THANKSGIVING, AN ATTITUE OF GRATITUDE

 THANKSGIVING, AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

1 THESSALONIANS 5:18

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 

Note; All circumstances are in God’s will for you

          For the BAD AND THE GOOD BE JOYFUL

          PRAY IN THE NAME OF JESUS ALL THE TIME

THE FIRST THANKSGIVING IN THE US

November 28 has been designated as the day of Thanksgiving

It all began when 102 men and women boarded the Mayflower in 1620

To get away from the Church of England and establish religious

freedom in America. They landed at Jamestown in the winter and established a colony.  William Bradford became the governor.

By 1621 only 44 survived the winter, most died of scurvy and malnutrition. With the help of an American Indian tribe, they were

Taught how to fertilize the ground using dried fish. They produce

a stellar corn crop. 

Squanto, an American Indian who had been kidnaped and taken to

England where he learned English served as an interpreter for the

Indian tribe. They formed an alliance and the first harvest festival was held. 

In 1863 President Lincoln declared Thanksgiving a national celebration.  Ironically, the English were the original immigrants

Who now considers all other nationalities wanting to enjoy American freedom As immigrants. 

THANKSGIVING AN ATTITUDE OF LIFE

For the Believers in Jesus Christ, thanksgiving is not a day but a daily Attitude of Celebration. God commands us to be thankful.

In the Old Testament times, there were days of celebration commanded by our God under the law.

1. Fellowship offering of Thanksgiving  Lev 7:13

2. We are commanded to Sing praise and thanksgiving  Ezekiel 3:11

3. Thanksgiving and prayer Nehemiah 11:17 

4. Come into God’s house with joy and thanksgiving    Psalms 42:4

5. Glorify God with Thanksgiving     Psalms 69:30

6. Enter into His gates with Thanksgiving    Psalms 100:4

In the New Testament, the Attitude of Thanksgiving was continued under grace.

7. Cup of Thanksgiving for the participation in Jesus Blood 1 Cor 10:16

8. Overflow with Thanksgiving   2 Corinthians 4:15

9. Give with Thanksgiving     2 Corinthian 9:11

10. Prayer and intercession with thanksgiving  1 Timonty 2:1

11. Receive God’s creation with thanksgiving   1 Timonty 4:3-4

  Gratefulness is defined as being appreciative of the benefits   

  Received.

There are two things I am sure of. I don’t know all the benefits God

has provided for me. I am sure I am not as thankful as I should be.

Did you know that there are 12 body systems working all the time?

• The 12 systems of the human body are: Integumentary System (skin, hair, nails) Skeletal System (bones, cartilage, ligaments) Muscular System (skeletal muscles) Nervous System (brain, spinal cord, nerves) Endocrine System (hormones, glands) Cardiovascular System (heart, blood vessels) Lymphatic System (lymph nodes, vessels)

Are you aware of them? How can you express thanks for what you don’t know is happening? We get up in the morning not knowing that all these systems and more operate together to make us normal human beings.

THANKSGIVING IS NOT ENTITLEMENT 

Do you know doing your day what God keeps from happening to you? Do  you know what ways God is preparing for you to travel? Or who God has prepared for you to meet?

The problem is we are so focused on what we know that we cannot see the big picture. We have come complacent saying what God has for me is for me. That is an attitude of entitlement. The problem is what God has for you, you have to continue to work toward it. 

DEVELOPING THE ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

We are born selfish and want more. Babies cry when they are hungry, cry when they are wet, and cry when they want attention.  This attitude is continued throughout life until there is a change brought on by our relationship with Jesus Christ.  As our relationship with Jesus matures

We grow out of selfishness into thankfulness.

Two verses. Old and New Testament stand out to me as an Attitude Of 

Gratitude.

Psalms 42:4

4 These things I remember

as I pour out my soul:

how I used to go with the multitude,

leading the procession to the house of God,

with shouts of joy and thanksgiving

among the festive throng. 

NIV

Philippians 4:6-7

6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. 

NIV

Five points I want to leave you with 

1. Gratitude is an attitude missing in the Lost. 

 

Romans 1:21

21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 

Those who don’t know God spend their days getting more

And enjoying what they have less. 

2. Thankfulness does not come naturally    

Genesis 3 

          Adam and Eve had the freedom to eat from any tree in the   

          Garden, but chose to eat from the one tree God told them not to   

          eat from.  

