An Attitude of Gratitude | Pastor Trev Evans

Let's get into the word of God. Let's

hold our Bible up and get ready to make

our confession. Come on, E church. We

thank God for you literally all over the

world. Come on, let's say it together.

Say, "This is my Bible.

>> This is my word.

>> It is God's word.

>> It reveals to me."

>> It reveals to me

>> God's will.

>> Therefore,

>> therefore,

>> it's the final authority.

>> It's the final

>> to which I submit

>> to settle all the issues

>> settle all

>> of my life

>> of my life. It's the standard

>> It's the standard

>> of my conduct.

>> And the basis the basis

>> of all my expectation.

>> of all my expect.

>> Come on, shout it out. I am

>> I am

>> what it says I am.

>> I possess

>> what it says I possess.

>> what it says I am.

>> And I can do

>> and I can do

>> absolutely everything.

>> Absolutely everything

>> it says I can do.

>> It says I can do.

>> I'm a believer.

>> Not a doubter.

>> I'm a doer.

>> Not just a hearer.

>> Not just a hearer. and my life

>> and and my life. My everyday life

>> My everyday life

>> is the better

>> after having heard

>> After having heard

>> the word of faith

>> faith comes by hearing

>> comes by hearing

>> and hearing

>> and hearing by

>> the word of God.

>> Let's ride.

>> You may be seated in the presence of the

Lord.

>> Amen. Amen. Amen.

>> Yeah.

Father bless us as we go into your word

>> in Jesus name.

>> Amen.

>> First Thessalonians

>> 1 Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 18. 1

1 Thessalonians 5:18 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Thessalonians chapter 5 verse 18. It

says in everything

>> everything.

>> Somebody shout everything.

>> Everything. In everything give thanks

for this is the will of God in Christ

Jesus concerning you. In everything

somebody shout everything.

>> Everything.

>> Today we want to talk to you from the

subject uh immediately. Let's let's go

with this one. An attitude of gratitude.

>> The attitude of gratitude. Or you could

put in parenthesis because I had to send

John two of them. The other one that I

really like that was a little more

country is Lord, I just want to thank

you.

>> I didn't know how well that was going to

do on YouTube. So, we got the attitude

of gratitude. But if I could just cut

across the field and tell you how I

feel, Lord, I just want to thank you.

>> You know, as we approach the end of

another year, it is natural to reflect,

>> to look back on what has been for some

of us. It has been the most amazing year

we've ever experienced.

I didn't get too many amens on that, but

I know some of you are in here. Some of

us are in here, you had the type of

experience that that is talked about in

Amos chapter 9:13 in the message where

things are going to have they happen so

fast it made your head swim

>> that the blessings of God was happening

one thing after another. One blessing on

the heels of another. Now, I know you

probably couldn't tell anybody, but the

truth be told, IT WAS THAT kind of year

for you.

>> Yeah. That God God blessed you so much.

So, and can I just tell you, it's too

many of us in here,

>> for you to be the only one.

>> No, there's many of us in here that God

had blessed us way beyond our vision

board for 2025. He did way more THAN

WHAT YOU SET OUT FOR IN 2025.

>> It's been an amazing year.

And while that has been the case for

some, for others it has been a

challenging year.

>> And for others, it's been a downright

hard year.

>> Whether it's navigating systemic

injustices,

>> overcoming personal struggles, or even

enduring a season of loss that you did

not see coming.

>> Amen. It's been a challenging year. The

ways you had to press forward despite

the obstacles, it was so challenging

that you felt like you were the only

one.

>> But to you, I also say

>> there's too many of us in here.

>> For you to be the only one.

>> You weren't the only one that had

difficult days.

>> You wasn't the only one who had more

questions than answers. You weren't the

only one who struggled to put one foot

in front of the other. It was a

challenging year.

>> And while

it could have been great for some and

challenging for others, catch this, both

parties are in danger.

>> Because if we don't have the attitude of

gratitude,

we'll mishandle

the blessings that God has poured into

our lives.

Whether it's been great for you or

whether it's been so hard that even to

think about talking about it brings

tears to your eyes. Both parties are in

danger because if you do not if you

mishandle the blessings that God has

poured in your life. How can you

mishandle them? You can minimize them.

>> You can flat out miss them

>> or you can mistaken them.

>> Come on, let's ride.

What is gratitude? What? Let's let's

let's start here. What what is

gratitude?

Gratitude is the intentional act of

acknowledging God's faithfulness, his

provision and grace in any circumstance,

good or bad.

>> Gratitude.

>> Gratitude is the intentional act of

acknowledging. See when I acknowledge

something, it is not it's not the things

I say in my heart.

>> Yeah. Yeah. When I when I acknowledge

when I when I acknowledge something, it

is an outward expression.

>> When I TALK ABOUT GRATITUDE, I'M NOT

TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING THAT YOU have in

your heart.

>> I'm talking about an act of

acknowledging God's faithfulness in your

life.

>> I'm talking about an ACT OF

ACKNOWLEDGING GOD'S provision in your

life. I'm talking about AN ACT OF

ACKNOWLEDGING GOD'S GRACE IN YOUR LIFE

IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE,

>> good or bad,

>> any circumstance. Somebody shout any

>> any.

