Notes:

 

 

Abraham Lincoln saw that the United States was a blessed nation.  We could imagine a president today give the same recognition to God as Lincoln did.

 

God was very much in the minds of the population of 19th century Americans.  Back then we recognized evil and blessings.  Today, we cannot call anything evil.

 

When everything is about us, we can become an ungrateful nation.  We can susceptible to the pulls of human nature and human wants.  It can be easy to focus on what we've accomplished.

 

A heart of ingratitude will cause divisions.  A heart of gratitude will help us in life.

 

Ingratitude:  It is a discontented heart.  It is always trying to attain something else.

 

Discontent is a restless desire for something we don't have.  It is always trying to fill that void.  It never sees the glass half full and is always critical of others.  Something has to change to make me happy.

 

It will consume your life and get worse and worse.

 

Numbers 16:10 --> Story of Korah.  These men gathered against Moses and Aaron.

 

God will not honor an ungrateful and discontented heart.  It can destroy of physically and drive us from God.

 

Attributes of an ungrateful heart

 

1.)  Complaining.  Often things do not go our way.  How do we handle these moments when things don't go our way.

 

Paul warns us about the fate of the Israelites.

 

I Cor. 10:10 We cannot be complainers in God's church.

 

Num. 16:42 On the next day after Korah, people still complained against Moses.

 

Ingratitude is very deceptive.  It was physically consuming all of Israel.  

 

Acts 16

 

If anyone had a moment to complain against God, it was Paul and Silas.

 

Paul and Silas could have been in prison complaining against God, but they sang hymns in prison.  They had a perfect opportunity to complain.  Instead they prayed out loud and sang songs to God.

 

Zeph. 3:17

 

As humans we have every reason to complain, as Christians, we have not right to do it.

 

2.)  Complaining against others.

 

Often people think that every good thing is an entitlement.

 

Matt. 12:34 -->  Brood of vipers, how can you speak good things if you have an evil heart.  

 

Phil. 4:8  --> Focus on the good things.  Meditate of these.

 

How do we change our course if we are too critical?

 

Attributes of a grateful heart:

 

1.)  A grateful heart gives back.

 

Luke 17:12 Jesus Christ allows them to be healed as they walk off.

 

Be the one that gives back to God.  Make sure we go to God and thank Him.

 

2.)  A grateful heart sees beyond the disappointment.

 

Heb. 13:5  God will never leave us or forsake us.  He also warns against a coveting heart.  The only thing that matters is that we will never lose God.

 

3.)  A grateful heart find light in darkness.

 

Luke 6:27 Love our enemies.

 

Be merciful as God is merciful to us.  when we are faced with bad things, we need to find the light.

 

I Thes. 5:15  Rejoice always, pray without ceasing.  In everything, give thanks.