True Thanksgiving

2 Timothy 3:1-3

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,³ unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,

One of the signs that we are in the last days is the ungratefulness of people. Today, even as we commemorate the Westgate attacks that happened last year, let us choose not to focus on the negative, but see things to give thanks to God. The terrorists, as one witness said, could not hinder Kenyans from donating blood, or giving freezers to store the blood that was donated and did not have a place to store the blood, among other helps. We are not undermining the effects of what people went through, but at the end, we can look at the event with lamenting and cursing the day, or we can look at it and thank God that it could have been worse, but was not. Irrespective of what was planned, God averted more danger. That was season that Kenyans could not walk around in freedom, fearing terror attacks; after it all, we are still safe.

You cannot complain or give thanks at the same time. You have to choose between giving thanks for something, or complaining about the same thing. Make a choice; it is either thanksgiving or complaining. True thanksgiving is best drawn from the way Jesus did it.

Matthew 26:26

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."

Jesus, being all-knowing, knew that He would be betrayed, about to go through a very painful experience. Yet, at that moment, He gave thanks, even when He knows circumstances were speaking contrary. Choose to also give thanks, even when you know circumstances are speaking contrary. He knew that He would go through death, but this did not prevent Him from picking the bread, a symbolism of His body, and giving thanks for it. When you see that circumstances are about to change that your betrayer is seating with you, what will you do? If it were today and the church knew that her betrayer is within her, most would have evicted the betrayer from the church; Jesus instead gave thanks.

Jesus could have thrown tantrums and reacted to the situation that was coming, but He instead gave thanks. True thanksgiving is when you are seeing that situations are not working as you would really want, that they are not okay, but you start giving thanks, discerning that they are working for the good of the world and others. When you hear distressful stories that could mess your life, such as retrenchment coming to your work, will you give thanks, or choose to be thrown off balance?

John 6:11

And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.

Matthew 15:36

And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude.

What happened when there was shortage and lack? The children needed to eat, same for the women, and the men. Where would you get money to buy food for all the people, and where would you get ushers to serve the food? When Jesus realized that there was shortage and lack, He asked for what was there: five loaves of bread, and two fish, or the seven loaves and the fish, as we have seen in the above verses. For example, when you go to your ATM and see Kshs. 600, look at it and withdraw it, give thanks for it and enjoy it, like Jesus did. If you want to unlock shortage in any situation in your life, lift your faith with thanksgiving before the Father, give thanks for what you have. Thanksgiving will cause shortages to be abundance.

When you have a heart that gives thanks, you attract abundance. If you block your heart with murmuring and lamentation, you will miss out on opportunities for abundance. Learn to be a man and a woman of thanksgiving. If you choose to focus on what you have, the gap between the little you have and abundance is closed up. When you start giving thanks, you even start walking with an innovative mind. God wants to give you direction and impart you with innovative ideas, but as long as you have a murmuring heart you will miss out on opportunities.

How do you present your need before the Lord? When you have an empty basket, how will you present it before the Lord?

John 11:41-42

Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.⁴² "And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me."

When there is death in your life, thanksgiving is the way to resurrection. Even when death was facing Jesus in the eye, with Lazarus dead for 4 days, thanksgiving was the way He chose to approach the situation. Thanksgiving will resurrect the dead situation. How do you pray when you are faced by the worst situation? Do you complain your way to God? God is aware of your situation, He knows about the dead situation. He does not want you to tell Him about the dead situation, he wants you to give thanks that He always hears you.

Matthew 11:25-26

At that time Jesus answered and said, "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes.

²⁶ "Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.

According to the standards of men, some of us would have never qualified to be used by God, to be called righteous. However, it is not by man’s wisdom that we are righteous, or are used by God. It is by His grace and mercy, and the righteousness of God.

