[0:00] Thank you for tuning into this message by David Entry. Every true revival is a product of the strong preaching of God's Word. May you receive a word from this message that will spark a revival in you.
[0:13] I'm reading from the book of 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 from verse 16 to 18. Rejoice evermore.
[0:26] Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks. For this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
[0:39] Here ends the reading of God's Holy Word. Shall we please pray? Father, we thank you. We thank you. We thank you. With a thankful heart, we have assembled here to express the profundity of our gratitude to you.
[0:57] For all the things you have done. Both the ones that we are aware of and those we are not aware of. But you still did it for us.
[1:08] We want to say thank you. Thank you, Lord. As we assemble to hear your Word, we pray help us to even generate a stronger and a greater desire to be thankful.
[1:21] Greater understanding of thankfulness. We thank you. As your Word is coming, let the Word of grace open us up to dimensions of grace and glory which no human being can take us into.
[1:33] Thank you, Lord. Thank you. Thank you. We are grateful in Jesus' name. Please be seated. Thank you. Thank you. One of the things that a Christian cannot do without, a Christian cannot do, or a genuine Christian who intends to enjoy your work with God cannot do without, is prayer.
[1:54] So, the early days, the apostles said, we cannot leave the Word of God and set of tables. Appoint people in Acts chapter 6 that we will give ourselves continually to prayer and the ministry of the Word.
[2:12] So, their main assignment is the ministry of the Word, but it takes prayer, continual prayer, to be able to be effective in your work with God.
[2:24] However, it is necessary to understand, brothers and sisters, that there are certain essential elements of prayer which we cannot ignore. One aspect of the essential elements of genuine Christian prayer, expressions of Christian prayer.
[2:41] You see, many people think prayer is just like going to God or coming to God with a shopping list. God, I need this. God, I need that. You have to do this. You haven't done this. This must be done.
[2:53] This must be done. No. So, it is part of prayer. Part of prayer is to make your request known. Part of prayer, Jesus said, whatsoever thing you desire, when you pray.
[3:07] Okay? So, prayer is a means to express our desire to God. But that's not all of prayer. Expression of our desire or bringing our petition before God is not all that there is in prayer.
[3:22] Another necessary aspect of prayer is thanksgiving. It's praise and worship. Expression of our thanksgiving to God.
[3:34] Expressing of our praise to God. Expressing of our worship to God. So, in Philippians chapter 4, verse 6, it actually puts it this way. That we are not supposed to be anxious for anything or be anxious for nothing.
[3:48] But in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God. And so, thanksgiving is a necessary aspect of our prayer.
[4:00] Our Father, when you pray, pray after this man. Matthew chapter 6, verse 9. Our Father, which acts in heaven, hallowed be your name. Ascribe glory.
[4:11] Ascribe appreciation to him. Thy kingdom come. And so, the fundamental aspects of prayer is thanksgiving, is praise, and worship. What's the difference between thanksgiving and praise and worship?
[4:24] In thanksgiving, we acknowledge, worship is very important. In thanksgiving, we acknowledge the goodness of God. In praise, we acknowledge the greatness of God. In worship, we acknowledge the holiness of God.
[4:37] In thanksgiving, we acknowledge the goodness of God. In praise, we acknowledge the greatness of God. And in worship, we acknowledge the holiness of God.
[4:48] The Bible says in the book of Psalms, let everything, Psalm 150, let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Hallelujah. Hallelujah. So, it is important to understand that thanksgiving is a necessary aspect of our prayer.
[5:04] This morning, I want to focus a bit more on thanksgiving and maybe a little bit about praise. But a bit more on thanksgiving. Psalm 92, verse 1. I like it. Actually, I like it.
[5:15] It would be nice if you all can read it out loud together. Actually, I like Psalm 92, verse 1. Don't you? Psalm 92, verse 1. Let's all read it out loud together. Let's go.
