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

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

 

Thankfulness is not natural to mankind.  Our nature is to be envious, to want more.  Man’s nature is more inward rather than outward.  However, with the influence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, a new nature is available to us.  A new view of life that will bring peace and joy to our homes, marriages, work, and even the ability to walkthrough tragic, difficult times and not grow bitter.

 

The powerful influence that can dramatically impact your daily experience is the power of thankfulness.  Put on thankfulness.  Choose thankfulness.  You cannot do this alone.  It is not in your original nature to be that thankful.  This level of thankfulness can only be achieved by inviting the power of the Holy Spirit to be the voice and influence in our minds to become thankful.  It is the Holy Spirit that helps us improve our daily attitude step by step slowing moving you closer and closer to a truly joyful, thankful person.

 

God’s treadmill of thanksgiving

 

Imagine a man bought a treadmill to lose weight.  He takes the treadmill home and in four months returns it. “Why are you returning the treadmill?” asks the salesman. The man says “I never lost any weight!”.  “Did the treadmill not work?” Than man says “I don’t know, I never turned it on.”

Ask God to “make” you more thankful and He will provide a ” Thankful Treadmill” for you to begin exercising with the Holy Spirit as a coach right beside you.  The way you grow in godliness is not from an “instant miracle ” but rather you become an “active participant” of the process through daily repentance,  listening as the Holy Spirit coaches you into looking at the world and its problems with new spiritual eyes.  As you continue using the Thankful Treadmill you begin to be more thankful and appreciative of all the things you missed before.  The Holy Spirit is transforming your spirit and mind into becoming joyful and thankful in all things.

 

Don’t Delay – Start Today

(I am not an expert …still running)

 

With God’s help you will experience His joy.  Choose Thankfulness.  Ask the Holy Spirit to help you.  Listen to God and expose the deep hurts in your life to the power of thanksgiving. As you continue to run on the Thankful Treadmill, your life will develop a strong, bright lightnside shining God’s presence where ever you go.

 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 NIV Rejoice always, [17] pray continually, [18] give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. [19] Do not quench the Spirit.

 

Ephesians 5:15-20 NIV Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, [16] making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. [17] Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. [18] Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, [19] speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, [20] always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

“Were not all ten cleansed?  Where are the other nine?”

 

Luke 17:11-19  11 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance 13 and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” 14 When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed. 15 One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. 16 He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. 17 Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” 19 Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” [whole kjv]

We are like the ten men with Leprosy

• All ten men with leprosy were in the same pitiful circumstance.  Outcast, in pain.  Castaway from family. They could not live a normal life.  The future was terrifying.  Life was very dark.
•  They all have heard about Jesus.  The power from God to heal and restore.
• They all cried out to Jesus.  Pleaded for His mercy to heal them.
• They were all healed as they obeyed Christ by going to the Priest.
• Only one came back to offer thanks and praise Jesus.

What happened to the other nine?  Am I in this group?

Maybe they thought God should have never allowed the disease in the first place.  Or maybe healing is Christ’s job. Or it could be they were so excited about their healing they forgot about the one who had compassion and healed them.  Maybe their new life with access to family and work was overwhelming and they forgot about giving thanks?  The bible does not say.

The Bible reminds us to be thankful always.  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.  Rejoice always,  pray continually,  give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Give thanks in ALL circumstances?  Yes, you can find something to be thankful for in all situations.  That takes some work and a perspective of understanding Christ’s involvement in your life.  In reality,  more has been done by God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit than we would ever know.

I need to look at my life through a lens of acknowledging God’s blessings and the supernatural work of Christ each day.  Accepting things could be worse but for the help and guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Thankful – Synonyms vs Antonyms

What is my daily attitude about life?   Here are some attitudes we can have.  Can you determine which ones come from a thankful heart?  [Grateful, appreciative, pleased,  glad, happy, content, delighted, cheerful, joyful, critical, dissatisfied, sad, unappreciative, depressed, disagreeable, downhearted, gloomy, inhospitable, joyless, offensive,  ungracious, vain, holding a grudge.]  God help me keep thankfulness in my heart.

