I think all of us are good at being grateful when its expected. Its easy to be thankful on THANKSgiving. It’s crazy to me how quickly we move on from gratitude when its not emphasized.

[1 THESSALONIANS 5:18]

“Be thankful in ALL circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”

3 Keys For Staying Grateful

1. BE ROOTED IN CHRIST

[COLOSSIANS 2:6-7]

“And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness.”

[MARK 4:13-20]

“Then Jesus said to them, If you can’t understand the meaning of this
parable, how will you understand all the other parables? The farmer plants seed by taking
God’s word to others. The seed that fell on the footpath represents those who hear the
message, only to have Satan come at once and take it away. The seed on the rocky soil represents those who hear the message and immediately receive it with joy. But since they don’t have deep roots, they don’t last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God’s word. The seed that fell among the thorns represents others who hear God’s word, but all too quickly the message is crowded out by the worries of this life, the lure of wealth, and the desire for other things, so no fruit is produced. And the
seed that fell on good soil represents those who hear and accept God’s word and produce a harvest of thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted!””

[MATTHEW 7:24-27]

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. But anyone who hears my
teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”

[HEBREWS 13:8]

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

So RATHER THAN BEING RUINED BY
CIRCUMSTANCES, YOU CAN BE ROOTED IN
CHRIST.

2. A TRANSFORMED LIFE

[PHILIPPIANS 1:6]

“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”

[ROMANS 12:2]

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

[2 CORINTHIANS 5:17]

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!”

3. A GRATEFUL HEART

[PHILIPPIANS 3:8-11]

“I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him. I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.  I want to know Christ and experience the mighty power that raised him from the dead. I want to suffer with him, sharing in his death, so that one way or another I will experience the resurrection from the dead!”

“Followers of Jesus are free to be grateful for everything because we know we don’t deserve anything.”

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Application Questions

1. What stood out to you from this message and why?

2. What is one thing God is telling you to START doing because of this message?

3. What is one thing God is telling you to STOP doing because of this message?

4. How will this message change how you act at home, work and in the your relationships?