[5:27] Let's go. Let's go. Let's go. And to sing praises to your name. Oh, Most High. What can you do to God to make him better? Nothing. While we praise God, we are not making him greater than he is.
[5:41] But we make him greater in our condition. So, he says that it is actually a good thing to give thanks to God. There are people whose lives are void of thanks to God.
[5:55] Because you believe God owes you some miracles and testimonies and good things. Because of your... You know, it's very easy for us to assume that God is there to be serving us.
[6:12] This false theology that has been presented to people about God, that he is just there to look for problems to solve. It's like, he doesn't have anything to do. All he's doing is looking for problems to solve.
[6:24] No, no. It's a wrong presentation of God. God is not there to serve us. We are here to serve him. And when we serve him, he blesses us. He said, you shall serve the Lord your God.
[6:36] In Exodus chapter 23, you shall serve the Lord your God. And you will bless... I mean, you shall serve the Lord your God. And you will bless your bread and your water.
[6:46] And he said, I will take away sicknesses. I will take sicknesses away from your midst. The result of serving God is untold benefits in life.
[6:58] When we attempt to make God serve us, we always will end up becoming disappointed because we think God is not doing enough. But the more we want to serve him, the more we create the platform for God to throw his weight about in our lives.
[7:15] I see God about to do more in your life. So, we understand from Psalm 92 verse 1 that it is a good thing to give God thanks.
[7:26] Psalm 118 verse 1, it says that... Psalm 118 verse 1 also tells us that... Oh, give thanks to the Lord. Why?
[7:36] God is good, though. Don't wait for all things to look good in your life before you give God thanks. He said... I've always been using this analogy that the sun is always hot.
[7:49] Recently, I was flying. When I was flying, I noticed something that I've not really probably taken care of. I went through Amsterdam. And so, when we took off from the airport in Amsterdam, it was very cloudy.
[8:04] Very cloudy and gloomy day. But I noticed something that I had not particularly ever realized. When we took off and the plane started going higher and higher and we went above the clouds, I saw the sunshine.
[8:20] Below the clouds, it was gloomy. But above it, there was sunshine in Amsterdam. So, when you are down, you think the sun is gone. No, it's still there.
[8:31] But it's just that your lack of praise has... Most of us judge the goodness of God based on what is happening in our small lives.
[8:47] Something nice has happened to you. You've got a promotion at work. You've just gotten married. Your children have gotten admission into top schools, universities. And some good news has happened.
[8:58] The deal has gone through. Something has happened. And then, you feel, oh, God is good. God is good. God is good. God is... You're so happy. And God, I thank you. And God is good.
[9:09] And after I was hearing another news that is not so nice. A heartbreaking news. They say, God, why me? God... So, we judge the goodness of God based on our little circumstances.
[9:20] But the fact is that God is good. Whether you can experience it or not. Whether you are seen it or not. Just remember God is good. And the promises of God are not based on your condition.
[9:31] Are based on His goodness. And if you can trust God and walk with Him, it's just a matter of time. The clouds will be over. The clouds will be gone. And the goodness of God, the rays of the goodness of God will be beaming on your life.
[9:44] And everybody will see that God has been good to you. The psalmist said, show me a token for good. That all may know and see that you have helped me. God is a good God.
[9:55] God, He said, oh, give thanks. Why are you behaving like you are so sad? Yeah, I know you've just lost a job. But, oh, give thanks. Oh, give thanks to the Lord.
[10:07] For He is good. And guess what? His mercies will out-endure your problems. Oh, you missed a good place to shout out hallelujah. Hallelujah.
[10:19] Oh, give thanks. In Psalm 136, verse 1, verse 2, verse 3, verse 4, verse 5, verse 6. He said, oh, give thanks to the Lord.
[10:30] For He is good. And His mercies endures forever. Then He begins to mention the verse 2. The verse 2 says, oh, give thanks to the God of gods. For His mercies endures forever.
