The Life of Virtue, Part 3

Servants Preparation Curriculum

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Thanking God

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Life of Virtue, Part 3 – Thanking God

Objectives:

1. Thanking God is a Virtue
2. What are The Levels Of Thanking God
3. Why should we Thank God
4. When should we Thank God
5. What are the blessings of a life of Thanking God
6. Thanking Others

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Thanking God is a Virtue

“Praise the Lord! Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever” (Psalm 106:1)

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• It is a constant feeling of appreciation and gratefulness

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Thanking God is a Virtue Cont.

“Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.

And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.

So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well”

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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10 Lepers, but only one gave thanks!

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Thanking God is a Virtue Cont.

• Thank God everyday for what you see and what you do not see!

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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What you see

• House
• Family
• Church
• Friends
• Health
• Money
• Food
• Car
• Clothes

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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What you do not see

• Salvation
• Forgiveness of your sins
• Preparing Heaven for you
• The inner peace
• Your sound mind
• Stopped problems before coming your way
• Saving you from jealousy and evil planning of the others

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Thanking God is a Virtue Cont.

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Pharaoh and Moses

• Pharaoh planned to kill the children, but Moses escaped

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Haman, Mordecai, and Haman

• Haman’s evil plan for Mordecai ended by the death of Haman

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Life of Virtue, Part 3 – Thanking God

Objectives:

1. Thanking God is a Virtue
2. What are The Levels Of Thanking God
3. Why should we Thank God
4. When should we Thank God
5. What are the blessings of a life of Thanking God
6. Thanking Others

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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What are The Levels Of Thanking God

• Thanking God for good deeds in your life (passing tests, healing, graduation, getting job, etc.)

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• Thanking God for others (someone having a baby, someone getting healed, someone recovered from surgery, etc.)

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• Constant Thanking God as a daily habit during the good or bad times

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Life of Virtue, Part 3 – Thanking God

Objectives:

1. Thanking God is a Virtue
2. What are The Levels Of Thanking God
3. Why should we Thank God
4. When should we Thank God
5. What are the blessings of a life of Thanking God
6. Thanking Others

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Why should we Thank God?

• Because He is the source of all the good that we enjoy

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“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17)

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• Success in school or work
• Promotions and Advancements
• Good job, richness, and wealth
• Health, protection, and peace

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Life of Virtue, Part 3 – Thanking God

Objectives:

1. Thanking God is a Virtue
2. What are The Levels Of Thanking God
3. Why should we Thank God
4. When should we Thank God
5. What are the blessings of a life of Thanking God
6. Thanking Others

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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When should we Thank God

• Every day
• Morning, day, and evening

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• Morning = for His protection and keeping us alive
• Day = for His support and covering
• Night = thanks for everything in that day

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“Be attentive to me and hear me in the evening and at midday. I say my words and he hears my voice and delivers my soul in peace” (6th hour, Agbeya)

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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When should we Thank God Cont.

“Let us give thanks to the beneficent and merciful God, the Father of our Lord, God and Savior, Jesus Christ, for He has covered us, helped us, guarded us, accepted us unto Him, spared us, supported us, and brought us to this hour” (The Prayer of Thanksgiving)

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• Every hour of The Agbeya
• Every Liturgy
• Every wedding
• Every funeral
• Unction of The Sick
• Prayer of ordaining the priests and bishops

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Life of Virtue, Part 3 – Thanking God

Objectives:

1. Thanking God is a Virtue
2. What are The Levels Of Thanking God
3. Why should we Thank God
4. When should we Thank God
5. What are the blessings of a life of Thanking God
6. Thanking Others

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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What are the blessings of a life of Thanking God

• Inner Rejoicing
• Thanking God generates happiness in your heart

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• Inner Peace
• Feeling at peace with yourself and others

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• Feeling blessed and protected that you have a protective, loving, and caring God

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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What are the blessings of a life of Thanking God Cont.

• God will increase your blessings

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“All blessings would increase except the ones that you do not thank for” (St. Isaac)

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• Thanking God will lead you to life of praise

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Life of Virtue, Part 3 – Thanking God

Objectives:

1. Thanking God is a Virtue
2. What are The Levels Of Thanking God
3. Why should we Thank God
4. When should we Thank God
5. What are the blessings of a life of Thanking God
6. Thanking Others

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Thanking Others

• Train yourself to thank people around you

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• Start with your family = dad, mom, siblings, etc.

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• At school = bus driver, kitchen staff, teachers, etc.

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• At shopping centers, malls, etc.

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Thanking Others Cont.

• Thank God in the morning, midday, and at evening
• Recite The Thanksgiving prayer once a day
• Use church language
• Singing “Holy, Holy, Holy, LORD of hosts …”
• Attending Tasbeha and playing it at home or in the car on your phone
• Read the Psalms of thanksgiving like 118 and 150
• Memorize verses about thanking God

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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The Life of Virtue, Part 3 – Thanking God

Objectives:

1. Thanking God is a Virtue
2. What are The Levels Of Thanking God
3. Why should we Thank God
4. When should we Thank God
5. What are the blessings of a life of Thanking God
6. Thanking Others

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Review Questions

• X

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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Memorization Verses

1. “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

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• “giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20)

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• “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6)

Lecture X, Servants Preparation Curriculum

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