>> In any circumstance, I I I I need to

have the attitude of gratitude because

if I don't,

I will mishandle the blessings that he

has poured into my life.

>> I will either minimize them

I will just totally miss them

>> or I will sadly mistaken them.

>> Gratitude is critical because without it

we will mishandle the blessings that God

has poured in our lives. We will number

one we'll we'll minimize it.

>> We can catch this. We can be SO

OVERWHELMED. CATCH THIS. NOT BY TROUBLE,

BUT BY THE ABUNDANCE

>> OF THE BLESSINGS of God in our lives

that we'll start treating his blessings

as minimal.

>> WE'LL START MINIMIZING HIS BLESSING.

SEE, GOD STARTED TALKING TO ME AND

DEALING WITH ME AS WE GET READY TO COME

TO ANOTHER YEAR.

>> THAT SOMETIMES IF WE'RE NOT CAREFUL,

WE'LL BE WE'LL TREAT the year that we're

currently in like we in an escape room.

like we doing everything we can. Lord, I

just got to get out of this year CUZ IT

BEEN SO BAD. IT'S BEEN SO HORRIBLE. AND

YES, THERE HAS BEEN CHALLENGES,

>> BUT IF YOU AND I DON'T HAVE the attitude

of gratitude,

>> WILL BE SO FAST GETTING out of this

year, making vision boards for the next

YEAR THAT WE FORGOT ALL THE BLESSINGS

THAT GOD has poured in our lives.

I can remember growing up. I grew up I

was born in the Church of God in Christ

in Brooklyn, New York.

>> But then I I I I I my parents moved down

here to Aiden, North Carolina, and we

became a member of Zion Chapel Freewood

Baptist Church

>> on Planet Street in Aiden, North

Carolina.

>> And uh and uh and and at Zion Chapel, we

would have a year revival. And uh before

the service got started, they would have

testimony service. AND SO ONE TIME THEY

HAD TESTIMONY SERVICE AND IT WAS GOOD.

Bishop TL Davis was coming down to

preach. So we already know we were

getting ready to have crazy church.

>> And so testimony services were going on

and you know how you you train to

testify. First giving honor to God.

>> Pastors, members, saints and friends,

deacons, saints and friends.

>> And uh they were doing that. They were

doing it was going well until this ONE

MOTHER OF THE CHURCH, MOTHER Beatatric

Hill.

>> Oh, you can already tell by that name.

This getting ready to have some fire on

it. MOTHER BEATATRIC HILL STOOD UP IN

THE SERVICE AND SAID, "I WANT TO THANK

GOD CUZ I GOT SHOES ON MY FEET AND WENT

TO SHOUT."

NOW,

>> y'all got to understand,

>> I told you I grew up in church.

>> So, so, so growing up in church, you

took every opportunity for any moment of

comedic relief.

>> SO, BEING A TEENAGER, WE SITTING in the

back AND AND AND MOTHER HILL JUMPS UP

AND AND AND she just says, "I got shoes

on my feet." and start shouting and we

bumping each other laughing.

She didn't say give honor to God.

>> Until I live long enough

to realize

how good God has been until I live LONG

ENOUGH TO REALIZE THAT EVERYBODY DIDN'T

HAVE SHOES ON THEIR FEET. Good God

almighty.

Mother Hill

WAS NOT SO DRUNK ON THE ABUNDANCE OF ALL

THAT GOD HAD DONE IN HER LIFE

>> THAT SHE minimized shoes on her feet.

>> And and WHAT I COME TO TELL US TODAY IS

THAT YOU AND I CANNOT MISHANDLE

>> THE BLESSINGS OF GOD BY MINIMIZING.

>> Turn with me to Psalms 103. WE CAN'T

MINIMIZE GOD'S BLESSINGS. WE COULD HAVE

SO MANY GREAT AND WONDERFUL AND AMAZING

THINGS GOING ON THAT WE'LL FORGET.

>> OH, WE WE'LL WE'LL MINIMIZE IT SO MUCH

SO THAT WE'LL STOP THANKING GOD FOR IT.

>> WHEN IS THE LAST time you thank God for

two good eyes?

>> WHEN IS THE LAST TIME YOU THANK GOD for

the ability to walk AND TO TALK?

>> WHEN IS THE LAST TIME YOU THANK GOD FOR

THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO THINK?

WOO! A REASONABLE PORTION OF LIFE,

HEALTH, AND STRENGTH. NO, YOU CAN'T RUN

A 5K, BUT YOU CAN GET UP AND DRESS

YOURSELF.

HALLELUJAH.

>> I don't want to minimize

>> what God has done. I got to have the

attitude of gratitude.

>> Psalms Psalms 103.

Talk Bible. PSALMS 103 SAYS, "BLESS the

Lord,

>> OH MY SOUL."

>> "Bless bless the Lord, OH MY," THAT'S A

COMMAND.

>> YOU HAVE TO COMMAND YOUR SOUL.

