Generosity

Philippians 2:1-11

Today, we will consider some of the benefits of generosity, but first, let’s consider some of the pressures of life from which we need relief and because of which we need refreshing.

Many stresses and pressures occupy our daily lives.

We have the pressure of shelter and food. The concerns of our body take up quite a bit of time. What we will eat and what we will wear may only be a small part of our financial concerns, but clothing and food are never completely ignored. Once the basic needs are met, our minds turn to storing up for the future or increasing our prosperity. We call it getting ahead, and it means different things for different people. Better vacations, travel and destinations occupy the thoughts of many. Others are taken up with houses, automobiles, yards and gardens. Still others spend their time preparing for retirement and providing for the future. 

Jesus addressed these concerns in a talk we call the Sermon on the Mount. In this talk, Jesus tells us how to live as citizens of the Kingdom of God. When we believe in Jesus, we become citizens of this kingdom. Jesus says:

Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. (Matthew 6:25-33 ESV)

In these words, Jesus tells us not to worry or be anxious. The reason He gives for our ability to relax and let go is our Heavenly Father's knowledge of our needs. After giving us this reason, Jesus tells us there is something else we should focus on. Rather than focusing on our needs, we must focus on the Kingdom of God.

The context of these instructions is reducing worry and anxiety. When we focus on ourselves, we only increase our anxiety and worries. As instructions from the Lord, we should seek to obey the admonition to seek the Kingdom of God above all else, but there is a very practical benefit in freeing ourselves from anxiety.

 When asked what the greatest commandment was, Jesus said:

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Matthew 22:37-39 ESV)

In stating that these two commandments are the greatest, Jesus teaches us that these two things are the most important things in life. 

In other words, God and others are the most important things in life. When we are selfish, we neglect the most important things in life, and as a result, cannot help but experience anxiety and stress.

Philippians 2:3-4 teaches us a principle that comes from this concept. It says:

Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Philippians 2:3-4 ESV)

The Bible has a lot to say about being generous and looking out for others. Here is a list of other verses that address this issue.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; (1 Corinthians 13:4-5 ESV)

Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. (1 Corinthians 10:24 ESV)

For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. (James 3:16 ESV)

Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. (Romans 15:2 ESV)

A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed. (Proverbs 11:25 NIV)

This is the final message on our series “Refresh.” I chose the NIV for this last verse because it uses the word refresh. When we trust God for our needs, our faith results in our being refreshed. When we find ourselves satisfied in God and with His provision, we are free to be generous. Our faith in Jesus Christ leads us to be refreshed by being generous. 

So far, we have seen that the solution for anxiety is to change our focus from ourselves. We have also seen that the most important things in life are God and others. In this series, we have looked at how Sabbath, rest, gratitude and prayer are essential parts of our refreshing and we have looked at how they must be a part of our lives as believers. Generosity is a natural outgrowth of rest, gratitude and prayer.

It may seem the opposite of what we would naturally think, but putting others first is important to our emotional and spiritual refreshing. Building regular acts of kindness, giving and service into our lives is an important part of having a vital, joy-filled emotional and spiritual life.

The first benefit of generosity that refreshes us is purpose and meaning. 

When the Apostle Paul wrote thanking his friends in Philippi for their financial support, he said:

Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. (Philippians 4:17 ESV)

Paul worked at the preaching of the gospel and building the Kingdom of God. By supporting his ministry, the Philippians were storing up treasures for themselves in heaven, and they were at the same time refreshing themselves spiritually by participating in something with purpose and value. We do the same when we support, pray for and encourage missionaries. Through practicing generosity, we become part of something much bigger than ourselves.

