Be Thankful! Perilous times will mark the end of this age on earth. One reason is people are unthankful.
2 TIMOTHY 3:1-2 NKJ
1 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
2 For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,Complaining is the opposite of being thankful. It does not please the Lord.
NUMBERS 11:1 NKJ
1 Now when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; for the Lord heard it, and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the Lord burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp.The New Testament says this account was written for us to learn from.
1 CORINTHIANS 10:10-11 NKJ
10 nor murmur, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed by the destroyer.
11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come.One reason people turn away from God and become corrupt is because of not being thankful.
ROMANS 1:21 NKJ
21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.The root of ingratitude is pride. Someone who is not thankful thinks they should have had more. They believe they deserve better than they have. Or, they believe that they alone are wholly responsible for all they have.
Nebuchadnezzar was one of the latter until he learned.
DANIEL 4:28-37 NKJ
28 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar.
29 At the end of the twelve months he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon.
30 The king spoke, saying, "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?"
31 While the word was still in the king's mouth, a voice fell from heaven: "King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you!
32 And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses."
33 That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws.
34 And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation.
35 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth. No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, "What have You done?"
36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me. My counselors and nobles resorted to me, I was restored to my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added to me.
37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to abase.Whenever reason and understanding come to people, they too will worship and thank God. Anyone in their right mind will.
God always welcomes a thankful person into His presence.
PSALM 100:4 NKJ
4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.Thanks should be given to God. He deserves it -- whether you realize it or not.
PSALM 107:1 NKJ
1 Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.1 CORINTHIANS 15:57 NKJ
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.2 CORINTHIANS 2:14 NKJ
14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.2 CORINTHIANS 9:15 NKJ
15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!God's Word commands Christians to be thankful.
COLOSSIANS 3:15 NKJ
15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.Being thankful is not a choice for a Christian. If it was impossible for us to do, God would not have told us to do it.
COLOSSIANS 3:17 NKJ
17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.COLOSSIANS 2:7 NKJ
7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.Both faith and thanksgiving need to be taught. They do not just happen. As you grow in understanding, your faith will grow and your thanksgiving will grow.
EPHESIANS 5:4 NKJ
4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.Giving of thanks is always appropriate. We should be thankful to people for all they do, as well as to God.
When should we give thanks?
Continually!
HEBREWS 13:15 NKJ
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.When should we give thanks?
Always!
EPHESIANS 5:20 NKJ
20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,Do not misunderstand this verse and take it to mean we should thank God for evil things. No! God is not responsible for evil.
JAMES 1:13,16-17 NKJ
13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
16 Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.
17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.If it was not possible for beloved brethren to be deceived the scripture would not warn us against it. Verse 17 is saying that all good and only good comes to us from our Father in Heaven.
If I enjoyed a lovely meal at your house, and said as I left, "Thanks for everything!" would you take that to mean, "Thanks for murdering those people, thanks for stealing that money, thanks for causing all the divorces!"?
NO!
I would mean thanks for everything you did -- not thanks for everything someone else did. So it is with telling God thanks for everything. We thank Him for everything He has done -- not what the devil has done.
There is a truth, however, that we should not miss. Can we then complain and grumble when we see what the devil has done?
NO!
We are to give thanks always. That is easier when you realize the devil has been defeated and Jesus is Lord. So, no matter what happens, you know that Jesus is the answer and the cure for the problem. Hallelujah!
1 THESSALONIANS 5:18 NKJ
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.No matter how dark and hopeless the situation may look -- give thanks. This is God's will for you. Thank Him for the opportunity to see His deliverance. Thank Him for His mercy and grace. Thank Him for His faithfulness. Thank Him for defeating the devil and setting you free in Christ Jesus. Thank Him that Jesus is Lord. Thank Him that your name is written in Heaven. Thank Him for loving you and taking good care of you. Thank Him! Thank Him!
PHILIPPIANS 4:6 NKJ
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;Instead of worrying, scripture tells us to be thankful and pray.
COLOSSIANS 4:2 NKJ
2 Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;COLOSSIANS 1:3 NKJ
3 We give thanks to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,We are to be thankful for people, too.
EPHESIANS 1:16 NKJ
16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:1 THESSALONIANS 1:2 NKJ
2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers,1 TIMOTHY 2:1 NKJ
1 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,It is easy to thank God for those people who love and help us. Those who do not are harder to be thankful for. Yet, 1 Timothy 2:1 says to give thanks for ALL men.
Why?
As we give thanks it keeps bitterness and hatred from taking root in us. It keeps our attitude straight. It helps us to remember that no matter how bad someone may be, God still loves them and desires to redeem them. God has a plan for them and they are valuable. Everyone was created to contribute something. So we begin to see them from God's perspective -- what their potential and worth is -- not just the wrong they may have done.
Those who are in Heaven give abundant thanks to God for all He has done.
REVELATION 4:9-11 NKJ
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever,
10 the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying:
11 "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created."REVELATION 11:16-17 NKJ
16 And the twenty-four elders who sat before God on their thrones fell on their faces and worshiped God,
17 saying: "We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was and who is to come, because You have taken Your great power and reigned."Gratitude is a mark of maturity. Ingratitude is a mark of immaturity.
Do babies thank their parents for all they do? Only after they grow up! A person who is not thankful has never grown up.
The cure for unhappiness is being thankful.
Depression is caused by ingratitude about:
1. Who you are, or are not.
2. What you have, or do not have.
3. What you do, or do not get to do.You cannot be happy without being thankful.
You cannot be thankful without being happy.
So BE THANKFUL!
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