[10:42] Then He begins to continue that. Give thanks to the Lord of lords. For His mercies endures forever. To Him who alone does great wonders for His mercies. Then He says that all the things He does are a function of His mercies.
[10:55] Give God thanks. Now, mercy. Why are we talking about mercy? Mercy is a big thing. Mercy. Please. It is because of mercy that grace can come to you.
[11:07] Mercy. Nobody who understands a little bit about the things of God should ever lose sight of mercy. The reason why we need more mercy is because we have a few messes.
[11:25] Or more messes. I don't know. M-E-S-S. Mess. Mess. Right. Mess. Different from M-E-R-C-Y.
[11:38] Your mess means you need some mercy. How many of us have messed up before? You don't have to lift up your hand. Because there are people here who last night were having mercy now.
[11:52] Tell me you are not watching something messy. Mess. Take care.
[12:03] Just have mercy on me. The first thing that should come to God should have mercy on you. God. Some of us are not qualified to be in the job you are in. It's not that you are very perfect.
[12:15] It's just that in the times of ignorance, God behaved like we are human beings. We are prone to do things, say things we are not supposed to.
[12:26] Remember what you said about your mother-in-law the other time. You shouldn't hear it. Remember what you said about your pastor on the phone. There are things that we all do.
[12:40] If they are going to write a memoir or book about us, if you want to write a journal about your family, things that have gone on, no one would like to know mercy.
[12:52] The Bible says that for his good, watch this, and what we need most from him, mercy, it endures forever. Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good and he's mercy, and just forever. His mercy would outlast any condition in your life if you can continue giving him thanks.
[13:17] Give him thanks. Someone say, thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Quickly, I want to mention a few points about some facts about thanksgiving. One of the things, before I say anything further, thanksgiving is kind of not the same as thankfulness.
[13:35] Thankfulness provokes thanksgiving. So to give thanks, it must start from a heart of thankfulness. So sometimes, in fact, I've been telling my wife, and I think I was trying to express it to some of our senior pastors recently, I am super thankful.
[13:54] thankful to God for my life. There are great things happening in my life, which I can't claim that I organized it all.
[14:05] It's because of how smart I am, or how skillful I am, or anything that I have, which others don't have better. Prayer, I pray, but I believe there are people who pray better.
[14:19] Honoring, I honor, but there are people who might even honor more. Reading Bible, I read. There are people who are preaching. Sometimes you wonder, what is this kind of preaching? We are all just laughing, laughing, laughing.
[14:29] There are people who preach brimstone and fire. Fire! Fire! But for some reason, God has had mercy on me.
[14:42] And places that God has given me access to. You get into places here, you are wondering, how did I get here? What am I doing here?
[14:53] I can't be thankful enough. If you pause to think, you will certainly have a course to thank.
[15:05] Sometimes if we stop thinking and taking stock of what God has done, we will think He owes us more. He owes us more.
[15:18] God has been good to us. So we have a heart of thanks. That's why music is not enough to make us express our thanks.
[15:31] Whether there is music or not, we are thankful. And when music comes, Psalm 34, it says, Oh, magnify the Lord with me. Not for me.
[15:43] With me. And let us exalt His name together. The music is not doing it for me. It's doing it with me. When the music comes, I say, Ah!
[15:55] It seems like you are trying to help me express what has always been in my heart. But thanksgiving is a heart condition. Facts about thanksgiving. Number one, thanksgiving ushers us into grace.
[16:08] This is such a very important point. Let's look at Hebrews chapter 12 and verse 28. Wherefore, we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
[16:29] Wherefore, we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. Now, look at something very important.
[16:40] I want to, let's read from the New King James Version, please. It said, therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace. Let's all say that together. Let, one more time.
[16:52] Let us have grace. Please say it again. Let us have grace. Let us have grace by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.
[17:03] Now, you see a difference between this version and the NIV version of this text. There's a little difference there. Look at the NIV. Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let, what does the King James say?
[17:19] Let us have grace. What does the NIV say? King James says what? Let us have grace. NIV. Let us be thankful. Let us be thankful.
