Giving Thanks In All Things Series

From The Problem to the Solution

6 – GIVING THANKS IN ALL THINGS

This morning, we are continuing our series of messages entitled FROM THE PROBLEM TO THE SOLUTION

Over the last few weeks and months, we've been talking about what it takes to get FROM THE PROBLEM TO THE SOLUTION…

--First thing – Acknowledge the Problem

--Second thing – Make a "Word" Decision

--Third thing – Find Your Evidence (or Title Deed)

--Fourth thing – Learn to Listen

And last week, we told you that the fifth thing that's got to happen is you've got to have PATIENCE – PATIENCE WORKS!

And so this morning, continuing with our theme, and in light of Thanksgiving coming up this Thursday, I'd like to share with you another powerful principle that will help ensure that you'll get FROM THE PROBLEM TO THE SOLUTION

And that's understanding the power of THANKSGIVING

Let's read…

•Ephesians 5:20 (KJV) "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;"

•Luke 17:12-19 (KJV) "And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: (13) And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. (14) And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go show yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. (15) And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, (16) And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. (17) And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? (18) There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. (19) And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole."

INTRODUCTION

Now, the Apostle Paul says in our text, we ought to be giving thanks IN ALL THINGS, not FOR ALL THINGS, but certainly IN ALL THINGS

Because we're going to learn today, that IN ALL THINGS, no matter the…

--trial

--test

--difficulty

--problem

We can find a way to give thanks unto God

Now, over and over in the Word of God, we're given the instruction and admonition to continually give thanks

And the reason is, that by nature, we're very unthankful

We have to teach our children to say THANK YOU

And over and over, we read…

Psalms 106:1 (KJV) "Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever."

Did you know that this exact phrase is found 6 times in the Bible!

We also read…

•Psalms 92:1 (KJV) "It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:"

•Psalms 75:1 (KJV) "Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare."

•Colossians 3:15 (KJV) "…be ye thankful."

•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."

Paul told us that in the last days…

2 Timothy 3:2 (KJV) "…men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,"

And without question, if we want to have MORE problems in our lives, then all we need to do is complain and not give things

Listen to what happened when the Children of Israel murmured…

1 Corinthians 10:10 (KJV) "Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer."

When they Children of Israel murmured and complained, God sent poisonous snakes among them to kill them

And whenever we constantly complain and murmur, we're inviting demon spirits to infect our life with the poison of doubt

It's deadly

That's why the Psalmist said IT IS GOOD TO GIVE THANKS

You remember the story when the 10 where cleansed of their leprosy and only one came back to give thanks

What you may not realize is that the 9 were cleansed (which was a healing as they were, in other words, the leprosy was gone, but they still had the deformities)

BUT LISTEN TO THIS – The one that gave thanks was made WHOLE…

--fingers began to grow back

--flesh began to grow

--bones were snapped back into place

That's the power of THANKSGIVING

And if we're going to go FROM THE PROBLEM TO THE SOLUTION, one of the ways is to learn the POWER OF THANKSGIVING

A mother got an email from her daughter in college

Here's what it said…

Dear Mom and Dad, due to a fire in the dorm set off by student riots, I've suffered temporary lung damage. I've been in the hospital several days. While here, I've fallen in love with an orderly and we've moved in together. I've gotten pregnant, dropped out of school, he went back to work the next week and got fire on the job for drinking. We've decided that we might move to Alaska, might get married, after the birth of the baby, if it all works out. Signed your loving daughter.