Being Grateful

This is weak noise.

I think crazy noise, not a weak noise.

I think the nine o'clock crowd was better than this crowd.

I know you've had enough sleep, so are you supposed to come alive?

During the worship, I was looking around, you know, I was looking around, looking at the worship person from time to time, I'll just look on the sides to see the expressions, and some people are just and I'm wondering if they had beef with God.

And I hope that's not the case.

Are you grateful to be alive?

Come on.

Amen.

Raise your hand with me if you can.

And I believe each one of us can.

Say with me, to God be the glory.

Great things he has done.

And great things he will continue to do in my life.

Unto you, my God.

I give praise and honor.

Minister to me in such a powerful way.

And I'll give you praise and glory.

Amen.

Let's demonstrate it with Praise the Lord.

Amen.

And before you take your seat, this time to the person to your left or right, let them know how grateful you are that they are still living, just as you.

Tell the person to your left and right before you take your seat.

Yes.

You may be seated.

Today is a very, very special day for me and actually in my life.

I celebrate 60 years of ministry.

I'm supposed to be in North Carolina ministering in Life International, the church we founded 41 years ago, which I've pastored all these years.

But I'm here because this is a very special place to be this morning.

Every year I come around, I think around this time also.

And it's always a joy to come to be with my family here at Faith Church.

I count it a privilege.

I'm blessed to have this relationship that I have with all of you, especially my beloved son and daughter, Pastor Frank and Lisa.

Now, I have a granddaughter here, and I'm so grateful to have a granddaughter here.

And in fact, our family is a long, strong bond in this place.

So when I come here, I know I'm with family.

So for the sake of those of you who don't know me, I'm grandpa.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Um, at the end of the ministry this morning, I would share some thoughts with you.

But from time to time, they'll put my Instagram on there.

I want you to at least follow me, start following me.

I want to give you or share with you some of the things that I'm sharing around the world.

I'm giving wisdom, knowledge, and experience.

So whenever my this thing comes, just immediately follow me and also share me with your friends because it'll be good for them at least to hear some of the things that I have to share with you.

I just come, I mean, uh, my social media um handle, I have quite a few.

From time to time, you realize that I make my speeches in Portuguese.

I've got a few following, quite a few following in Brazil or Portugal.

Uh I'll be going to Portugal in October.

I just came back from Brazil and I'm also in Italy ministering.

But one of the things that I felt doing at this stage in life is not just take as much as I can to the grave, but take everything that God has put in me back to the world.

So I want you to take advantage of it.

So follow me, please.

So put my social media out there from time to time, and I want you to at least follow me.

I'm a good person to follow because I know where I'm going.

Follow people who know where they're going, or follow people who know the road because they will help you to go where you need to go.

But if you follow people who don't know where they're going, any road can take them there.

But follow the right path.

So, Father, I thank you this morning for the opportunity to share your word with your wonderful people.

I pray that you minister to us in a very special way.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

I want to talk to you this morning about gratitude, being grateful.

I want to talk to you about being grateful.

Being grateful.

Being grateful.

As I look back and I reflect, I am so grateful to the fat to the Lord and the fact that I am still here.

Most of the people that I started ministry with they are transitioned.

And I have actually been so blessed the last few weeks since I came back to the States.

And to speak to my congregation, it is amazing to see that I'm not only speaking to people that some of the people that I met, or some of the people that have been part of our church, some have been there for 30, 40 years.

I'm now speaking to third generation.

And when I go or travel outside of the country, the people that I meet most are younger people because I get along well with people between the ages of 13 and 40.

The reason why I get along with them is because I can feel their heart and I know where they are, and I can speak their language.

I've got it going on.

And I approve this message.

What I'm more interested in now is legacy.

How am I leaving this earth?

And what do I give as inheritance to the people I've come to meet?

Thanking God for 60 years of ministry.

41 years in North Carolina pastoring, which I've been here for 44 years, and 19 years I was a missionary in Europe, in many countries of the world.

I am so grateful that I still have my health, my mind, my energy.

And whenever I reflect, I always remind myself that I have accomplished only 30% of my life's mission.

I have 70% to go.

