2 Timothy 3:1-5
Here the Apostle Paul tells his son in the gospel, Timothy, that in the last days people would have horrible actions and perform with gross sins. He describes a list of immoral behavior and seems to scream at Timothy to stay away from such people. But listed there in the middle of such low living in a simple word called unthankful. There listed with the horrible sins of an end-time generation is a word describing people who can’t see good things in their life. When you look at this writing Paul seems to reiterate again what he wrote to the Church at Rome. There in Romans chapter 1, Paul tells of a people that are immoral, stooping lower than animals with their actions. But when one looks at the start of these people’s downward plunge away from God you find these words at the beginning of their failure, “…because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” Romans 1:20-22 NKJV
Again there in the mist of such terrible actions and horrible sinful lives is the attitude of being unthankful. They didn’t glorify God nor were thankful.
I heard this morning a list read on the local radio of the top things people hate about this time of year. To my amazement one of the top things people hate was being nice. I couldn’t believe it yet it describes the thinking of an unthankful generation. This day is truly turned in on their selves and how bad their day is. Sadly this spirit has found its way into the church and we often find unthankful people sitting on pews declaring they are Christ-like. This is totally impossible, to be unthankful and Christ-like at the same time.
When Israel was about to go into the Promise Land that God had saved for them, a land full of blessings. The Almighty was concerned that they might forget what He had done in their life. In the sixth chapter of Deuteronomy God begins to tell them not to forget. God was so concerned about them forgetting that He told them to tell these things diligently to your children. You talk about your blessing when you get up when you go through the day and when you go to bed.
You talk about the blessing of God when you walk down the street and put them on the post of your door. And bind them as a sign on your hand. Israel whatever you do don’t forget to be thankful. God was so concerned that they would forget that He had them put a pile of rocks at the Jordan crossing and a pile of rocks in the mist of the river. He had a sacrifice of thanksgiving set up in their laws so that Israel would have a chance to remember. God didn’t want them to become unthankful and forget.
But then as you read in the book of Judges there arose a generation that didn’t know about the Lord or any of the mighty works that was done in Israel. Why? People become unthankful and forgot to tell it to their children what God had done. When the children hear a constant flow of how bad it was and what one doesn’t have. How others are better off or how miserable your life is. This complaining caused a spirit of un-thankfulness to arise in the next generation. They did not know of the wonderful power of God. If you want your children to know about Jesus and live for Him you will have to make sure they know about the blessings in your life. A spirit of being unthankful will make them forget the Lord.
The writer of Psalms tells why we keep an attitude of gratitude in Psalm 78:6-7
That the generation to come might know them, the children who would be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children, that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments;
Tell about the wonders of God again.
Tell about being healed and delivered from sin.
Tell about answered prayers and miracles.
Tell about the night you repented and were baptized.
Tell about holy encounters with the Lord and fresh directions.
Tell about songs sung and stories told.
Remind the generations to come how God has touched your life and made a difference.
Keep the stories alive lest we forget and become unthankful.
Be thankful for family blessings and healings.
Be thankful for blessed opportunities and a fresh chance.
Be thankful for financial blessings and help in time of need.
Be thankful for every touch and every hug.
Whatever you do don’t forget to be thankful.
Remember what God has done lest we forget the Lord. If it wasn’t for the Lord where would you be? There has been a change and I want those following me to know God has been real good to me! I can’t forget! I refuse to complain with a spirit of being unthankful.
It for this reason I so enjoy how we had church in our Sunday evening’s service. Jessica’s personal testimony left me with a lifted spirit and being thankful for the wonderful things of God. My wife and I talked about it all the way home. As I looked at that line of people across the front of the church, people that have walked through our doors in the last year and made it home, may heart was over joyed. It is so easy to get caught up in the day to day and forget God is doing great things. God is making a difference in lives even if we are not paying attention.
So when was the last time you looked at how God is blessing you?
If you can’t see the blessings of God maybe you have your definition of blessings wrong. Maybe you have been sowing some wrong decisions in your life that have started to come up and now you have some struggles. That in its self is a blessing because it’s a promise from the Word of God. There to remind us we need to change. God, whispering into our life that we need some different life actions.
How long has it been since you looked back down the road of your yesterdays and saw again where you came from? You haven’t always been what you are today. God has had His hand on you through the ups and the downs of life. God has blessed you and kelp you when everything around you seemed to fail. Sin didn’t destroy you though it tried. Life didn’t rob you though it irritated you. Look again at how God has touched you.
The next generation around you are making future plans in their life according to the thankfulness of your heart. Your children are setting a direction for tomorrow according to what you are talking about. What do you want them to remember? The wonderful hand of God or the unthankful complaint of your lips? They are heeding one or the other and we all will know soon enough. I challenge you to make the spirit of your life a thankful one, because the unthankful lives end up in the wrong place.
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