A Grateful Spirit (Part 2)

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It is a subject we often avoid. There is good reason. We do not want to examine our hearts, personally, and investigate how grateful we are or aren’t, and we don’t want to accept the fact that our lack of gratitude for virtually anything is, in effect, a lack of trust in the sovereignty of God. In this lesson, we continue and conclude our brief two-part look at "How to Develop a Grateful Spirit". We have to remind ourselves at the outset what a grateful spirit is before we can apply the principles to our own walk with God. Let’s take a look. What is a grateful spirit?

A Grateful Spirit is... (Review)

A grateful spirit is excitement for the opportunity to go to work, (even to a job you do not enjoy). A grateful spirit is thankfulness that you have dishes to wash. A grateful spirit is gratitude over a delay in your timing and planning knowing that God’s perfect timing is at stake. A grateful spirit is thanksgiving for new responsibilities even though it means a little less sleep. A grateful spirit is encouragement that you can remember better times so that you will appreciate them when they come again.

What is a grateful spirit? It is excitement over last year’s clothes when your neighbor just bought a new wardrobe. It is appreciation every time the car starts, knowing that God does not owe it to you for it to always start. It is thanksgiving for pain and sickness because it brings grace into your life. It is never assuming that you deserve a raise or promotion. It is awe at the privilege of having an audience with the King. It is tears at the availability of the Word of God. It is delight over your parents, your children, your looks, your intelligence and your talents just because they are the product of a sovereign and omniscient God. That is what a grateful spirit is.

Our basic passage for consideration in both our last lesson and this one is Luke 17:11-19. This passage tells the story of ten men standing in the presence of Jesus. They were standing afar off because they were lepers. They were physically, socially, emotionally and spiritually in trouble. These ten men cried out to Jesus, "Lord, have mercy on us." The response of God to their cry was one of mercy. He said, "You exercise faith. Go and show yourself to the priests." As they went, they were healed.

The response of the men is found in Luke 17:15. The Scripture tells us that only one of the ten, when he saw that he had been healed, went back to say "Thank You". This figure of 10% may well be indicative of the percentage of thankful Christians in our present world, as well. The second thing we see is that this one turned and went back to the source of his healing. He glorified God as he fell on his face before Jesus. Lastly, he said, "Thank you, Jesus for what you have done for me."

We find in the next verse God’s stinging question which I believe He is still asking of us today. He said, "Where are the others? Didn’t I heal ten? Where are the other nine?" Only one had come back with a grateful spirit. The question we ask ourselves as we conclude this study is: Are we a "one" or a "nine"? What is the basis of gratitude in our Christian experience?

An Ungrateful Spirit Produces...

In the last lesson, we dealt with a second issue: "What does an ungrateful spirit produce?" An ungrateful spirit produces at least four things. It produces a presumptuous spirit as revealed in Numbers 14:17, bitterness, (Psalm 73:12-28), self-righteousness (Luke 18:11), and impurity (Ephesians 5:4). These four things are products of an ungrateful spirit.

What Should we be thankful for?

1- In the last lesson we began to look at some of the things Scripture admonishes us to be thankful for. The first was found in Luke 10:21 where God said He revealed Himself to the simple. We were each going to spend a week thanking God that He hides Himself from the worldly wise and reveals Himself to the simple. This is something God told us to be thankful for; it may represent our very credentials for entrance into the kingdom.

2- We were told in Scripture to be thankful in John 11:41 that God always listens. There is never a time when you call the name "Jesus" but that the Father’s ear immediately turns to you and listens.

3- The next thing we are to be thankful for is found in Matthew 15:36, Luke 9:16 and Acts 27:35. Here we have been instructed by God to give thanks for our daily food. We dealt with that and found that the spiritual significance is more important than the physical food. We see this in Deuteronomy 8:9, 1 Corinthians 11:24 and Mark 14:23.

In this lesson we will continue our search through Scripture seeking to find what God has told us to be grateful for.