        

          Instead of consulting God who made them and gave them all

          They had, they listened to a voice that gave nothing but and 

           the idea of greed. We face the same thing today.

          They were so busy looking at what they didn’t have, that they 

           could not appreciate what they had.

3. Gratitude is an antidote for deceitful emotions

In other words, gratitude opposes deceitful emotions

         

          Ephesians 4:22-24

          With regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self,    

          which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made 

          new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on the new self, 

          created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. 

          If you spend your day being grateful you won't have time for

          Any other emotions.

        4. Gratitude is an acknowledgment of God’s blessings

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

16 Be joyful always; 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 

1 Peter 2:9

We should give thanks always, for everything  

You should make it a priority to thank God for the many blessings He gives each day, some you can see and some you cannot conceive.   

5. Gratitude is recognizing the perfection of God

James 1:17

17 Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, 

You and I give gifts, but are they ever perfect?   Do you even know what someone wants or needs?   God does.

Thanksgiving to the almighty God is an all day every day 

Event.  Remember the first immigrants to America in 1620 were thankful that they survived the year.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING 

GOD'S QUEEN, THE APPLE OF HIS EYE

 GOD’S QUEEN. THE APPLE OF HIS EYE

1 KINGS 10:1-11

1 Kings 10:1-5

10 When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relation to the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. 2 Arriving at Jerusalem with a very great caravan — with camels carrying spices, large quantities of gold, and precious stones — she came to Solomon and talked with him about all that she had on her mind. 3 Solomon answered all her questions; nothing was too hard for the king to explain to her. 4 When the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon and the palace he had built, 5 the food on his table, the seating of his officials, the attending servants in their robes, his cupbearers, and the burnt offerings he made at the temple of the Lord, she was overwhelmed. 

Someone is always watching you. They tell what you do. They

form opinions and pass them on to others. The bad and the good can spread like wildfire. We should live our lives for God so at least something good is said about our character.  As the song said

“Let's Give Them Something to Talk About”.

 

Your testimony about Jesus has the power to change lives, provide

New directions and bring hope for tomorrow. 

The testimony about Solomon spread throughout Israel and outside

Israel to other nations and countries. The Queen of Sheba is an 

An excellent example of the effect of the power of a testimony.

The Queen of Sheba live in Ethiopia some 1600 miles from the

Promise land. When the Queen heard about Solomon’s relationship

with the Lord and his wisdom, she made the trip to come and check him out for herself. Not only did she come, but she brought a caravan of gold, precious stones, and spices for an offering.

The Queen probably understood the importance of a relationship with

The King of Israel his power and the fact that Jerusalem was near the

main trade route to the Mediterranean Sea.

THE POWER OF THE TESTIMONY

When she HEARD.  When you serve the Lord, your reputation

precedes you. The word traveled by mouth to other countries.

Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Even those

who don’t know the Lord are affected by the work of the Lord. Your 

Testimony has the power to get people moving in a different direction.

THE INTRIGUED OF THE TESTIMONY

We are naturally curious. When we hear about something unusual, we

are moved to find out more information. Israel had a long History

Of success in battle over their enemies due to their relationship with

Their Lord. Let me suggest that it was Solomon’s relationship with the Lord and his wisdom that intrigued the Queen the most.

THE TRAVEL OF THE TESTIMONY

Keep in mind that Ethiopia is 1600 miles from Jerusalem. By car at 60

Miles an hour is 27 hours. Assume 50 miles a day by camel is 32 days of travel. For a queen who was accustomed to luxury, this distance was quite a journey.  I suggest that her reason for the journey was more than information but developing a relationship with Israel and the Lord. The Word of God knows no boundaries. What distance would you travel to learn about Jesus?

THE DRAWING OF THE TESTIMONY

No one can come to Jesus unless he is drawn by the Lord (John 6:44). God has a reason why the Queen of Sheba was included in this passage.  He does not tell us here, but we can get some insight from

The New Testament. 

Luke 11:31

31 The Queen of the South will rise at the judgment with the men of this generation and condemn them; for she came from the ends of the earth to listen to Solomon's wisdom, and now one greater than Solomon is here. 

This is evidence that she accepted God’s commands and was obedient to them. She developed a heart for God.