Your Faith has made you WHOLE [KJV]

The one man who returned to Jesus to thank and worship him was made whole.  What about the other nine, were they not made whole?  No, their disease of leprosy was healed,  but this man’s heart and soul were also healed. This man went home healed of leprosy, full of thanksgiving to Christ and a bright lightnside.

Thank you Jesus, thank you God, thank you Holy Spirit, for today!

Ephesians 6:5-6  Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. ⁶ Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.

Master / Slave relations at work and home

Ephesians Chapter six has some good advice from God.  The main point concerning children and fathers, [and later in life the relationship changes to a servant (employee) and the owner (boss)]  is the reality that our actions and emotions in these real-world relationships should be seen in the light of eternity.

There is no disconnect between our choice of attitude toward earthly relationships and our eternal relationship with God.  Humility, honesty, and a good work ethic on earth reflects our real relationship with God.

 

We are all a slave to someone and a master to another.  How we honor, respect,  work, appreciate each other is a reflection of our spiritual relationship to our eternal master.

God encourages us to understand the reaction or submission in each earthly frustration or seeming unfair situation can be an act of worship and trust as we take our concerns to God instead of emotional outbursts.

 

Unto the Lord…

Maybe an inner thought at work or family in difficult times is the thought “I do this in your sight and for Your glory God.”  This portion of Ephesians leads right into the reality that we are fighting battles against demonic influences rather than flesh and blood.

The success in family and world slave/master relationships is to do battle in the supernatural against the lies and self-exulting emotions the enemy tries to put in our mind.

Bring prayer, scripture first into situations  and ask the Holy Spirit to help us look past our emotions into our hearts as we call upon God for power to live in peace, forgiveness, understanding, and respect with others.  This is a great battle fought in the supernatural and acted out in the physical.

 

Be strong in the Lord.  Be thankful.  Work hard.   Keep Lightnside at work and at home.

 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Conformity is a very strong temptation.

The power to conform is very, very strong.  It costs nothing.  It is very comfortable.  It is very self-pleasing.  It rewards desires.  But is it wise to conform to this world?  Does riding the wave of social standards lead to inner peace?  Of course not. If you are conforming to this world you are riding the downward rollercoaster to its end.  The fake news that promotes fun and success only ends in discouragement and loss.

Transformation only happens with God’s help

Romans 12:2 says do not fall into conformity but to transform areas of your life.  Transformation is NOT as easy as conformity.

Transformation is recognizing areas in our life that need to be energized to turn away from the lure to conform and become more alive in Christ.  Areas of our life that can become conformed is how we spend our free time.  Too much entertainment? Any time for spiritual development? Our emotions and relationships.  Are there charges on your credit card that points to conformity? We all fall into areas of ease.  Allow the Holy Spirit to speak with you to choose an area that needs to be transformed.

Renewing your mind

Our minds need to be renewed to the fact that we cannot transform ourselves.  We do not have the power to bring lasting change on our own.  We need supernatural help.

The word “Transform” is the Greek word metamorphoō  This word is used only two other places in the Bible. 

 

Matthew 17:2 NKJV — and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light.

 

2 Corinthians 3:18 NKJV — But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

It clearly refers to an inner transformation rather than mere outward conformity.

Transformation is only accomplished by the power of God’s Holy Spirit at work in you.  IT STARTS WITH YOU ACCEPTING IN YOUR MIND THE NEED OF GOD’S POWER.  BY THE AWAKENING OF YOUR MIND THE NEED TO CHANGE FROM CONFORMITY TO TRANSFORMITY.

Imagine when you begin to ask God to help you transform something in your life.  Through faith, prayer and believing God is at work in you, you will begin to notice a brighter life.  Your growth is similar to Christ’s transformation.  Your heart and life become whiter and brighter as you move closer to following Christ’s example.

Do you feel areas that need transformation?  Do you desire a brighter life, a cleaner heart?   Allow God to put His power of transformation at work.  You will feel a brighter and whiter lightnside.