2017-06-18 Being Thankful 活出感恩人生(Praise 3)

Do you still remember the word of God we shared last week about who we are and what we should do? Do you still remember your real identity? 还记不记得上周我们分享了关于我们是谁、我们的侍奉是什么？还记得你的真正身份吗？

Our Identity: God’s chosen people, a royal and holy priesthood, a holy nation We are ALL priests of God! (please say to the person beside you) 我们的身份：神拣选的子民，君尊圣洁的祭司，圣洁的族类，我们都是神的祭司。请对你身边的人，Remember and believe that the identity defined by God is powerful.We therefore are immune to lies which compare us to others and judge whether we are better or inferior to them which cause us to stumble. We are ALL priests of God! We are ALL called to declare the praises of Him.

1 Peter 2:9：牢记并相信神所赐的身份，我们就有能力抵挡慌言，不因把自己跟别人比较，因谁好谁差而跌倒。我们都是神的祭司，是被召来传扬祂的美德的。彼前2:9Praising God helps us to get out of ourselves, and to fix our eyes on Jesus who is the Author and Perfecter of our faith Heb 12:2, and on who He is and what He has done for us! 赞美神使我们得以脱离自己，定睛为我们的信心创始成终的耶稣。来12:2：定睛祂是谁、祂为我们做了什么？

He is the Creator of the Universe, the Redeemer, the Lamb, the Christ of God, the Savior of the world, and the King of kings when we forget ourselves to exalt Him, our bad situation may not change, but our attitudes will be definitely changed.祂是万有的创造主、是救赎主、是神的羔羊、是基督、是这世界的救主、祂是万王之王，当我们忘我地高举祂时，环境或许没有改变，但我们负面的情绪必被改变。The depressing atmosphere and unthankful thoughts that get us down will be cast away! Rejoicing in the Lord will be possible.那让人低沉，沮丧，压抑和不感恩的情绪和气氛都要被赶散， 你就可以因主高兴欢喜。Today, I’m gonna to share with you three points about thanking God. 今天，我要和大家分享三点关于感谢神。

1, Thanking God saves us from being bitter.  感谢神救我们脱离苦毒。

Psalm 100:4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. 诗篇100:4：当称颂进入祂的门，当赞美进入祂的院。当感谢祂，称颂祂的名。From God’s words we see that praise and thanksgiving can’t be separated. When we enter His gates, He requires us to offer our thanksgiving to Him, and when we get into His presence, we offer our praise to Him.神的话告诉我们，赞美和感恩是不可分的，当我们进入祂的门，祂要我们向祂感恩; 当我们进入祂的同在, 我们向祂赞美。Some people may ask why God needs us to thank Him? Does God need us to flatter Him so that He would favour us or answer our prayers? 有些人可能会问，神为什么要求我们向祂感恩呢?难道神要我们讨好祂，才肯赐我们恩惠, 回应我们的祷告？

Not at all  Being thankful and praising Him is a way of His salvation for us, which saves us from being bitter and ungrateful, so that we wouldn’t be overcome by self-centredness.  断乎不是，感恩和赞美是神对我们的拯救，要把我们从苦毒和不感恩中救出来，使我们能胜过自我中心。Have you ever experienced an awkward situation of giving a gift to someone, who didn’t thank you, but grumbled about it? Have you? I have experienced such an awkward case. 你有没有遇见过这样糟糕的事？就是你送礼物给人，那人不但不感恩，还要抱怨你？我曾经遇到过。I prepared some delicate gifts which were not expensive but looked nice for occasion. One day, I took one of them as a gift to a girl’s birthday. 我预备了一些不贵但精致的礼物，偶尔有需要的时候用。一天，我拿出一件送给一个过生日的女孩，

