The Amazing Side-effects of Being Thankful

—Colossians

  • Andrew Fountain – Oct 11, 2015

 
 
Click on this slide and then press the spacebar to advance slides: (or swipe on a touch screen)

Outline

  1. Recent scientific discoveries about thankfulness
  2. What the Bible Says
  3. A plan for putting it into practice
  4. A breathtaking video to inspire thankfulness

B. Thankfulness makes us healthier.

  • 16% fewer physical symptoms
  • 10% less physical pain
  • 8% more sleep, with improved quality
  • Depressive symptoms reduced 30%
  • Blood pressure reduction
  • Even studies that suggested an increase in lifespan

C. Thankfulness helps us socially

  • Studies have shown that increasing thankfulness has the results:
  • More Friendly
  • Better Marriage
  • More Respect
  • More Friends
  • Deeper Relationships

D. Numerous other benefits

  • Personality
    • More Optimistic
    • More Self-Esteem
  • Emotional
    • More Resilience
    • More Good Feeling
    • Less Depression
  • Career success

Colossians 1:3–4

  1. We give thanks to God, the father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
          always praying concerning you,
  2. having heard
          of your faith in Christ Jesus,
          and of the love which you have towards all the saints,
          because of the hope laid up for you in heaven,.

Colossians 1:9–14

  1. and asking
          that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will
          in all spiritual wisdom and understanding
  2. so as to walk worthy of the Lord,
          in all ways to please him,
          in all good work bearing fruit and increasing in the knowledge of God,
  3.       in all power being empowered, through his glorious strength,
          in all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father
  4. who has made you sufficient to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light,
  5.       who has rescued us from the dominion of darkness
          and transferred us into the kingdom of his Son, the dearly loved one,
  6. in whom we have redemption, the freeing from sins.

Colossians 2:2–7

  1. that their hearts may be encouraged,
          being knit together in love,
          and attaining to all riches of the full assurance of understanding,
          to the knowledge of the mystery of God, [that is]
  2.             Christ, in whom are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden.
     
  3. Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him,
  4.       rooted and built up in him and established in the faith,
          just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Colossians 3:15–17

  1. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,
          for which purpose you were chosen in one body;
          and be thankful [to God].
  2. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly:
          in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another
          in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thanks in your hearts to the Lord.
  3. And whatever you do in word or deed,
          do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
          giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 4:2–4

  1. In prayer continue steadfastly, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;
  2.       praying at the same time also for us,
                that God would open to us a door for the word,
                to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains,
  3.       that I may reveal it, as I ought to speak.

3. A plan for putting it into practice

  • God gave us a plan in Ephesians 5:20
  • “…giving thanks at all times and for “all things” to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”

What did Jesus do?

2 Corinthians 9:15

“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!”