ThanksLiving is a way of life that can improve your quality of life and others. Do you live in a thankful way? There is little doubt our world would be a better place if we lived in a consistent state of appreciation for all we have. Knowing what one should do is not the same as doing it. How do we have thankfulness, and live in a mindset completely opposed to ungrateful way most people live?
There
are people worldwide that would gladly give up their life to trade with you for
your life. One that is full of opportunities that don’t exist in their world.
Each one of these people desperately want a new life where they can live in
peace, can work, can feed their families, can bring medical care to their
children, can see a life where people are respected and valued.
Those of us who are fortunate enough to be born into a country where freedom is guaranteed, where schooling is given and not a dream, where one can move from place to place without fear of being arrested or tortured. Those of us who complain so often are the same ones that have more than can only be imagined by millions of others. Everything in your attitude about thankfulness will change when the grace of God motivates your giving. Thankful giving is about…
Those of us who are fortunate enough to be born into a country where freedom is guaranteed, where schooling is given and not a dream, where one can move from place to place without fear of being arrested or tortured. Those of us who complain so often are the same ones that have more than can only be imagined by millions of others. Everything in your attitude about thankfulness will change when the grace of God motivates your giving. Thankful giving is about…
·
God (not need)
11 I say this because I know the plans that I have for you.” This message is
from the Lord. “I have good plans for you. I don’t plan to hurt you. I plan to give
you hope and a good future. (Jeremiah 29:11, ERV)
·
Identifying what is His (not what
is ours)
“Before I made you in your
mother’s womb, I knew you. Before you were born, I chose you for a special work. I chose
you to be a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5, ERV)
·
Viewing eternity (not what
temporary)
“And this is eternal life: that people can know you, the only true God,
and that they can know Jesus Christ, the one you sent. “(John 17:3, ERV)
·
Intent (not amount)
“ I always showed you that you
should work just as I did and help people who are weak. I taught you to
remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘You will have a greater blessing when
you give than when you receive.’” (Acts 20:35, ERV)
·
Never ending eagerness (not
reluctance)
“ Each one of you should give what
you have decided in your heart to give. You should not give if it makes you
unhappy or if you feel forced to give. God loves those who are happy to give.” (2 Corinthians 9:7, ERV)
·
Grace (not guilt)
“ With Jesus as our high priest, we
can feel free to come before God’s throne where there is grace. There we
receive mercy and kindness to help us when we need it.” (Hebrews 4:16, ERV)
“Be
thankful for your blessings, and never doubt your struggles. Don’t ask why it
happened just be thankful for the strength it gave you.”
(www.LiveLifeHappy.com) [i]
[i] Inspired
by the sermon “ThanksLiving: GIVING Thanks” (installment one) Sunday November 11,
2018, Pastor Dave Jansen, CenterPoint Gahanna Church Gahanna, OH.
Additional sources
used: 
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