>> You have to LOOK AT ALL THAT GOD HAS

DONE AND REFUSE TO MINIMIZE ANY OF IT.

>> You got to command it.

>> BLESS THE LORD, OH MY SOUL, AND ALL GOOD

GOD ALMIGHTY, THAT IS WITHIN ME. THAT'S

FOR THE PEOPLE WHO SAY IT DON'T TAKE ALL

THAT. YES, IT DO.

>> OH, YES. IT TAKE EVERYTHING. EVERYTHING

I GOT, I'M GOING TO GIVE HIM PRAISE.

GOOD GOD ALMIGHTY.

BLESS THE LORD, OH MY SOUL, AND ALL

THAT IS WITHIN ME. BLESS HIS HOLY NAME.

CATCH. BLESS THE LORD, OH MY SOUL, AND

FORGET not

If it wasn't possible to forget, the

scripture would have never warned us

against it.

>> HE SAID, "FORGET NOT."

>> Can I submit TO YOU THAT WE DON'T ALWAYS

START OUT JUST IMMEDIATELY FORGETTING?

WE START OUT MINIMIZING.

>> WE WE WE START OUT MINIMIZING IT.

We start out reducing it.

>> It's gradual.

>> I I'm reminded of a time

>> when my pastor went to preach revival in

Roper, North Carolina.

>> We went to and and she said, "Do you

want to ride with me?" And I said,

"Absolutely." And so, you know, bishop

done preach some everywhere.

>> So, you know, I'm thinking she done

called me to go her. It might be three

400 folk here. We can have some church.

We drive the truck up right directly in

front of the church.

See y'all, if you ain't grow up in

church, you don't even know that that's

a sign. Ain't that many people there?

PULL THE TRUCK UP RIGHT TO THE FRONT OF

THE CHURCH.

And I said, "Oh, these saints, they just

must come a little late. That's all they

they'll be here 7:45."

We get in the church

>> and you know how church things are, you

know, they say, "Oh, they ain't going to

come for testimony." So, maybe they

going to come after the first hymn.

>> First him came and gone.

Still about 25 people in there.

>> Bishop gets up in this church in Roa,

North Carolina, and starts to preach

like she's at the potter's house.

>> No, I'm not lying. I'M NOT EXAGGERATING.

IF SHE WASN'T HERE, I'M TELLING THE SAME

STORY.

GETS UP AND STARTS PREACHING LIKE SHE

HAD THE POTTER'S HOUSE AND I'M SIT POWER

GOD MOVE JUST AMAZING. We get back in

the truck and I sit there and I look at

her and so if you know bishop if you

ever just stare at it makes her nervous.

So she's kind of like

and Cam there was no profound statement

that she made because her actions told

me everything

>> that I needed to know

>> that no matter what door God opens for

me, I WILL NOT MINIMIZE ANY of them.

>> EVEN THE ONES THAT APPEAR SMALL. GOOD

GOD ALMIGHTY. SEE, because if if if IF I

CAN IF I CAN KEEP minimizing at bay,

>> it will keep me from forgetting.

>> IF I CAN REFUSE TO minimize

>> the THINGS THAT APPEAR TO BE SMALL,

>> AND CAN I JUST SHARE WITH YOU THAT THE

THINGS THAT APPEAR TO BE SMALL ARE big

when you don't have them.

IT'S A SMALL THING TO BE ABLE TO BRUSH

YOUR OWN TEETH

>> UNTIL YOU HAVE A STROKE AND CAN'T BRUSH

THEM NO MORE.

>> IT'S A SMALL THING TO BE ABLE TO BEND

OVER AND TIE YOUR SHOE

>> UNTIL YOU can't

touch your neighbor. Say, "I'm not

minimizing nothing.

>> I'm thanking God for everything.

>> OH, I'M THANKING GOD FOR EVERYTHING.

THANKING GOD FOR MY TOOTHBRUSH, FOR MY

COMB, FOR MY COAT, for my hat, FOR MY

CAR.

HALLELUJAH.

>> I'm not minimizing anything.

>> Hallelujah.

>> My God.

I don't know where IT'S COMING FROM. BUT

BUT BUT GOD GOD DON'T MINIMIZE

OPPORTUNITIES.

>> DON'T DON'T DON'T DON'T MINIMIZE

OPPORTUNITY. ANYTIME GOD GIVES YOU AN

OPPORTUNITY,

>> don't minimize it.

>> Cuz you don't know.

>> Talk to him, MISS STEARTMAN VIDEO. YOU

DON'T KNOW

>> WHY GOD IS SENDING YOU TO HAND THAT

PERSON THAT MONEY. YOU DON'T KNOW.

SEE, OFTEN TIMES WE'RE LIKE POSTMEN.

>> Your job is to deliver the mail.

>> YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT'S IN THE ENVELOPE.

>> AND IT AIN'T NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS TO

KNOW WHAT'S IN THE ENVELOPE.

>> Just deliver THE MAIL. TELL SOMEBODY.

TELL SOMEBODY. JUST DELIVER THE MAIL.

>> Do whatever he told you to do.

>> Don't minimize it. Give it your best.

>> Hallelujah.

