Sometimes to understand
what something is, it is good to know what it is not. Let's consult Webster's Dictionary:
"Ingratitude - n., ungratefulness, lack of gratitude; adj., unthankful, unmindful,
thankless." And what it is: "Gratitude -n., thanks, thankfulness, appreciation,
indebtedness; adj., to be beholding, indebted, in one's debt."
"Thanks" , "thanksgiving" and
"thankful" are used 137 times in the Bible. If the ingredients of gratitude were
counted, it would include praise, joy, rejoicing, etc. If all these were counted, the
number of times "gratitude" appears in its many forms would be staggering.
I began a study about gratitude to God. This is what I found: I
Chron. 16:4; 7-11 is the first account of God's people (Levities) appointed to give
praise and thanks to God continually. II Chron. 20:21-22 shows praises go before the
people for victory against overwhelming odds. Acts 16:25 says Paul and Silas were
delivered out of prison after they continually sang praises to God.
Read these accounts for realization of the value of gratitude to
God: Deut. 28:47-48 Amplified Bible, "Because you did not serve the Lord your God
with joyfulness of mind and heart in gratitude for the abundance of all with which He both
blessed you, therefore, you shall serve your enemies whom the Lord shall send against you,
in hunger, in thirst, in nakedness, and in the want of all things: and He will put a yoke
of iron upon your neck until He has destroyed you."
See James 4:7-8 and Heb. 3:17-18. The Devil does not flee from you
because you have not submitted yourself to God. You should rejoice in your salvation even
if all else fails.
It is very important to serve the Lord with joy; joy being a large
part of gratitude: Eph. 5:20, Amplified Bible, "At all times and for everything
giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father." I Thes. 5:18,
"Thank God in everything no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and
give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." Here
thankfulness is emphasized by its double usage.
You will never escape the fact that you are in charge of your
attitudes. Attitudes reside in the mind. You are in charge of that mind in your head (II
Cor. 10:5). The way you allow your mind to think will eventually become YOU (Matt.
12:35-37)!
Here are some verses to clarify your thinking: Ezra 3:10-13;
6:16-22, account of triumph and joy at the destruction of idol worship and renewed worship
of God; Prov. 4:23, guard your heart - life flows from it; Matt. 12:35-36, you are what
flows out of you; Prov. 18:21, death and life are in your tongue (watch it, man); Prov.
12:25, anxiety - heavy heart, encouragement, help; Josh. 1:8, formula for good success.
Phil. 4:8, think on these things; Col. 3:16, let Christ's words live in you; Mark 11:23,
you have what you believe and say; Ps. 50:23 order your conversation rightly (if you say
with your lips yea", but in your heart "nay", you just cancelled); and II
Tim. 3:2, ungrateful is high on the list of signs of the end times in personal life.
~Bits and Pieces of the Deliverance Manual by Gene and Earline Moody
PRAYER - Father, I come to You in the name of Jesus. With the help of the Holy Spirit and by Your grace, I join with the heavenly host making a joyful noise to You and serving You with gladness! I come before Your presence with singing!
Lord, I know (perceive, recognize, and understand with approval) that You are God! It is You Who made us, not we ourselves [and we are Yours]! We are Your people and the sheep of Your pasture.
Father, I enter into Your gates with thanksgiving and present an offering of thanks. I enter into Your courts with praise! I am thankful and delight to say so. I bless and affectionately praise Your name! For You are good and Your mercy and loving-kindness are everlasting. Your faithfulness and truth endure to all generations. It is a good and delightful thing to give thanks to You, O Most High.
Lord, by Your Holy Spirit, perfect the fruit of my lips. Help me draw thanksgiving forth from my innermost resources; reach down into the most secret places of my heart that I may offer significant thanksgiving to You, Father.
Thank You for my parents who gave me life. I am grateful for the victories and achievements I have experienced in spite of my hurts — the bruises and the abuses that boxed me in when I was a small child. You used them for good even though Satan intended them for my destruction.
You prepared me to listen to the inner voice — the voice of Your Holy Spirit.
Thank You for Your grace, which is teaching me to trust myself and others. Thank You for life — life in all its abundance.
It was You Who gave me a desire to pray, and I am grateful for the prayer closet where we meet, and I thank You for Your Word. Life is exciting, and I am grateful that I am alive for such a time as this.
Thank You for past and present relationships. I learn from those who oppose me and from those who are for me. You taught me to recognize and understand my strengths and weaknesses. You gave me discernment and spiritual understanding. I enter Your gates with thanksgiving in my heart.
You are my Father. I am Your child, loved by You unconditionally. I rejoice in You, Lord, and give thanks at the remembrance of Your holiness.
I am an overcomer by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of my testimony.
In the name of Jesus, amen.
Scripture References:
Psalm 100:1-5 AMP Philippians 2:13
Psalm 92:1 AMP Esther 4:14
Psalm 138:8 Psalm 100:4
Hebrews 13:15 Philippians 3:1
Genesis 50:20 NIV Psalm 30:4
John 10:10 Revelation 12:11
©2011 Word Ministries, Inc.
No comments:
Post a Comment