1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NLT)

16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

The Hebrew meaning for the word “always” is... ALWAYS!

You don’t achieve a thankful heart through impartation. You achieve it through action.

Numbers 14:26-32 (NLT)

26 Then the Lord said to Moses and Aaron, 27 “How long must I put up with this wicked community and its complaints about me? Yes, I have heard the complaints the Israelites are making against me. 28 Now tell them this: ‘As surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very things I heard you say. 29 You will all drop dead in this wilderness! Because you complained against me, every one of you who is twenty years old or older and was included in the registration will die. 30 You will not enter and occupy the land I swore to give you. The only exceptions will be Caleb son of Jephunneh and Joshua son of Nun.

31 “‘You said your children would be carried off as plunder. Well, I will bring them safely into the land, and they will enjoy what you have despised. 32 But as for you, you will drop dead in this wilderness.

When I complain about my situation, doors close.

Matthew 26:36-39 (NLT)

36 Then Jesus went with them to the olive grove called Gethsemane, and he said, “Sit here while I go over there to pray.” 37 He took Peter and Zebedee’s two sons, James and John, and he became anguished and distressed. 38 He told them, “My soul is crushed with grief to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”

39 He went on a little farther and bowed with his face to the ground, praying, “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.”

When we pray for God’s will, door open.

Your level of gratitude determines your level of greatness.

Entitlement is the enemy of success.

Psalm 100:4 (NLT)

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving;

   go into his courts with praise.

   Give thanks to him and praise his name.

I must guard my relationship with gratitude.