First Church Charlotte

Nov. 13, 2019, | Pastor Nathan Elms Giving thanks is God's will for us. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=1+Thessalonians+5%3A18&version=NKJV) If we are only grateful during good times, our response hinges on God's gifts to us, and our gratitude becomes conditional and weak. The Israelites expressed this conditional gratitude to God many times throughout the Old Testament. They were thankful when the Lord delivered them, but they were often grumbling when things didn't go their way. If we're honest, it's easier to be thankful when things are great in our lives, not when they are hard. The danger comes when our warmth towards God becomes dependent on the tangible good things he provides us rather than the good God he has proven to be. James 1:2-4 (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=James+1%3A2-4&version=NKJV) God desires that we desire Him, the Giver, and not the gifts alone. Psalm 107:15, ESV (https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+107%3A15&version=