I can't min I can't mishandle God's

blessing

>> by minimizing it.

>> I can't I can't I can't get so

intoxicated on the abundance.

>> Woo.

>> I hear you, God. On the abundance,

>> you can have so many blessings in your

life

>> that God's been so good to you.

>> CATCH THIS. THAT THAT THAT YOU THINK,

let me read the statement to you. Any

area of my life where I stop being

grateful, there lies the potential to

become entitled.

any area

>> of my life

where I stop being grateful.

>> When I stop thanking God for the little

things,

>> any area where I start doing that lies

the potential to become entitled. Yeah,

>> if I stop thanking God for the ability

to walk,

>> I just start to after a while it don't

happen all of a sudden.

>> But after a while, I start think I'm

entitled.

>> Like there's people who are serving God

who don't have the ability to walk.

>> God don't owe Lord have mercy. God don't

owe me nothing. Woo! Oh, God. Boy,

THAT'S WHERE GRATITUDE TAKES ME. THAT

GOD DOESN'T OWE ME NOTHING. EVERYTHING

HE'S GIVEN ME IS BY HIS GRACE AND BY HIS

MERCY.

>> THE MERE FACT THAT HE SAVED ME.

>> He done DONE ENOUGH.

>> EVERYTHING ELSE HE GIVES ME IS GRAVY.

EVERYTHING ELSE HE BLESSES ME WITH IS

EXTRA.

>> He don't OWE ME NOTHING.

HE DON'T OWE ME NOTHING.

>> I KNOW I GOT A PRELICE, BUT HE DON'T OWE

ME NOTHING. I KNOW I GOT A VISION BOARD,

BUT HE DON'T OWE ME NOTHING. I KNOW I

GOT SOME THINGS BEFORE HIM ON MY ALTAR,

BUT HE DON'T OWE ME NOTHING. He's been

good. Hallelujah.

>> He's been good.

He's already been good, Jasper. I'm not

waiting on him to BE GOOD. I'M NOT

WAITING ON ANOTHER BLESSING. I'M NOT

WAITING ON NOTHING ELSE. HE'S ALREADY

been good.

I remember the saints saying it. That's

why you GOT OH, CAN Y'ALL JUST SIT DOWN

FOR A SECOND? SIT DOWN FOR A SEC.

EVERYBODY WHO'S OVER 55, COULD you just

stand up for me?

Let me TELL Y'ALL SOMETHING.

YOU ALWAYS HAVE A PLACE in this church.

>> We need you more NOW THAN EVER BEFORE IN

our lives.

>> Because let me TELL YOU SOMETHING. YOU

ALL, WE QUOTE the scripture,

>> but you all have lived the scripture

THAT I'VE NEVER SEEN THE RIGHTEOUS

FORSAKEN.

NO, HIS PAGAN BREAD. You've already

lived it.

Look around.

You've already lived it. YOU'VE ALREADY

COME THROUGH SOME LOW VALLEYS. YOU'VE

ALREADY COME OVER SOME HIGH MOUNTAINS.

YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO THANK GOD FOR

SHOES ON YOUR FEET, CLOTHES ON YOUR

BACK, A ROOF OVER your head.

>> Anytime you see us

>> under the age of 55,

>> crying over spilled champagne,

>> remind us

>> of how good God has been.

>> You may be feeling.

>> Don't minimize it. Woo. I can't minimize

it

>> because any area of my life where I stop

being grateful,

>> there lies the potential

>> for me, God, to become entitled.

>> Lord, help me not to minimize your

blessing.

>> Help me not to minimize your blessing.

Understand without gratitude which is

the intentional act of acknowledging

God's faithfulness his provision and

grace in every circumstance good or bad

we will number one minimize the blessing

>> but not only will we minimize the

blessing catch this when we face

challenges that are so heavy number two

we'll miss the blessings

>> we when we face challenges is that are

heavy,

>> things that you didn't ask for,

>> things that were nowhere on your list of

things for 2025.

When life hands you something that is

challenging,

I am saying to you today that you must

have the attitude of gratitude so that

you don't miss the blessings even in a

challenging situation.

>> Oh, turn with me to Habbeca.

>> Habbec chapter 3.

>> See, because understand something.

Gratitude is not just for good times.

Yeah, that's good.

>> Help me, Holy Ghost. Gratitude is not

just for good times.

>> Our text says in everything,

>> we're to give thanks.

>> My gratitude in challenging times helps

me not to miss the blessing.

>> Haba chapter 3 verse 17. There there is

a challenging time going on in this

text.

Ain't nothing going right. I know that

doesn't make good English, but just let

me say it. Ain't nothing going right.

What can go wrong has gone wrong.

>> Thank you, Holy Spirit.

Everything ain't wrong.

>> I hear my pastor even in my head.

Everything is not wrong. Most of it

could be wrong.

And this is the challenge is that when

most of it is wrong, we'll say we'll

scrap the whole thing

>> and say everything is wrong.

>> YEAH. WE WE'LL SCRAP THE WHOLE THING AND

SAY EVERYTHING. And this is why

gratitude is so important.