[17:31] So who is right? Let us have grace. Both translations are right. Grace, the Greek word translated grace is charis and the root word is thankfulness.
[17:42] So being thankful ushers you into grace. You can never enjoy grace without being thankful. In fact, what is the French word for thanks?
[17:57] Huh? Really? Thank you? Thank you? Okay. How about Spanish?
[18:11] In Spanish, if you want to say thank you, how do you say? In Italian, if you want to say thank you, how do you say? Do you have some Italians here? Huh?
[18:25] Grazi. Thank you? Whoa, whoa, why are you laughing at me? Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! May God have mercy on you for laughing at the pastor who is trying to preach the word of God.
[18:45] Grazia. So it says, let us receive grace and let us be thankful. Grace and thankfulness go together. Eucharist with thanks.
[18:59] Eucharistia, the Greek, with thanks. Charis, the base of grace is thankfulness. Grace is thankfulness. Grace is thankfulness. Without being thankful, you are not qualified to enjoy grace.
[19:14] Thankfulness, number one, fact about thankfulness, it ushers you into a realm of grace where God's grace is lavished and expressed over your life.
[19:26] Be thankful. thankfulness. Number two, thankfulness. Thankfulness. In Colossians chapter 3, verse 15, it says that, let the peace of God rule in your heart to which also you were called in one body and be, ah, and be, ah, and be, ah, now, here, it says, it's not a suggestion, it said, be thankful, it's a command.
[19:49] Be thankful. Be thankful. Be thankful. So, thankfulness is a command. It says you are supposed to be thankful because you don't have to know what God has done.
[20:00] You just have to know He's good and He's merciful. That enough should make you be thankful because it could have gotten worse. Things could have gotten out of hand. You wouldn't have been able to be sitting here this morning but for the mercies and the goodness of God.
[20:15] It says, give thanks for His goodness, His mercies and dears forever. When they were going to fight, Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah, in 2 Chronicles, chapter 20, as they went from verse 20 and 21, they appointed singers who should sing and that's when they had consulted the people, they appointed singers who should praise the beauty of His holiness.
[20:35] As they went up before the army saying, praise the Lord for His mercies endures forever. God is good and His mercies endures forever. That is good enough for you to be thankful.
[20:48] His mercies which endures forever. And so, it says that be thankful. Can you help me look at someone and tell the person, be thankful? Be thankful.
[20:58] One of the things that if you forget to have any cause to be thankful for is the fact that God has given us the privilege to hear a message like this so we can be thankful. I should even be thankful for the opportunity to hear things that reminds me of how good God has been.
[21:15] I should be thankful because it's going to open up other avenues of favor in my life. thankfulness. Say, I thank you, Jesus. I thank you, Jesus. So, number one, it ushers us into grace.
[21:28] Number two, it's a command. Number three, Ephesians chapter 5, verse 18, 19, and 20, it says that, and do not be drunk with wine. You know, religious people always see the prohibitions more.
[21:43] You are not supposed to. Don't do this. So, we focus more on don't be drunk, don't be drunk. But if we can go further, that's true, don't be drunk. But when you go further, it's the prohibition. But be filled with the spirit.
[21:57] Be filled with the spirit. And then when a person is filled with the spirit, let's see what happens. Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.
[22:09] Look at verse 20. Giving thanks always. Always. A person who is truly filled with the spirit will be always thankful. Being always thankful is a reflection of how the spirit has filled your heart.
[22:25] You know, two Sundays ago, we heard how Peter told Ananias in Acts chapter 5 verse 3, why has Satan filled your heart? To lie to the Holy Spirit. And we saw in the book of John, it says that Satan entered the heart of Judas.
[22:43] Satan targets your heart and he says that when Satan enters your heart, he will see the effect in the things you do that affect the work of God negatively.