My life, my energy, my commitment is not only to the kingdom of Shai in Ghana, or to the role that I play as a member of Council of State that advises my president and my government, but also my interest in touching the lives of 1% of those who make decisions that affects the world.

And among the 1%, it includes Pastor Frank, because I see him as a man that God has raised with a mandate to do great things for his kingdom.

As I reflect and I look back, I say, God, I'm grateful.

I am so grateful.

I am so grateful.

I was recently speaking in Brazil, ordaining one of my sons there.

In fact, I have two faithful sons, Pastor Frank and him.

And this is a young man that I raised up in North Carolina.

He used to come here with me.

And when he comes, he attends the books table and he sells our books.

Today he's the most influential Christian leader in Brazil.

He's able to fill four or five stadiums at a time.

And we were ordaining him.

I went there to ordain him as a bishop.

I am and one of the services who were there, the power went out.

So I'm speaking to about 10,000 people.

And they were concerned.

I said, no, no, no, don't be concerned.

I can speak whether there's a microphone or no microphone, because that is the way I started.

Microphone is just an addition.

It's cosmetic and it's added on.

But I've trained myself to be able to do with less.

So what I have today makes me grateful to God that God has just blessed us so much.

So if I live a life and I forget why I live and whose purpose and grace extends to me for which I live, then I am an ungrateful person.

I don't take anything for granted.

I don't take anything for granted.

And I hope you don't take anything for granted.

And you don't have to live a life of entitlement, thinking that you deserve everything.

I deserve this.

And if you have that lifestyle, it will affect you.

That is the reason why the Bible tells us that in the ending of time, men shall be ungrateful.

In fact, it is very true that you have children who can be very ungrateful.

They don't show any gratitude.

It's my mommy's right, it's my daddy's right to do this for me.

You got to do this for me.

And there are husbands who feel the same way, and there are wives also who feel the same way.

And there are individuals in society who take things for granted.

There's a sense of entitlement.

You better do this for me.

That's your right.

Who do you think you are?

It's the blessings and favor.

Don't take things for granted.

And if you take things for granted, you realize that people that you're supposed to honor, respect, and appreciate, you consider them as nothing.

You have to be grateful.

Grateful for the fact that you are alive.

Because gratitude is necessity.

It takes you places.

You have to be grateful.

Grateful to be alive.

Grateful to be breathing.

Grateful to for the fact that you have a great church like this with amazing pastor and pastoral staff, great vision, with interest in making sure that everyone feels comfortable when they come to the house of God.

You have to be grateful.

Be very, very grateful.

I'm grateful to be alive, grateful to be here in Faith Church because I have been blessed with a family that I couldn't buy in any store.

To be associated with Pastor Frank for this church, I consider myself fortunate and I don't take it for granted.

When you live a life of gratitude, you don't take anyone for granted.

You don't take anyone for granted.

Your approach to them is cordial.

You become sensitive at times, or even you don't mean it.

And it's not sensitivity for negativity.

You are sensitive of appreciation.

When a person is appreciative, words like a thank you is come on, a bless you is come on.

Being grateful in life, be grateful, appreciate.

Some of you have to be grateful to the people who fired you on your last job.

Because some of you have overstayed your welcome.

And God is trying to take you from one state to another.

So instead of being bitter and angry, be grateful.

Isn't it what Joseph said to his brethren?

You thought you were doing this for evil.

I'm grateful.

God meant for good.

Be grateful.

And that's what life requires of us to do.

Be grateful.

When you read Luke chapter 17, and I would like us to turn to the book of Luke or the gospel according to St.

Luke 17 · chapter mention

Luke.

Luke chapter 17.

Luke 17 · chapter mention

I'll read from verse 11 to verse 17.

I want you to come along with me as I break down the scriptures for all of us.

But let me go through the process first.

It says, now it happened as Jesus went through Jerusalem, he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.

Jesus' aim was going to Jerusalem.

But he had to go through Samaria and also go through Galilee.

But he also had to go through a place, a little village.

And in that village, there were people there that met him who happened to be lepers.

But let's go, let's follow the scripture.

As he entered a certain village, there met him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off.

