A Thankful Heart

A Thankful Heart

I Thessalonians 5:18 NKJV
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

In everything, not for everything

“In” in Greek means “in the midst of everything”, not for everything.

We thank God in the midst of all of these.

Ephesians 5:20 NKJV
20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

For is huper in Greek. The English word is over or upper.

The devil wants us under our problems and God wants us to live
above our problems by learning to thank Him.

Hebrews 13:15 NKJV
15 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

It is a key that turns your situation around because it changes you, your outlook, and your attitude.

Unthankfulness dries up the soul.

Psalms 100:4-5 NKJV
4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. 5 For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV
18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Unthankful people, in the mist of adversity, indulge themselves by wallowing in self-pity and bitterness, all the while taking a sort of delight in blaming God for their problems.

Job 13:15 NIVUK
15 Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him; I will surely defend my ways to his face.

1. Thankfulness can unshackle us from toxic emotions.
2. Being thankful helps even if you don’t share it.
3. Thankfulness and gratitude have lasting effects on the brain.

What if you woke up this morning with only what you thanked God for yesterday?

What if everyone threw all of their problems in a pile and, after seeing everyone else’s, decided to grab ours back?

1. Food the five loaves and two small fish.

John 6:11 NKJV
11 And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.

2. The Father heard His prayers

John 11:41 NKJV
41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.

3. The Father hides spiritual truth from the earthly wise and reveals it to babes

Luke 10:21 NLT
21 At that same time Jesus was filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit, and he said, “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way.

4. The cup and the bread

Luke 22:17, Luke 22:19 NLT
17 Then he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. Then he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. 19 He took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

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A Forgiving Heart

A Forgiving Heart

Matthew 6:14-15 NKJV
14 “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Forgiving one another is not a feeling; it’s an act of our will, an act we choose. Jesus knew that unforgiveness is Satan’s open door to invade and destroy our lives.

We are responsible for handling all of life’s problems God’s way—according to His word.

Most depression comes from mishandling the initial problem.

Matthew 5:44 NKJV
44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,

Who is our enemy?

Those that don’t love us, those that are against us, those that wish us harm…Who is our enemy? The Latin word means “hostile, unfriendly, someone not our friend.”

Joseph named his firstborn son Manasseh, which means “making to forget.” He said, “God made me forget all my trouble, all my father’s household, and what my brothers did to me.”

Joseph named his second son Ephraim, which means “fruitful.”

Bitterness in the Greek can mean, “to build a case and stand against someone for revenge and their destruction.”

Unfulfilled expectations can cause unforgiveness. Marriage expectations, job expectations. An expectation is a mental obligation that we assign to another person.

Matthew 5:41 NKJV
41 And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.

Do you need to ask God’s forgiveness?

Do you need to ask your wife or husband’s forgiveness?

Do you need to forgive yourself?

Are there others you need to forgive or ask forgiveness of?

Matthew 5:43-46 NKJV
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?

1. Love
2. Bless
3. Do good
4. Pray

Missions Week — Send Me

Missions Week — Send Me

John 9:4 NLT
4 We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work.

Matthew 28:18-19 NKJV
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Psalms 96:2-3 NKJV
2 Sing to the Lord , bless His name; Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. 3 Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples.

1. We are to share the good news.

2. We also have an obligation to help others who are going
the distance.

III John 1:5-8 NKJV
5 Beloved, you do faithfully whatever you do for the brethren and for strangers, 6 who have borne witness of your love before the church. If you send them forward on their journey in a manner worthy of God, you will do well, 7 because they went forth for His name’s sake, taking nothing from the Gentiles. 8 We therefore ought to receive such, that we may become fellow workers for the truth.

1. Concern for missions and missionaries is a normal
Christian response

2. Support should be abundant in a manner worthy of
God, or in the same way we would treat Jesus (verse 6)

3. When we give to missions and missionaries, we show
our love for God and we become fellow workers with
them (verse 8)

Zechariah 4:10 NLT
10 Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.” (The seven lamps represent the eyes of the Lord that search all around the world.)