[22:55] When the Holy Spirit fills your heart, one of the effects is thankfulness. You cannot be thankful and murmuring at the same time. So, thankfulness is the effect of being filled with the Holy Spirit, of being filled with the spirit.
[23:11] Number four, I like number four, that was the foundational text I read in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, verse 16, 17, and we went to verse 18.
[23:22] But these are very short, short, can you imagine these are two ways, verse 16, two ways. So if you are trying to memorize your scripture, you can start with this one. I don't know, Bible doesn't stick in my head, let this one stick.
[23:37] It's so easy, you can memorize it. Can you imagine the whole verse, all it says is, rejoice always. That's all the verse is saying.
[23:49] There's the shortest verse in the Bible, John 11, 35, Jesus wept. So two ways, Jesus wept. And this one to rejoice always, but that seems to be a bit longer than when you counted letters.
[24:01] But Jesus wept, this one to say, rejoice always. Then the next verse, look at the next verse, pray with, that's also very short. But you can memorize two verses right now.
[24:15] You can. Rejoice always, pray with those in 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, verse 16 and 17. And we'll be clapping for you. Wow! You memorize a whole scripture, actually two scriptures on Sunday morning like this.
[24:29] Are you not amazing? That's why you should be thankful. Look at the next verse. in everything. In how many things?
[24:41] In how many things? In this text, it didn't say for everything. In. You are not saying thank you for all the bad things that have happened. You are just saying even in the bad things, I still give you thanks.
[24:54] Even if there are not so pleasant things that have happened in my life, I'm still thankful. In everything, whilst you are inside, don't wait to come out first. In it, be thankful.
[25:04] Your healing hasn't completely manifested, but still be thankful for His healing power. Be thankful. Your finances haven't fallen in place yet, but still be thankful.
[25:15] Somebody say thank you. And so, in everything, give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. So, being thankful is the will of God.
[25:28] God wants you to be, want us to be thankful. Be thankful for this in everything, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
[25:40] So, being thankful is actually the will of God. I don't know the will of God. I want to know the will of God. Just start being thankful. Be thankful. So, number one, it ushers us into a realm of grace.
[25:53] Number two is a command. Number three is a reflection of being filled with the Spirit. Number four is the will of God. number five, I like this one, is an effective or essential part of effective prayer.
[26:09] It says, this morning, I heard Bishop Oedipo, he said something in line with this point, which was so nice to me. It was nice.
[26:20] But, I said, Papa, God bless you. You have a way of putting things in a way that can be so memorable. Now, Philippians chapter four, verse six, it says that be anxious for nothing, but in everything.
[26:34] Can you do me a favor? Is it okay we already are loud from the screen? Please, let's go. But in everything, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be not unto God.
[26:47] So, he said, let your requests in everything, let your requests be not unto God. How? With prayer and supplication. He said, don't forget, without thanksgiving, be grateful. When you pray and you are not thankful, you don't give thanks.
[27:00] God says, I've not heard it. When you pray and you're not thankful, God says, I didn't hear it. God doesn't hear prayers that doesn't come with thanksgiving. It's an essential part of effective prayer.
[27:13] Thanksgiving is a necessary part of praying. And it's faith or your petitioning to God must go with thanksgiving. I remember in the book of Timothy, he said, food is received.
[27:27] When it's received with the word of God and prayer by people who are thankful. So, number five is essential part of effective prayer. Number six, the text, Psalm 100, it said, make a joyful shout to the Lord, all ye lands.
[27:45] Serve the Lord with gladness. How do you serve God? Don't serve God like someone is forcing you. That's why I don't understand when people are in church and they look so morose. Everybody say hallelujah.
[28:00] Serve God with gladness. One thing that I thank God you can't take away from me is my heart for God. I am always excited about God. I enjoy God.
[28:13] When you see me laughing and preaching, it's not because of the audience. It's because of this thing here. Something has captured my heart. I enjoy God. I serve God with gladness.
[28:26] You will never see me in church with a sad face. I serve God with gladness. He said, serve the Lord with gladness. Come before his presence with singing.
