The Nitty Gritty of Gratitude
Bob Ingle
Colossians 3:15-17
Let's open our bibles together to Colossians 3. The Puritan Bible commentator Matthew Henry was robbed while walking down the street. The thieves took everything of value. Later that night, Henry made the following entry in his diary: ''Let me be thankful: First, because I was not robbed before. Second, because although they took my wallet, they did not take my life. Third, because although they took my all, it was not much. Fourth, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed.'' Even in the midst of a horrifying experience, he exuded thankfulness.
Alton McEachern said: ''May God who has given us so much give us one more thing-A grateful heart.'' God's Word makes it abundantly clear that thanksgiving for Jesus followers isn't a day we celebrate; it's a life we live. Daily we are to be living thanksgiving. Or, maybe it should just be 'thanksliving' for short.
The two most frequent commands of Scripture are : BE JOYFUL and BE THANKFUL. Joy and Gratitude aren't options God gives us based on our circumstances. They are to be the priorities we live by despite our circumstances. That's only possible when joy and gratitude aren't based on what's going on around us but built upon Who is living in us.
In Psalm 30:11-12, David cries out to God in worship: ''You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give You thanks forever!''
Instead of grumbling about our temporary circumstances, God wants those who have tasted His grace and experienced His goodness to radiate with joyful gratitude because of His eternal promises. There are some enemies of gratitude we much FIGHT to consistently display thanksliving.
We Have to Fight FAMILIARITY. Because we've been blessed so much it's easy to become too casual or too familiar with the things of God and the ...
Bob Ingle
Colossians 3:15-17
Let's open our bibles together to Colossians 3. The Puritan Bible commentator Matthew Henry was robbed while walking down the street. The thieves took everything of value. Later that night, Henry made the following entry in his diary: ''Let me be thankful: First, because I was not robbed before. Second, because although they took my wallet, they did not take my life. Third, because although they took my all, it was not much. Fourth, because it was I who was robbed, not I who robbed.'' Even in the midst of a horrifying experience, he exuded thankfulness.
Alton McEachern said: ''May God who has given us so much give us one more thing-A grateful heart.'' God's Word makes it abundantly clear that thanksgiving for Jesus followers isn't a day we celebrate; it's a life we live. Daily we are to be living thanksgiving. Or, maybe it should just be 'thanksliving' for short.
The two most frequent commands of Scripture are : BE JOYFUL and BE THANKFUL. Joy and Gratitude aren't options God gives us based on our circumstances. They are to be the priorities we live by despite our circumstances. That's only possible when joy and gratitude aren't based on what's going on around us but built upon Who is living in us.
In Psalm 30:11-12, David cries out to God in worship: ''You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to You and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give You thanks forever!''
Instead of grumbling about our temporary circumstances, God wants those who have tasted His grace and experienced His goodness to radiate with joyful gratitude because of His eternal promises. There are some enemies of gratitude we much FIGHT to consistently display thanksliving.
We Have to Fight FAMILIARITY. Because we've been blessed so much it's easy to become too casual or too familiar with the things of God and the ...
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