A few days later, she said to me: “I’m not happy. Why did you give me such a cheap gift? It must be rubbish that no one else wants, so you gave it to me, because you despise me” I was stunned.几天后，那女孩却对我说：“我很不开心，你怎会给我这么一个便宜货？一定是没人要的垃圾，你就送给我,你看不起我”,我傻了。What a nice gift I gave her. I had intended to encourage her, but a wall of rejection and an ungrateful attitude caused her to be bitterer. Thanks to God, it eventually turned out for her salvation.这个礼物很精致，我原本想用来鼓励她的，但因她里面的拒绝的墙和不感恩的心 ，倒使她生出苦毒来。感谢主，最后成就了神对她的救赎。The girl recognised her inner problems and repented to God, now she has started to practice being thankful for God’s provisions. 这个女孩认识到自己内心的问题，并向神悔改。现在，她开始操练向神的每个供应感恩。

We are created for gratitude and for glorifying God Himself. Psa 50:23 a, The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me. 我们受造是为称谢神、荣耀祂。诗篇50:23上：凡以感谢为祭的便是荣耀我。You know, since Adam and Eve listened to the devil, mankind has fallen away from thanksgiving. To be honest, although it’s a painful fact, we still have to confess that in our flesh, we are unthankful people. 自亚当夏娃听从了恶者，人类就从感恩中堕落了。说实在的，尽管有点难受，我们还得承认在肉体里，我们都是忘恩负义的  。hat’s why we need to die to our flesh, because the flesh isn’t satisfied with God and what He gives. 旧人不会满足于神自己，和神所赐的，这就是我们要向旧人死的原因。

Sinful desires cause us to hunger for more, more money, more material things, and also to compare ourselves to others, which can quench the light of gratitude in our hearts, and lead us to ingratitude, unhealthy expectations, and bitterness. 属罪的私欲让我们要再多点，再多点，多点钱，多点物质东西，和别人比比，这会熄灭我们心里的光，导致忘恩负义，不健康的期望，导致苦毒。

Ephesians 4:31-32 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. 弗4:31-32，一切苦毒、恼恨、愤怒、嚷闹、毁谤，并一切恶毒，都当从你们中间除掉；并要以恩慈相待，存怜悯的心，彼此饶恕，正如神在基督里饶恕了我们。

We are now a new creation, as a holy nation of God we are commanded to get rid of all bitterness.Do you know bitterness is a kind of torment from the devil? 我们是新造的人，是神圣洁的族类，神命令我们除去苦毒，你知道吗？苦毒是从恶者来的折磨？Have you noticed that when you hold grudges against others, from time to time you can’t help counting their faults and wanted to speak evil about them to others? This is a symptom of bitterness, which is like drinking poison.  有没有试过，当你怀藏怨恨时，你会时不时的不由自主地数算那人的过错、也想对别人讲讲他的坏话？这就是苦毒的症状，就像喝了毒药一样。

What is the root of all bitterness? V. 32 gives us the answer, that is unforgiveness! In other words, if a person said: “I can’t forgive him.” It meant that the person is handed over to be tortured by bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, and malice. 苦毒的根是什么？32节说的很清楚，是不饶恕！换句话说，如果有人说：“我原谅不了他。”这意味着那人把自己交给苦毒、恼恨、愤怒、嚷闹、毁谤、恶毒去受折磨。What are the consequences of unforgiveness? It makes people sick emotionally spiritually, and physically. 不饶恕的后果是什么？让人灵，魂，体都生病。

I downloaded a video from CBN.com. Dr. Steven Standiford, chief of surgery at the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, said that unforgiveness makes people sick and keeps people sick… Let’s look at the video.我这里下载了CBN.com的视频，美国癌症治疗中心首席外科医生Dr. Steven Standiford，说：不饶恕使人生病，并让人持续病下去, 让我们看看这视频。Have you heard anything in Dr.Michael Barrry’ s research? “Of all cancer patients, 61 percent have forgiveness issues, and of those, more than half are severe” .你听见Dr. Michael Barry在他的调查报告里说吗？ 所有癌症患者中，61%都因不饶恕得病，并且当中半数以上有很严重的不饶恕。

2, Thanking God saves us from unforgiveness.感谢神救我们脱离不饶恕

How can we be free from unforgiveness and forgive others? V. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another! forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. 我们怎样才能从不饶恕中得自由，去饶恕人呢？32节，并要以恩慈相待，存怜悯的心，彼此饶恕，正如神在基督里饶恕了我们一样。Do you know how we are forgiven? By the blood of Christ! Be thankful for what Jesus has done for us. 你知道我们是怎样被饶恕的吗？是靠基督的血，我们当为耶稣基督为我们所做的向神感恩。Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Psa 32:1, Rom 4:7. 诗32:1，罗4:7，赦免其过、遮盖其罪的，这人是有福的。Whether the OT or the NT, they all mention what is a blessing for us?  Is more money a blessing for us? More houses? More material things?