Habbeca chap chapter 3 it says though

the fig tree

>> does not bud I'm reading in the NIV and

there are no grapes on the vine

>> though the olive crop fails

>> and the fields produce no food. Oh God

see only gardeners are getting irritated

right NOW. SEE VERONICA THIS TEXT MEANT

nothing to Veronica Baines about four

years ago. That's right. BUT SINCE SHE'S

GOTTEN INTO GARDENING RIGHT NOW in her

spirit is being is being dealt with.

She's wrestling

>> because all the work that goes into

gardening.

>> And you mean to tell me you get TO THE

POINT THAT THERE'S NOTHING TO SHOW for

it?

>> All these years you've BEEN POURING INTO

THAT child

>> and now you GET TO THE POINT NOW AND

THEY GOING TO TELL you

>> what they ain't going to do.

said, "Ain't no grapes on the vine."

Ain't no grape. Ain't no grapes on the

vine. It said, "Don't no don't don't no.

The fig tree does not bud and there are

no grapes on the vine. Though the olive

crop fails and the fields produce no

food, though there are no sheep in the

pin and no cattle in the stall." Verse

18 says, "YET

SOMETIMES YOU GOT TO SLOW DOWN WHEN

YOU'RE READING.

>> It says yet.

>> I looked up the word yet.

>> And yet is a conjunction that introduces

something unexpected.

>> IT SHOWS THAT TWO IDEAS are in tension

with each other.

>> OH MY GOD. SO SO YOU MEAN TO TELL ME YOU

HAVE ALL OF THIS going on?

>> NO. GRAPES ON THE VINE,

>> NO CATTLE IN THE STALL, no appears TO BE

NO HOPE FOR YOUR FUTURE, BUT YET

>> IT SAYS, "YET I WILL."

>> WELL, I wish somebody WOULD READ THE

BIBLE. I WILL REJOICE. YOU MEAN TO TELL

ME OUT OF ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE GONE

ON IN YOUR LIFE THIS YEAR

THAT THAT you have a YET IN YOUR SPIRIT

THAT YEAH. YOU SAID GOODBYE TO SOME

PEOPLE THAT YOU DIDN'T WANT TO SAY

GOODBYE TO,

>> BUT YOU HAD A YET IN YOUR spirit

>> that THAT THAT THAT I WOULD HAVE ALL

THIS negative

>> to happen to me,

>> but I will introduce

>> A REACTION

>> THAT IS IN TENSION WITH WHAT JUST

HAPPENED. YES,

>> I WILL REDUCE I WILL PRODUCE A BEHAVIOR

>> THAT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MATCH WHAT HAS

HAPPENED

>> THAT INSTEAD OF COMPLAINING I'M PRAISING

INSTEAD OF MUMBLING I'M GIVING HIM

GLORY.

SOMEBODY SHOUT YET.

>> I got to have the attitude of gratitude.

He says, "Yet

>> I will rejoice

>> in the Lord."

>> SEE, SEE SOME SOME THINGS YOU NEED TO

THANK GOD for again.

>> Some things YOU NEED TO THANK GOD FOR

AGAIN.

>> YEAH, I THANK GOD FOR THAT LAST TIME.

NO, YOU NEED TO THANK HIM AGAIN.

>> YOU NEED to tell him thank you again.

>> Oh, God. Where am I? Help me, Lord.

>> I started doing this this week.

I started calling people

>> and thanking them

>> for things that they already done for

me.

>> TJ, I started crying and I didn't intend

to cry, man. I know you think I'm a cry

baby, but I ain't a crybaby like that.

>> I cry,

but I started thanking people for things

they already done for me.

Yeah.

>> Thanking my mama

>> for working two jobs to send me to ENT

>> will work at ECU, get off at 5:00, come

home, take a bath, and then go at the

hospital and work 12 hours

>> and then and then go and help my uncle

Buck who had a little cleaning business.

You already know my uncle Buck. That was

kind of, you know, but she Amen. But she

did what she had to do.

>> Now I thanked her 20 years ago.

>> But there was something about telling

telling her thank you again

>> about rejoicing over what has been done

in my again.

>> See this is WHY WE SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE A

PRAISE BECAUSE EVEN IF SOMETHING IF

THINGS ARE NOT GOING OUT RIGHT NOT GOING

RIGHT right now you still have something

that you can rejoice over again.

He says, "I will rejoice."

>> Catch this. He said, "I will be joyful."

>> I like the King James, "And the God of

my salvation."

>> VERSE 19 SAYS, "THE SOVEREIGN LORD IS MY

STRENGTH.

>> HE MAKES MY FEET LIKE HINDS feet and he

enables me to TREAD UPON THE HIGH

PLACES."

>> SEE, THIS IS WHAT GRATITUDE does even in

a challenging situation.

Life can hand you some dirty stuff.

>> Life can hand you some challenging

things.

>> And it looks like

>> you have nothing to be thankful for.

Yeah,

>> it looks like that there is nothing in

there to be grateful for

>> because from the outside looking in, it

looks like a bunch of dirt.

>> Yeah,

>> it's a dirt. It was a dirty situation.