The Queen of Sheba may represent the gaining of knowledge, wisdom, and salvation through the study of God’s Word. A characteristic every believer must have for a growing relationship

With the Lord. 

THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE TESTIMONY

Any man/woman in Christ is a new creation (2 Cor 5:17). I believe the transformation begins when God draws us to Jesus.  The journey for

The queen began when she started her trip to Jerusalem. Her interest was changed from an interest in the world to an interest in the Lord. It is in the text;

1 Kings 10:6-8

The report I heard in my own country about your achievements and your wisdom is true. 7 But I did not believe these things until I came and saw with my own eyes. Indeed, not even half was told me; in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard. 

When we study God’s Word we find that His wisdom far exceeds any

Knowledge we have in the world. God gives us insight into what is and

What will be in the future. No one knows what tomorrow will bring but

Lord who holds the future in His hands.

THE CONVICTION OF THE TESTIMONY

It is the job of every believer to proclaim the Word of God to all we come in contact with. The Word ought to draw us into a deeper study. 

The Queen took time to meditate on what she heard and developed a

Number of significant questions that would guide her decision to 

Accept the Jewish God as hers. Some historians believe she spent six

Months with Solomon before returning to Ethiopia. 

As believers. We have to prepare ourselves for God’s service by

Digging deep into His Word.

2 Timothy 2:15

15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

Every believer ought to have some study time and study partners.

The Queen of Sheba came to study the Word of God with Solomon

1 Kings 10:1-2

10 When the queen of Sheba heard about the fame of Solomon and his relation to the name of the Lord, she came to test him with hard questions. 

The study of the Word of God ought to lead us into deeper discussions. It is my belief that no study of God’s Word is complete

Without more questions. In other words, you cannot get to an end

Of studying God’s Word. Take a lesson from the queen;

1 Kings 10:8-9

8 How happy your men must be! How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom! 9 Praise be to the Lord your God, who has delighted in you and placed you on the throne of Israel.

The study of God’s Word will enlighten the mind and lead to the 

Praise of the Lord. 

It ought to give us joy to uncover the hidden secrets of the Scripture.

Our mind is too finite to understand the width and depth of God’s Word. 

THE UNITY OF THE TESTIMONY

The Word of God ought to bring believers together. We should all be on the same page. The queen traveled 1600 miles to study with 

Solomon.

1 Kings 10:9

Because of the Lord's eternal love for Israel, he has made you king, to maintain justice and righteousness." 

The queen of Sheba understood love, justice, and righteousness. She

Was satisfied in the Lord.  No nonbeliever will never understand God’s eternal love. It is foolishness to the world (1 Cor 2:14).

THE GRATEFULNESS OF THE TESTIMONY

We should always bring a sacrifice to the house of the Lord

As a show of our gratitude to His goodness.

1 Kings 10:10-12

10 And she gave the king 120 talents of gold, large quantities of spices, and precious stones. Never again were so many spices brought in as those the queen of Sheba gave to King Solomon. 

11 (Hiram's ships brought gold from Ophir; and from there they brought great cargoes of almugwood and precious stones. 

NIV

The Queen of Sheba was grateful for the knowledge she gained

From Solomon and for what eyes had seen and ears had heard.

GIVE AND IT WILL BE GIVEN TO YOU

The Queen of Sheba received more than money could buy, She

Received her salvation.

1 Kings 10:13

13 King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for, besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty. Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country. 

GOD TREASURES YOUR OFFERING

You will never know how God will use your offering or how it will be used to bring Him glory. Your offering is evidence of your love for the Lord.

1 Kings 10:11-13

 (Hiram's ships brought gold from Ophir; and from there they brought great cargoes of almugwood and precious stones. 12 The king used the almugwood to make supports for the temple of the Lord and for the royal palace, and to make harps and lyres for the musicians. So much almugwood has never been imported or seen since that day.) 

WE ARE THE APPLE OF GOD’S EYE

We must know and understand that all believers are the apple of

God’s eye.

Zechariah 2:8-9

 For this is what the Lord Almighty says: "After he has honored me and has sent me against the nations that have plundered you — for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye —   9 I will surely raise my hand against them so that their slaves will plunder them. Then you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me. 

YOU OUGHT TO SAY IT TO THE WORLD

DON’T MESS WITH ME, I AM THE APPLE OF GOD’S EYE