The Search For Happiness: Thankfulness
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Thankfulness
Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?
And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden:
But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.
And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die:
For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.
And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
Unlike Adam and Eve, we must trust God’s authority in our lives—rather than looking to take his place.
Have you ever thought you knew a better way? Even after someone that clearly knew what they were talking about has told you the danger of something, you still thought that maybe it won’t happen to me or that they didn’t really know what they were talking about.
There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, But the end thereof are the ways of death.
There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, But the end thereof are the ways of death.
1. The fall of Adam and Eve started with pride and lusting after what they couldn’t have. God gave them everything, except one thing. The desire for what they didn’t have outweighed the thankfulness for what they currently possessed.
The word pleasant refers to giving a sense of happy satisfaction or enjoyment. We live in a world we many are looking to be satisfied.
"You say, 'If I had a little more, I should be very satisfied.' You make a mistake. If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled."
- Charles Haddon Spurgeon
For he satisfieth the longing soul, And filleth the hungry soul with goodness.
Isaiah 58:
In all that God had given them, note the word given. They didn’t have to earn it, pay for it, it was freely given to them. All they could have wanted and yet the one thing He forbid them to partake in, that they found themselves desiring.
And the Lord shall guide thee continually, And satisfy thy soul in drought, And make fat thy bones: And thou shalt be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
2. The serpent (Satan) in this story is the direct opposite of humility and thankfulness. He wasn’t content being an angel, he wanted to be God.
In all that God had given them, note the word given. They didn’t have to earn it, pay for it, it was freely given to them. All they could have wanted and yet the one thing He forbid them to partake in, that they found themselves desiring.
Serpent in the Greek is the word Ophis which means snake. One of the definitions for snake is “a treacherous or deceitful person.”
The characteristics of a serpent are evil, treachery, a creeping thing, venomous.
2. The serpent (Satan) in this story is the direct opposite of humility and thankfulness. He wasn’t content being an angel, he wanted to be God.
The serpent was more subtil, crafty, shrewd than any beast of the field which the Lord God had made. He came with tricky and flattering words and began to plant temptation and desire into the mind and heart of the woman.
3. The point of this message isn’t to say that all lack of appreciation leads to complete spiritual destruction—we all have moments where we aren’t thankful like we should be—but the point is, this unhealthy attitude can create a pathway toward failure.
But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
3. The point of this message isn’t to say that all lack of appreciation leads to complete spiritual destruction—we all have moments where we aren’t thankful like we should be—but the point is, this unhealthy attitude can create a pathway toward failure.
2 Timothy
Ingratitude denotes spiritual immaturity. Children do not always appreciate what parents do for them. They have short memories. Their concern is not what you did for me yesterday, but what are you doing for me today. The past is meaningless and so is the future. They live for the present. Those who are mature are deeply appreciative of those who labored in the past. They recognize those who labor during the present and provide for those who will be laboring in the future.
This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
Ingratitude denotes spiritual immaturity. Children do not always appreciate what parents do for them. They have short memories. Their concern is not what you did for me yesterday, but what are you doing for me today. The past is meaningless and so is the future. They live for the present. Those who are mature are deeply appreciative of those who labored in the past. They recognize those who labor during the present and provide for those who will be laboring in the future.
4. “New Doxology” is a new take on a classic worship song that could accompany your message. This song emphasizes praise and thankfulness to God, rather than pride and/or ungratefulness: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_-N4sS1-g0
New Doxology
Praise God from Whom all blessings flow
Praise Him, all creatures here below
Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts
Praise Father, Son and Ho- ly Ghost
Let earth and heavenly saints proclaim
The power and might of His great Name
Let us exalt on bended knee
Praise God, the Holy Tri- ni- ty
Chorus
Praise God, praise God, praise God, Who saved my soul
Praise God, praise God, praise God from Whom all bless-
Ings flow
Praise to the King, His throne transcends
His crown and Kingdom never end
Now and throughout eternity
I'll praise the One Who died for me
Bob was the kind of guy who would always bargain and haggle on a price, never paying the price asked. He especially hated paying his medical fees.
One day, while eating fish, a bone became lodged in his throat and within minutes he could scarcely breathe. His wife frantically rushed him to the family doctor’s office which was just around the corner. Just as the patient’s face was turning blue, the physician quickly removed the bone with a pair of forceps.
After he was breathing normally again, although grateful to the doctor for saving his life, he began to worry about the charge he’d have to pay.
Trying his best to keep his costs down, he turned to the good doctor and asked, “How much do I owe you for this small 2-minute job?”
The doctor replied, “Just pay me half of what you would have when the bone was still stuck in your throat!”
5. A great practice for any follower of Jesus is to write out what you are thankful for. Could you implement this into a moment of reflection in your service?
Gratitude Practice Journal
How do you start and end your day...
with gratitude?
Altitude
Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: They will be still praising thee. Selah.
Blessed is the man whose strength is in thee; In whose heart are the ways of them.
Who passing through the valley of Baca make it a well; The rain also filleth the pools.
They go from strength to strength, Every one of them in Zion appeareth before God.
For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, Than to dwell in the tents of wickedness.
6. To emphasize the quality of thankfulness, consider having a “Thank You Note” segment during service q
O give thanks unto the God of heaven: For his mercy endureth for ever.