Developing A Grateful Heart

A couple of weeks ago, I had decided that to post a "Thank You to God" for each day of the month of November would be something special I could do in appreciation to the Lord.

Well, I ended up not getting on the computer, the first 2 days of the new month, and saw other people had also decided they would write something they were thankful for. Which I thought was great, but I had let the first two days pass me by and wasn't sure how to make it work. So, I decided just to put both "Thank You" commits together.

Then, last night, when I started my post, the internet connection was soooo slow and I admit I was a wee upset and just shut it off. Well, tonight it wasn't any better, so I turned it off, being frustrated but, this time turned it back on. I knew a battle had started in the spiritual realm and I decided I was not going to let the enemy win. So, I prayed a battle prayer. I am now, able to type without it taking forever. Praise the Lord!

While looking for scripture to use with the post, I found a sermon by pastor, Rodney Buchanan, on the subject of a grateful heart. Throughout my blog I like to refer you to some sermons which touch my heart and hope it does yours. Pastors are men and women of God who have committed their life to share the Gospel and are great writers. I share them with you in my, "Bits and pieces of the Sermon". You will want to click on the title of the link below, to view the full sermon of "Developing A Grateful Heart", it is good. Also, click on the name, "Rodney Buchanan", to get to know more about his ministry.

Two men were walking through a field one day when they spotted an enraged bull. Immediately they ran toward the nearest fence. The storming bull ran after them in hot pursuit, and they realized that they were not going to make it. Terrified, one man shouted to his friend, “Say a prayer, John. We’re in trouble ” John said, “I’ve never prayed out loud before. I don’t know what to say. “But you have to,” yelled his companion; “The bull is catching up to us.” “All right,” said John, as he ran with all his might; “I’ll say the only prayer I know. My father used to say it at the table: Oh Lord, for what we are about to receive, make us truly thankful.”

Some people pray only when they are in trouble. Even fewer pray a prayer of thanksgiving. There is an interesting paradox in our culture: the more we have, the less thankful we are. The more we have, the more we want. The more we have, the more we are aware of what we do not have, and if we should happen to forget, the advertising world is ready to remind us. If you were not already aware of the holiday of Thanksgiving, you would completely miss it if you only looked at the stores and listened to the media. It seemed like we have been totally by-passing Thanksgiving — moving straight from Halloween to Christmas. We went from a holiday of fear to one of hope without thanksgiving in between. But the reality is that it’s a grateful heart that moves us from fear to hope. Without Thanksgiving we are not ready for Christmas. A grateful heart brings about an expectant heart. You cannot be hopeful about the future without being thankful for the past and grateful for the present.

How do we develop a grateful heart? I am convinced that this is the work of God that only happens through prayer. We need to pray for three things. The first is, we need to pray that God would move our hearts: From Complaints to Praise. Can you imagine how different the world would be if beginning today people would not complain about anything? The world would be a completely different place. A new joy would begin to take over the world just because of that one minor change. But, now, can you imagine how different you would be if today you would stop complaining? There would be a whole new you. A new joy would begin to take over your life, and you would have a whole new outlook on the world. Some people would hardly have anything to say. If you would just stop complaining your relationships would be different, your job would be different, your home would be different, and your church would be different.

Hear the Word of God as it says, “Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life” (Philippians 2:14-16). Having a heart that has developed a spirit of gratitude and put aside complaining is one of the evidences of reality of God’s Spirit in our lives to an unbelieving world. If we are as negative and cynical as the rest of the world, or worse, what does that say to those who are watching our lives? Constantly, on our lips, should be words of praise. We ought to sing the words of the Scripture which say, “Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. . . . Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name” (1 Chronicles 29:11-13).

Secondly, we need to pray that God would move our hearts: From Criticism to Encouragement. Haven’t we been beaten up enough out in the world? Do we need to be beaten up by our friends and at home as well? Should not our Christian family be the place where we find understanding and encouragement? We need to be really careful in the things we say to each other...The Bible says, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:29-32). The command of God is that we build one another up, not tear each other down. It grieves the Holy Spirit when our words hurt instead of heal.

The third thing we need to pray for is that God would move our hearts: From Cynicism to Faith. All of us have questions. We learn by questioning things. But there is a difference between questioning something and expecting that there is a reasonable answer and questioning for the sake of questioning — not expecting or wanting there to be an answer. You can question because you want to know, or you can question as an excuse for not wanting to know. A skeptic is a person who doubts something is true, but is willing to investigate the facts in order to know whether it is true or not. A cynic is one who assumes something is not true and is not willing to look at the evidence or take is seriously.

The problem with a cynical spirit is that you never get anywhere. It robs you of confidence in life. The cynic asks, “How can you know there is a God?” “How can you be sure there is a heaven?” “How do you know that you are a Christian?” The message of the Bible is that God wants us to have confidence and know some things for sure. John wrote: “I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life”(1 John 5:13).

Jesus was constantly confronted by cynics who stubbornly refused to believe. They were willful in their spiritual blindness, even though he had performed miracle after miracle before their eyes. He said to them, “Even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father” (John 10:38). Another time when Jesus told a crippled man that his sins were forgiven, the cynics accused him of blaspheming, since God alone could forgive sins. But he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things?

A cynical heart can never be a grateful heart. It lives in the quagmire of doubt. It is never willing to crawl out of the darkness in order to come to the light. There is nothing to be grateful for, because everything is questioned. There is a smirk in the place of a smile. Faith is not something that just comes over you — it is a decision. There are not some who are predisposed to believe and some who are predisposed to doubt. All of us have a choice. You must decide to have faith. But this is not just a blind faith with no evidence. There is evidence all around you. The Bible says that, “what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” (Romans 1:19-20).

We are those who even if we have nothing still have Someone to thank. We keep thinking that everything has to be taken care of and all our needs met before we can be thankful. But consider Habakkuk who said, “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior” (Habakkuk 3:17-18).

For those who move from complaints to praise, from criticism to encouragement, and from cynicism to faith there is the reward of joy. For those who ask God to change the negative spirit within them, the Lord gives the gift of praise even in the worst of circumstances.

"Developing A Grateful Heart" by Rodney Buchanan

"Thankfulness is not about keeping tradition. It is a matter of the heart. It should be an everyday occurence. It should be a habit; it should be a way of life. It may seem as though it is small or insignificant to you, but it means a lot to God and to others. ~Daniella Whyte

Father, Please forgive me for putting other things first and giving up to quickly to be "Thankful" for all the things You do for me.

I am thankful for:

1. Your "Unconditional Love". It doesn't matter what sin I have committed or do commit in the future, You are always willing to forgive and forget. God move my heart: From Complaints to Praise.

I am thankful for:

2. The family you have graciously given me to enjoy while here on earth. God, move my heart: From Criticism to Encouragement. I only want to speak words of encouragement to them, words that will build them up and not tear them down.

I am thankful for:

3. Your son, Jesus, who has given me a clean slate to begin a new life. A life which now understands the purpose and reason to Your Divine Plan. Your, "Grace" to all who believe and accept that You are a living God which loves each of us, dearly. Father, I am thankful for the peace only You give, in knowing that Jesus is Your son, sent to earth to make it possible for each of us to live a life with You eternally.

God, I pray that You would move my heart: From any Cynicism to Faith. The faith which moves mountains. As the father with the demonic child asked Jesus to heal his son, stated, "Help me with my unbelief". Help me, Lord, with any unbelief which hinders the work You have put me here on earth to accomplish for Your Glory!

With a grateful heart, I thank You, for what You have done and are doing in my life. Your child, Debi.

~Bits and Pieces of the Sermon by pastor Rodney Buchanan~