[28:40] Verse three, it says that know that the Lord, he is God. It is he who has made us. You didn't make yourself. I know you are successful, but God made you. God made you.
[28:52] You are not self-made. I know you worked hard, but God made you. I know all your educational attainments, you worked so hard above a lot of people, but guess what?
[29:03] God made you. All your achievements, attainments, and accomplishments in life, don't point fingers to you. Point it to God. He said, he has made us and not we ourselves.
[29:16] We are his people and the sheep of his pasture. Now look at that's what I'm trying to come to. Enter into his gates with and into his courts.
[29:28] That's divine protocol. Steps into God's presence. He said he has gates and he has courts. How do you go through the gates? With thanksgiving. You are ushered into God's presence with thanksgiving and into his inner chambers with praise.
[29:43] thanksgiving. Thanksgiving usher allows us and authorizes us, gives us access into God's presence. Thanksgiving. So access into God's presence, implication of thanksgiving, facts about thanksgiving, access into God's presence, that's number six.
[30:01] In fact, it actually gives us closeness to Christ. Thankful people are usually close to Christ. you remember in the book of Luke chapter 17 when some lepers, ten of them stood afar of and they saw Jesus and they said, Lord, can you make us hold on whatever?
[30:21] And they lifted their voice and said, Master, have mercy on us. Say mercy. And Jesus said, go and show yourself to the priest because in those days it was the priest who gave you certification of clearance that you are healed.
[30:36] So they said, Jesus, have mercy on us. And Jesus said, go and show yourself. In other words, you've been cleared. But go and get a certificate of clearance. So on their way going, they realized, wow, nothing has happened.
[30:49] I'm actually healed. The healing has started. Wow. And Bible says that one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned with a loud voice to glorify God.
[31:01] Returned with a loud voice. Verse 16. Returned with a loud voice. And he fell down on his face at his feet. Do what? Giving him thanks. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
[31:12] Thank you. See Jesus' reaction. Jesus answered and said, were there not ten clans? Why are there nine? Yes, I said they should go to the priest. But once they realized they they should have come to offer thanks first, to endorse what has happened.
[31:27] Then Jesus told him, go, you are made whole. Jesus said to him, go your way. Your faith has made you well. He came and gave thanks.
[31:39] Thanksgiving brings you closer to Jesus. Thanksgiving gives you access into God's presence. Number seven. I like number seven.
[31:51] Thanksgiving is the key to the supernatural. The key to the supernatural. In John chapter six, Jesus was teaching and the multitudes were with him for a long time and the disciples realized that these guys have been with us and it's getting late now and they haven't eaten.
[32:12] Where are we going to find food for them? And the disciples were saying that a whole year's wages cannot feed. Jesus said, let's feed them. And they said, a whole year's wages cannot feed these guys. And so let's send them away.
[32:25] And Jesus said, what do you have? And then they said, we have nothing. And eventually they saw five loaves of bread and a small boy's lunch, a young lad's lunch, and they brought it to Jesus.
[32:36] But they said, that's all we have. But what is this? What are these among so many? That's all they have. I'm looking for pay rice. What is thousand pounds?
[32:46] What is thousand pounds? I should thank God, please. I'm now 34 years. I don't even have a husband. I should come and thank God. Or you don't have a reason to thank God.
[32:59] You should thank God that you are 34. You should thank God you are 34 and your mind is okay. Let me not go further. You can just think through it.
[33:12] So, what look at what is it? We have this, but what are these? What are these? You are not appreciative to go for your children. You are not as brilliant as other people's children.
[33:25] You are not appreciative to go for your wife because her wig is like helmet, not like other people's. You are not appreciated to go for your husband because he doesn't bring a lot of money home.
[33:44] At least, thank God, you have a husband. So, you have to be thankful. What are these? Among so many. The same thing people say, what are these? Let's see what Jesus said.