不论旧约或新约，都提到什么是福。多点钱？多几栋房子？多给点物质东西？No,Blessed is he whose sins are forgiven! When sins are really forgiven our emotional wounds will be healed.  绝不是，罪得赦免才是福，罪被赦免了，我们的情绪伤害就能被治愈。In normal cases, if our diseases have been caused by sins, our physical body will also be healed, Because God is faithful, He never tells lies.通常，如果我们的病是因罪而来的，赦免罪，我们的身体就要被医治，神是信实的，在祂没有虚谎。

Because Psalm 103:2-3 Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits, 3 who forgives all your sins, and heals all your diseases, 因为诗103:2-3：我的心哪，你要称颂耶和华! 不可忘记祂的一切恩惠! 祂赦免你的一切罪孽，医治你的一切疾病。Praise the Lord, o my soul, He forgives what? 我的心哪，你要称颂耶和华，祂赦免你什么？ALL your sins, 你一切罪孽，Heals what? ALL your diseases. (please say to the person beside you,什么？你一切疾病。（请对你旁边的人这样说）

Thanks God for His faithfulness! He forgives our all sins and heals all our diseases according to His own timing, because Jesus Christ the Son of God, shed his blood for us for the forgiveness of sins.感谢神的信实，祂赦免你一切罪孽，照祂的时间医治你一切疾病。这都是因神儿子耶稣基督为我们罪得赦免流血舍命。

Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Heb 9:22 b，来9:22，若不流血，罪就不得赦免了。But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5.  。赛53:5，哪知他为我们的过犯受害，为我们的罪孽压伤。因他受的刑罚，我们得平安；因他受的鞭伤，我们得医治。

It’s ALL about His grace  ,Thanks for God’s grace for the forgiveness of sins.Do you want to say thank you to the Lord right now? Let’s say: Thank You Lord!” 全因神的恩典，感谢神赦罪之恩，你想现在就感谢主吗？让我们说：：“主，谢谢你。”Yes,God forgives all our sins, and heals all our diseases according to His timing.  是的，神赦免我们一切罪孽，照祂的时间，医治我们一切疾病。Some people when they come to faith and confess their sins, God immediately heals them, some for the salvation of their souls, God heals step by step, as they gradually repent of their sins by turning away from their own way to God’s way! Because God knows what’s best for us.有些人来信耶稣，一认罪，神马上就医治；有些人则因神拯救灵魂的缘故，当他们逐渐悔改，从自己的道路转向神的道路时，神就一步一步地医治。因神知道什么是对我们最好的。

Recently, a girl from our Mandarin group deeply tasted God’s faithfulness to this verse.最近，我们中文小组的一个女孩深刻的经历了神这句话的真实。When she accepted Jesus as her saviour a few weeks ago, she consequently received six dreams concerning sins that needed correcting, even her ancestors sin of divination, she confessed and was forgiven and her allergic eczema was healed. 她几周前才接受耶稣做她的救主，结果一连得到六个梦，都是关于指正罪的，甚至包括她祖先算命的事。她承认并得赦免后，过敏性湿疹马上好了。A few days later, when she lived according to what she wanted to, the pain and red spots came back again, after she asked for forgiveness and did some prayers of repentance, she was getting better again. 几天后，当她继续照她自己想怎样就怎样的去生活，红点和疼痛又回来了。在做了一些悔改祷告，求赦免后，她又开始好起来了。