And they lifted up their voices and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

I like the three words.

Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

Please, I want each one of you to come along with me and let's make that proclamation.

Say, Jesus, say it louder.

Say like you were excited when you were worshiping the Lord.

Good.

The other one said, Master, say it again.

I can feel you.

And the last one said, Have mercy.

Have mercy on me.

This is what the left person said.

Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

They raised their voices and they said it in eudism as if they have rehearsed.

As if they have thought, planned, discussed, arranged to make this verb, to verbalize this Christ.

These are lepers.

So when they lifted their voice and said these things, Jesus lifted his eyes, and when he saw them, he said to them, Go show yourselves to the priests.

And so it was that as they went, not as they were going, as they went, they did it.

As they went, they were cleansed.

And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks, and he was a Samaritan.

And he was a Samaritan.

Now listen to what happened.

So Jesus answered and said, Were there not ten cleansed?

But where are the nine?

And in fact, if you read verse 18, he says, Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God?

Accept this foreigner.

Accept this foreigner.

Accept this foreigner.

And Jesus said to him, Arise and go thy way.

Your faith has made you whole.

I really want to break this down for a minute and let you give you the picture.

You have the Jews and you have the Samaritans.

So in this case, there are three groups: the Jews, the Samaritans, and the lepers.

Jesus had to go through, go to Jerusalem.

And Jerusalem, where Jesus is going to, that is where the Jews believed that you have to go and worship.

The Samaritans, on the other hand, who are foreigners, they are all part, they actually have the same father.

They believe Abraham was their father, but they have been mixed.

They are mixed race or mixed people.

So they're considered foreigners.

So in actual fact, within the Jewish culture and system, they were discriminated against.

Then you have the lepers.

The lepers are people who are foreigners as well as Jews who happen to have a curse, a disease called leprosy.

And anyone that has leprosy is not meant to live amongst the people.

So you have to actually move into the leprosy colony where everybody suffers from leprosy.

And to the Jewish culture, whether you are Samaritan or you are a Jew, if you are leprous or you suffer from leprosy, it means that you are cursed.

And the person who is cursed has to stay with cursed people.

So you have blessed people religiously, foreigners another way, then cursed people another way.

And Jesus has to go through all these areas.

So in life, God will go through any circumstance.

He doesn't go through one group, he goes through all groups.

That is why the Bible even makes it clear when Jesus came, he came to his own.

His own received him not, but as many as received him, many, many as received him, he gave him power.

So if you understand this picture, it tells you that there is a problem, and this problem is ethno problem, and it's affected their religious exercise.

So the ethnoreligious group that descended from the north, they are the Samaritans.

And those that came from the south, they are the Jews.

And the Jews believe that you have to go to Jerusalem to worship.

And the Samaritans also believe you have to come to Samaritan to worship.

Because the Jews believed that you have to go to the mount there and worship.

And the Samaritans believe you have to go to Mount Jerizim to worship.

And in fact, Jesus demystified all of these things.

He's saying something clear.

And I wanted to hear this.

Jesus said to them, he said to a woman at the well, who's a Samaritan, who is a foreigner, because she was engaging, because the Jews and the Samaritans they don't really get together.

And this is Jesus approaching this woman.

And Jesus knew that if he had to meet with this woman with the disciples present, it would cause problems.

So Jesus, what he did was he sent the disciples away to go find food.

Because he was about to engage a woman and he didn't want to be an offense to them.

At times God does things in our lives, and our people who may be obstacles, God had to remove them from us in order to do what he needs to do in our lives.

And you remember the conversation between Jesus and the woman?

Hey, now you Jews and this, and Jesus said, listen, we have nothing in common.

He's talking the ethno group, the geographical challenge.

But when it comes to what God wants to do, there's no difference.

So Jesus said, the woman said, Listen, you guys say you have to go to here and worship, and then Jesus said, Listen, you don't have to go to Jerusalem or stay here.

The time is coming when the true worshipers will not have to come to Jerusalem or come to this mountain.

They will worship God in spirit and in truth.

So Jesus demystified.

So what Jesus really did demonstrated factually that he is a reconciler.