[33:55] Verse 10. Then Jesus said, make the people sit down and now there were so much grass so they sat in there. Look at verse 11. And Jesus took the same loaves which they said, what are these?
[34:07] And what did he do with it? He gave thanks. the same thing others are complaining and remembering about. If you can be thankful to God for at least making you be alive to at least experience it.
[34:23] Testimonies multiply in the hands of thanksgivers. Thankfulness is the only thing that will make your tank full.
[34:34] Your tank is empty because you are not thankful. You are unthankful. With God thankfulness will make sure your tank will be full. People are not because people don't appreciate God.
[34:50] They don't cease to depreciate in life. As Bishop said, appreciation to God is application for more.
[35:02] Appreciation to God is application for more. Don't worry about how little it is. How is not what you want it to be.
[35:13] Just be thankful. The disciples noticed the essentiality of thankfulness. Watch this.
[35:24] That necessitated the multiplication of the bread to the extent that when the apostle John was writing the story of Jesus.
[35:35] Afterwards he left them. The people followed him. He left by boat. The people followed him. Look at how he made reference to this incident that happened. What led to the multiplication of the bread?
[35:46] In verse 23 of John chapter 6. Verse 23, what does he say? Verse 23 said, However, other boats came from Tiberias near the place where they ate bread after the Lord had It wasn't the praying.
[36:03] It was the thanksgiving. When your prayer is more than your thankfulness, the results will be less. But when your thankfulness is more even than your petitioning, you will have more answers.
[36:18] things multiply in the hands of thankful people. Thankful people. Be thankful. This year, you said this year, I'm going to do this, I'm going to do that, I'm going to do that.
[36:32] You were not able to do it. Be thankful that you are still alive. Be thankful. Tell someone to be thankful. So, it's the key to the supernatural.
[36:43] Then, finally, number eight. I like this. You see, it says that we are the sheep of his pasture. Sorry. Psalm 100, verse 4.
[36:56] Verse 4, it says, enter his gift of thanksgiving into his course with praise. Be thankful to him and bless him. Now, look at the next verse. I want to say something here before I go to the last point.
[37:08] Now, sometimes don't wait for conditions to change before you are thankful. There are some things that can, when you keep your eye on, it will be good reason enough to be thankful.
[37:20] There are three of them in this verse. Verse 5. First one, for the Lord is good. Second one, his mercies are everlasting. Third one, his truth endures to all generations. That alone is enough for you to thank God for.
[37:33] Don't wait for conditions to change. Biblical reasons for thankfulness. Three major reasons for thankfulness to God. Number one is what? The Lord is good. I can't hear you. Number one. The Lord is good.
[37:43] Number two. The Lord is good. The Lord is good. Number three. His truth endures to all generations. It says that be thankful. Now, the last point I want to make about facts about thanksgiving is anytime you are thankful, it gives you some level of boldness to expect God to do more.
[38:06] When you are thankful, you know you will do more. So, thankfulness is building up to our faith. It's a faith built up. It helps build our expectation. It helps build your faith.
[38:19] The more you are thankful, the more your faith is rising. There are dangers of unthankfulness. Please, never be unthankful.
[38:33] In Romans chapter 1 verse 21, when people are unthankful, they never stop. depreciating. Degradation. Human degradation. At the heart of human degradation is unthankfulness.
[38:46] Because though they knew God, they did not glorify him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts and their foolish hearts were darkened. See the results.
[38:57] Professing to be wise, they became fools. Let's go to the next verse. And changing the glory of the incorruptible God into image. Let's go to the next. You see what? Therefore, God gave them up to uncleanness in the last of their hearts to dishonor their bodies among them.
[39:13] Things start deteriorating. It started from not being thankful. When they knew God, they didn't glorify him. Nor were thankful. Nor were thankful. Nor were thankful.
[39:23] Untankfulness introduces any group of people or anybody into a field of depreciation. And in last scripture, I want to quote, dangers of unthankfulness.
