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There is one spiritual practice that is essential for our spiritual growth. One practice that we as a church will grow in throughout 2026. Join me, Pastor Richard, for the message entitled Stronger in Christ, Attitude of Gratitude.

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Today's scripture reading is taken from Psalms chapter 103, verse 1 to 5 and 20 to 22. Psalms verse 103 of David, bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me. Bless His holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and for God and forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagles. Verse 20. Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word. Bless the Lord, O His hosts, His ministers who do his will. Bless the Lord all his works in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul. This is the word of the Lord. Thanks.

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And I did a search on Amazon, Amazon Books for Spiritual Growth. What? 50,000 results. There have been so many books written on this topic. It's really a hot topic. But how do we grow spiritually? Well, judging by that amount of books, there's as many ideas as there are people interested in spiritual growth. But it's an important question for us. How do we grow stronger in Christ? Whether you just gave your life to the Lord in the last week, or it's been decades since you made your commitment to Him, we still must ask and have an answer to this question. How can we grow stronger in Christ? And I want to tell you this morning, I would say it is by cultivating an attitude of gratitude. See, our spiritual growth, it's a transformative journey all the way from infancy to maturity and Christ. And an attitude of gratitude, it's both the fruit of that journey, but it's also something that enriches the soil. If you see that picture of a tree, it enriches the soil for our spiritual growth. And so as we cultivate an attitude of gratitude, it draws us closer to God, it inoculates us against discontent, and it produces spiritual growth. And as we continue growing in Christ, growing from newborn babes through childhood, through adolescence, which has plenty of challenges, and into maturity as adults, we must, we must cultivate an attitude of gratitude. And so I have come to believe that having this attitude of gratitude, it makes us attractive to others, it inoculates us against chronic complaining, and it builds us up spiritually. It is key to our spiritual growth. Become stronger in Christ, we must cultivate an attitude of gratitude. And so the first point I'd like to make this morning is that when we cultivate an attitude of gratitude, we're able to recognize God's grace in all things. Fostering an attitude of gratitude is like putting on a pair of specks to correct our vision. When I take off these specs, I can see perfectly about this far. But now everyone in the back is getting a bit blurry. I lose my perspective. An attitude of gratitude is like putting on specks that corrects our vision. It brings the important things into focus and gives us that sense of perspective. And as Christians, as believers, as those who have chosen to follow Jesus, we no longer see life as a series of chance events that just occur or happen to us. And we also no longer believe that life is simply just what you make of it, with those who possess the most willpower, getting the best in life. That's not what we believe as Christians. Instead, we discovered that there's a balance between our actions shaping life, but also the hand of God at work in life. And gratitude is rooted in recognizing the latter, the hand of God at work in our lives. I'm not sure how many of you remember the song that Pastor Daniel introduced to us. For every time I pray, I move the hand of God. My prayer does the things my hands cannot do. You remember that? And it draws our attention to the hand of God, the hand of God at work. Gratitude is rooted in recognizing the hand of God at work, in small ways and in big, in our lives and in the lives of others. And so gratitude, it recognizes God's grace in all things. And here's what it says in the book of James says, every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. I don't know how many of you have ever taken the time to just light a candle, turn off the lights, and to enjoy looking at the flame. To just stare at it. But you know, when all the lights are off and that candle flame is there, it flickers and wavers, doesn't it? And the shadows, they're moving back and forth, and that's just how it was in the time for James. They didn't have the light switches, they didn't have USB-powered anything. He would have known candlelight. And so he contrasts this kind of natural light with the Father of lights. Just like the stars in the sky, God's light doesn't shift, it doesn't waver, it is as constant as the stars in the sky. And every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of light. And so the most foundational part of gratitude is that it recognizes God's grace in all things. Unwavering grace. God doesn't change, he doesn't play tricks on us, he doesn't have a bad day. He is unwavering, and he is a good father. And so we recognize God's grace in all things in getting a seat on the bus or the MRT. While sometimes that is something special, especially during the busy hours, we can let gratitude well up in us and attribute it to God's goodness and grace. We recognize God's grace in having employment, in having a home to return to at the end of each day, in seeing a flower growing by the roadside, in all things that are good and perfect, both big and small, we see it as a gift from our Heavenly Father. And for those who are not Christians, or not yet Christians, maybe this doesn't make so much sense. But for the believer, this is a spiritual practice, this recognizing the grace of God in every good thing. King David in Psalm 103, he writes, Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Cultivating an attitude of gratitude, it recognizes God's grace in all things, in all things. Now, during spiritual adolescence, gratitude no longer comes so easily. When spiritually, when we're new in Christ, wow, it just comes naturally. But in adolescence, as we're beginning to grow, gratitude doesn't come so easily or naturally. Instead, it's often marked by challenging