Austin Bible Church
Thanksgiving and grace are synonyms and both speak of a gracious mental attitude. This results in an attitude which does not take anything in life for granted. Do not take your freedom for granted. In the USA, we currently have the freedom to attend the church of our choice. We have freedom to live where we desire. We have freedom to pursue the vocation of our liking. We have the freedom to make friends with whom we wish. 1 Peter 2:6; John 4:24.
“For this is contained in Scripture: "BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED."” (1 Peter 2:6, NASB)
“"God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."” (John 4:24, NASB)
You should not take your marriage for granted. The biggest problem in marriage is time. The next biggest problem in marriage is duration. The next biggest problem is distraction. The next biggest problem in marriage is administration. Here is the principle of headship and authority orientation. 1 Cor. 7:29; 1 Cor. 7:35; Eph. 5:18-21; Eph. 5:22-24; Eph. 5:25-26; Eph. 5:28-2.
“But this I say, brethren, the time has been shortened, so that from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none;” (1 Corinthians 7:29, NASB)
“This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 7:35, NASB)
“And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father; and be subject to one another in the fear of Christ.” (Ephesians 5:18-21, NASB)
“Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body. But as the church is subject to Christ, so also the wives ought to be to their husbands in everything.” (Ephesians 5:22-24, NASB)
“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,” (Ephesians 5:25-26, NASB)
“So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church,” (Ephesians 5:28-29, NASB)
You should not take your family for granted. Teach your children to respect authority. Teach them self-discipline and to accept responsibility for their talk and actions. Teach them the principle of hard work in business and to finish a task once it is started. Teach them the right of private ownership and private enterprise. Prov. 30:11; Prov. 30:17; Eph. 6:1-4; 2 Thess. 3:10; 1 Tim. 6:1-2.
“There is a kind of man who curses his father And does not bless his mother.” (Proverbs 30:11, NASB)
“The eye that mocks a father And scorns a mother, The ravens of the valley will pick it out, And the young eagles will eat it.” (Proverbs 30:17, NASB)
“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER (which is the first commandment with a promise), SO THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH YOU, AND THAT YOU MAY LIVE LONG ON THE EARTH. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” (Ephesians 6:1-4, NASB)
“For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either.” (2 Thessalonians 3:10, NASB)
“All who are under the yoke as slaves are to regard their own masters as worthy of all honor so that the name of God and our doctrine will not be spoken against. Those who have believers as their masters must not be disrespectful to them because they are brethren, but must serve them all the more, because those who partake of the benefit are believers and beloved. Teach and preach these principles.” (1 Timothy 6:1-2, NASB)
You should not take for granted the twin virtues of honesty and integrity. Τhe entire book of Proverbs. You should avoid the so-called legal dishonesty we see so much of today. Micah 4:4.
“Each of them will sit under his vine And under his fig tree, With no one to make them afraid, For the mouth of the LORD of hosts has spoken.” (Micah 4:4, NASB)
You should not take your nation for granted. A nation rises and falls on the basis of its attitude toward the Word of God. A nation rises and falls on the basis of the respect that people have for its laws.