hanksgiving (the constant kind, not the once-a-year variety) is a good exercise for the out-of-control tongue. Ephesians 5:4: " Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving."Thanksgiving for what? "In everything give thanks" (1 Thessalonians 5:18). And especially be thankful that "God in Christ forgave you" (Ephesians 4:32). That's plenty to be thankful for.
As a matter of fact, thankfulness to God is more than just a tongue-taming exercise. It is a remedy for any kind of temptation to idolatry, uncleanness, or immorality (Ephesians 5:3)—because it focuses our hearts properly away from self and sin, and it fixes our minds on God. Just as covetousness, filthy talk, and bad morals act like a leaven to spread evil into every aspect of our lives, gratefulness and gracious speech arrest that leaven and season our hearts and minds with grace.
7 comments:
Short and sweet. Thanks Phil.
That's a good reminder for this week; a grateful heart and attitude and expressing it are part of the new self - Colossians 3:10-17, which we are to keep "putting on".
Thanks Phil.
Amen and Amen!
Wonderful!
Thank you!
Genuine gratefulness will also produce it's own fruit.
I was just sharing with a couple brothers about this woman, Beryldene, who was in the church, and was always being thankful in the outer -man, but her heart was thinking about many other things, let me tell you.
I pray that my thanking is always genuine, and so has accompanying fruit for our Lord's pleasure and glory.
Lord bless you and your family Phil. Thank you for standing with compassion and passion for the Gospel of love and Christ.
Happy, happy Thanksgiving my TeamPyro Three Amigos!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zh7eAG2jJkA&feature=related
I am thankful for much, including the regular edification I receive here at Pyromaniacs.
Colossians 3:10-17, a new self.
A change of Heart. Thank you.
Not only does thanksgiving keep us from the "dirty" sins, apparently it also keeps us from moving into intellectual or functional heretical views of salvation and our relationship to Christ. In Colossians 2:6-7, Paul emphasizes thanksgiving as our main responsibility (only active verb) in growing in Christ. In continually giving thanks to God for all that He blesses us with, starting with our place in the Son's kingdom through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross... why would we have need to turn to any other thing, such as "philosophy/empty deceit," festivals, asceticism, mystical angel worship, or any other worldly regulations, following after worldly authorities that have been completely subdued to Christ (Colossians 2:8-23)?
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