You got done dirty.

>> NO, NOT NOT NOT THAT YOU DID ANYTHING TO

THEM. YOU were nothing but kind to them.

>> You were nothing but good to them. AND

THEY WOULD TURN AROUND AND STAB YOU IN

THE BACK. OR THEY WOULD TURN AROUND AND

ACT LIKE THEY DIDN'T KNOW YOU OR when

you HAD A NEED THEY ACT LIKE THEY THAT

THEY PHONE WASN'T WORKING.

>> If you and I are not careful,

>> we can miss the blessing

>> even in challenging times.

>> My pastor TAUGHT ME A LONG time ago that

gratitude is like a magnet. That's

right.

>> And then what you got to do is take the

magnet of gratitude and run it over your

life.

>> And you'll be surprised

>> of what will come out of

>> your LIFE IF YOU JUST START THANKING

GOD. If you WOULD JUST OPEN YOUR MOUTH

EVEN I DON'T CARE WHAT HAS HAPPENED. IF

YOU WOULD OPEN UP YOUR MOUTH AND THANK

GOD EVEN FOR THE CHALLENGING DAYS,

THERE'S SOMETHING THAT WILL COME UP OUT

OF YOUR LIFE THAT YOU CAN THANK God for.

>> YEAH, THEY LEFT YOU, BUT YOU GREW IN GOD

IN A WAY THAT YOU WOULD NEVER HAVE GROWN

IN GOD.

YEAH, THE DAYS WERE TOUGH

>> AND YOU didn't know how YOU WERE GOING

TO MAKE THEM ENDS MEET.

>> BUT YOU REALLY FOUND OUT THAT HE REALLY

IS JEHOVAH GYRA, that he REALLY IS THE

GOD THAT WILL PROVIDE.

>> Was that Andre Crouch

who said, "I thank him for every

mountain.

>> I thank him for every valley. I thank

him for every situation that he has

brought me through because if I DIDN'T

HAVE A PROBLEM,

>> I WOULDN'T KNOW THAT GOD COULD SOLVE IT.

>> I WOULD KNOW WHAT FAITH IN God can do.

>> Touch your neighbor. Say, "Don't miss

it."

>> Run that run that magnet of gratitude

over your life UNTIL STUFF START JUMPING

UP.

OH, WHEN YOU JUST START THANKING GOD FOR

SHOES ON YOUR FEET,

>> clothes on your back,

>> a roof over your head,

>> IT'S AMAZING WHAT'LL START COMING UP OUT

OF YOUR LIFE. IT'S AMAZING WHAT STARTS

COMING TO YOUR MEMORY. YOU'LL START

REMEMBERING THE TIMES WHEN GOD BROUGHT

YOU THROUGH THAT SITUATION AND YOU HAD

NO BUSINESS COMING OUT.

WOO!

>> HE BROUGHT YOU OUT IN THAT THING THAT

YOU SAID YOU WOULD NEVER GET IN AGAIN

AND HE BROUGHT YOU OUT.

>> Touch your neighbor. Say, "Hey, your

magnet of gratitude."

>> I got to have my magnet of gratitude.

>> Catch this. Even even when you're in

challenging times and you're praying.

>> Philippians 4:6

Philippians 4:6

>> even teaches us that thanksgiving even

needs to be a part of our prayer.

>> Talk Bible.

>> Philippians chapter 4. I didn't even

Philippians 4 · chapter mention

give I don't know if I gave it this one

to him or not. Philippians chapter 4

Philippians 4:6

verse 6. It says, "Be anxious for

nothing,

>> but in

>> there it goes again, in everything

>> by prayer and supplication

with

>> thanksgiving."

>> WOO! EVEN WHEN YOU'RE TALKING TO God

>> and asking God FOR THE THINGS THAT YOU

NEED, DON'T FORGET TO say thank you.

>> EVEN WHEN YOU HAVE THINGS THAT YOU HAVE

BEFORE GOD AND YOU ARE, WE ought to lay

it out. The text makes it very clear.

You you don't have to be bashful or

shameful about asking God for what you

need.

>> But even while you're asking him for

what you need, thank him for what you

already have.

>> THANK HIM FOR WHAT HE'S ALREADY DONE.

>> We with thanksgiving.

>> I used to wonder why why we had the

holiday of Thanksgiving

>> and but I realized I'm thankful for it.

Why? Because the scripture gives, I

believe this in second Timothy, one of

the characteristics or signs of the last

days

>> is that men will become unthankful.

>> We take all the other signs and we run

with them and we we should we should pay

attention to them. But the Bible is

clear that one of the signs

>> of the end of time that the time is

drawing near is that men will become

unthankful.

>> My prayer is that God don't let us be

that kind of people.

>> God, HELP US TO BE THE KIND OF PEOPLE

THAT ARE QUICK TO GIVE YOU PRAISE.

>> LET US BE THE KIND OF PEOPLE THAT ENTER

INTO YOUR GATES WITH THANKSGIVING

>> AND INTO YOUR COURTS WITH PRAISE. I

DON'T NEED THREE SONGS FROM THE PRAISE

TEAM TO GIVE GOD PRAISE WHEN I THINK.

