“HAVING A GRATITUDE ATTITUDE”1 Corinthians 1:4-9

In a letter, we In a letter, we normally start normally start by thanking by thanking them. Paul them. Paul starts by starts by thanking God for thanking God for what He has what He has given the given the CorinthiansCorinthians

• 4 4 I always thank my God for you because of his I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.grace given you in Christ Jesus.5 5 For in him you For in him you have been enriched in every way – with all kinds of have been enriched in every way – with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge – speech and with all knowledge – 6 6 God thus God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among confirming our testimony about Christ among you. you. 7 7 Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. revealed. 8 8 He will also keep you firm to the end, He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. Lord Jesus Christ. 9 9 God is faithful, who has called God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.Lord.•  

• Thankfulness: important Thankfulness: important theme in the Bibletheme in the Bible• Colossians 2:6-7 So Colossians 2:6-7 So then, just as you then, just as you received Christ Jesus as received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, and built up in him, strengthened in the strengthened in the faith as you were faith as you were taught, and overflowing taught, and overflowing with with thankfulnessthankfulness..• 1 Thessalonians 5:18 1 Thessalonians 5:18 give give thanksthanks in all in all circumstances; for this circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.Christ Jesus.

•“Do not lack any spiritual gift”•God equips his church in the present to produce long term fruit in the future. •On the speaking side he would have included such gifts as prophecy, teaching, preaching, evangelism, speaking in tongues and interpretation of tongues.

• THE ETYMOLOGY -- The THE ETYMOLOGY -- The Hebrew root from which Hebrew root from which the words translated the words translated "faithful" and "faithful" and "faithfulness""faithfulness" in the in the Old Testament are derived Old Testament are derived means to prop or stay or means to prop or stay or support. support. • The intransitive use of the The intransitive use of the word signifies to stay word signifies to stay oneself or be supported; oneself or be supported; hence, the word "faithful", hence, the word "faithful", as applied to a person, as applied to a person, means means someone a someone a person can safely person can safely lean upon. lean upon.

“Lean on me, when you're not strong And I'll be your friendI'll help you carry on For it won't be long'Til I'm gonna need Somebody to lean on.” .”

• Deuteronomy 7:9Deuteronomy 7:9 Know  Know therefore that the LORD your therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is God is God; he is the faithful the faithful GodGod, keeping his covenant of , keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep of those who love him and keep his commands.his commands.

• Philippians 1:6Philippians 1:6 being being confident of this, that he who confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.the day of Christ Jesus.

GRATITUDE INCREASES GRATITUDE INCREASES HAPPINESS!HAPPINESS!

•Give thanks in Give thanks in all all circumstances; circumstances; for this is God’s for this is God’s will for you in will for you in Christ Jesus. Christ Jesus. •1 Thessalonians 5:18 1 Thessalonians 5:18

• In this wonderful passage, Paul thanks God In this wonderful passage, Paul thanks God for the work of grace in the lives of the for the work of grace in the lives of the Christians at Corinth. Christians at Corinth. •His confidence is based on God’s His confidence is based on God’s faithfulness. This is the reason why we can faithfulness. This is the reason why we can be thankful. be thankful. • In every situation we find ourselves there In every situation we find ourselves there is something to be thankful for. is something to be thankful for. • Thanking God is the first sign that someone Thanking God is the first sign that someone has truly become a Christian.has truly become a Christian.

THE ATHEIST & THE BEARTHE ATHEIST & THE BEAR

“HAVING A GRATITUDE ATTITUDE”1 Corinthians 1:4-9