In the midst of these different issues, the Bible tells us that we’re to give thanks for everything; amen?  We then have a heart that realizes the worth of God, therefore, we can worship God for who He is and not for what we are getting out of Him.  Let’s jump to Psalms, Chapter 34.  It says it so well.  We want to work off of this, but there is also that desire.  Beloved, that is something we can work on.  This is something that we can make happen.  We can make ourselves thankful.  We can choose to be thankful in everything and for everything.  “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).  How thankful are you?  Scripture says, in Romans 1, that one of the great expressions of carnality is rebellion.  Those who are rejecting God, those who have walked away from God and taken back authority to themselves, are unthankful.  Romans says, “Unholy…”  Amen?  We need to cultivate thankfulness, but not to create a better environment for ourselves.  It must be to glorify God because He is worthy.  Take yourself out of the equation, and just make God big.

The psalmist tells us by the Holy Spirit here in Psalms, “I will bless the Lord…”  Give thanks for everything.  Give thanks.  “I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalm 34:1).  Are you cast down for some reason?  Begin to praise Him.  Bless the Lord at all times and let His praise be continually in your mouth.  It’s a choice.  “Well, you know.  The circumstances are so hard.  I’m so caught up in this.  My emotions are so involved in this.”  Listen, everything we do is by choice.  You choose to sin, so you can choose not to sin.  You can choose to be depressed, or you can choose to praise God and be free.  Take it from a man who has fought a lifetime of depression.  Thank God for the admonition that comes to us in Philippians; amen?  We wouldn’t be told, “Think on these things…” (Philippians 4:8), if we were not capable of thinking on them in the midst of adversity.  “Oh, I can think about all those good things when I’m happy.”  That is not when you need it; amen?

As we let God become big in our eyes, and the more we make Him big in our eyes, the more we look at His worth, His beauty.  Scripture talks about it being beautiful (amen?), the fruit of our lips gives thanksgiving unto His name because He’s altogether lovely.  We begin to speak His attributes.  “Lord, You’re so good.  You’re kind.  You’re gentle.  You’re merciful.”  Aren’t you so grateful that God is not moody?  Every time we come to Him, He is absolutely the same.  He is touched with the feelings of our infirmities.  God cares.  We should worship Him.  God is good.  We should praise Him.  Hallelujah!  God is sovereign, so we should give thanks for everything that we are experiencing, “knowing that all things will work together for our good.”  Romans 8:28, says.  Amen?  It is to those who are His called, who are walking according to His purpose and in His will.  It is time to give thanks in the midst of an unthankful generation or, even more, in the midst of an unthankful church.  Isn’t it amazing?  The church is so unthankful for what Jesus did that they are creating another Jesus in their image, after their lusts.  It is no different than the Greek gods made in man’s image.