How Thankful Are You?

​Love you all, praying for you.
 
I just love God’s Word.  It gives secret weapons.   One of these – A thankful heart.  Something like this doesn’t come naturally, it must be chosen repeatedly.   How thankful are you?  It’s a choice.  Have you ever noticed someone who is thankful.  First they live an awesome life.  Even if it sucks, they’re still thankful.  But more than that – it draws favor.  If someone is thankful  - you want to be around them.  They are just positive people.  They remind you of the blessings you have.  If they are thankful for you and the things you do for them, you want them as a friend, and you’re prone to do more.  You’ll also want to do everything you can for them.  A thankful heart draws favor like a magnet, whether from God or other people.  What does God say about thankful?  How important is it to God?  First what is it?  Thankful – grateful; impressed with a sense of kindness received, and ready to acknowledge it.  Grateful – having a sense of benefit; kindly disposed towards someone from whom a favor has been received.  Thankful is a sense of what you have received, and being drawn to acknowledge it with gratitude.  Gratitude, an emotion of the heart, excited by a favor or benefit received.  A sentiment of kindness or good towards a benefactor; thankfulness.  An agreeable emotion, consisting of or accompanied by good will to a benefactor, and a disposition to make a suitable return of benefits or services, or when no return can be made, with a desire to see that benefactor prosperous and happy.  Gratitude is a virtue of the highest excellence, as it implies a feeling and generous heart, and a proper sense of duty.  That’s Webster 1828.  What does God say?    I Thessalonians 5:18 – In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.  Ephesians 5:20 – Always give thanks to God, the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.   Hebrews 13:15 – Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God the sacrifice of praise, that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks.  What is the fruit of your lips? How thankful are you.  Are you thankful on purpose?  Do you purpose to be thankful!  Not doing it is dangerous.  God said the Israelites forgot to be thankful, and when they did, they started grumbling and complaining, it cost them the promised land.  Romans 1:21 talks of those who knew God but didn’t glorify him, and failed to be thankful, their minds became futile, and their hearts were darkened, thinking themselves wise, they became fools.  God has a different habit, life and future for you.   Colossians 2:6 – So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as your were taught and overflowing with thankfulness.   What do you overflow with? What comes out of your mouth constantly, without thinking.  What do you want to be – in light of what God has given you.  Psalms 92:1 – It is good to give thanks to the LORD and to sing praises to your name, O Most High.  To proclaim your love in the morning, and your faithfulness at night.  Praying that you will grow a thankful heart – it enters you in his presence.  If thankfulness overflows from you – you stay in his presence, you will draw his favor and the favor of others.  Praying that God grows in you a thankful heart, a heart of thanksgiving.  Psalms 140:13 – Surely the righteous will give thanks to your name, the upright will dwell in your presence.  Praying that you will overflow with a thankful heart, so you continually live in His presence.  Praying that you will review the PRISM Topic – Thankful, Thanksgiving, and Thankful 100 – one hundred things to be thankful for – that are not money or stuff.  If God commands us to be thankful, He has a purpose in it.  It draws you to Him, and it draws Him to you. 
 
Love you all,
dad