Luke 17:17-19

So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? ¹⁸ Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” ¹⁹ And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”

Of the 10 lepers, one came back to give thanks. The man was not coming in faith, but to give thanks. The conclusion of Jesus was that his faith had restored him. When you are giving thanks to God, it is equated to faith by Him. When you are always a man/woman who gives thanks to God always, you will not only experience temporary miracles, but also permanent ones. Only one man of the 10 lepers received total wholeness and was made well. Many believers get contented with one miracle, and forget that God has all the abundance, who said that He came that we might have life and have it abundantly. The key that will take you to all the phases of your blessings is thanksgiving, like the leper who had a thankful heart.

The only way to position yourself to receive your package from God is to give thanks. Your better days with God are ahead of you, not behind you. Weeping endures for a night, but joy comes in the morning. What will unlock your better days is true thanksgiving, so that you will not for instance enjoy a one-time healing, but a continuous walk in divine health. When you keep giving thanks for provision, you will be positioned to keep enjoying abundance every day. We have to be a people who will always give thanks.

Psalm 100:4

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

If you want to be a person who enjoys the presence of God all the days of your life, and not have Psalm 23:6 as a theory, have a heart that is full of thanksgiving. After you enter His gates with thanksgiving, dwell there.

Ephesians 5:20

… giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

A person who is not thankful has a very cold heart, which is contagious. If you always stay with a cold person, who always complains about everything, they will always cause you to feel down, as that heart is contagious. Help such people and tell them to change the way they see things.

There are people who will always see the negative; correct them and tell them that it is not the people or situations that are bad, to clean their hearts by the blood of Jesus, and start seeing the good around them. Let us always be thankful.

There are so many things we can give thanks for:

Give thanks for God’s salvation (2 Cor. 9:15). The gift of Jesus is indescribable. If there is nothing else to give thanks for, give thanks for Jesus.

Give thanks for the Holy Spirit. Jesus said He would not leave us helpless, but give us the Holy Spirit to teach us to pray, receive revelation of the word, comfort us and so on. Even if you do not know how to pray, elaborating how grateful you are about Jesus and the Holy Spirit, you will not cease being thankful.

Give thanks for the people God has brought in your life. There is always a purpose for God bringing that person your way, so do not take them for granted. Give thanks for your parents, brothers and sisters, friends, relatives, good neighbours, house helps, spouses (even those yet to come). Learn to give thanks for the people God has brought your way. Give thanks for that person you can fellowship with, the person who you can share the word with and vice versa. Give thanks even for those who you consider a burden, as you grew because of them.

Philippians  1:3

I thank my God upon every remembrance of you,

Ephesians 1:16

do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:

Philippians 1:4

 ...always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, 

Do not lament when you remember people; give thanks.

Give thanks for the trials in your life. (James 1:2-3). The trials and persecution test your faith, and the testing of your faith makes you perfect.

Daniel 6:10 

Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days.

Daniel gave thanks at the worst of his time, knowing that he faced death by praying as he used to, after the decree was made by the king not to worship any other god but the king. He knew chances were high that he would be seen and killed, but he still went ahead to pray and give thanks. This should be our attitude, even when we know we are about to face trying times.

1 Thessalonians 5:18

...in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Colossians 1:12

...giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.

Thanksgiving will enable you to see more reasons to continue giving thanks. It will brighten your heart, please God, and position you to keep receiving from God. When you are thankful, you will even attract other thankful people around you. Thanksgiving will also command restoration for you, unlock your life unto abundance, resurrect dead situations in your life, and connect you with the best.

In the season we are in, be thankful. You need the gift of God (Jesus) to be thankful, who will teach you to be thankful. 

Blessings. 

-- Pastor Mary Mugo. 

21/09/14 Sunday Service Sermon, Teaching Transformation Ministry.) 


Pastor Mary is the Senior Pastor at Teaching Transformation Ministry. We are located along the Thika-Ruai Flyover Junction (at the Thika Rd./ Bypass intersection), Next to Eastgate Restaurant.