HAVING AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE
As parents we had to remind our children when they were small a hundred (or was it a thousand times) to say THANK YOU. It would seem children are simply born UNTHANKFUL, and our role as parents is to teach them a lifestyle of thankfulness.
Sadly, we can take this unthankfulness attitude into our Christian life, and simply take for granted all the blessings the Lord pours upon us.
Let’s start at the very beginning, the Bible says we were born in sin and shapened in iniquity, in other words we are born with a sinful nature and are doomed to eternal separation from God BUT by the grace of God alone we were born again and our sins were washed away, and we received the Gift of Eternal life, and so much more.
The continuous access into the presence of God,
A glorious inheritance to be able to live a victorious holy life now as God prepares us for eternity in heaven.
OH HOW IMPORTANT DISCIPLESHIP IS.
We all know that truth is an ever developing experience for new believers, sadly some of us took years to come to some understanding of what God has done for us and we were in ignorance right from the start, (perhaps because of the lack of discipleship)before we even began to appreciate all that God does for us EVERY DAY. A couple of days ago I read these words.
Psalm 52:1 NKJV The goodness of God endures CONTINUALLY. wow isn’t that awesome? I guess there may be times when we are in a particular situation, we can be tempted to think God is not being good to us, but we must remember God is sovereign, and “all things work together for good, to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. David goes on in verse 8-9 (Psalm 52 I am like a green olive tree, in the house of God I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever, I will praise you forever because YOU have done it, and in the presence of Your saints I will wait on Your name for it is good.
Green is a symbol of spiritual prosperity, growth and life Job 8:16.
The Olive tree is a symbol of the anointing of the Holy Spirit David declares in Psalm 92:10 “I have been anointed with fresh oil” isn’t that something to be very thankful for?
Are you ever thankful for God’s spiritual prosperity and life and growth in you ? Are you glad you can live in the constant anointing of the Holy Spirit on your life, as you seek to live in surrender daily to His plan and purpose for your life ?
David reminds us in Psalm 100 TO ENTER HIS GATES WITH THANKSGIVING (daily). we need to develop an:
AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE
Perhaps the first thing we need to do is ask the Lord for forgiveness for the times we were not thankful or taken His goodness for granted, and ask Him to let us have eyes to see that as our lives are in His hands and that everything we see and do has God’s hand on it. Perhaps we need to be reminded of the Apostle Paul’s words “In every thing give thanks” not for everything, because “bad things happen to good people” but IN every situation FOR HE IS ALWAYS WORTHY OF OUR THANKS. Some times we may have to offer the SACRIFICE OF THANSGIVING, because naturally there seems nothing to be thankful for.
Let me encourage you this day to sit down and start COUNTING YOUR BLESSINGS, it won’t be long before you are not counting them one by one, but TON BY TON.
ISN’T OUR GOD AWESOME?
Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son
And now let the weak say, “I am strong”
Let the poor say, “I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us”
And now let the weak say, “I am strong”
Let the poor say, “I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us”
Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son
Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son
And now let the weak say, “I am strong”
Let the poor say, “I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us”
And now let the weak say, “I am strong”
Let the poor say, “I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us”
Give thanks
We give thanks to You oh Lord
We give thanks
Thank you Don Moen for this beautiful song, Lord help us to make it our lifestyle.