4- We should be thankful for other Christians. I will give you several passages; some we will have time to deal with, others we won’t. You can take time to study those on your own. Begin with 2 Thessalonians 1:3-5. It reads like this:

3 We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;

4 So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:

5 Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:

Paraphrased, it would read:

1:3 Dear brothers, we give thanks to God for you; not only because it is the right thing to do, but it is our duty to God because of the wonderful way your faith has grown, because of your growing love for each other.

4 We are happy to tell other churches about your patience and complete faith in God in spite of the crushing trouble and hardships you are going through.

5 This is only one example of the fair, just way that God does things.

How often do you stop and thank God for other Christians who are growing in the faith? I believe that our growth is partly dependent on the ability to be grateful for the growth in other people. How often do you stop to thank God for specific Christian friends who are really growing spiritually? Or, do you quietly resent their spiritual growth because they have passed the stage where you are?

Secondly, how often do you stop and thank the Lord for a specific person or group of people because of the love they have for fellow believers? Paul said, "I cannot stop thanking God, it is my duty, because you love each other so much." How many of you have stopped to thank God for Christians who are able to express love to the body of Christ?

Thirdly, Paul said that he could not stop thanking God for the body of believers because of their perseverance as they encounter trials. How often have you stopped to thank God for those examples He gives us of the individual Christians who persevere when the heat is on? We see that their faith does work and it can work for us because God is gracious. How often do you thank God for them?

The next passage we want to look at is Romans 16:3-4. As I looked at this lesson, I realized that I very seldom thank God for other people. As Christians grow in their faith, they are an expression of the grace of God, but I seldom stop to thank Him for them. In every one of Paul’s letters he saturated his message with prayers for the saints. Let’s turn to Romans 16:

Romans 16:3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila my helpers in Christ Jesus:

4 Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.

Priscilla and Aquila had paid a price to be available to Paul. They had put their neck on the line for him. There is more than one way to put your neck on the line for another Christian. It may be that you have given them your time. You may have given them input on a problem. We could easily spend the rest of the time on this one point. We won’t, but I want us to at least get the thrust of it as we look at 2 Timothy, chapter one:

2 To Timothy, my dearly beloved son: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

3 I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with pure conscience, that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day;

4 Greatly desiring to see thee, being mindful of thy tears, that I may be filled with joy;

How often do you thank God for the lives of those who have had an effect in your life but are separated by distance? Do you have a prayer list of believers who have had a ministry to you or you to them but who are now separated from you? The first month they are gone, you may remember them daily and thank God for their lives. The second month you may remember them weekly and thank God for them. A year later, someone may mention their name and you think, "Who?" It is a tragedy.

Look at 1 Thessalonians 3:9. Paul tells us that we ought to be grateful just for the privilege of praying for others. We need to thank God that we have this privilege. In 1 Thessalonians 1:2-10 Paul tells us to be grateful for those who respond to our ministry. Our ability to see grasp future blessings in our ministries may be proportionate to the gratitude we express for those who respond to our ministry today.

This principle is twofold. In the first instance, we are commanded to thank God for people. We are to thank God for people whom God uses in our lives as examples. Secondly, we learn in each one of these passages that we are responsible to tell God how thankful and grateful we are for these people. In each one of them, Paul is thanking God for others; then he tells them about it. He wasn’t doing it to boost their egos, but to encourage their hearts. It was therapeutic for Paul and it was transforming for those he wrote to. Paul said, "God forbid that I should sin by ceasing to pray for you. I pray always with thanksgiving."

Let me ask you, Is your prayer list flooded, dotted, consumed with or at least does it contain a handful of lives you are thanking God for continually? These could be lives that are separated by miles, lives that have had a ministry to you, lives that you have had a ministry to. Do you not only pray for the needs in their lives, but do you thank God for them specifically? It can change your perspective. You don’t focus in on the weaknesses of these people, or their failures, but you focus on the positive things God is doing in their lives. It is important not only to thank God but to tell these people that you are thankful for their part in your life and how you have prayed for them.

I want to ask you some questions.

