Gratitude

TRINITY HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH

 

SUNDAY SERMON

7th of May, 2023

Topic:                         Gratitude

Preacher:                   Reverend Ebenezer Olawuyi

Text:                           Luke 17:15 – 19

 

MESSAGE

I am sure you are very familiar with the story of the healing of the ten lepers but one thing caught my attention: Jesus said, “…Were there not ten healed? But where are the nine?” That is, how come it’s just one – this Samaritan? And He goes ahead to explain who he is – a foreigner, who comes back to say, “Thank you”? Have you ever done anything good to somebody and they came back to say, “Thank you”? Recently, I did something: there were things I gave out, I had kept them somewhere thinking if people would value them. However, one day, I decided to give them out. Someone came to me and let me know we can give them out. I never felt anybody would value it, but lo and behold, this person took these materials, gave them out and when they got them, I couldn’t believe what I saw. They were so grateful and they came prostrating to appreciate. I felt so elated in my heart and said to the person that I want to do more. Have you ever done good to someone and they come back to appreciate? You would be so happy and you would feel like doing more. But, once you do something to someone and they don’t even value it, do not give thanks or give thanks grudgingly? You would feel discouraged.

The point is this, gratitude moves God just like it moves man. Whenever you are grateful and have a heart of gratitude, you draw favour and grace. People who are always grateful and thankful to God, they receive more. If you want to have additional grace, increased grace and increased favour before God and before men, learn to be grateful. What God has done for us, we can’t quantify, just like one of the memory verses in our devotional – Colossians 1:12, “Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.” We are no longer foreigners, no longer strangers. We are a part of God’s family! We can enter by Grace into God’s storehouse, what a privilege!

Psalms 68:19 – Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits, the God of our salvation! David was also saying in Psalms 116:12 – 14, “What shall I render to the Lord for all benefits toward me? I will take up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows to the Lord now in the presence of all His people.” Whenever you are grateful, you draw more of His favour. When you are grateful, you draw more of His grace. Gratitude draws grace and you need Grace for life. For all His benefits, we ought to be grateful and always thankful. Thankful for life and even thankful for saving you by His mercies. Like David said in Psalms 103:2 – 4, “Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” Thank Him for all these benefits. Thank Him for relationships. Thank Him for life in itself. Thank him for friends. Thank Him for family members. Thank Him that you have a place to lay your head. Always be grateful to Him and have a grateful attitude. When you do that, you cause God to show more favour to you.

Proverbs 3:9 says, “Honour the Lord with your possessions, and with the firstfruits of all your increase.” What does He mean? God is saying here, “Glorify me for all the good things that I have done for you.” Whoso offers praise to God glorifies and honours Him, to such He will show His salvation, greatness and favour. When you give your firstfruit, what you are saying is, “God, you are my source, I remember you.” When you get to that new level, acknowledge Him that He is the One who gave you that opening. Now, look at the additional favour that follows the instruction in Proverbs 3:9: “So your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine” (Proverbs 3:10). This is additional favour. God is saying, “Because you have honoured Me, are thankful and have glorified me, I will add more favour and grace to your life. I will open more doors to you, enlarge your coast, prolong your life and satisfy your mouth with good things. Because you are grateful for what I have done, I will show you more favour.”

Gratitude draws more grace and more favour. Rise to your feet and start glorifying God:

Prayer

“Lord, I am grateful. I am forever grateful.”

Sing: “I am here today, because God kept me. I am alive today, only because of His grace. He kept me. God kept me. His mercies kept me, so I won’t let go.”

“Lord, give me a heart of gratitude to always be grateful, to consciously and intentionally give you thanks.”

Call to Salvation

The greatest gratitude a man can show to God is to offer His life to Him (Roman 12:1). The greatest gift of thanksgiving to the Lord is, “Lord, take over my life. I offer my life to you. This is my first offering and thanksgiving to you.”

You want to say, “Jesus, I offer my life to you as a sacrifice. I want you to take over my life, this is my best gift.” If you want to do that, Jesus wants to receive it as a sweet smelling savour, sweet to him. Put your left hand on your chest as you say this prayer, “Jesus, I offer to you my life as an offering this morning, live your life through me, Saviour. Take over this heart of mine from this moment. Let this heart be your throne. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.”

Father, I pray for these ones who have humbled themselves in your presence, “Let today mark a new beginning. Give them a new heart. Cause your grace to speak for them. In Jesus name, Amen.”

Declaration

I pray for everyone who has listened to this message today, this is the month of God’s exceeding grace, supernatural grace. Today is also number 7, the number of perfection and conviction.

I receive for you this morning, grace will decorate your life and be an ornament upon your head. This month, grace will preserve your life and single you out in the midst of the multitude. As the grace of God singled out Noah and his family, the grace of God will single out your family this morning in the name of Jesus. Wasting, destruction, violence, will not come near your family. This month, I declare, it shall be good news because Grace will open the door you cannot open ordinarily. This month, God will enrich you with favour, unbelievable favour, incredible but undeniable favour. God will qualify you by His grace. Grace will qualify you in the name of Jesus. Grace will set aside all protocols for your sake. Protocols will be suspended for you. God will make a mess of all incapabilities to promote you in the name of Jesus.

I release grace upon you this month. I also declare concerning your body, it shall be good health, sound health. None of the diseases of the Egyptians shall come upon you. By the grace of God, diseases shall be far away from you. You will not be weak, you will not be faint. Throughout this month, the Lord will strengthen you. I receive supernatural strength for you. You will hear good report from far and near. I bless you all in the name of the Lord. This month, the heavens be opened unto you. May the Lord give you the blessings of the heaven above, the earth beneath and of the family. I decree unending favour, unending gift, unending success. This month, there shall be sustained success and progress. You will not diminish, you will not be small. You will not fail, you will not falter, you will not fall. The grace of God will stabilize you in the name of Jesus.

I speak concerning your future, strangers will help you. People you don’t know will help you. Doors are opened unto you, they shall not be closed. They shall continually be opened. The bars of iron are shattered before you. The crooked path straightened before you. I bless you today. I lift my hands to the Most High God who blesses and no man can curse. Go ahead and be a blessing, escape every terror and violence of this month in the name of Jesus. Go and become a mountain leveler. Be a wonder to your world in the name of Jesus. You are blessed. Amen.