LEARN TO GIVE THANKSTHANKSGIVING HOLIDAY was first celebrated as a anniversary of settlers arrival in the new world. Then as a Harvest festival. Giving thanks for their blessings. The winter before, half the colonists had died. In 1941 congress of the US ruled that the 4th Thursday of November would be celebrated as a national holiday. The Scripture was way ahead in giving thanks.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV) "give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
KJV "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."
Giving thanks is an ART/skill. Art is a skill acquired by experience, study and observation. If you will learn to give thanks in every situation, God will bring victory every time.
1. LEARNING TO GIVING THANKS ENABLES A POSITIVE ATTITUDE
Hebrews 13:15 (NIV) "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise--the fruit of lips that confess his name."
Which is it a Glass-half empty or half full? It depends on your perception or attitude. The devil wants to get us to focus on the negatives, the empty portion of the glass. Satan wants us to become defeated.
God's will is to be thankful.
Complaint: My children should be stronger in their Christian walk. Thank God they're a Christian. I only make $5 an hour; Thank God, that's $5 more than $0. I only have 35 people in my church; Thank God that's 35 more than 0.
"I used to complain that I had no shoes, till I met a man that had no feet." So many times we allow the dark clouds of negative circumstances to cast a shadow our horizons. God has a great future for you. Get a divine vision. Get your eyes off yourself and your problems. Start looking at the potential instead of the problems.
Three things that are absolutely vital to success:
1. Attitude 2. Attitude 3. Attitude
Someone said: "Attitude is more important than aptitude in determining your altitude."
Are you tired of living in depression, fear negativism? Begin to praise God for the victory.
2. LEARNING TO GIVE THANKS BRINGS THE BLESSINGS OF GOD
Isaiah 64:5 (NIV) "You come to the help of those who gladly do right, who remember your ways."
Psalms 50:23 (NIV) "He who sacrifices thank offerings honors me, and he prepares the way so that I may show him the salvation of God."
The positive person can change his world through his attitude. Some people are molded by their environment. Others shape their environment through positive faith. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.
Romans 12:21 (NIV) "Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
Gratefulness to people; Showing love causes people to be attracted to you! Murmuring, complaining, attitudes repels them. Thanksgiving toward your spouse brings blessings. Don't be overcome with evil or negative attitudes of other people. Don't come down to their level. Stay in the high place. Laugh it off. Love it off. Stay free. Bring them up. When someone criticizes you, don't criticize Lift them up, build them up. Love builds. Hate destroys. Love never fails.
3. LEARNING TO GIVE THANKS DRAWS YOU NEAR TO GOD
Psalms 100:4 (NIV) "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name."
Isaak Walton: "God has two dwellings, one in heaven, and the other in a meek and thankful heart."
4. LEARNING TO GIVE THANKS OVERCOMES DISCOURAGEMENT
Gratitude can be a vaccine that can prevent the invasion of a disgruntled attitude. Thanksgiving destroys the poison of grumbling. When trouble comes, a spirit of thanksgiving is the best medicine
5. LEARNING TO GIVE THANKS HELPS YOU LIVE IN VICTORY
1 Corinthians 15:57 (NIV) "But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
You and God are a majority. God has already said yes. When you agree, that settles it. Hebrews 11:1 (KJV) "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
Faith sees the answer. Faith embraces the vision. God is in you working to do His good pleasure.
Think of David: Can you imagine what would have happened if David was a negative thinker. He had his thinking rooted in God's greatness. When he looked at Goliath, he didn't compare him to himself; he compared him to God and knew that he could not lose the battle.
Psalms 144:1-2 (NIV) "Of David. Praise be to the LORD my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle. {2} He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me."
6. LEARNING TO GIVE THANKS HELPS YOU TO WALK IN FAITH
Philippians 4:6 (KJV) "Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. "
Acts 16:25-26 (KJV) "..at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed." The jail house was turned into an evangelistic center.
Mark 11:24 (NIV) "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."
7.. LEARNING TO GIVE THANKS GIVES AN ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE.
Colossians 1:12 (KJV) "Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light" Luke 10:20 (KJV) "in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." Romans 6:17 (KJV) "But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you."
CONCLUSION:
Through the cross of Christ, we have new life - be thankful! God delivers us from sin and gives us eternal life. Because he lives, we shall live also.
Learn to give Thanks!!