[39:36] In 2 Timothy chapter 3, verse 1, it said, in the last days, in the last days, but know this, that in the last days, bad, hard, difficult, rough times will come.
[39:48] Look at what he's saying. Men will be lovers of themselves. That's where the problem starts from. I love myself. I love, we hear people saying that self-help gurus, they are telling you, you have to love yourself first.
[40:00] You have to, you already love yourself by nature. Everybody, that's why the Bible says, love your, Jesus said, love your neighbor as yourself. And then they'll say, well, he said, ask yourself.
[40:11] So you have to love yourself first. That statement implies you love yourself already. There's no human being who doesn't love himself. Yes. People who love themselves, signs of the end times, lovers of themselves, lovers of money, money, money, love money, money.
[40:33] Some people will not be in church because they are going to work double pay today. Instead of serving God, looking for God, your boss didn't ask you, you chose to go because of love for money.
[40:45] Love, a pastor, is money bad. Money is not bad. But what you do with this is what determines whether it's good or not. Who is, but listen, we are talking about love for money. My time is up. Let's add it to you.
[40:56] Boasters. Boasters. Proud. And they celebrate their pride. Pride is a sickness.
[41:10] Boasters. Blasphemers. Disobedient to parents. Now it's coming closer. Many people suffer because of the way they treated their mother and father. The way you treated your mother.
[41:22] That's why you are suffering. It's not that you are not smart. You are failing. You are very terrible. Keep failing. It's your mom. The way you dishonored your mom and your dad is biting you. You can't dishonor your parents and get away with it.
[41:36] Disobedient to parents. Let me finish this. Look at the next one. Wow. Jesus. Yeah. You are done. Jesus. Untankful.
[41:50] You are complaining about politicians. You are complaining about people who love themselves. You are complaining about you are untankful. You are in the class. And you can never be untankful and be holy.
[42:04] Thanksgiving ushers us into realms of untold favors in God. Today is the last Sunday of the year. We want to be genuine. Don't wait for music first.
[42:17] You want to say, God, I'm thankful. There's something you should remember to be thankful for. Some of you, if for nothing at all, at least thank God you found this church. Those of you who God led you to join this church this year, you should be very thankful.
[42:31] Very thankful. Because we are so thankful for you. Why has everybody gone so quiet? I'm wondering why. Are you sure?
[42:43] Are you sure it's not because of the parents thing I spoke about? Oh, I'm thankful to God.
[42:56] Do you mind rising to your feet to say thank you? You want to say thank you? If you don't mind, you can lift your hands, any posture you want.
[43:08] Just take this opportunity. Seize it to express gratitude. Express your gratitude. I'm thankful for my satisfaction.
[43:28] Express your gratitude. Express your gratitude. Express your gratitude. Oh, I'm thankful for my gratitude. Express your gratitude. Express your gratitude.
[43:40] Express your gratitude. Express your gratitude. Express your gratitude. Express your gratitude. Express your gratitude. I'm thankful for admission, admission into that institution. I'm thankful for the promotion.
[43:52] I'm thankful for my position in the organization. I'm thankful, oh Lord, I'm thankful, oh Lord, for my health. I'm thankful for my house. I'm thankful for my health.
[44:03] I'm thankful for my house. I'm thankful that you answered my prayers. Thank you for answering my prayers and granting my child access into their school. Thank you for answering my prayers and granting me that mortgage.
[44:16] Thank you for answering my prayer. Thank you for answering my prayer and helping me to stand in my walk with you. Helping me to know you better. Thank you, Lord.
[44:28] Thank you, Lord. I am grateful. I am grateful. Thank you for listening to this message by David Entry. We pray you have been revived towards God.
[44:38] You can connect with David Entry on all relevant social media platforms, including Instagram and LinkedIn. You can also hear more messages from David Entry on all relevant streaming platforms and the Karis Church app.
[44:51] Don't forget to like and share the message. Be blessed. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you, Lord. Thank you. Thank you.