But two days later, after she had maliciously criticised and passed unjust judgement on others, her recovered skin disease came back, then she started to learn God’s holiness from His words, 但两天后，当她又去不饶恕的批评论断， 她好了的皮肤病又回来了，然后，她开始认识神的圣洁，和祂的话。and realised that it’s God’s grace and salvation for her soul that God was teaching her how to be clean in the heart, which is much better than just clean in the body. 她意识到这病，是神的恩典，那是对她灵魂的拯救，要使她的心成为洁净, 比单单使她的外在皮肤得洁净好的多 。Last Friday night she came to see me, because she said that she couldn’t sleep all the night and go to her university due to the pain. After we had three more hours conversation, she spoke out lots of unforgiveness and hurts hidden in her heart. 周五晚上她来见我，因为疼她不能睡觉，在3多小时的交通后，她说出了很多隐藏在心底的不饶恕和伤害。

After a long confessing prayer, she forgave them, because of Jesus who died on the Cross for the forgiveness of sinsThe second day, she told me that she had a wonderful and peaceful sleep without any disturbance. Thanks to God who is faithful.在做了一个很长的悔改祷告后， 她祷告饶恕了，因为耶稣为饶恕而死在十字架上，她告诉我，她睡的非常好，没有任何干扰，感谢主，祂是信实的。

She said, when she woke up, her first feeling is to give thanks to God. So she did, and then she read two Psalms of praising God to Him. Because she is new convert, and she doesn’t know how to use her own words to praise Him. Hallelujah! Praise God. 当她睡醒，她说她的第一个想法就是要感谢主。所以，她感谢了主，又向神读了两篇诗篇的赞美诗，因为她是初信者，不懂得怎样用自己的话去赞美。哈利路亚，赞美主！ She is still in the process, but a person who knows her very well said to her last week: “You are changing!’她还正在这过程中，但昨天，一个认识她的人对她说： “我发现你变了。”

Praise God’s faithfulness, who teaches sinners in His way (Psa 25:8)This is what God wants us to be LifechangingTransforming inwardly to outwardly into His-likeness. 赞美主，祂指示罪人走正路，这是上帝对我们的塑造，生命的改变，从里到外的生命的改变像耶稣。I was exhausted by following up this cause day and night, because all the prayers in this case were spiritual warfare. But I am grateful for the opportunity to witness how God sets people free in His wonderful grace. Thank God for His salvation. 白天晚上的服事 跟进这个案例，我真是筋疲力尽，因为在这个案例里的所有的祷告都是属灵争战。但我为此感恩，因为神给我这个机会，来目击祂释放人得自由的奇妙恩典。

So V. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another! forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. 所以，32节说，并要以恩慈相待，存怜悯的心，彼此饶恕，正如神在基督里饶恕了你们一样。Forgiveness from God is a free gift, we are just the receiver, Jesus is the giver! He commands us: “Freely you received, freely you give. Matt 10:8 b”. 从神来的饶恕是白白的，我们只是接受的人，耶稣是给予的人！祂命令我们：你们白白地得来，也要白白地舍去，马10：8。

We freely received the grace of His forgiveness as a gift, so that we should freely pass on His gift to others, or the Father in heaven will not forgive our sins. Freely you received, freely you give.我们白白地得到祂赦罪的恩典，也当白白地传递给别人，不然天父也不饶恕我们的罪，我们要白白得来，白白舍去。

3, Thanking God saves us from being ungrateful.感谢神救我们脱离不感恩的心

God created us and He sustains our lives every day, look, without free air, we all will die! Should we thank God every day with gratitude? 神创造我们，每天保守我们。如果没有这免费的空气，我们就死了，我们不当每天存感恩的心称谢神吗？Satan wants us to crave more, and to put more expectations on others, and to not be content with what we have, so that we fall into the trap of ingratitude, and blame others, “You didn’t do this for me I don’t want this you gave me.撒旦却想我们贪更多，让我们对人期望更多，让我们对自己拥有的不能知足，于是跌进了不感恩的陷阱里，责怪他人，“你没有为我做这个，你给我的，我不喜欢。”

Do you know many couples have broken up because of a small yeast growing into the sin of ingratitude? 你知道吗？许多夫妻因为一点点的不感恩的罪酵发起，而最终以离婚收场。They expect more from their wives or husbands, “love me more give me more do more things for me more more…” then if one thing doesn’t satisfy them, they will start to blame and get angry and count the other’s faults”. 他们期望从自己的配偶能得更多，“多爱我一些，多给我一些，多给我做些事，多些，多些……”然后，如果一件事不能满足，他们就开始责怪、发火、数落对方的过错。

