Nov 9, 2025.

This powerful message challenges us to examine our relationship with gratitude through three interconnected commands from 1 Thessalonians 5: rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks. We discover that these aren't random spiritual practices but are deeply interwoven, with gratitude serving as the golden thread connecting them all. The sermon confronts a profound truth about our fallen human nature—that sin has broken even our memory, causing us to remember what we should forget (past hurts and pain) while forgetting what we should remember (God's countless blessings and faithfulness). Through powerful illustrations like Paul and Silas singing in prison despite their suffering, David recounting God's past victories before facing Goliath, and Corrie Ten Boom thanking God for fleas in a concentration camp, we learn that cultivating an attitude of gratitude isn't just about feeling better—it's about positioning ourselves to receive God's promises and living out His will for our lives. The message reminds us that while we may not be able to thank God for everything that happens, we can always thank Him in everything, trusting that He can transform even the darkest moments into something beautiful.