The second benefit of generosity is an awareness of the tremendous riches with which God has blessed us. Whether we give material goods or our time or our kindness, generosity grows out of and is strengthened by what God, through Jesus Christ has done for us. A good example of what I am talking about is found in Philippians 2. Philippians 2:1-3 says:

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. (Philippians 2:1-3 ESV)

Verse 1speaks of some of the benefits of our salvation. It begins with the word “if.”  However, there is no question implied by the word “if.” Rather, the Apostle is pointing to the certainty of these things. We have encouragement and comfort from and in Christ and His love. We have been given the Holy Spirit by which we have the certain knowledge that we are children of God. In light of these things, we are instructed to give up selfish ambition and conceit and we are encouraged to be humble and count others as more important than ourselves. The more aware we are of how much we have been given, the more grateful we will be and the more we will find joy in sharing with others. Generosity reinforces our awareness of the tremendous riches we have in Christ Jesus.

Another point of stress we have from which we need relief comes from relationships. Offenses are unavoidable, and it is inevitable that we will be hurt by others. One of the benefits of generosity is freedom from bitterness and anger, and deliverance from guilt.

It may seem strange to talk about guilt in a message about generosity, but I hope to make clear the connection.

The following incident took place in the life of Jesus. Jesus was invited to a Pharisee’s house for a meal and during the meal, a woman came in and began washing Jesus’ feet with her tears and drying them with her hair. When the Pharisee thought to himself that Jesus must not know what kind of woman this was, Luke records the incident for us, saying:

Then turning toward the woman he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not ceased to kiss my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little." (Luke 7:44-47 ESV)

Look at how unsparingly the woman gave to Jesus! She was inspired by the forgiveness that she received.

The relief from the pain of broken relationships begins with forgiveness. We can forgive because we have been forgiven. Forgiving others flows out of generosity inspired by what God has done for us. 

If we harbor bitterness, envy and unforgiveness in our hearts, we will not enjoy rest, refreshing and a vital spiritual life. The practice of forgiving others involves a growing awareness of the great price God has paid for us, the great debt we owed and how freely He has forgiven us. Jesus stated plainly that if we do not forgive others, God will not forgive us, and we desperately need His forgiveness. God was generous toward us in forgiving our debt, and because of this, we can be generous with others in forgiving their debts.

Generosity helps meet our need for meaning and significance. 

Generosity brings to our awareness the great blessings God has poured out on us.

Generosity frees us from bitterness and anger.

Generosity can be summed up in the words of 1 John 4.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

We love, because He first loved us. (1 John 4:7-8, 19 NASB)

Prayer

1 Thessalonians 5:17

We all get tired. Tiredness is part of the daily cycle of our lives. We eat daily to restore our depleted energy. We sleep every night to refresh our tired minds and bodies. Rest, restoration and refreshing are as necessary as air, food and water. Without rest, restoration and refreshing, we would die.

This series called “Refresh” is that important.

For some, the burdens of life are too much to bear. Depression, disease and death result from this overload. Many factors contribute to depression and disease, and the burdens of life are not the only explanation nor are they the only contributing factors in depression and disease. However, some among us cannot carry the burdens they labor under. Galatians 6 addresses this issue when it says:

Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. (Galatians 6:2 ESV)

Sabbath and rest and thanksgiving are all part of our refreshing and are necessary for us because of the burdens we carry. 

Today, we are going to consider another necessary part of our refreshing.

Today, we are going to think about prayer.

Prayer is necessary for the life of the believer.

The unbeliever rests his/her body, feeds his/her body and takes time for mental and emotional renewal, but spiritually he/she is dead with no connection to our Heavenly Father. We all started out in this place. Ephesians 2:1-3 says,

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. (Ephesians 2:1-3 ESV)

When we accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior, we were made alive with Him. We were reborn - born a second time - born spiritually. A natural and necessary component of this new life is prayer. The physical body breathes. The spirit prays.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 says:

“pray without ceasing,” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 ESV)

These instructions are to the point, clear and concise.

The context of these instructions is the first thing I want us to look at. In context, this passage says:

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV)

Rejoicing, praying and giving thanks appear together in the same sentence, because rejoicing, praying and giving thanks belong together. I borrowed many of the thoughts that follow from C. H. Spurgeon’s sermon from March 10, 1872 titled “Pray Without Ceasing.” Spurgeon suggests, and I agree, that we are able to rejoice always because we are able to unburden ourselves in prayer. Through prayer we can bring all our worries and cares to the Lord and leave them with Him. When prayer and rejoicing are tied together like this, they naturally result in giving thanks. This unburdening of ourselves goes a long way in refreshing our spirits and strengthening our minds.