Proverb 27:20 。 Death and Destruction are never satisfied, and neither are the eyes of man. 箴27:20，阴间灭亡永不至满足，人的眼目也是如此。What does it mean? It means that if a man can’t be satisfied and always is unhappy, he is walking the way of death and destruction! 什么意思？就是说一个人总是不能满足，也不开心，是因为他走在死亡和灭亡的路上。So next time, when you are unhappy with someone, check if you are expecting more from them, if it’s because of your ingratitude that you are unhappy?   所以，以后你觉得对谁不开心时，可以看看你自己的心，是否在期望从他人身上索取更多，是否是因为你自己的不感恩而导致的？

Thank God who gives us a way of repentance in faith! Turn to Him quickly, put all your extra expectations on the cross, being thankful.感谢神，祂给我们信心悔改的路，快快转向祂，将你自己的附加期望钉上十字架，去警醒感恩。You know, being ungrateful can destroy relationships with people and with God! Do you remember? God promised the Israelites that He would lead them into the land of milk and honey.  你知道吗？不感恩可以毁坏与人,与神的关系，记得吗？神曾应许以色列民，要带他们进入流奶与蜜之地。

Through Moses God guided them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, and gave them manna to eat. 神借着摩西，白天用云柱、夜晚用火柱带领他们，赐下吗哪为食物。But they didn’t like his leadership and they grumbled against Moses many times, “give us water give us meat to eat…you’ve brought us into this desert但以色列民不满意摩西的领导，多次埋怨摩西：“给我们水喝，给我们肉吃，你把我们带入这旷野，no meat, no fish, no cucumbers, no melons, no leeks, onions and garlic we have lost our appetite”没有肉，鱼，没有黄瓜，西瓜，韭菜，葱，蒜，我们的心血枯竭了”民11:4-6。

They were sick of eating manna that the living God gave them from heaven. 他们竟然厌烦永生神从天上赐下的吗哪。Because of their ungrateful attitude, you know, their first step: being ungrateful, their next: they grumbled, murmured, complained, and finally: they died. 因为他们的不感恩，他们第一步：不感恩；接下来埋怨，发牢骚，哀嚎，最后：他们死了。Do you see? Ingratitude is like a poison, if we take everything for granted, give no thanks to God and no thanks to others who may pay for it, step by step, it can lead us to die, at least spiritually. 你看到了吗？不感恩就象毒药，如果我们把所有的都认为理所当然，不感谢神，也不感谢为此付出的人，慢慢地，我们就死了，至少是灵性上死了。

The Israelites spent 40 years in the desert and died just for a journey of 11 days to enter the Promised Land. What a serious warning for us The book of Hebrews mentions this to us. 以色列民花了40年，走了通向应许之地11天的路程，最后死在旷野中。这是对我们多么严肃的警告！希伯来书也这样提醒我们。Have you taken anything for granted and never given thanks to God or to the people who did something for you or made an effort for you? 你有没有对一些事觉得是理所当然的？因此从没有为此向神献上感恩的？或有人为你做了什么，为你付出了，你觉得那是理所当然的？

For the free air? For the physical life that He has given you and cared for you? So that you are still alive and have an opportunity to go through the process of sanctification? 为免费的空气？为上帝给你起初的生命和祂的看顾？ 因此你依然活着，并且还能有机会走成圣的路？For something God has done for you and He does for you every day but you can’t see it or you don’t know it? 或为一些事，上帝为了你做了，并且每天都在为你做，但你不知道也没有看见？For your parents who brought you up? For the church that some people put the effort into so that you could come for the service?为你的父母养育你长大，为教会有人在背后付出，因此你可以来聚会？

Too much Do you want to say thanks to God? I’ll give you one minute to give thanks to God, for something that you have never given thanks to Him for. 太多太多，你没有为此感恩的，你想对上帝说谢谢吗？我将给大家1分钟时间，让你对祂说你从来没有说过的, 当去说的感谢的话。

