Philippians 4:4-7

Dear brethren,

Gratitude is the state of being grateful. Grateful is defined as "appreciative of benefits received." (Merriam-Webster Online) When someone helps you, how do you respond? Are you grateful? Are you appreciative of what that person has done? Being appreciative goes much deeper than simply saying, "Thank you." Appreciation for something someone has done for you should begin with the heart. Gratitude can only exist if a person truly feels thankful.

However, there are some people who expect kind deeds from other people. They believe it is the responsibility of other people to help them, to provide things for them. They will, with empty words, say, "Thank you," but as soon as you stop helping them, they become angry and turn against you. This is the heart of a "user" where "gratitude" exists only when their selfish desires are met.

A Christian should be the most grateful of all people. When a person is baptized into Jesus Christ, (Galatians 3:26-27) all their past sins are washed away (Acts 22:16). This gift of salvation (Romans 6:23) is a gift greater than all other gifts. Because of this blessing, as well as other blessings, a Christian should offer thanks to the heavenly Father. Offering of thanks to the Father in heaven must be a daily part of a Christian's life. Here is Philippians 4:4-7 presented for your consideration.

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

In Love,

John Duvall

Acts 17:10-12

Dear Brethren,

Reception to the word of God varies from person to person. There are some people who will listen to God's word and give it due consideration. They will search the scriptures and weigh the teachings found in the Bible. Then, after they have studied the Bible, they will choose to follow its teachings. On the other hand, there are those people have no interest in the Bible. To them, it is a book that is of no interest to them. Somewhere in between, there are people who would like to study the Bible and learn more about righteousness, but they allow other distractions in their lives to hinder their efforts to study God's word.

When a person sets out to study God's word, he should not listen only to the words of man, but to the words of God. Throughout the world, there are millions of people who allow their "understanding" of the Bible to be dictated by some religious leader. There are even people who profess a belief in Christ without ever opening the Bible. They will listen only to what some preacher teachers. Every person, both Christians and those seeking Christ, should search the Scriptures daily to learn the truth and to confirm what others are teaching. Here is Acts 17:10-12 presented for your consideration.

10 Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.
11 These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.
12 Therefore many of them believed, and also not a few of the Greeks, prominent women as well as men.

In Love,

John Duvall