“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28 (ESV) “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” Genesis 50:20 (ESV) Three Reasons Gratitude is Important 1. Gratitude honors God “But giving thanks is a sacrifice that truly honors me. If you keep to my path, I will reveal to you the salvation of God.” Psalm 50:23 (NLT) Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!” When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well." Luke 17:11-19 (NIV) “Although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” Romans 1:21 2. Gratitude deepens my faith “Even though the fig trees have no fruit and no grapes are growing on the vine, and even though the olive crop failed and even though the fields produce no grain, and even though the sheep are all dying and the cattle stalls are empty even though all of this is happening, I will still be joyful and glad, because the Lord God is my savior.” Habakkuk 3:17-18 (GN) 3. It serves others “As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” 1 Peter 4:10 (NASB) “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Ephesians 4:29 (NIV) I SURRENDERED MY LIFE TO CHRIST TODAY! If you decided to follow Jesus as a result of today's message, we would love to connect with you, talk about what just happened, and put some great resources in your hand to help you grow in your relationship with Christ! Simply click the link below to get started! https://bit.ly/IwanttofollowJesus I WANT TO BE WATER BAPTIZED! The Bible teaches that baptism is the first step of obedience after making a commitment to Jesus. Baptism allows a believer to communicate to the world their new commitment to Christ. At Painesville Assembly, we encourage believers to be baptized in water. We do this because: Jesus, as the Son of God, set a great example for us to follow when he was personally baptized (Matthew 3.16), Jesus commanded us to be baptized (Matthew 28.19), Water baptism symbolizes the brand new life that Jesus gives (Romans 6.4). Click the link below to go public with your faith! https://bit.ly/Iwanttobebaptized