We thank God for He redeemed us from ingratitude. Jesus, fully God and fully man, entered into our thankless world, and died on our behalf for our chronic ingratitude. 我们感谢神救我们脱离忘恩负义。耶稣，完全神，完全人，来到这个不懂感恩的世界，为我们长久的忘恩负义而死。 He gives us an example to follow, we can find his grateful attitude in many places in the bible, 他给我们做了榜样，在圣经中许多地方，我们可以看到他如何地感恩，John 11:41: “they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, ‘Father, I thank you that you have heard me.’”

then Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead. 约11:41，他们就把石头挪开。耶稣举目望天，说：‘父啊，我感谢你，因为你已经听我。’然后耶稣使拉撒路死里复活。In Matthew 15:36 also Mark 8:6: Jesus “took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples” Also in John 6:11 and John 6:23, “the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.” 太15:36，可8:6，耶稣“拿着这七个饼和几条鱼，祝谢了，掰开，递给门徒” 同时在：约6:11，耶稣拿起饼来，祝谢了，就分给那坐着的人,约6:23靠近主祝谢后分饼给人吃的地方。

Jesus gives us an example of giving thanks to the Father before we take meals. Jesus also gives us an example of how to take communion, in Luke 22:17–20 ，also Matthew 26:27 and Mark 14:23: “He took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said,  耶稣给我们做了榜样，在每次吃饭前感谢天父。他给我们如何领圣餐设立了榜样。路22:17-20，太26:27，可14:23，耶稣接过杯来，祝谢了, And in Matt 11:25 also Luke 10:21, At that time Jesus declared, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.’” 在 太11:25，路10:21，那时，耶稣说：‘父啊，天地的主，我感谢你，因为你将这些事向聪明通达人就藏起来，向婴孩就显出来。父啊，是的，你的美意就是如此。’

If God through you performed many signs and wonders, but people showed unthankfulness and even rejected you, how would you respond to that? Would you be angry with them or complaining to God? 如果神借着你施了许多神迹，但是人们既不感谢，甚至还拒绝你，你会怎样反应呢？你会生气或是抱怨神吗？But in such a context, Jesus offered a cheerful and thankful prayer to the Father, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth’ 但是在那样的被拒绝的环境里，耶稣向天父献上欢快和感恩的祷告，“父啊，天地的主，我感谢你。”

He didn’t expect anything from people, but sought the will of the Father, and believed that the Father was doing what was best in His way and He was always under His sovereignty and control. 他没有向人有什么期望，只是寻求天父的旨意，相信天父所做的是最好的，相信天父掌管万事。Bothers and sisters, we are born again a new creation, living by faith not by sight. 弟兄姊妹，我们重生后是新造的人，凭信心不凭眼见。

So don’t trust in our own eyes which gives us negative feedback that quenches the joy in our hearts! We believe “that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him 。Rom 8:28，” 所以不要相信我们自己的眼睛，那只会带来负面反应，扑灭我们心中的喜乐,我们相信“万事互相效力叫爱神的人的益处。罗8:28

Because the Almighty God loves us. He commands us: “be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus 。Thess 5:16-18 ”  因为全能神爱我们！祂吩咐我们：常常喜乐，不住祷告，凡事谢恩；因为这是神在基督耶稣里向你们所定的旨意。帖前5:16-18Give thanks in ALL circumstances. I’m not telling you it’s gonna to be easy to do, because it much easier for us to look at an uncertain thing in a negative way than in a positive way. 凡事谢恩，我不是说这是容易的事。因为人用负面眼光，去看待不确定的事，比用积极的眼光去看，要容易的多。

But we must push ourselves to practice living in such faith, and keep proclaiming: “Lord, I trust You, that You will work it all out for my good I believe in You…I offering my thanksgiving because You are worthy” 但我们必须迫使自己去操练住在信心里，不停的宣告：“主啊，我信靠你，你必会为我的益处行事，我相信你，我献上感恩，因你配得。” If you want “be joyful always” in your life, all you have to do is to adopt a lifestyle of thanksgiving. 如果你想一生中常常喜乐，你所需要作的就是：采取感恩的生活方式。