OH, OF THE GOODNESS OF JESUS AND ALL

THAT HE DONE FOR ME.

My soul CRIES OUT. MY SOUL CRIES OUT. MY

SOUL cries out. Woo!

Hallelujah.

I don't HAVE TO BE PROMPTED. I DON'T

HAVE TO BE BEGGED. I DON'T HAVE TO BE

PUMPED. MY SOUL CRIES OUT. I KNOW WHERE

HE BROUGHT ME FROM. I KNOW WHAT HE KEPT

ME THROUGH.

SEE, THIS IS WHY IT SHOULDN'T TAKE ALL

DAY FOR US TO GET INTO a musty praise. I

hear MY PASTOR NOW. WHY IT SHOULDN'T

TAKE ALL DAY? BECAUSE YOU YOU DON'T KNOW

LIKE I KNOW. I hear the old song IN MY

HEAD. WHAT THE LORD HAS DONE FOR ME. YOU

CAN'T TELL IT. LET ME TELL IT. WHAT THE

Lord

>> I got to have. Oh,

>> I got to have

>> the attitude of gratitude

>> so that I don't mishandle the blessings

of God in my life.

>> I can't afford to minimize

>> because of the abundance of blessings.

I can't afford to miss the blessing

>> because of the challenging times that

I'm going through.

>> And last but not least, we out of here

on this. I cannot afford to mistaken the

blessing.

>> Understand something. We can grow so

accustomed to our blessings.

>> That we will mistake them as something

we've earned.

>> We can we can we can grow so accustom. W

help us, Holy Ghost. We can become so

used to

>> just having what we have.

>> Riding night. Ain't nothing wrong with

riding nice. You shouldn't feel ashamed

about it.

>> It's the blessing of the Lord that make

it rich.

>> And he has no sorrow to it.

>> There's no way you CAN READ THIS BIBLE

HONESTLY AND NOT KNOW THAT GOD WANTS TO

BLESS HIS PEOPLE. AMEN. AMEN.

>> But he told the children of Israel,

>> he said, "When you have eaten

>> and are full,

>> don't forget me."

>> When you are When you have eaten and are

full, don't get so accustomed to the

blessing

>> that you mistaken the blessing

>> and thinking that you have it because of

you.

Yeah, you can have it so long. See,

that's what happens sometime with

salvation.

>> Sometimes we can be saved so long

>> and we've learned to work some of the

principles of the word of God.

We know how to name it and claim it and

blab it and grab it and believe it and

receive it. Yes, sir. that things can

become transactional

>> and we'll start to think that we have

what we have

>> because of what we've done.

>> That's right.

>> And not what he has done.

>> That's right.

>> We'll become sadly mistaken

>> and thinking,

oh God, that it's oh God

>> that I have what I have.

Oh Lord,

because I'm a tither.

>> My tithing

>> is a response to the goodness of God.

>> No, can't look at it. My tithing is a

response to the good. He's already

blessed me.

>> He already gave it to me. What he's

asking me to do is to return

>> what he's already given to me.

>> I'm not trying to earn a blessing.

>> I'm trying to RESPOND TO HIS GOODNESS.

>> Good God almighty. I'm not trying to

earn a blessing.

>> I'm trying to respond to his goodness.

>> That he's been so good to me.

>> That I want to live for him.

>> That he's been so MERCIFUL TO ME

>> THAT I WANT TO WALK AWAY FROM THE STUFF

THAT BREAKS HIS HEART.

I'm not trying to GET HIM TO LOVE ME. HE

ALREADY LOVED ME WHILE WE WERE IN SIN.

>> CHRIST DIED FOR US.

>> It's the FINISHED WORK IN CHRIST ALONE.

>> Help me, Holy Ghost.

>> It's his finished work alone.

>> He's already done it.

>> Oh. Oh. This is what Bishop meant when

she said that godliness grows in the in

the garden of gratitude.

>> When I'm grateful, bro,

>> I don't have to be motivated by you.

>> I don't have to be scared into doing

right. Not when I'm grateful.

>> Amen.

>> Because gratitude is an inward

motivation,

>> not not an outward expectation.

Now people have expectations. I have

expectations around me. I get it. But

what motivates me

>> is how good he's already been to me.

>> What motivates me is what he's already

done on Calvary.

>> That there's nothing I can do to mess up

what he's already done.

>> God,

>> he's already been good to me.

He's already been it's it's it is

faith in the finished work alone.

Am I saying and see I understand what

you mean now because you get nervous and

thinking that people getting ready to

get leave out here and go act a fool

>> that you what you saying I can just do

anything and

>> if that's what you hear you're missing

it

>> no you you you are missing it

>> because gratitude

that God you would do this for me

>> even before I I wanted to live for you

you would do this for me Yes.

>> The least I can do.

>> No, no, no. The the the it is my

reasonable service.

>> The least I can do is to present my

body.

>> The least I can do is WALK AWAY FROM

CONVERSATIONS THAT DO NOT GLORIFY YOU.