And if you're going to follow Jesus Christ, there's no Greek, there's no Jew, there's no male, there's no female, there's no black, there's no white.

We are all one.

That's what Jesus did.

So the woman was so shocked.

And what did she do?

She let down what she had to fetch water with.

She ran to town and told everybody, listen, listen, come, come, come, run, come, come, come.

I have met a man who told me everything about me.

All he did was he demystified.

The worship is in the spirit and is done in truth.

So here you see lepers who are all put in the same spot.

And the lepers have to signify when they are coming among the healthy, with they have bells around them, and when they walk, they have to make sounds and also speak out and declare lepers, lepros, leprous, leprous, so people will give way.

Because whenever you find a person who has leprosy, you know that that person is cursed.

But you and I know today that leprosy is called Hansen disease.

It is a chronic, slow-growing bacteria infection that causes macobacterium lepromatosis.

It's a long word.

And today, at least, there's a cure for it.

But it was believed in those days that if you have leprosy, it means you are cursed.

So if you are cursed, then you have to be ostracized.

You don't have to be amongst people.

And there are so many people who may consider you cursed.

You may not have physical leprosy, but they'll have a mark on you that will make them believe that you don't deserve to be in their company.

When Jesus saw this man who had this leprosy, who have been kept away from society.

And because they had this concern, and with one voice they said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

And they shouted.

Now I wanted to say one more time.

Say, Jesus, say it loud.

I can't feel this side.

Come on.

Yes, I'm feeling the ladies.

I don't feel the man.

Come on, one more time.

That's the man.

I got my people here.

Let's come here.

Come on.

It's so wicked here.

Come on.

You can do better.

One more time.

Good.

Then the second one is master.

Say again.

And the third one.

What does Jesus mean?

Jesus means savior of salvation.

I am sending you today.

The Lord shall become, and you continue to become your savior.

He will save you as you go through this life.

The second one that he said was master.

Master means teacher.

I want you to know teacher, and also one that is in control.

Your life is not gonna go off rail.

The Lord is in control.

That Jesus, the Savior, He's got everything under control.

Your life is under control.

And mercy is an extension of the favor unexpected, doing for you what no one can do for you.

The Lord will show you that he is your friend when nobody and even yourself don't think he's around.

When they cried out, Jesus responded.

He saw them and he said to them, Go and show yourself to the priest.

The very priest who will not even allow you in the synagogue.

But not just one, they are priests.

Go to them.

All you have to do is just get out there and just show yourself.

Don't ask them to touch you because they will not.

By tradition, they won't touch you.

They're not even gonna allow you in the synagogue.

Just go out there and show yourself.

Let them see you.

Because what happened?

When they saw Jesus, they raised their voice and they cried out to him.

When Jesus saw them, he responded.

So they have to go and see the priest.

So the priest was a what?

See them.

God sees you when nobody sees you.

And because he's seeing you, he will make sure that you are redeemed.

And when you know that God has seen you in the things you've been through, then you have to be grateful and say, I am not left alone.

I've got the greater one who's watching over me.

Do you know the things God saves us from?

Many times we specialize and we think of the negatives in our lives, but let's focus for once on the most important things.

The small things God has been doing in our lives is greater and show gratitude.

They show themselves to the priests, and they got well.

But nine of them went back.

And the nine who went back, they were all Jews.

They took it for granted, and that's what many times we do.

You may have people that you I mean you serve or you assist, they may take you for granted, and they have a sense of entitlement.

You're supposed to do this for me, you're supposed to do that.

And yes, yeah, you're supposed to do this.

Listen, you got to be grateful.

Show gratitude.

Show gratitude.

Show gratitude to your parents.

Let me just emphasize.

I don't know why I'm emphasizing that.

Show gratitude to your parents.

Some of you are so bitter with your parents.

You are so angry with your parents.

You felt they should have done some things they didn't do for you.

So as a result of it, you're taking anger on them.

And your life is not going well.

The reason your life is not going well is that God will not forgive you if you are acting as a hypocrite.

How do you want Him to forgive you when you hold anger and bitterness against somebody else?

Don't you know that if you're not forgiving, your Heavenly Father will not forgive you.

