Deliverance: Gratitude - David Mitts

Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; (Heb 12:28 NASB)


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The process of giving thanks, gratitude is a recognition and activation in the heart which brings us into a oneness with the Source of our gratitude.

Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. (Col 2:6-7 NASB)

Gratitude is the natural expression of salvation. It demonstrates the reality of our salvation.

We see this played out in the story of the salvation of the sinner woman.

Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to dine with him, and He entered the Pharisee's house and reclined at the table. And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee's house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and kept wiping them with the hair of her head, and kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume. Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner." And Jesus answered him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." And he replied, "Say it, Teacher." "A moneylender had two debtors: one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. "When they were unable to repay, he graciously forgave them both. So which of them will love him more?" Simon answered and said, "I suppose the one whom he forgave more." And He said to him, "You have judged correctly." Turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. "You gave Me no kiss; but she, since the time I came in, has not ceased to kiss My feet. "You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. "For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but he who is forgiven little, loves little." Then He said to her, "Your sins have been forgiven." Those who were reclining at the table with Him began to say to themselves, "Who is this man who even forgives sins?" And He said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."(Luke 7:36-50 NASB)

Thanksgiving is the expression of heart that loves.

Praise the LORD! Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting. (Psa 106:1 NASB)

The ancient Hebrew for giving thanks is “Todah: which comes from the root “yadah” which comes from the smaller root “yad”

The root comes from the letters, “yud” and “dalet”. Yad is the word for hand.

The pictograph i is a picture of a hand, the d is a picture of door that allows movement in and out of the tent. Combined these mean "hand moves". The hand is the part of the body that enables man to perform many works.

The hand represents the process of choice.

Moses said to the people, "Remember this day in which you went out from Egypt, from the house of slavery; for by a powerful hand the LORD brought you out from this place. And nothing leavened shall be eaten. (Exo 13:3 NASB)

When we think of clean hands and a pure heart, we are speaking of a heart that has a pure motive and expresses that in pure clean choices. The underlying power key that cleanses our hearts and purifies our action is thankfulness.

Who may ascend into the hill of the LORD? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood and has not sworn deceitfully. He shall receive a blessing from the LORD And righteousness from the God of his salvation. (Psa 24:3-5 NASB)

By this verse, we can see a dynamic relationship between clean hands and a pure heart and our acceptance into God’s Presence. Looking again at Hebrews 12:28:

Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; (Heb 12:28 NASB.

The picture is of gratitude and acceptable service of worship.

When we add the third letter the “hey” to the root it adds the imperative “to behold”. We are instructed what door opens by the hand. Yeshua told us about this door that is opened by the choice of our will:

““I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came so that they would have life and have it abundantly.” (John 10:9-10)

As the door He offers us the opportunity to behold the entrance to the Kingdom and walk through it.

Let’s look a little deeper now into todah, the power of gratitude.

There is an ancient Rabbinic teaching which states that when Messiah returns and establishes His Kingdom on Earth, all sacrifices will cease except one, the todah offering of thanksgiving.

This is an especially relevant thought for all Believers who have received Yeshua into their hearts and lives. All Believers are in the Kingdom. For us Messiah has already come and lives in us in our hearts. This means for us there is no continual offering for sin. Hebrews tells us:

so, Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him. (Heb 9:28 NAS77)

Our sins are complete in Him as the eternal sin offering. His return is not based on our sin but on our thanksgiving. Notice it says that we eagerly await Him.

This is the place of gratitude. Think of it, you as a child are eagerly awaiting the one who is of most value to you, a sign of Love!

A todah sacrifice would be offered by someone whose life had been delivered from great peril, such as disease or the sword. The redeemed person would show his gratitude to God by gathering his closest friends and family for a todah sacrificial meal. The lamb would be sacrificed in the Temple and the bread for the meal would be consecrated the moment the lamb was sacrificed.

The bread and meat, along with wine, would constitute the elements of the sacred todah meal, along with wine, would constitute the elements of the sacred todah meal, which would be accompanied by prayers and songs of thanksgiving, such as Psalm 116.

I Love the LORD, because He hears My voice and my supplications. Because He has inclined His ear to me, Therefore I shall call upon Him as long as I live. The cords of death encompassed me, And the terrors of Sheol came upon me; I found distress and sorrow. Then I called upon the name of the LORD: "O LORD, I beseech You, save my life!"(Psa 116:1-4 NAS77)

The todah is the response to the great deliverance!

The opposite of being grateful is being presumptuous. We take things for granted. Often this arises in us as a protection mechanism rooted in our fear and pride. We get hurt or rejected in life and we lose trust in those who can contribute to us. This hardens our heart and makes us presumptuous. We pre-assume things and lose gratitude:

“Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults. Also keep Your servant back from presumptuous sins; Let them not rule over me; Then I will be innocent, And I will be blameless of great wrongdoing.” (Psalms 19:12-13)

How do we avoid this by reconnecting with the Todah. The todah opens back up our heart. The heart is the place of love, and He is love.

“Enter His gates with thanksgiving, And His courtyards with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.” (Psalms 100:4)

Thanksgiving opens the gate. He is the door. When we are grateful to God, we acknowledge Him as the Source of our lives. Praising Him goes deeper into the courtyard. In that place we can truly be grateful and bless His name.

Scientists have discovered that the heart has its own brain. 90% of the thought traffic goes from the heart to the brain. The key to good heart health is called Heart Rate Variability. It is the ability of the heart to respond. What impacts HRV is gratitude. A responsive, grateful heart is a healthy one.

When we shut down our heart through presumption, we enter into the heart condition called a hardened or unresponsive heart. That is when we need a true breakthrough.

Returning to an attitude of gratefulness restores our heart and our thoughts. We actually remember better when we are grateful and dwell on positive thoughts.

“Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.” (Psalms 97:12)

Yeshua is the institution of communion tied this to remembering Him. This teaches us that as we give thanks for His body and blood and the sacrifice He made for us it heals or renews our minds as well.

“And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me."” (Luke 22:19)

Can you see the connection? Gratitude, focusing on what we are thankful for brings life to our heart and through our heart to our mind.

In this hour that we live in, we can let our love easily grow cold by focusing our thoughts and hearts on what is broken. So much is broken. But if will train ourselves in being grateful we will find our heart energized with life and we will think creatively and be the solution bearers.

Paul summarized this in his letter to the Philippians:

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

It couldn’t be any clearer. Our hearts and minds are protected by gratitude. Then in that place he tells us:

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you.” (Philippians 4:8-9)

Activation: Make a list of what you are thankful for. Remember the goodness of God to you and through you. Energize your heart and mind with an attitude of gratitude.

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