Notice one of the signs of the last days is that men will be unthankful? Now I will admit that the things I am teaching here can be easier said than done but they are still of great importance. I might also mention that if you are not yet a real Acts 2:38 Christian then none of this will matter to you.
Now how many of us being cast into prison without just cause would find ourselves singing praises to God?
Acts 16:25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.
26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed.
Now I am not saying that we are to be thankful FOR everything but rather in any situation. For example if your country fell to communism that would not be something to be thankful for, BUT one could still be thankful that they have a country to care about or the many blessings that they have. Do you have enough to eat? Do you have air to breathe? Do you have water to drink? You know the drill. Now I am not saying this will always be easy or claiming that I never whine about anything, BUT I know what the goal is. When we slip and fall then we need to get back up.
II Timothy 3:1 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
Notice above that unthankful comes right before unholy. If the devil can steal your thankfulness then it makes it easy for him to steal your holiness.
Psalms 97:12 Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.
Ephesians 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;
21 Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.
22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Yea if the devil can steal your thankfulness then he can proceed to steal everything else.
Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Notice the importance of thanksgiving even in your prayers.
I Thessalonians 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
In every situation you must find things to be thankful for. There is a power in thankfulness.
I Timothy 4:4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
Thanksgiving sanctifies foods that were previously considered unclean. Saying a prayer of thanks before meals is quite scriptural.
Just consider the snowball effect when one loses their thankfulness. They become easy prey for the devil. How many divorces started with a woman losing her thankfulness for the blessings she had just because everything wasn't perfect. How many after losing their thankfulness were easy prey for the sinful council of the worldly "friend"?
Psalms 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.
31 This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bullock that hath horns and hoofs.
The above is an example of praise and thanksgiving being of greater value to God than sacrifice.
Psalms 95:2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.
Psalms 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.
Psalms 116:17 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord.
Beginning to see why the devil is working overtime to steal ones thankfulness? If he can steal that then the rest is easy.
II Corinthians 4:14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.
15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.
17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory;
Philippians 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
Colossians 2:6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
7 Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.
8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
Even in the above verse that warns against the trinity or any other polytheism there is a reference to thanksgiving.
Colossians 4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
Just thing of how many fallen into sin like drugs or alcoholism or divorce or whatever started with the person losing their thankfulness for what they had.
I have shared here just a small portion of the Bible verses regarding thankfulness. It is essential for a Christian life. It is essential for prayer.
Ever heard of a thankful praying Christian asking for a divorce? Ever hear of a thankful praying Christian falling into sin and ungodliness?
There is a grave danger for the true Acts 2:38 Christian if they abandon the faith and return to the world of sin. That long decline will most always be preceded by a loss of thankfulness.
II Peter 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
We need to be thankful regardless of our situation that we not fall away. Of course if one has not obeyed Acts 2:38 to actually become a Christian it will not matter what they do.
A thankful praying true Christian is hardened against the attack of the devil. Of course that does not mean that we have to like everything we see. It does not mean that we are to be thankful for evil. You can be surrounded by evil but still be thankful for your blessings. As the old expression goes "Count your blessings".
James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.
Sometimes when we are feeling the least thankful is the time we need to be the most thankful and prayerful.
Use your spiritual power! Be thankful and prayerful.
However dire or seemingly hopeless any situation might be a prayerful thankful attitude will make it better and sometimes miraculously.
Bro. Steve Winter DD