“Pray without ceasing.” Through these brief, helpful instructions, we can gain insight to help us pray.

First, we should take the command of the Lord seriously, and it is clear that He wants us to pray constantly, However, He cannot mean that we should pray without sleeping, eating or carrying on other activities necessary to life. Therefore, obeying these instructions must be possible while still carrying on daily life.

One way we practice prayer is with daily devotions. By daily devotions, I mean our own time set aside for being alone with the Lord. 

Mark 1:35 gives us insight into the earthly ministry of Jesus when it says,

And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed. (Mark 1:35 ESV)

From the other Gospels, we get the impression that Jesus often found places where He could be alone to pray. If the Son of God found it helpful and even necessary to make prayer a practice, can we assume it would be helpful for us? 

Martin Luther is quoted as saying, “I have so much to do today that I shall never get through it with less than three hours' prayer.” Spurgeon also tells of a student who prayed. Spurgeon says:

When Edward Payson was a student at College, he found he had so much to do to attend his classes and prepare for examinations, that he could not spend as much time as he should in private prayer; but, at last, waking up to the feeling that he was going back in divine things through his habits, he took due time for devotion and he asserts in his diary that he did more in his studies in a single week after he had spent time with God in prayer, than he had accomplished in twelve months before.

Find a way, find a method that works for you and make daily time alone with the Lord part of your routine. We make time to sleep because we must. We make time to eat because we must. We must also make time for prayer. Please do not make this a law to be obeyed or an achievement to be proud of. It is a privilege. It is part of our refreshing, like eating and sleeping.

Sometimes we do not know how to pray. At these times, we can find comfort and courage in the words of Romans 8:26.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. (Romans 8:26 ESV)

Even when we do not know how to pray, we can trust that God will help us. And God has also given us help in His word. The Psalms are a great source to go to when we cannot find words to express what is on our hearts.

When the Bible says, “Pray without ceasing,” we can assume that the voice is not required to pray. During our daily time alone with God, we might pray out loud with our voices, but what about when we are at work or at school or with other people? Are we to cease praying because we cannot speak out loud? “Pray without ceasing” indicates that we can pray without our voice, even when we are with others.

When Moses was leading the people out of Egypt, Pharaoh called his army together and chased the people of Israel. Moses found himself trapped between the Red Sea and Pharaoh’s army. He had nowhere to go. Exodus 14:15 says:

The Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to me? Tell the people of Israel to go forward.” (Exodus 14:15 ESV)

Apparently, Moses was crying out to the Lord without using his voice. We, too, can pray without using our voices. When Jesus was having dinner at a Pharisee’s house, a woman came in and washed his feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. The Pharisee was outraged because she was a prostitute, but the Pharisee did not say anything. However, Jesus knew what he was thinking and corrected what the Pharisee had been thinking within himself. Jesus knew what the Pharisee was thinking, and He knows what goes on in our minds as well.

Praying does not require the use of our voice. Therefore, we can add to our daily time of prayer the idea that we can call out to the Lord wherever we are, at any time without disruption of our work or activities.

Since we can pray wherever we are without disruption of our work or activities, it follows that we should not engage in activities that disrupt our ability to pray.

I have a habit of praying about everything, and at times find myself starting to pray for people portrayed in movies. When this happens, I feel rather foolish and end up talking with the Lord about how much my mind and heart are being captured by these things. 

What would a person pray when living together unmarried and he/she encounters relationship problems? “Lord, bless me in my sin and fix this relationship the way I want it to be?” What would a person pray when cheating on his/her taxes? “Lord, keep me from getting caught?”

Praying without ceasing implies that I do not put myself in situations where I cannot pray. If my heart or the word of God condemns me, then I cannot pray and therefore should stop or not do what I am doing.

