Joels Message On Giving God Thanks
Find a Reason to Give God Thanks...
Have you ever considered that perhaps you are not getting your prayers answered because you are not grateful for what God has already done for you?
Think of it as a parent… If your child is grateful and he or she sincerely thanks you for what you have done, you would want to do more for him or her… On the other hand, if your child is not grateful, and all he or she does is hound you for more, you are not apt to help that child very much…
Its similar with God… The scripture teaches us that we should continually give God thanks; we should live with an attitude of gratitude…
You may say, “I have been through so many disappointments. I lost my business last year… My marriage didn’t work out… I have lost so much… How do you expect me to be grateful?”
But if it had not been for the goodness of God, you could have lost it all… If not for Gods mercy, you might not even be here today… Quit looking at what you have lost and start thanking God for what you have left…
My friend Freddie had a flat tire out on the freeway… as he was on the side of the road changing the tire, a drunk driver smashed his car into him… As a result of this incident, Freddie lost both his legs beneath his knees…
Several days after the accident, my parents went to the hospital to visit Freddie…thinking he would be distraught and upset over his loss… But not Freddie … He had a smile on his face and was full of joy… All he could talk about was how God has spared his life… In spite of the tragedy, he still had a grateful attitude… he rose off the bed and said, “Look Pastor, whats left of my legs can still give God Praise”…
Freddie wasn’t focused on what he didn’t have… He was thanking God for what he did have… He may have lost a lot, but he knew if it were not for the goodness of God, he could have lost it all… Freddie now has artificial limbs… and everywhere he goes he tells people what God has done for him…
Make a decision today that you are going to be like Freddie… No matter what comes against you, you are going to have a grateful attitude… You are going to find some reason to give God thanks…
Perhaps you have lost your joy.. you have lost your enthusiasm… you have lost your victory…you would get it back if you would be more grateful…I heard about a person who was a very negative man…he constantly focused on what he has lost… One fine day someone told him to write down 10 things he could be grateful for… He did that and every morning he went through that list several times…Little by little his attitude began to change… He got his joy back… He got his victory back…Today he is a totally different person…
When you are tempted to become discouraged, recognize that the root cause can often be traced to having an ungrateful attitude… no matter what comes against you…if you will do as Freddie did, you can overcome any situation… Granted you may have suffered some losses…but thank God that you are still here…. You are alive… If you do that, there is no limit what God will do in your life…
So make this your commitment this year on Christmas Eve that you will no longer live a life oh so low… Give thanks to the Lord… For He is Good :)
Bible says:
Its good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare your loving kindness and your faithfulness by night…
____ PSALM 92:1
