IN ALL THINGS GIVE THANKS

WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR TODAY (Ephesians 5:15-20) "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."(1 Thessalonians 5:18) "Be very careful, then, how you livej—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity,k because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. Do not get drunk on wine,n which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanksq to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Ephesians 5:15-20) Ephesians 5 invites us to walk in Christ’s light rather than stumble through the darkness of the world (v. 8). In verses 15-20, we encounter a surprising source of spiritual strength: gratitude. Paul urges us to “be filled with the Spirit” (v. 18) and to “[give] thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 20). Gratitude is a posture and attitude that returns our focus to the source of all good things (see James 1:16-18). When we express our thankfulness—even in ordinary or difficult moments—we acknowledge God’s presence and goodness. This reorientation helps us to live intentionally, reflecting Christ’s love. The apostle’s command to give thanks is paired with God’s enabling presence (Ephesians 5:18). The Holy Spirit fills, shapes, and empowers us to live a life of gratitude, which turns our hearts toward God. A heart of gratitude is bases for walking through life with an atitude that will bring you into good repore with those you converse with. Friends when you are (truly) thankful from the heart and live accordingly, it will naturally shape who we are, in our relationship in our lives. Having aa thankful heart will transform our invisible feelings into visable judgeble uplifting behaviors that will flow from us in kindness, patience, and joy. Believe me, the connection between our inter feelings of gratitude and an outward actions speak very loud to our audiance. If we live life with a positive attitude it will go with out having to say it, that we are thankful to God for all He has done for us. Man has done studies that back up what the Bible has already told us, that a good attitude of gratitude make our stresses less and also it increases our joy which helps us have a resiliant heart. We will have a mind that move us away from desiring more of wwhat we think we lack and mocves us towards wanting to help others and appreciate the people God has placed in our lives, and we are more willing to step into the oppirtunities God presents before us. When we start living life as a gift from God, we find it easier to love and to have compassion for others and do it with humility, contentmentand grace. No fan fare, just cultivating a thankful heart and living a thankful life style. It really starts affecting you life, when you find yourself thankong God for a small thing that is good happens to you while you are going about your day to day. Because you have trained your mind to turn towards a good attitude, whether what has happen was good or bad, we find the good in all that happens. I have fpund that when I verbally express my thankfulness helps me cknowledge where I am at in this buisness of being thankful in all things. It has for me become a conscious habit; a choice to be thankful and appreciate even the challenges we face. With the attitude of learning from our mistakes and the challenges we have, remembering that God allows them for a reason. I want to leave with you this morning that being thankful is an important part of who we are. I believe it is a must if we are to for our life for and with God. I am reminded this morning how easy it is to thank Him for big blessings that come our way ( such as keeping us from being hurt in a car accident, or healing us from a disease. But Paul says to offer gratitude for every gift we receive, for every bit of goodness we encounter.(in all things) We’re to be “always giving thanks to God,” the apostle writes (Ephesians 5:20). Not sometimes. Not only for exceptional moments. Always. And to make sure he’s made his point, Paul adds a bit more. “[Make] the most of every opportunity” and give thanks “for everything,” he says (vv. 16, 20). These words from ODB explains that Paul told us, that whatever we are going through to be thankful. So just as the Bible tll us to pray without ceasing, so we are to be thankful without ceasing. Lord Jesus, I pray this morning that my gratitude will become a daily posture in my life. Lord, help my ratitude turn turn me to You over and over again, that I will always be giving thanks in celebration to you regularly Dear God, please help me to live a life of gratitude to You. It is in your name I pray AMEN