We are in a spiritual battle. When we were dead in our trespasses and sins, we were already prisoners of the enemy and were by nature children of wrath. But we were set free. We were given life and were united with Christ. Now, as children of God, we must stand firm against the tricks and schemes of the devil. Ephesians 6 lists the armor God provides for our protection. The list of armor concludes with these words:

...praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, (Ephesians 6:18-19 ESV)

In this conclusion to the instructions to be prepared for battle, we are instructed to pray at all times in the Spirit. We are to persevere in prayer. We are to pray for all our fellow Christians a.k.a. “Saints.”

We have already talked about praying at all times. Now, it is time to talk about persevering in prayer. Jesus told a parable designed to teach that we ought always to pray and never give up.

He said, "In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, 'Give me justice against my adversary.' For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, 'Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.'" And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" (Luke 18:2-8 ESV)

The last sentence of this passage is troubling. God answers prayer, and yet we still do not believe Him. Some cease praying because of discouragement. Some cease praying because of unbelief. Whatever the reason, ceasing to pray is a huge problem for our spiritual lives. We cannot be renewed, we cannot be refreshed without this vital link to our Heavenly Father.

We all get tired at times. The burdens of life get heavy and sometimes we are tempted to give up, but we must not give up. We must continue to pray. Jesus instructed us:

Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. (John 16:24 ESV)

Here is a promise that brings refreshing. Jesus ties prayer to joy. He says to ask and we will receive, that our joy may be full. This sounds a lot like where we started in 1 Thessalonians where rejoicing, prayer and thanksgiving are tied together.

If we would be full of the joy of the Lord, if we would be free from the burdens of life, if we would enjoy victory over the world and the devil, we must be people of prayer.

If we would be refreshed, we must be people of prayer.

Thanksgiving (not the holiday)

1 Thessalonians 5:18

Few things are more important than thanksgiving in the life of a believer, not the holiday, but an attitude of thankfulness.

Nothing will go further in refreshing our spirits and renewing our hearts than giving thanks.

At the conclusion of his letter to the Thessalonians, the Apostle Paul says,

...give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV)

“Give thanks in all circumstances” is also translated “In everything give thanks.” This command is strengthened by the phrase that follows, “for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

Let’s consider a few other places where the Apostle Paul includes thanksgiving in his writings.

...giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, (Ephesians 5:20 ESV)

And,

...do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6 ESV)

And,

And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. (Colossians 3:15-17 ESV)

In Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians, when he is giving instructions on how to live the Christian life, Paul says, “Give thanks.”  And in the passage above from Colossians, he says three times in three verses, “Give thanks.”  Give thanks. Give thanks. Give thanks.

Few things are more important than thanksgiving or thankfulness in the life of a believer. If we are going to let the peace of Christ rule in our hearts, thanksgiving must be a part of our daily lives. We must give thanks in every circumstance - from moment to moment. I am going to give you two solid reasons for giving thanks.

First, let’s refer back to 1 Thessalonians 5:18. Which says:

... give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1 Thessalonians 5:18 ESV)

The reason for giving thanks according to this verse is:

for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

The will of God for us is good. Romans 12:2 calls it “good and acceptable and perfect.” Psalm 34:8 challenges us, “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good!”

If the fact that it is God’s will and He commands it is not enough to convince us to give thanks, there is another strong reason for giving thanks.

Let’s start our look at this second reason with a look at Romans 1:21. Romans 1:21 says:

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Romans 1:21 ESV

When this verse talks about those who knew God, it is talking about all humanity. We can refer back to the Tower of Babel when humanity was united and felt confident that they could do anything. We can reference the modern age where humanity is confident that we can do anything. In either case, not honoring God as God or giving thanks to Him leads to futile thinking. 

As an example of futile thinking, I want to quote for you a passage from Isaiah.

