An Attitude Of Gratitude

AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

PSALM 107: 1-9

SUNDAY PM SERVICE NOVEMBER 23, 2003

INTRODUCTION: Rarely has any people enjoyed greater prosperity than we are now enjoying. For this we render heartfelt and solemn thanks to the Giver of Good; and we seek to praise Him -- not by words only -- but by deeds, by the way in which we do our duty to ourselves and to our fellow men.

--Theodore Roosevelt, Thanksgiving 1902

George Washington’s 1782 Thanksgiving Proclamation expresses beautifully the utter dependence on God of our Founding Fathers, the Continental Congress, and the earliest leaders of our government. With these words, President Washington gives credit to God for every victory and success experienced by the fledgling country of America. His expressions of gratitude amount to a virtual grocery list of the blessings of the Almighty upon the country.

It being the indispensable duty of all Nations, not only to offer up their supplications to ALMIGHTY GOD, the giver of all good, for His gracious assistance in a time of distress, but also in a solemn and public manner to give Him praise for His goodness in general, and especially for great and signal interpositions of His providence in their behalf. They do further recommend to all ranks, to testify to their gratitude to GOD for His goodness, by a cheerful obedience of His laws, and by promoting, each in His station, and by His influence, the practice of true and undefiled religion, which is the great foundation of public prosperity and national happiness.

--George Washington, 1782

TRANSITION THOUGHT: Our founding fathers had read the Book. Moreover, they knew the writer of the Book. The Psalmist also knew the writer of the Book. He takes us on a journey of remembrance and thanks. It seems so easy to complain and so hard to praise. Developing an Attitude of Gratitude is the call of our first President and of the Psalmist. Do you have an Attitude of Gratitude? At the end of this service you can dispel of disbelief.

THESIS SENTENCE: IF YOU ARE REDEEMED YOU MUST HAVE AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

SO WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?

I. AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE IS KNOWING WHERE WE HAVE COME FROM (VV. 4- 5, 10-12, 17-18, AND 23-27)

A. WHERE WE HAVE BEEN IS A PHYSICAL REALITY

1. Learning to be thankful in life is often remember from whence we came. Often, must of us can remember harder days.

2. Our text reveals what some of these harder days looked like.

3. Some were: Wanderers, prisoners, fools and sufferers of affliction.

4. Before we surrender our lives to the Lord, we can get into some real tough places, and this is just the physical reality!

5. READ SPECIFIC VERSES!!

B. WHERE WE HAVE BEEN IS A SPIRITUAL REALITY

1. Often the physical reality we find ourselves in can be seen also in the spiritual reality. The Old Testament language of physical despair has often been translated into the New Testaments understanding of Spiritual realities.

2. Some were: Wanderer, prisoners, fools, and sufferers of affliction.

3. Think of the language of the children of Israel while in Egypt. All the imagery has a place in our spiritual reality. God is always trying to make it plain. He always makes it clear.

4. READ SPECIFIC VERSES!

TRUTH: KNOWING WHERE WE HAVE BEEN SHOULD CAUSE APPRECIATION FOR THE PRESENT!

QUESTION: WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN AND WHERE ARE YOU NOW?

II. AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE IS KNOWING WHO HEARS AND HELPS (VV. 6-7, 13-14, 19-20, AND 28-30)

A. GOD HEARS OUR CRY’S OF DESPERATION

1. I ask this all the time, but where do we turn when life becomes unbearable? I hope no one here would say: the bottle, drugs, or illicit pleasure.

2. I hope the answer is always, “I know I have messed up and Lord, you know we haven’t talked in a while, but here I am again, calling on your NAME!” 3. Hear the testimony of the Psalmist for those who were in despair: READ SPECIFIC VERSES: 6A,13A, 19A, AND 28A!

4. DID YOU HEAR THAT!

B. GOD HELPS US IN OUR DESPERATION

1. How does our God respond when His kids cry out to Him?

2. What are we taught throughout scripture? We are taught to pray and to ask God for His help and His blessing.

3. The only problem is that we don’t have a blank check. We really have an eternal credit card. The price is repentance and the answer to the prayer of the repentant is always in the affirmative!

4. Hear the testimony of the Psalmist: READ VV. 6B-7, 13B-14, 19B-20 AND 28B-30!

TRUTH: OUR GOD HEARS AND HELPS!

QUESTION: WHERE DO YOU TURN IN TIMES OF DESPAIR AND FOR ALL OF LIFE?

III. AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE MUST BE OUR RESPONSE (1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 21-22, AND 31-32)