Thankfulness Leads To Holiness

Romans 1:20-21, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,”

Every time we sit down and eat, we ought to thank God for our food. I never eat without thanking God for my meal. I audibly thank God if I am alone. If I am sitting alone in public, I silently in my heart thank God. If I'm with others, than I will audibly say, “Thank you God for this food!” Doing so sanctifies our food and makes it a holy act. Never eat anything without thanking God, because many people don't have any food in this world. Hundreds of millions of people are still starving in the world today in 2020...

“Around the world, 821 million people do not have enough of the food they need to live an active, healthy life. One in every nine people goes to bed hungry each night, including 20 million people currently at risk of famine in South Sudan, Somalia, Yemen and Nigeria.” —MercyCorps

Thankfulness leads to holiness. Our text passage from Romans 1:2-21 teaches that having an unthankful spirit leads to unholiness. All these young people rioting across America in May and June of 2020 is because they are a bunch of unthankful brats, destroying and burning the hard-earned businesses and property of other people, even shedding their innocent blood in some cases! There is a direct link between thanking God for the food you eat and drink, and holiness...

Romans 14:6, “He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks.”

How's your walk with God dear friend? I can tell just by your level of thankfulness toward God in your life, what your spiritual CONDITION is. This is not one's POSITION in Christ, which is by faith alone. One's POSITION as God's redeemed child has nothing to do with obedience or gratitude as a believer. Ingratitude is more infectious than stage 4 cancer!

I had a Facebook “Friend” that I recently “Unfriended.” I accepted him at first because he quoted a few Bible verses on his Timeline. But then he started sending me vulgar Facebook messages, incessantly using the “F” word (and I don't mean fabulous). At first I was patient and told him I was praying for him. He then began to slander fundamental Baptist preachers. I still gave him some room to be human. He kept saying how much he hated life and wanted to kill himself. I told him that I loved him in Christ, and gave him a bunch of spiritual helps to guide him, to which he arrogantly replied with more Smart Alecky foul comments. I went to change his status from “Friend” to “Acquaintance,” to distance myself from his cancerous negativity, and mistakenly “Unfriended” him, but was glad I accidentally got rid of him, because he is infected with hatred, ingratitude and a bitter spirit toward God and man. I have to protect my spirit! Proverbs 4:23, “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”

I am not a perfect person, and I don't claim to be a good Christian, but God knows that I have a very thankful heart. I am so blessed by God in so mnay ways. My wife divorced me in 2006. I lost my 3,500 square foot home as a consequence. I never saw my pets again, which I had loved for years. I never saw my home again, the judge wouldn't allow me to return. I went from working on my website ministry one day, to never stepping into my home again the next day, literally. I lost my home to pay $64,000 in attorney's fees, in a bitter lengthy divorce and legal nightmare that ensued. 

I was severely rear-ended by a church bus in 1992, which led to Cervical Degenerative Disk Disease (stenosis and displaced disks in my neck) in 2004, with added radiculopathy (radiating pain in my arms and legs) due to a fall at work in 2005. I underwent two major neck surgeries in 2009 and 2010, without a wife or girlfriend, or even a family member by my side through it all. I bought two barbecues to commit suicide in 2009, but never followed through with it. I crawled into Harvest Baptist Church on Guam in 2013 for their spiritual help and desperately needed love and emotional support, but then rejected me several months later because I befriended them with THE TRUTH. I told THE TRUTH that the modern Bible revisions are corrupted by Satan. I told THE TRUTH, which God will reward me for in eternity!!! God wants us to SPEAK UP, but the Devil wants us to SHUT UP!!!

I told THE TRUTH at the Harvest Baptist Church on Guam that Lordship Salvation is a counterfeit gospel, and that Dr. John MacArthur is a false prophet! I had lost everything in my life by 2015!!! Yet, through it all (and my life is still a mess in 2020), I want to tell the world that GOD IS GOOD!!! God is so good and more than amazing! I am a redeemed, born-again, saved, blood-washed, child of God! My name is recorded in Heaven in the Lamb's Book of Life. I have eternal life dwelling in me, because I have Jesus as my personal Savior!!! I am so thankful to God for His salvation, assurance, love, food, blessings, website ministry and the blessed indwelling Holy Spirit who comforts me continually. I LOVE JESUS!!! 

I AM THANKFUL TO THE LORD FOR EVERYTHING. 1st Thessalonians 5:18, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” The Bible doesn't say to give thanks to God “FOR” everything, but “IN” everything! I'm not thankful to God that I have constant neck pain, but I am thankful despite my neck pain. I am thankful that God uses my neck pain to humble me, and to bless my ministry. As with Paul's thorn in the flesh (which I think was poor eyesight), God uses my chronic neck pain to keep me humble, as he blesses my online ministry abundantly. I am thankful that I am not confined to a wheelchair. I am thankful that I have prescription pain medications to help alleviate my pain. 

I am thankful that I have a roof over my head. I am thankful for the good food that I have, and for dark chocolate with caramel, and for cold fresh water to drink. I am thankful for my eyes, even though I need glasses to see sometimes. I am thankful for my mind, that I can think and write meaningful articles to influence others for Christ. I am thankful for thousands of things. God's blessings are innumerable!!! Yet, so many people choose to dwell upon what they don't have, and to complain, which is a horrible sin against God. God hates complaining!!! The Hebrews age 21 and older died in the Wilderness, because of the constant bellyaching to Moses and Aaron. 

I dare not focus on the things I don't have in life. I wish I had a wife. I hate living alone. I was in the local San Jose grocery store last night and overheard a young woman saying that she likes girls. I said, “I like girls too, can I be your boyfriend?” She said, “No, I like girls.” This is a crazy and wicked sicko generation! Hopefully one day I'll find a woman who likes men, and she'll like me, and I'll have someone to share my life with. It has been 14 long and lonely years since I was abandoned by my former wife, but God is with me and He keeps me going by faith. Jesus said in Mark 11:22, “Have faith in God.” We should all have 'THE GRATITUDE ATTITUDE.' Whatever your spiritual dilemma may be, the best way to turn it around dear friend, is to start thanking God IN EVERY THING!!!