Question 1- When was the last time you said, "Thank you," to the person who led you to Jesus Christ? They may not even be of the same doctrinal persuasion as you are today. They may not even be in fellowship today. That is really immaterial. God may use a word of thanks from you to renew a spirit of gratitude and hope in them. When was the last time you did this? You can sit down today and pick up the phone or write a letter to the person who pointed you to Jesus Christ and tell them "thank you". You can share a word of testimony of what God has done in your life since then. It could bring encouragement to them. It may be a loved one. It may be a pastor. Maybe it was a friend. Maybe it was someone whose personality grated on your nerves but it was nonetheless what the Spirit of God needed to use to get your attention. We are too often ungrateful Christians. That person who introduced you to Christ gave you an eternal Christmas gift: God’s Son.

Question 2- When was the last time you told your parents, if they are alive, of the positive impact they had in your life? We live in an age where everybody blames everything on the poor job their parents did. We hear, "When I was growing up, my parents did this wrong, my parents did that wrong." Now I will admit that those things do have an impact on us, but we are personally accountable to take those weaknesses and traumas and allow God to turn them into strengths. In so doing, we sometimes forget the positive things, the love, the provisions and even the discipline God put in our lives that made it possible to know Him and to respond to Him and to others. So often the communication breaks down and we fail to be grateful. When was the last time you called your parents and told them, "Mom and Dad, I just want to tell you that I love you and I thank you for the imprint you have left upon my life. God is using it."

Question 3- Do you remember those key people who with love and patience and perseverance made a difference in your life? Make a book of remembrance of your life. Start with when you were born and list the key people who have made a profound impact on you. You may be able to list teachers, pastors, friends or relatives. When was the last time you made a list like that? Write a personal letter to each of those people to encourage them.

Question 4- Husbands, how often do you thank your wife for the everyday things she does, such as cooking for you? I asked a friend this question and he asked me what definition of cooking I was talking about. Cooking is the preparation of burnt offerings or any other edible or non-edible creation. These include hot dogs, pot pies and leftovers. How often do we stop to say, "Thank you,"? When we get a sumptuous feast we do usually say, "Thank you." But for the day to day meals, how often do we stop to say, "Thanks." It is a lot of work to prepare a meal. It is a lot of trouble to try to keep the budget within a workable amount. How often do you thank your wife for cleaning the house? How often do you thank your wife just for caring?

Question 5- Wives, how often do you say, "Thank you," to your husband when he comes in at night from a day at work? He is working to feed, clothe and house you and the children. Do you complain because he is always tired or because he is gone too much or because he is preoccupied with his business? Or do you thank him for the time he spends providing for your needs?

Question 6- Parents, how often do we sit our children down and say, "Thank you," for the positive things they do. I know in the teen years you have to work at this, but they at least occasionally do things that please you. We tell them quickly when they make a mistake, almost before they do it and sometimes even when they don’t. How often do we tell them that we really love them for taking the time to do something special? We need to thank them for being available in different areas. By so doing, we are teaching them how to express the incredible quality of gratitude. How often do we just say, "Thank you"?

People need gratitude. We are not told in Scripture to "feel" thankful, we are told to "give" thanks. There can be a lot of difference. Giving thanks is an act of the will in obedience to the Scripture. I believe that as you give thanks you will become thankful.

5- Are you grateful for answered prayer? Colossians 4:2, paraphrased, says this:

2 Don’t be weary in prayer, keep at it. Watch for God’s answers and remember to be thankful when they come.

In this regard, rather than spend much time on it, I want to ask you several more questions. Do you keep a prayer list, and if so, is there a column for answered prayer? Do you expect that column to be filled or are you afraid that God will not really come through for you so you don’t leave any space for that? You may be praying for patience in somebody’s life. Every time you see the seed of patience develop, thank God for it. Or, are you waiting for there to be perfect patience exhibited in their lives? In heaven this will come true, but by then you will have lost your prayer list and notebook. Be thankful for the answers God provides. And don’t throw those answered prayer lists away. Like the children of Israel were instructed to do, keep them somewhere, so "when your children ask you in time to come" you can say, "My God did this."