You are angry with your parents.

You're supposed to do this for me and you didn't.

You love my brother more than you loved me.

You love my sister more than you love me.

You gave them money for vacation.

You bought them cars, you bought them bicycles, you bought them tires, and you didn't do that for me.

I mean, you always go on vacation.

You always ask this, what do you need?

But you never asked me that.

Listen, don't live a life of shame.

Don't reduce yourself.

Those who took it for granted were nine.

They didn't come back.

But the man who was a foreigner was so appreciative that he will found, he went back again looking for Jesus.

And when he saw him with a loud voice, he thanked God and he fell on his face, worshiped and honored the Lord.

That is gratitude.

And he said, Unto ten, where are the nine?

Why that you have come and the nine and gone away?

And I tell you, so many of us in life, so many people in our society, so many of us in our families, so many of us in our churches, we forget to be grateful.

Life has taught me in that as I'm going through the process of life, I should remember that whenever I am right, people will not remember.

But when people think you are wrong, they make sure nobody forgets.

People tend to be ungrateful.

And one of the most painful things is when you invest your life in people.

You bless people, you support people, you've helped people.

Now you leave people to hang and drive.

Some of you, your parents are not qualified to be in the rest home.

They're qualified to live in your home.

Let me say it again.

Some of you, your parents are not qualified to be in the rest home.

A stranger will clean them up.

A stranger will beat them without your knowledge.

You go and see marks on all on them.

They tell you they fell.

Not all falling is true.

Some of them they spank and beat them because the one who is taking care of them is angry at somebody and they're taking it on your lovely mother.

And because you are too busy about life and forget to be grateful, you dump your mama, praying that she will die, so at least the insurance will benefit your fancy.

Get rid of that and show gratitude.

I'm grateful to you, mom.

I'm grateful to you, dad.

I'm grateful when your mind was normal, when you were you didn't have dementia, you are the best of the mothers, the best of the fathers.

But the fact that things have come and happened and changes have taken place, I will not disown you.

I am grateful to you.

I'm grateful to you.

I'm grateful for the fact that you really put pressure on me for me to become the man that I am today or the woman I am today.

I'm grateful to you.

Some of you have to start telling your sisters and your brothers, I'm grateful to you, brother, grateful to you, sister, grateful to you, neighbor, grateful to you, friend, I'm grateful to you.

I remember when my pipe busted, you, as my next little neighbor, you made sure I could get some water to take my bath, water to cook my meals.

I'm grateful to you.

I won't let the little squash of our children interrupt my gratitude towards you.

You've learned so much for me.

I can't thank you for all, but at least I'm back to tell you thank you.

Showing gratitude is important, and it has nothing to do with culture, it has nothing to do with race, it has nothing to do with the status, it's got to do with the heart.

That is understanding.

We have to show gratitude.

Listen, when this man forgot to come back and give honor, what makes things unique is the visitor or the foreigner or the one who took things so close to heart and acted the way you're supposed to act.

Listen to this.

If you read Luke chapter 17, verse 5, uh verse 15, look at what what uh look at what it says.

Luke 17:5

I want us to look at it again.

It says, the Bible says, and one of them, and one of them, verse 15, watch this carefully, and one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned.

These are five things this stranger did.

He saw something, and he returned.

Then the third one is that he acknowledged, and the fourth thing is he worshiped, and the fifth thing is he gave thanks.

People who show gratitude, they see.

People who show gratitude, they always return.

People who show gratitude, they always acknowledge.

And people who show gratitude, they always honor.

And people who show gratitude, they always give thanks.

Giving thanks doesn't reduce you.

Showing honor doesn't minimize your greatness.

Returning means that you take note of things and you don't take things for granted.

And when you see things, act upon what you've seen and demonstrate that what you've seen had literally touched your life.

This man saw, he returned, he glorified God, he worshiped, and he gave thanks.

So if Jesus made that statement, answer ten, what are the nine?

He's trying to make a point to the man that what you have done, I've noticed, I've seen it, I've acknowledged it, you've honored me, your honoring is in your healing, and I'm thankful that you've even come to say thanks.

