The Believers Attitude Of Gratitude Series

1 Thess. 5:18 In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

2 Tim 3:1-5

(Un thankful) Having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof, ( We are surrounded today by a spiritual atmosphere of un thankfulness.

Lu. 17:11-19 One (Of ten lepers) with a Loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face, and gave thanks. (He was a samaritan.) Jesus asked, where are the others, were there not ten cleansed?

Ps 100:4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him and bless his name

(THE ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE LEADS INTO GOD’S PRESENCE)

1 Pet. 2:9 Says We are a royal priest-hood

Heb. 13:15 Says: Our priestly sacrifices are not lambs and goats pigeons and turtle doves, But the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

The attitude of gratitude is the condition for receiving from God ( Thankfulness in the heart creates a place for God’s presence and God’s provision.

(JESUS SAID TO THE ONE THANKFUL LEPER (THY FAITH HATH MADE THEE WHOLE)

In all of israels travels, Judah led the way; Praise always goes ahead of blessing,

PRAISE PREPARES THE HEART FOR THE PROMISE.

The first step down the road to apostasy, is to lose Your thankful hearts.

Ro. 1:21 Because when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful but became vain in their imaginations and their foolish heart was darkened.

1 Thess. 5:18 In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

WE MUST GUARD OUR HEARTS AGAINST THIS SPIRIT OF INGRATITUDE, WE MUST ARM OURSELVES WITH THE ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE.

Mal. 1:11 For from the rising of the son to the going down of the same my name shall be great among the gentiles, (david said: the name of the Lord is to be praised.)

Many of God’s people have lost the presence of God in their lives, they’ve lost their Joy, and peace. There is no sense of victory in the lives, it seems that the glory of God has departed from them, They feel like a victim to every thing life throws at them, (it all started with losing the attitude of gratitude.

Somebody may say. I don’t believe that, well listen to the Word of God

(Deu 28:47 -48) Because thou servedst not the LORD thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the LORD shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.

We need to repent of the spirit and attitude of ingratitude, and receive a joyful and thankful heart,

We must not allow the things of God to become common to us.

We must never: Look at the church as any other building

Look at the bible as any other book

Think of gospel songs, as any other songs

Think of the altar as any other piece of wood

Think of our Christian family, as any other family members

Think of the sacraments as plain juice and crackers

Think of anointing oil as, as any other oil

These Holy things must hold a place of honor in our lives, we must not become so familiar with the church and it’s practices that we leave God out.

When Holy Things become common in our eyes, we lose the attitude of awe and respect neccessary to a thankful heart.

(Josh 3:4) Yet there shall be a space between you and it, about two thousand cub its by measure: come not near unto it, that ye may know the way by which ye must go: for ye have not passed this way heretofore.

This is the warning of God not to become too familiar with the Holy Things of God.

1 Sam 6:19 And he smote the men of Beth-she’mesh, because they had looked into the ark of the LORD, even he smote of the people fifty thousand and threescore and ten men: and the people lamented, because the LORD had smitten many of the people with a great slaughter.

Matt. Henry commentary: That which made this looking into the ark a great sin was that it proceeded from a very low and mean opinion of the ark. The familiarity they had with it upon this occasion bred contempt and irreverence.

When we become too familiar with the things of God, We will lose our attitude of Gratitude.

The Holy Spirit says: Call not that which I have cleansed. (Set apart) common or unclean.

Let us: if need be tonight, repent of taking the things of God lightly, and for granted,