The Benefits of Thankfulness

Psalm 106:1–14 NLT

1 Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever. 2 Who can list the glorious miracles of the Lord? Who can ever praise him enough? 3 There is joy for those who deal justly with others and always do what is right. 4 Remember me, Lord, when you show favor to your people; come near and rescue me. 5 Let me share in the prosperity of your chosen ones. Let me rejoice in the joy of your people; let me praise you with those who are your heritage. 6 Like our ancestors, we have sinned. We have done wrong! We have acted wickedly! 7 Our ancestors in Egypt were not impressed by the Lord’s miraculous deeds. They soon forgot his many acts of kindness to them. Instead, they rebelled against him at the Red Sea. 8 Even so, he saved them— to defend the honor of his name and to demonstrate his mighty power. 9 He commanded the Red Sea to dry up. He led Israel across the sea as if it were a desert. 10 So he rescued them from their enemies and redeemed them from their foes. 11 Then the water returned and covered their enemies; not one of them survived. 12 Then his people believed his promises. Then they sang his praise. 13 Yet how quickly they forgot what he had done! They wouldn’t wait for his counsel! 14 In the wilderness their desires ran wild, testing God’s patience in that dry wasteland.

INTRODUCTION:

What are the benefits of cultivating a thankful heart?

Notice five benefits...

1. THANKFULNESS REDIRECTS MY FOCUS (Psalm 106:1)

Psalm 106:1 NLT

1 Praise the Lord! Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.

A- Gratitude changes my focus from the difficulties of worldly existence to the goodness of my loving Heavenly Father.

1- A thankful heart helps us to keep our focus on God and His faithful love.

(Psalm 92:1-5)

Psalm 92:1–5 NLT

1 It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to the Most High. 2 It is good to proclaim your unfailing love in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening, 3 accompanied by a ten-stringed instrument, a harp, and the melody of a lyre. 4 You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me! I sing for joy because of what you have done. 5 O Lord, what great works you do! And how deep are your thoughts.

2. THANKFULNESS REMINDS ME OF MY BOUNTIFUL BLESSINGS. (Psalm 106:2,5)

Psalm 106:2 NLT

2 Who can list the glorious miracles of the Lord? Who can ever praise him enough?

Psalm 106:5 NLT

5 Let me share in the prosperity of your chosen ones. Let me rejoice in the joy of your people; let me praise you with those who are your heritage.

A- Giving thanks helps me to see how many blessings have been showered upon me.

*The psalmist's testimony (Psalm 103:2-5)

Psalm 103:2–5 NLT

2 Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. 3 He forgives all my sins and heals all my diseases. 4 He redeems me from death and crowns me with love and tender mercies. 5 He fills my life with good things. My youth is renewed like the eagle’s!

1- Taking time to name these blessings helps overcome the entitlement mindset.

3. THANKFULNESS RETARDS MY TENDENCY TO REBEL . (Psalm 106:6 – 7, 13-15)

Psalm 106:6–7 NLT

6 Like our ancestors, we have sinned. We have done wrong! We have acted wickedly! 7 Our ancestors in Egypt were not impressed by the Lord’s miraculous deeds. They soon forgot his many acts of kindness to them. Instead, they rebelled against him at the Red Sea.

Psalm 106:13–15 NLT

13 Yet how quickly they forgot what he had done! They wouldn’t wait for his counsel! 14 In the wilderness their desires ran wild, testing God’s patience in that dry wasteland. 15 So he gave them what they asked for, but he sent a plague along with it.

A- An attitude of gratitude and an attitude of rebellion cannot co-exist in the same heart!

1- The Israelites forgot God’s blessings and wound up rebelling against Him.

a- The writer of Hebrews warns us not to follow the example of the ancient Israelites. (Hebrews 3:8 – 13)

Hebrews 3:8–13 NLT

8 don’t harden your hearts as Israel did when they rebelled, when they tested me in the wilderness. 9 There your ancestors tested and tried my patience, even though they saw my miracles for forty years. 10 So I was angry with them, and I said, ‘Their hearts always turn away from me. They refuse to do what I tell them.’ 11 So in my anger I took an oath: ‘They will never enter my place of rest.’ ” 12 Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God. 13 You must warn each other every day, while it is still “today,” so that none of you will be deceived by sin and hardened against God.

4. THANKFULNESS REPLACES JEALOUSY WITH GRATITUDE. (Psalm 106:16 – 18)

Psalm 106:16–18 NLT

16 The people in the camp were jealous of Moses and envious of Aaron, the Lord’s holy priest. 17 Because of this, the earth opened up; it swallowed Dathan and buried Abiram and the other rebels. 18 Fire fell upon their followers; a flame consumed the wicked.

A- An attitude of gratitude is incompatible with Jealousy.

1- The Israelites failed to focus upon their blessings, resulting in jealousy.

2- Jealousy brought judgment upon them.

3- Jealousy will bring destruction in our lives.

a. In relationships

b. In personal health

c. In spiritual growth

(1 Corinthians 3:3)

1 Corinthians 3:3 NLT

3 for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world?

(James 3:16)

James 3:16 NLT

16 For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

5. THANKFULNESS RESTRICTS MY TENDENCY TO CONFORM TO THE WORLD. (Psalm 106:19 – 25, 35)

Psalm 106:19–25 NLT

19 The people made a calf at Mount Sinai; they bowed before an image made of gold. 20 They traded their glorious God for a statue of a grass-eating bull. 21 They forgot God, their savior, who had done such great things in Egypt— 22 such wonderful things in the land of Ham, such awesome deeds at the Red Sea. 23 So he declared he would destroy them. But Moses, his chosen one, stepped between the Lord and the people. He begged him to turn from his anger and not destroy them. 24 The people refused to enter the pleasant land, for they wouldn’t believe his promise to care for them. 25 Instead, they grumbled in their tents and refused to obey the Lord.

Psalm 106:35 NLT

35 Instead, they mingled among the pagans and adopted their evil customs.

A- Gratitude causes us to desire to let God have his way instead of wanting to be like the world.

(Romans 12:2)

Romans 12:2 NLT

2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

· Like the Demas (2 Timothy 4:10)

2 Timothy 4:10 NLT

10 Demas has deserted me because he loves the things of this life and has gone to Thessalonica. Crescens has gone to Galatia, and Titus has gone to Dalmatia.

CONCLUSION:

A- Polycarp's testimony (Fox's Book of Martyrs page 16)