6- Scripture tells us to be thankful for those in authority over us. We see this in 1 Timothy 2:1-3. We are to be thankful for them and for the role they play in your life. There are four reasons for this:

Reason 1- Without them, you might be in charge. Think about that one. Without them, you might be in charge and you think you could handle it, but you may be wrong.

Reason 2- God ordained them as we see in Romans 13:1. He never makes a mistake as we see in Romans 12:2.

Reason 3- Our prayers might lead to a change in their lives as we see in 1 Timothy 2:4 and 1 Peter 3:1-3. But unless we pray thankfully, we may pray amiss as we see in James 4:3.

Reason 4- Praying for them may change our attitude towards them, towards authority in general, and towards God who is the ultimate authority.

7- You are to pray thankfully for the way God made you. Psalm 139:13-17 says,

13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother's womb.

14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.

15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.

17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!

Paraphrased:

You made all of the delicate inner parts of my body, and you knit them together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex. It is amazing to think about. Your workmanship is marvelous and I know it.

I would encourage each one of you to make a sign to hang over your mirror that says, "God’s Perfect Handiwork". I am serious about this. Read it in the morning so that you can be reminded of this great truth. We don’t realize it sometimes, but Jeremiah 1:4-5 says,

4 Then the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,

5 Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations.

We fail to realize that God’s goal for our lives is spiritual and all other factors were designed to implement those goals. The shape of your nose, your eyes, your ears, the color of your hair and your height were all intricately formed by God to uniquely give you a message that only you can have. You may say, "Yes, but I would much rather be somebody else." We need to remember that God reveals His character often more clearly through imperfect physical features than through a raving beauty. If someone is beautiful or handsome, when you see them, your first response may be, "Isn’t he or she handsome or beautiful?" Would you like to have someone say that about you or would you rather have them say, "What a radiance there is in his or her life?" Or, "What a godliness in their spirit,"? Sometimes we have to have the absence of one to see the other.

The whole point is that you and I are God’s perfect creation just as we are. We spend too much of our lives complaining about our looks, our talents, our abilities, our parents and other things that God in His infinite wisdom designed specifically and peculiarly for us. What ungrateful spirits we have when we fail to say, "Thank you." So put that sign up over your mirror. It may have a real effect in your life.

The last four areas I am just going to name because I want to get to the conclusion and the reality of why we aren’t more grateful as Christians. Let me just remind you of them.

8- How often do you thank God for grace? Romans 11:20 paraphrased, says:

Watch out! Remember that those branches, the Jews, were broken off because they didn’t believe God, and you are only there because you do. Do not be proud; be humble, grateful - and careful.

How often do you thank God like that? Paul in 1 Timothy 1:12 thanked the Lord for saving him and putting him in the ministry. That is how you get into the ministry, God puts you there.

9- How often do you thank God for Jesus? 2 Corinthians 9:15 says,

Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift.

Have you ever thought of where you would be or the world would be had it not been for Jesus? Sit down someday and write about what the world would be like without Jesus. There would be no Christmas, no Easter, no resurrection, no hope, no Holy Spirit’s presence, no Living Word and the list could go on. How often do you just say, "Thank you Father for Jesus."

10- How often do you thank God for trials and hardships? We can look at James 1:2-4 which says,

2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;

3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

In other words, trials and hardships are gifts, sent from God to help you grow.

11- How often do you thank God for your physical health, rather than complaining over your sickness and pain? Proverbs 20:12 tells us, in essence, that if you have good eyesight and good ears, you ought to be thanking God who gave them to you. If you can see and hear, you need to be thankful because not everyone can, and if you can’t see, but you can walk, thank God, because not everyone can. If you can’t see or walk, thank God that you can hear. Not everyone can.

12- How often do you remember to thank God for life? Romans 8:28 and 1 Thessalonians 5:18 and Philippians 4:6-8 remind us of this.

What are you supposed to thank God for? If we sum it all up, He says "in everything give thanks". We may not "feel" thankful, but Scripture tells us in every circumstance, tell God "Thank you." Can you do that?

The Nature of an Ungrateful Spirit

I want to close by asking this question, "Why aren’t we by nature more grateful?" I think there are four reasons.

