Ephesians 5:20, “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;” 1st Thessalonians 5:18, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Colossians 3:17, “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” Colossians 4:2, “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;” 1st Thessalonians 1:2, “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;”
As you can see for yourself in our text passages of Scripture, thanksgiving is synonymous with prayer. The Bible teaches us to approach God in prayer with a spirit of thanksgiving, at all times. Thankful people are happy people. If you study the Scriptures, you will find that the saints with the best attitudes maintained a spirit of gratitude toward God. Long before the Hebrews complained repeatedly in the Wilderness, they woefully lacked a spirit of gratitude and thanksgiving toward God. Happy people are not thankful, thankful people are happy. The Jews were miserable, because they were not thankful.
Being thankful is not an option. It is not a suggestion in the Bible. It is a divine command from God almighty!!! A Christian who is not thankful is disobedient to God. One's mindset is everything. I recently watched this video interview of a homeless man who lives on the streets of Venice, California. In the video the homeless man quotes from the Bible, thanking God for meeting his needs with food from a dirty dumpster! I was humbled when I heard that. So many Americans complain about things, when they should be thankful. It is unfortunate when God's children complain. God is so good to all of us. In lieu of the depths of Satan in the United States today, a godly person can only wonder why God has been so merciful to withhold His hand of judgment upon our nation. Sin always undermines a nation!
There is a correlation between wickedness and ingratitude. 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.” Here we learn that having an unthankful spirit toward God is the root cause of rebellion against Him. When a person fails to acknowledge God in their youth, having an unthankful heart, their life can only go downhill from there.
May we always maintain a spirit of thanksgiving toward God, as the inspired Holy Bible commands, no matter what happens in life. Thankful people are happy people. Pastor Jack Hyles used to say that you don't seek happiness, it comes to you. While you are doing what you are supposed to do, on the road of duty, happiness will open the door and get into the vehicle from time to time. Our goal as believers ought not be to find happiness, but to do each day what God wants us to do.
Happiness comes from knowing that we are living within the safety net of God's will. Proverbs 28:14, “Happy is the man that feareth alway: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief.” I suffer in constant toothache-like neck pain, since 2004. I suffer from loneliness, since my former wife divorced me in 2006. I am sad that Harvest Baptist Church on Guam has ostracized me since 2014, because I took a stand against the Devil's Bible versions and the Devil's lie of Lordship Salvation. I am frustrated that I cannot find a wife. These are burdens and heartaches for me. I am not happy with my life. Yet, I am very much thankful to God for all His many blessings, and that makes me a happy person.
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