Let me remind you of this point.

Being grateful will lead you to unexpected and unbelievable relationships.

When you learn to be grateful, people come into your life that you don't even know how they came.

And they didn't come because you prayed, they came because of your gratitude.

When you are grateful, people don't forget you.

When you show gratitude, people don't forget you.

It'll be nice for you, those of you young people here, and I see so many young people here, who are touched by this ministry, to go to your leaders and say, I'm grateful that you have been used of God to keep me out of trouble.

I'm grateful that you've been use of God to get me on fire for God.

You parents, you members of the church, it'll be nice to come to your pastors and remind them, or just write simple notes.

Pastor, I just want you to know I'm grateful.

I'm grateful that since I came into this church, through you I found a family.

I'm covered, I'm supported, I'm prayed for, I am loved, and I'm appreciated.

Show gratitude, be grateful, be grateful, be grateful.

You walk to the restaurants, you eat the food, you just be grateful, just be grateful.

They open the door for you, say, Thank you so much.

I'm grateful.

If you can do that, you will come into unexpected, unbelievable relationships and opportunities.

When you show gratitude, doors are open.

When you show gratitude, promotion comes.

Some of you are qualified on paper, are qualified by skill to be promoted above your grade.

But the reason why promotion has not come is your attitude.

You are spirit-filled, you love God, but your attitude sinks.

You know, I mean, I don't get too impressed with myself.

I don't get too impressed with myself.

People who say to me, Man, you great man.

I'll say thank you.

It humbles me even more.

And I begin to realize that the older I get, my appreciation for small things becomes so important.

I get emotional these days, not emotion of anger, but emotion for gratitude.

It's the small things that touches me.

Small things that touch me.

I was sitting down with Pastor Frank, just talking, sharing.

And I says, son, I thank you for allowing me or giving me the opportunity to feel like I've got a good spiritual son.

All these 20 plus years that I've known you, that I've been your covering, we have never had a crossword.

And whenever I'm with you, as much as you learn from me, I learned from you.

Son, thank you for giving me the honor of being a father.

Be grateful.

Be grateful.

Be grateful because you know, when you show gratitude, people see how respectful you are.

People know that you are an honorable person.

And don't forget to do good to people, don't forget to show mercy to people, don't forget to be a blessing in people's lives.

Don't forget.

And when you are a grateful person, you always want to pay back with kindness, you want to pay back with positive affirmations, you want to pay back in action.

And if you're a person who is grateful, you don't burn bridges.

The fact that somebody has done you good for so many years, and one day they've gone wrong, don't use the one wrong to cancel them out.

Be grateful.

Be grateful.

They've been there for you when nobody was there for you.

They took care of you, they was they stood with you, they cried with you, they prayed with you, they toiled with you.

And today, because of one mistake, you cut them off.

I've learned in life that be kind to people you meet on your way to the top.

Because chances are on your way down you might see them and you may need them.

Be kind to people because life is not a straight course.

Anything can happen.

You can have a strong body today, and tomorrow you can be weak.

No matter how much faith you have, anything can happen.

You have to be grateful, Lord.

I'm grateful for the small things you do in my life.

I'm grateful for the life, the friends you uh you've sent in my way.

I'm grateful for the church you have blessed me with.

I am grateful, I'm grateful, I'm grateful, I'm grateful, I'm grateful.

I'm grateful.

From time to time, people say to me, But you the king.

I say, Yes, I'm the king.

But the greatness of the king is not his arrogance, the greatness of the king is his humility and humanity.

When people know that you are human and they know you are humble, and then you are they know you are real, and they know that things don't get into your head, and that you value people, and you're not better than anybody else, and everybody's important, your life will go according to God's plan.

Be grateful, be grateful, be grateful, be grateful when you had, and be grateful when things are getting thin.

Say, Lord, I'm grateful for the little that I have.

I may have only one bread for today and water to eat, to drink, and sleep over, but I'm grateful that when I have this, the next provision is on my God.

Because I know one thing, and what I know is true, that when it gets to the point where I don't know what to do, my God shall supply all of my needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

I am grateful.

I'm grateful, I'm grateful.