Reason 1- We are not grateful because we do not understand the rights of a sinner. In other words, by reason of transgression, we have lost our rights. Think about Joe Smith. Last week he needed a little extra money, so he went and held up a bank. He was apprehended, and a man in a blue suit put him into his cell while he was awaiting his trial. The first thing he did when they brought him a meal was to complain about the way the steak was cooked. He wanted it medium rare and he didn’t want the baked potato, he wanted French fries. He complained about the gray suit they gave him to wear. He doesn’t look good in gray. The general thrust of their answer to him was, "Fella, you don’t have any rights. You are a prisoner. You are here by reason of transgression. You gave up your rights when you committed that crime."

Our commander-in-chief, Adam, surrendered for us. We by nature therefore have the rights of a transgressor. It is like a nation that has been conquered by another nation. The victims don’t stand up and say, "As conquered people we want this and this and this." As a conquered people, you humble yourself and do what you are told.

Reason 2- We don’t understand the rights of a stranger. The Scripture teaches us in 1 Peter that we are strangers and pilgrims in a foreign land. We are also told in Ephesians 2 that we now have a new citizenship and a new life, but these are in a spiritual kingdom in a spiritual realm. By reason of citizenship we have lost our rights to this world. We have changed our citizenship. When Jesus came into our hearts, we transferred our citizenship into His kingdom and we gave up our rights of citizenship to this world. Therefore, we don’t have a right to demand health, prosperity, fame, a certain kind of job or certain benefits. We don’t even have the right to claim that we need to be loved. That is God’s business.

In the spiritual kingdom we will find our benefits. We are heirs to all the spiritual rights that the King has. But this physical world belongs to Satan. Satan wasn’t lying in the particular case when he went to Jesus and offered Him certain rights in this world. He owns this world and had been given the rights to this world for a time. We forget so often that we only have the rights of a stranger because we are only visiting this world. We are foreigners.

Reason 3- We don’t understand the rights of a slave. By reason of ownership we have no rights. Paul said, "I have become a bond slave of Jesus Christ." A bond slave is one who has been set free and by an act of his will has chosen to be a slave again. He now has his master’s ear continually and in Old Testament times, he would tell the world by having a ring in his ear that indicated he was owned by his master, now by his own choice. Paul said, "I am a bond slave of Jesus Christ. I do whatever He asks me to do. It doesn’t matter what it is." Jesus said, "I came not to do My own will but the will of My Father who sent Me. I am His servant. I am His slave." We need to recognize that as slaves we do whatever our master tells us to do.

Not only that, but as a slave you serve not only your master when he asks, but you serve whomever he asks you to serve. If you are a servant or a slave and your master brings your enemy into his home and asks to wait on them, you do it. Why? Because your master told you to. You lost the right by reason of ownership. You have given up your rights by choice.

Reason 4- We don’t understand the magnitude of our transaction with God. By reason of relative value we have lost our rights. Have you ever stopped to realize exactly what it was that God gave in exchange for you and what He got for it? Suppose you were taking some old things from your home that had no workable use in them and were throwing them into the garbage. As you were ready to do this, a man comes along in a sleek, black Cadillac and opens the door and says to you, "I will give you six million dollars for that old toaster." You think for a second and say, "I’ll take it!" Would you then go running after him and demand the use of that toaster?

Have you ever stopped to realize the price God paid and what He got in exchange for it? It cost God everything to get nothing for the privilege of making it into something. You and I are oftentimes presumptuous with God because we are not sensitive enough to realize the nature and magnitude of the transaction.

Reason 5- We are ungrateful because we don’t understand the principle of GLE. This stands for "God’s Level of Expectancy". It means that when God blesses our lives such as a raise at work, we may even say that it is of grace because we really don’t deserve it. But when the next time for a raise comes along, we want to know how much more we are going to get. Now we expect it. The whole idea is that every morning Christians should go to their knees and go back to ground level zero, because we don’t deserve our wife, our husband, our children, our car, our house or anything else we have. We don’t deserve any of it, it is a gift from God, and it is all grace. Whatever He chooses to give you for that one day, thank Him for it. The next day, you go back and start at zero again. It is God’s Level of Expectancy and we need to start at zero every day.

