POWER TO YOU?

PG&E

I WAS THINKING ABOUT MY BILL THE OTHER DAY

I WAS WRITING OUT A BUDGET

AND REMEMBERED, HOW I NEEDED TO PAY IT.

DID YOU KNOW THAT IF YOU DON'T SHOW THEM SOME GRATITUDE ON A MONTHLY BASIS THEY WILL CUT POWER TO YOUR HOME?

BEFORE THEY DO THOUGH

THEY WILL SEND YOU AN INVITATION TO CONTINUE TO RECEIVE THAT POWER

OH COME ON...

THEY WILL EVEN MAIL IT TO YOU....

IT COMES AND IT USUALLY SAYS....

PAST DUE AT THE TOP...

OH COME ON....SOME OF YOU KNOW WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT

SOME OF YOU HERE TODAY ARE PAST DUE ON YOUR PRAISE

MAYBE THAT IS WHY THERE HASN’T BEEN ANY POWER IN YOUR LIFE LATELY

MAYBE IT IS BECAUSE THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY PRAISE

GOD IS SAYING ….I CAN'T GET POWER TO YOUR LIFE

BECAUSE YOU WON'T RELEASE A PRAISE

OH COME ON CHURCH…..

YOU WANT POWER?

THEN GIVE HIM SOME PRAISE

ANOTHER WAY WE CAN GIVE THANKS TO GOD….

…..TITHING…..

GIVING IS ANOTHER WAY WE SAY THANKS.

WE GIVE 10% OF OUR INCOME AS A WAY OF GIVING THANKS TO GOD

IT BELONGS TO HIM ANYWAY

PASTOR CHRIS....HOW IS THAT?

I AM THE ONE WHO WORKS AND EARNS IT

OH LORD HELP US....

Deuteronomy 8:18 (NIV)

18 But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth,

YOU HAVE THE JOB YOU HAVE

BECAUSE GOD ALLOWS YOU TO HAVE IT

CHURCH....

WE HAVE TO DEVELOP AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE IN OUR LIFE

LEARNING TO BE CONTENT AND GRATEFUL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE

IS THE KEY TO TRUE JOY AND HAPPINESS

LOOK WHAT PAUL SAYS....

Philippians 4:11–13 (NIV)

11 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. 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. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

BEING UN-CONTENT WITH WHAT YOU HAVE...CAUSES...

STRESS

ANXIETY

WORRY

EXHAUSTION

FEAR

ALL THROUGH OUT THE BIBLE WE SEE THAT GOD....

KNOWS OUR NEEDS

HE KNOWS THE DESIRES OF OUR HEART

HE KNOWS OUR FUTURE

HE HAS PLANS FOR US TO PROSPER

BUT WE HAVE GOT TO LEARN TO TRUST HIS TIMING

IF I COULD LEAVE YOU WITH SOMETHING THIS MORNING

GIVE GOD THANKS FOR WHAT YOU DO HAVE

DONT ALLOW THE WORLD TO GET INTO YOUR HEAD

AND TELL YOU THAT IF YOU HAVE MORE, YOU COULD BE MORE HAPPY

LEARN CONTENTMENT,

DEVELOP AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

.......WORSHIP TEAM COME.......

2 Corinthians 9:6–12 NIV

6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 9 As it is written: “They have freely scattered their gifts to the poor; their righteousness endures forever.” 10 Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. 11 You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.

GIVING OF TITHES AND OFFERING IS ONE OF THE MANY WAYS THAT WE CAN SHOW THANKS TO GOD FOR WHAT HES DONE.

WHEN YOU GIVE YOUR TIME AND SERVICE TO OTHERS

YOUR ACTION ARE AN OVERFLOWING EXPRESSIONS OF THANKS TO GOD.

THE NEXT TIME YOUR ASKED TO DO SOMETHING FOR SOMEONE

JUST KNOW THAT ITS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU TO SHOW GRATITUDE TOWARD GOD

AMEN????

.....STAND TO YOUR FEET.......

I JUST WANT CLOSE BY SPENDING TIME THIS MORNING GIVING GOD SOME PRAISE.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME TO THE FRONT TO PRAY OR TO SHOW YOUR GRATITUDE TO THE LORD...

PLEASE DO THAT.

LETS PRAISE HIM THIS MORNING...

CLOSING PRAYER......

FATHER THANK YOU FOR ALL YOUVE DONE

THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT I COULD STAND HERE AND SAY THANK YOU FOR.

LORD I KNOW IN MY LIFE THAT YOU HAVE ALWAYS SHOWN YOURSELF FAITHFUL AND I WILL FOREVER BE GRATEFUL FOR THAT.

MY LIFE IS NOTHING WITH OUT YOU AND I PRAY THAT YOU WOULD USE ME FOR YOUR GLORY.

HEAVENLY FATHER I PRAY TODAY THAT YOU WOULD REMIND US TO BE THANKFUL FOR ALL THAT HAVE AND

HELP US TO LEARN TO BE CONTENT WITH WHAT WE HAVE.

LORD I PRAY FOR YOUR WILL TO BE DONE IN EACH OF OUR LIVES IN JESUS NAME WE PRAY....