To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him? An idol! A craftsman casts it, and a goldsmith overlays it with gold and casts for it silver chains. He who is too impoverished for an offering chooses wood that will not rot; he seeks out a skillful craftsman to set up an idol that will not move. (Isaiah 40:18-20 ESV)

They know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand. No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, "Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and have eaten. And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?" He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, "Is there not a lie in my right hand?" (Isaiah 44:18-20 ESV)

Some nations still have idols made of wood and stone, and some people consider themselves above such nonsense. However, according to Romans 1, modern secular people have progressed two steps further into futility than idols. According to Romans 1 the steps of futility are: 

1. Idols (Romans 1:21-23)
2. Serving lust or desires (Romans 1:24-25)
3. Perverted passions (Romans 1:26-27)

We are well into perverted passions. We have lost our moorings and do not know what or who we are. And it all started with not honoring God as God and giving thanks. 

All that is good comes from God. James 1:17 reminds us that every good and every perfect gift comes from God. God is the source of life. He is the source of light. He is the source of truth and goodness and justice. When we forget these facts, we turn to futility and foolishness.

The command of God and our need are two strong reasons to practice thanksgiving. 

What we have not talked about yet are the benefits. This is a series about refreshing, renewing and revitalizing our lives. Thanksgiving is vital to our spiritual life. Thanksgiving is a crucial part of our joy and it is foundational to our praise.

We have already talked about peace. Philippians 4:6-7 makes it clear that thanksgiving is a vital part of our peace. Without acknowledging God with gratitude, we cannot enjoy peace.

The word in Philippians 4:6 that is used for “thanksgiving” is “εὐχαριστίας” (eucharistias). This compound word is made by combining “eu”, which means “good”, with “charis”, which means “grace”. In other words, thanksgiving is recognizing or remembering God’s good grace.

We have an example of thanksgiving in the New Testament that shows how we ought to give thanks and also how rare it is for us to give thanks. The account is found in Luke 17.

On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance and lifted up their voices, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." When he saw them he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went they were cleansed. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice; and he fell on his face at Jesus' feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus answered, "Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" And he said to him, "Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well." (Luke 17:11-19 ESV)

How is it that only one of the ten came back to give thanks?

As scandalous as this is, it is the norm. How many of us give thanks daily for the great salvation we enjoy - the forgiveness of our sins, our adoption as God’s children, our inheritance as saints? 

How many of us give thanks daily for the mercies of God which are new every morning? 

Have you ever wondered how we are to praise God? What does it mean to praise God?

Notice how the Samaritan leper praised God by thanking Him for what He had done. 

Praising God is more than repeating the words “praise God, praise God, praise God.” This is not wrong nor would I stop doing it, but it can become meaningless repetition if it is not connected to a heart of thanksgiving.

We praise God by telling what He has done. We praise God by thanking Him for what He has done. 

Psalm 100 is a Psalm of praise to God. In verse 4, it says,

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! (Psalms 100:4 ESV)

This Psalm, along with others, ties thanksgiving and praise together. We praise God by proclaiming what He has done. 

Consider also what Hebrews 13 instructs us to do:

Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured. For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come. Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. (Hebrews 13:13-15 ESV)

In this passage, our sacrifice of praise is explained as the fruit of lips that acknowledge His name. This is the key to our happiness, joy and fullness in the Lord. Notice also, it is the key to our joy in spite of suffering. These verses are talking about bearing the reproach that Jesus bore. 

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says to give thanks in all circumstances. This would include suffering. Another passage that points to how we can find joy in suffering is Romans 5.

Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. (Romans 5:3-5 ESV)

Thanksgiving comes from a heart that acknowledges what God has done. Thanksgiving is the foundation of our praise. When God gave the first commandment, “You shall have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3 ESV), He attached to this command a recognition of what He had done. He prefaced this command with:

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. (Exodus 20:2 ESV)

Do you want to have faith?

Do you want to have joy?

Do you want the peace of God to rule in your heart?

Then you must have a thankful heart. Faith, joy and peace all start with thanksgiving. These things grow with acknowledging the work of God in our lives. Telling others the wonderful things God has done for us requires that we first have hearts full of gratitude for what He has done. If we lack thanksgiving, we will lack fruit in our lives. 

Thanksgiving is so crucial that I will go as far as to say we cannot enjoy real peace, real rest or enter into the fullness of Sabbath without thanksgiving.

We must do as the song writer said and name our blessings one by one, and they are many.