Introduction

- In this series we are going to study the Good Manners and Right Conduct of a Christian.
- We may not cover all the necessary characteristics of a true Christian but definitely we will cover the
most basics characteristics that most of us are starting to forget.
- Nakakalungkot man isipin but nowadays we don’t have a define and absolute GMRC.
- Today Right Conduct depends on how you feel, and on your rights.
- PRD said something in His SONA that became famous...

- It seems PRD dichotomize Human lives and human rights, that is why some people is saying that is the
same, and you cannot separate it.
- The truth is though the Human rights and human lives can be in one person, but a person may not
understand the difference and effects of fighting for your rights, and fighting for your life.
- Most of us...

We fight for our rights, but we don't live right!

- Most people today talks about their rights and what they want to do that would make them happy but
very few would talk about how to live right!
- A person may fight for his rights to drink alcohol, or smoke weeds, or use drugs because that is his
rights as a person, the rights to do what he wants to do and choose what makes him happy, but the
question is, is that the right way to live your life?
- Or nagmahal ka ng tao, right mo yon to love and be inlove, but paano kung me asawa naman yong
naka inlovean mo, is that the right way to live your life?
- Your rights can actually endanger your life and others life!
- GMRC is about living the right way that would benefit you and others!

- In this series we will study four basic good manners and right conduct of a christians.
- It is acronym GMRC, Gratitude, Money, Responsibility and Courtesy
- Today we will study the power of gratitude.

The power of Gratitude

Gratitude: the quality of being thankful;
readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.

- Sa tagalog mapag pasalamat!

- Or pagtanaw ng utang na loob! Though I don't fully agree na na dapat magbayad tayo ng utang na loob
but at least pasalamatan natin at bigyan ng halaga yong mga taong nag karoon tayo ng utang na loob.
Pero hindi ibig sabihin na require kang bayaran yong utang na loob kahit mali na yong hinihinging
kapalit sa utang na loob sa iyo.

A. Gratitude to God

Ephesians 5:20 NIV

[20] always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Psalm 100:4-5 NIV

[4] Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
[5] For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Colossians 3:16 NIV

[16] Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom,
and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

- The truth is everything about us, in us, around us is from God and about God. That gave us a reason to
be thankful for him.
- Do we really appreciate God of his grace, mercy, goodness, his love and his gift for us?
- Gratitude is giving appreciation to everything he had done for us, so what are you doing now that
would prove your gratitude for God?
- That is why serving him, loving other people, and giving your time talent, and treasure are simple way
of our gratitude to him.

Story: Before I became a Christian I had a sensitive consciousness of God, but I cannot really remember
that I am really grateful of Him. We are poor, I had a hard time as a kid, I am most of the time bullied,
My family is not ideal, my parents always fight, and we and my siblings also fight most of the time. Maybe
I thank God is something really good happens to me but I cannot really remember when and what is all
about. I had this idea - God is true but he put me in a position of sufferings that I had no reasons to be
really thankful about the life he gave. Gratitude and thankfulness to God is for those who are fortunate
enough to have a good life. But since the time I encountered God, I understand his Gift of salvation, and
the more i grew in his words and love, I had this heart of being so thankful to him and the attitude of
giving gratitude to him by giving my life to him thru my worship, service, and giving to him.

B. Thankfulness in all circumstances

1 Thessalonians 5:18 NIV

[18] give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 5:20 NIV

[20] always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Romans 8:28 NIV

[28] And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called
according to his purpose.

- The simple truth that God is Love, and so good, that means nothing happens to us that will destroys or
defeat us as long as we remain in his love and goodness!
- The truth is nothing actually happens to us that we could qualify as evil or bad. In God everything
happens for a reason and for a purpose, God allows everything that people consider bad and evil
because God is doing something good for us!

Story: The Story of a man with a beautiful horse and one and only son.

C. Your Parents, your family and your church

Ephesians 6:2-3 NIV

[2] "Honor your father and mother"---which is the first commandment with a promise--- [3] "that it may
go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth."

Romans 12:10 NIV

[10] Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.

- The bible did not only wants us to be thankful to him but also to the people around us.
- Number one is our parents, next is our family and then the people in the church.
- The sad reality today people today are did not have a sense of gratitude to their parents.
- Some actually even abused their parents by being irresponsible and still becoming a huge responsibility
by their parents at an age that they should be working.
- we should be thankful to them and to the people in the church.

D. Your Pastors and Leaders

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 NIV

[12] Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord
and who admonish you. [13] Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace
with each other.

1 Timothy 5:17-18 NIV

 [17] The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those
whose work is preaching and teaching. [18] For the Scripture says, "Do not muzzle the ox while it is
treading out the grain," and "The worker deserves his wages."

- The bible taught us to give gratitude to our leaders and pastors.

- The truth is the bible commands us to give double "honor” or actually double "wages”'
- Pastors and leaders today are the most unappreciated people. Church members never really understand
the sacrifices, the labor, and the struggles of church leaders and pastors.

- The bible taught us to be thankful and grateful to everything and everyone in our life.
- Sa totoo lang mas marami ngayon ng angalites and reklamites. Puro angal and puro reklamo.
- What we don't know is that ingratitude and ungratefulness can be powerful or dangerous to our whole
being.
- We will not discuss the negative effects of ungratefulness but let us look carefully the power of
gratitude.

The power of gratitude...

1. It increases our faith and hope.

Colossians 2:6-7 NIV
[6] So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, [7] rooted and built up in
him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

2. It brings healing to your spirit, soul and body.

Psalm 103:1-5 NIV

[1] Praise the Lord, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. [2] Praise the Lord, O my
soul, and forget not all his benefits--- [3] who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, [4] who
redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, [5] who satisfies your desires
with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
.

3. It gives you victory over all adversaries and challenges of life

2 Chronicles 20:21-22 NIV

[21] After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the
splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the Lord, for his
love endures forever." [22] As they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against the men of
Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated.

Psalm 107:15-16 NIV

[15] Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, [16] for he
breaks down gates of bronze and cuts through bars of iron.

4. It removes fear, shame and move us out of trouble

Psalm 34:1-6 NIV

 [1] I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. [2] My soul will boast in the
Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. [3] Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together. [4] I
sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. [5] Those who look to him are
radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. [6] This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he
saved him out of all his troubles

5. It makes you a likable person

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls
blossom. Marcel Proust

"Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves, and spend without fear of bankruptcy." Fred De
Witt Van Amburgh

Being grateful and expressing your appreciation to others not only attracts people to you,
but unleashes the best in them - jce

Challenges

- Remember the Israelites during the time of Moses who are so ungrateful to everything that God did for
them and even to Moses who lead them, they all died tragically at the desert for this simple sin -
ungratefulness that leads to disobedient and contempt of God.
- If you want to have a radical change in your life, in your faith, in your relationship with people and of
God, start to be thankful, appreciate God and people around you, your leaders, your pastors, your
parents and your office mates and class mates.
- The world called this positivity and good vibes, we called this gratefulness and faith to God and man.
- Can we repent of all of our ungratefulness, and lack of appreciation of God and people who help us
discover God, encourage us, provide for us, being around us and start to have this kind of attitude of
being grateful?