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Friday, November 21, 2014

GR – ATTITUDE!


GR – ATTITUDE!


Luke 17:11-17
11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off:
13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.
14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?


John Henry Jowett, a British preacher of an earlier generation, said this about gratitude: "Gratitude is a vaccine, an antitoxin, and an antiseptic." What did he mean? He meant that gratitude, like a vaccine, can prevent the invasion of a disgruntled, discouraged spirit. Like an antitoxin, gratitude can prevent the affects of the poisons of cynicism, criticalness, and grumbling. Like an antiseptic, a spirit of gratitude can soothe and heal the most troubled spirit. -- John Yates, "An Attitude of Gratitude."

The healed leper turned back and loudly glorified God. It was not incidental that he was a Samaritan because Jesus was trying to gain the attention of the thankless nine. Jesus was trying to point out that being born to privilege might hinder the giving of thanks because we become accustomed to abundance. Like a spoiled child, we break and scatter our toys and grumble because we can’t have the latest gizmo.

Heb 13:5
5 Let your conversation [your lifestyle] be without covetousness [greed]; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Dear Lord, help my stubborn heart to rightly inventory your gifts and blessings and make me thankful. AMEN

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