THE LEAST I CAN DO is to return my

tithe. THE LEAST I CAN do is to serve IN

YOUR HOUSE. THE LEAST I CAN do

Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel chapter 4, just

Daniel 4 · chapter mention

write it down.

>> He got sadly mistaken.

>> He walked out and and one day, I don't

know what happened.

Thank you, Lord.

>> It's gradual.

>> No, it's it's gradual.

>> That's why God said you can't minimize

it because when you minimize it, you

start forgetting.

>> That's right. Oh, that thing is great. N

walked out and Neb looked around and had

been in the blessing so long that he

felt like, my god, look at what I have

done.

>> Look, look at what I have. Look at what

I have acquired.

>> Jesus,

>> I've gone to school and pulled myself up

by my bootstrap and I graduated.

>> God,

>> went to graduate school and graduated.

Got my certifications and my license.

Look at what I have done.

Jesus,

>> look how look how I've invested so well.

My 401ks are doing so well. I just made

so many good investments.

>> Preaching.

>> The Bible said that he lost.

>> You and I cannot afford

>> to mishandle God's blessing.

>> We can't afford to mishandle it by

minimizing it. Yes,

>> we cannot afford to mishandle it by

missing it even in challenging times.

>> And you and I cannot afford to mistaken

the blessing of God.

>> This is why Paul warned the church at

Thessalonica. He said in everything

>> in everything,

>> give thanks.

>> Give thanks.

>> No, in in in everything there's nothing

too small. I remember what Bishop said,

oh yeah, my last minute. I remember

Bishop said one time when the boys were

small and they were getting ready to eat

and they didn't say grace and one of

them put the food in their mouth and she

reached in there and pulled it out.

Oh my god.

For real?

Talk about the claw. Oh my Jesus.

But but you know what?

You know what?

Some of you say, "Well, I don't know how

it did that."

Oh, God.

>> For where God was taking them,

>> it had to be as high as you go, the

deeper your foundation needs to be.

>> When God going to take you way up there,

that foundation got to go way down. And

sometime you got to go way

>> to let you know that everything we have

>> God did it.

>> Oh, where's my mama? Everything I

Everything I own, God did it.

>> THERE'S NOT ONE MORSEL OF FOOD, NOT ONE

THREAD OF CLOTHING THAT I HAVE THAT GOD

HAS NOT PROVIDED. EVERYTHING I NEEDED,

his hand has provided.

I got to have the attitude of gratitude.

>> Listen, as we get ready to head into

another year,

>> I don't want us to treat 2025 like an

escape room

>> so fast getting out of 2025. I'M READY

FOR EVERYTHING GOD GOT ME. I'm getting

out of here. Wait a minute. Slow down.

Tell God thank you.

>> Slow down

>> and tell God. PUT PUT MY challenge up.

You got my challenge my last slide. Put

Put my challenge up. Put my challenge

up. Yeah. Before this whole week right

here, before we come in here and shout

the new year in,

let's spend the next few days thanking

God for what he's already done.

>> Number one, I want you to take each day

this week and write down three things

that you're grateful for each day.

>> Just just three things that you're

grateful for each day. It don't have to

be great.

>> Don't have to be whatever it is. You

write down three things that you are

grateful for.

>> Secondly, catch this. Tell a different

person each day how much you appreciate

them and why.

Tell a different person each day

what you what is it that you appreciate

about them. What is it?

Let me tell y'all real quick. I did this

yesterday

and uh I I called a few people and then

I called my aunt. My aunt Connie.

>> See, y'all don't know. Y'all don't know.

But I got some aunts that are saved to

the bone. You hear me?

>> I got to thinking my aunt Connie for all

she done been to us and what she doing

for us. Honey, she took me down into a

prayer.

>> I'm on the phone just giving God praise.

>> Can I tell I appreciate that, but the

thanksgiving, it washed my soul.

There was something about telling her my

appreciation for her that washed my

soul,

>> that did something for me. I know it

blessed her, but can I just tell you

when you are a thankful person, it will

change you.

>> Write down the three things. Tell a

different person each day how much you

appreciate them and why. And then begin

your prayer with thanksgiving.

>> I didn't want to assume that we do that.

>> I wanted to make sure that was up there.

Begin your prayer with thanksgiving.

Before you ask God for anything,

>> start thanking him for everything.

>> Amen.

>> Come on, let's pray. Father, in Jesus

name, we we thank you,

>> for your goodness,

>> thank you for your mercy.

>> Thank you, Father, for the things that

you have held back in our lives that we

deserve.

Thank you, Lord, for the for the great

blessings that you have unleashed on us

that we don't even deserve. You've been

good to us.

>> And Father, when we run the magnet of

gratitude over our lives,

>> we have so many things to be thankful

for.

>> And so, Father, we just ask you this

week as we step into this challenge,

>> Father, help us not to run so fast out

of 2025

>> that we mishandle all that you have done

for us.

Lord, we don't want to minimize

anything. Lord, we don't want to miss

anything.

And Lord, we don't want to mistaken

anything.

Help us to be quick to give you praise.

Help us to be quick to appreciate those

around us that you use to bless us. Help

us to be grateful in Jesus name.