 

Areas of Application

How can we develop a grateful spirit? Here are three things we can do: First of all, draw up a certificate of title. I want you to be creative and fashion yours just for you, but here is an example.

I, (your name), having been born again into the kingdom of God, do hereby acknowledge that God’s purchase of my life included all the rights and control of that life for all eternity.

I do further acknowledge that He has not guaranteed me to be free from pain, to have success or prosperity. He has not guaranteed me perfect health. He has not guaranteed me perfect parents. He has not guaranteed me perfect children. He has not guaranteed me the absence of pressures, trials, misunderstandings or persecution.

What He has promised me is eternal life. What He has promised me is abundant life. What He has promised me is love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, meekness and self-control. He has given me all of Himself in exchange for the rights to my life.

Therefore, I acknowledge this day (date) the absence of all my rights and expectations and humbly ask Him by His grace to replace these with a grateful spirit and for whatever in His wisdom He deems to allow for my life.

Your servant,

(Your name)

On the first day of every month, take it down off the wall or out of your Bible and put a new date and initial it again. It can change your life. Satan is such a deceiver. He will have us to believe that we deserve all that we have. The rights to your life and the all the rights thereto are a gift from God and what He gives you is all you need.

The second thing I want to encourage you to do is to have a designated praising period. Some of you have done that before. I want to ask you to take this week for nothing but praise in your prayers to God. It is totally out of bounds for you to ask anything of Him this week. It is out of bounds for you to complain about anything this week. All you are to do this week is to be thankful. Take one week out of your life and only express a grateful spirit. Praise Him and be thankful for one week.

As a part of this, I want us to have a grateful spirit towards others. That means no murmuring, no complaining, no criticizing and no claiming of personal rights for one week.

For one week try to have nothing but praise, thanksgiving and a grateful spirit toward others. You can make your way through the Psalms for praise and thanksgiving. You can make a list of people and things you are thankful for. You can share at the dinner table those things you are grateful for that happened that day. Every time someone shares something negative about another person, simply come back with something positive or change the subject. For this one week, do nothing but give praise and thanksgiving and have a grateful spirit toward others. If somebody corrects you and says that you made a mistake, don’t murmur or complain, simply thank them and start over.

The third project is: after this week, consider praying and choosing a proper perspective for the rest of your life. Some of us need to claim Philippians 4:6-8 as life verses. I would encourage you to take one month and meditate on nothing except for "those things that are true". The next month mediate on "whatsoever things that are lovely". The next month meditate on those "things that are pure". For one month meditate on "whatsoever things are of good report". Take everything in the Word that you can and for that month meditate on nothing else. You will be amazed at your change in perspective. It amounts to developing God’s perspective.

In closing, we need to be honest with ourselves through the Spirit of God and the Word of God by which He has commanded and empowered us to have a grateful spirit. If we learn to do that, it will change our lives. It will change our physical well-being, our emotional health and our spiritual ministry. We can also change our world through our testimony and our example. Most of all it will please the precious heart of God. All of us long to do the will of God. So, "In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus." It is the will of God, indeed.

"In everything give thanks", it says

What a strange command.

What have I to thank Him for

As in prayer, I stand?

I don’t have a fancy car,

Like my neighbor does,

Haven’t been promoted,

Like my brother was.

Haven’t had good health to claim

(Seems I’m always sick),

When folks look for beauty,

I’m not the one they pick.

"Give thanks? Good grief, for what?", you cry

I have naught to see

Softly, then, the Savior whispers,

"Just give thanks for Me".

And when you do, remember,

As Jesus’ praise you sing,

One refrain you oft’ repeat

Is "He is everything"

"Give thanks for Me", He answers,

You will discover, it’s true

That when The Savior died, He gave

All He is to you.

Give thanks? Oh, child, from morn 'till night

'Till heavens trumpets ring

Praise your God for Jesus

For He is... everything.