Title: Six Characteristics of Gratitude
Contents
Six Characteristics of Gratitude
(Colossians 2:6-7)
(Summary) [Gratitude has many valuable characteristics. First of all, there is no faith without thanksgiving (Psalm 50:22). Gratitude has the characteristic of experiencing the reality of the gospel (Psalm 50:23). Gratitude is characterized by overflowing (2 Corinthians 4:15). Gratitude is characterized by miracles occurring (Philippians 4:6-7). Gratitude has the characteristic of bringing blessings (Proverbs 3:9). Gratitude is characterized by cleansing (1 Timothy 4:4-5). Gratitude is what makes us perfect (Colossians 2:7).
Learn the faith of true gratitude to the prophet Habakkuk.
Even if there is no fruit of salvation yet, you will enjoy that grace when you believe, confess, and give thanks.]
Today is Thanksgiving.
It is often said that the origin of Thanksgiving is from the American Puritans who landed in America, but in a strict sense, it has already started when mankind came out of the Garden of Eden.
We see it in the sacrifices of Cain and Abel.
It is natural as creatures to give thanks for the harvest and giving us life in many ways.
Maybe this year will be Habakkuk's thanksgiving for a famine.
However, in this or that way, we deserve to be thankful for working together for good and taking responsibility for us. The message I will share with you this time is titled The Characteristic of Gratitude.
In other words, what kind of mystery exists in gratitude.
1. There is a characteristic that must be done.
Psalm 50:22 says, “Now consider this, you who have forgotten God, or I will tear you apart, and there will be no one to deliver.”
Judging from the context of this psalm, it is God's warning against those who leave God without thanksgiving.
It is very sad that the person who should be thankful like this does not know gratitude. The same goes for God. If we don't give thanks, we feel sorry for God who has given us grace.
God has given us love and grace, and what we humans do is to give thanks.
The greatest thing we have to do in life on this earth is nothing greater than gratitude.
Not giving thanks to God includes not knowing, not believing, not pleased with, or even rejecting God's grace.
Therefore, the characteristic that we must thank God for is contained in gratitude.
2. Gratitude has the characteristic of allowing us to experience the reality of grace.
Psalm 50:23 says, “He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving glorifies me, and to him who does the right thing I will show the salvation of God.
Verse 7 of today's text says, “As you have been taught, stand firm in the faith, overflowing with thanksgiving.” This is also a word of exhortation that allows you to experience the reality of grace. Ten lepers were healed according to the words of Jesus.
But there was only one person who came to thank.
Jesus said to him, "Arise, go, and your faith has saved you. You did.
In other words, other people received only physical healing, but those who were grateful received even the salvation of their souls.
The gratitude and salvation shown here are important formulas.
Why does gratitude have anything to do with salvation?
For it is not only believing with the heart, but also confessing with the mouth and confessing with the actions.
Therefore, remember that all that God has prepared in Christ is enjoyed with thanksgiving.
3. Gratitude is characterized by overflowing.
2 Corinthians 4:15 says, “that grace might increase and overflow through the thanksgiving of many, to the glory of God.” 2 Corinthians 9:12 says, “This ministry not only made up for the lack of the saints, but also overflowed because of the many thanksgivings to God of men.”
As shown in verse 7 of the main text, thanksgiving is overflowing, and it should be overflowing.
Gratitude overflows with grace. Blessings abound. Always be thankful for each other. Relationships with people also improve.
God gives greater grace to those who are grateful.
The Philadelphia church was given very little power. However, if you give thanks without complaining, you have been faithful and given the blessing of an open door and the greatest blessing of becoming a pillar of the temple.
People know that we should be thankful for receiving a lot, but we always emphasize it, but just thinking about the fact that you have chosen us, we will be eternally grateful.
Let's not be greedy any more and always live with gratitude. How grateful we are to deliver us from eternal ruin.
When we give thanks in this way, He makes us receive greater things than those who have received much, enjoy them, and abound in abundance.
4. Gratitude is characterized by miracles.
Philippians 4:6-7 says, “With thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Gratitude overflows with the miracle of peace. This peace, because it transcends all understanding, repels all other emotions and fills you with peace.
The miracle of Jesus' five loaves also occurred when Jesus gave his blessing.
Congratulation here means thanks. Someone's family was ill and he always told me to be thankful.
So thank you, I continued and got better.
This testimony did not make sense when I did not know the gospel of Jesus.
The question was whether this subjective thing really applies to everyone.
However, after knowing the gospel, I realized that the way to enjoy the reality by confessing with my mouth what was accomplished in Jesus is through faith and thanksgiving.
5. Gratitude has the characteristic of bringing blessings
Proverbs 3:9 says, “Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the firstfruits of your produce, and your storehouses will be full, and your presses will overflow with new wine.”
There is no loss because we are grateful.
God gives much more than we give to God.
In the end, we take what belongs to God and give it to God.
It's like parents giving their kids money to buy a present for their parents on their birthday.
In this way, we take what is God's and give it to God, but God sees this and blesses us.
Tithing is always sad. Tithing is a promise of God's blessing. I hate it when I emphasize it, and I don't always do it for fear of misunderstanding, but if I really love you, you must do it.
Tithing is an acknowledgment that possessions belong to God, and God is responsible for the inheritance because it is under God's sovereignty.
Seeing what you can't even know makes you feel sorry for how much you would hesitate if the scars of hunger in the past were great.
Of course, thanksgiving and tithing are different. But it's the same in that you have to do it with a grateful heart.
Blessings come when you are grateful. The Bible says that those who give will have abundance.
These blessings were given by God because they saw something and were happy, and they did not come by accident.
In addition to this, we must also give to others in order to reciprocate with a grateful heart.
If you think about making money while running a business, things don't go well.
Instead, if you do it with a heart to serve everyone in the world because you have received great grace from God, it will not only be rewarding, but it will be more effective and competitive than any other advertising effects, and as a bonus, you will inevitably do well.
6. Gratitude is characterized by cleansing.
1 Timothy 4:4-5 says, “Everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.”
Giving thanks will clear your humble heart and conscience.
If you look at the background of this 1 Timothy, there were people who thought normal marriage was a sin because of the ascetic philosophy and heresy of Paul's time.
As a result, their consciences were always shunned.
Or, under the influence of Judaism, people's consciences were offended whenever they ate unclean food classified in the Old Testament or food that was placed on idols sold in markets.
However, what God has allowed is not a sin, but rather grace. Eat with thanksgiving.
Then your conscience will be cleansed.
And gratitude makes us whole.
Colossians 2:7 says, “rooted and built up in him, standing firm in the faith as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.”
When we give thanks, our faith transforms into a more perfect faith.
Please take a look and see if the reason you are not enjoying the grace that has been perfected in Jesus is because you lack a poet of gratitude.
Dear saints,
Let's always be thankful saints.
That is what we deserve as those who are loved by God, and it is more beneficial to us.
So, I hope that you will become more loved saints.