Finally, I will tell you a story about being thankful in all circumstances. A Christian couple had been married for many years, and eventually they had a lovely daughter.   最后，我讲一个凡事感恩的故事。有一对基督徒夫妻结婚很多年，终于生了一个可爱的女儿。This godly couple gave thanks to God full of joy and thankfulness, because they knew that this daughter was a precious treasure from the Almighty God who had given her to them. 这对敬虔的夫妻欢喜快乐地感谢神，知道这个女儿是全能神赐给他们的珍贵礼物。When the girl was 10 years old, she was killed in a car crash. After the wife learnt this news, her heart was broken, she prayed with tears in the presence of God女孩10岁时，她不幸死于车祸。当妻子得知这消息后，她的心碎了，含泪在神面前祷告。

When her husband came back home, she said to him: “If we had a rich friend who had lent us a precious treasure, which gave us much pleasure and enjoyment. But 10 years later, He wanted his treasure back, what should we do?” 丈夫回家后，妻子对他说：“如果有个富有的朋友借给我们一个他的珍藏，让我们欢喜享受。10年后，他要我们把这个珍藏交还给他，我们怎么办？The husband said: “Of course we should return it to him, for we have freely enjoyed his treasure for 10 years, so we should be grateful enough for his generosity.” 丈夫说：“当然是还给他，我们已经免费享用了10年，当感激他的慷慨借予。

The wife said: “This treasure is our daughter. Today, she was returned to our God.” This couple in their hard time offered a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Lord. And God blessed them with peace and strength.  妻子于是说：“这珍藏就是我们的女儿。今天，她还给上帝了。”这对夫妻在他们的艰难时刻，向神献上了感恩的祭。   The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord -Job 1:21b. 赏赐的是耶和华，收取的也是耶和华。约伯记1:21下。

I have my own story which is similar to this to tell about but because of the limited time, I’ll leave it to the next time. 我有一个亲身类似的故事要和大家分享， 但因时间关系，要等下一次和大家分享。What I’m wanting to testify is that God is much much bigger than us! His will is much much higher than ours. 我想说的是，上帝比我们大太多了,祂的旨意比我们高太多了。Giving thanks in ALL circumstances, and offering thanksgiving as sacrifice are not only for glorifying God but also for saving ourselves from the bondage of negativity, so that we may be able to live a life of joy and victory.  凡事谢恩和献上感恩为祭，不止是为荣耀神，还为救我们自己脱离负面的捆绑，并使我们的生命有份于喜乐和得胜。

Let’s sing song to give thanks to Him.

Prayer:

Thank God for who He is, For He is the Creator of the Universe, the Redeemer, the Lamb, the Christ of God, the Savior of the world, and the King of kings Thank God for what He has done: He has “answered me and become my salvation” .Psalm 118:21Thank God for saving us from being bitter by giving us His truth:Psalm 100:4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.Psa 50:23 a, The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me.

Forgive us for holding bitterness,Thank God for saving us from unforgiveness,Thank God for His unfailing love,Thank God for salvation through His Son Christ Jesus who shed his blood for the forgiveness of sins, we are forgiven.Thank God for His grace that without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness Thank God for He is the Creator of the Universe, the Redeemer, the Lamb, the Christ of God, the Savior of the world, and the King of kings, Lord of lords who died for us while we don’t deserve it.

Thank Jesus for you were pierced for our transgressions, you were crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on you, and by your wounds we are healed if we forgive others, You will forgive us…You forgive our sins and heal our disease if you still hold grudges against some people, right now, forgive them.

Thank God for such a great gift that is freely given to us, how can we continually harbour grudges against others to harm ourselves release your unforgiveness to the Lord. Freely we received, freely we give Thank God for saving us from being ungrateful by giving us the Son Christ as our example teach us how to being thankful in everything, in all circumstances so that we may live out a life of thanksgiving to glorify Your name and to bless You more.

Psa 50:23 a, The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me. 我们受造是为称谢神、荣耀祂。诗篇50:23上：凡以感谢为祭的便是荣耀我。