and testing of beliefs. During this stage, gratitude, it becomes a choice, an intentional choice that we must make. And if our spiritual life is like a tree, gratitude, it acts like a pesticide against one pest. One pest that is deadly. If it is left unchecked, it is going to eat up that entire tree. It will eat up our entire spiritual life. And that pest is the pest of discontent. And so this morning, if you happen to be taking notes, the second point is that gratitude guards the heart against discontent. Because you see, discontent, it plays the long game. All right. It nibbles a bit here and it nibbles a bit there. And it doesn't seem like a big deal at the time to have a bit of discontent in your life. Doesn't everyone have this pest? It's just part of life. Everyone complains. I mean, it's it's no big deal. That's just. But this is a deception that allows discontent to continue eating and growing larger into something that becomes very unmanageable. This pest can be deadly to our spiritual lives, eventually leaving us barren and empty. What are the major causes of discontent? Do you know? I did a bit of searching, a bit of research, a good measure of thinking about it this week. And here are the five most common sources of discontent in people's lives. Number one, not being valued by others. Your work or your efforts go unnoticed. This is often a major source of discontent. Not being valued by others. Do you agree? Number two, lacking purpose or meaning. And we can think even of those who, if you look at wealth or possessions, they have it all. Everything they have. And yet they still feel empty. They try this, they try that, they try the other thing to fill that sense of emptiness, and they can't. Lacking a sense of purpose or meaning, whether it's in our work or our life in whatever area, is a major source of discontent. Number three, financial anxiety. Being in a constant state of worry or alert, feeling you're always on the edge, always worried about how you're going to make it in the future. This is also a very major source of discontent. Number four, two words. Feeling trapped. Feeling trapped. That can really be such a source of discontent. And fifth is envy. And sometimes I always mix up envy and jealousy, right? Envy is you have, I also want to have like you. Jealousy is you have, and I want to take from you for me. So envy. Envy can be a major source of discontent. Always feeling dissatisfied. If only, if only I had what this person had, if only I had what that person had, then I would be happy. These are all major sources of discontent. And over time, each of these can become deadly. But the good news for us today is there is a way to deal with these major sources of discontent. Gratitude. As believers in Christ, we're stronger because we have more reasons for gratitude than others around us. Because as a believer, even if you are misunderstood, even if you're facing significant financial pressure, even if you feel trapped in your situation and you're constantly confronted with others who have much more than you do, you can still practice gratitude beginning with a simple foundation. God made me, God sees me, God cares for me. Would you repeat this with me, please? God made me, God sees me, God cares for me. Because the truth is, I am forgiven, I'm being transformed, I have a wonderful destiny. And so all of this provides a foundation for our gratitude that cannot be taken away. Doesn't matter what's going on outside, doesn't matter what's going on in your life, these things don't change. God made me, God sees me, God cares for me. And preparing this message, I too, as I do from time to time, had to deal with some discontent in my life. And so what do we do? How do we practice gratitude? Well, for me, I began to write down, not for the first time, I began to write down a list of things that I'm thankful for. And I remind myself, I'm so thankful for my wife. I'm so thankful for my children. I'm so thankful for our good health. I'm thankful we have a home to return to every day. I'm thankful that I have meaningful work. I'm thankful that I've been able to further my education. I'm thankful that the government has uh financial aid schemes to help uh for our children, the schooling costs. I'm thankful that our home has air conditioning. Very thankful for that. Very, very thankful. So thankful. I'm thankful for living in a convenient location. I'm thankful for harmony in the workplace. I'm thankful for both parents and in-laws who are believers, who are committed Christians, and so forth. And so for me, I just started thinking and reading through, and by time I'd filled up a page with things I'm thankful for, that discontent lost its power. And this is a key for us, and I hope you will learn this too. When you're starting to struggle with discontent, start counting off all the things you can be thankful for. And it may start small, but as you begin the practice, your list will grow and grow and grow and grow. Here's what Paul wrote in his letter to the Philippians. He says, Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I'm in to be content. I know how to be brought low and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. He says that he's learned the secret of being content in every situation. And you know what's really crazy about this statement, right? Where was Paul when he wrote this letter to the Philippians? He was in prison, right? He was writing this while he was in prison. And he wasn't in prison for violence or for theft, for slander, or cheating everyone. He was in prison for sharing the good news about Jesus. And despite the circumstances, Paul didn't let discontent take root and begin to eat him up. Because he knew the secret to being content in every situation. I wonder if that happened to you. If that happened to you, would you be writing from Changgi prison to your friends, writing an upbeat letter, having been put in prison for your faith? You know what, my dear brothers and sisters, I believe you would. I believe you would. Because the secret wasn't that Paul was some exceptional human being. It wasn't that Paul was a superhero. That wasn't the secret. Do you know the secret? Here's what Paul said in another letter, this one written to the Thessalonians. He says, Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Rejoice, pray, and give thanks. You know, notice Paul doesn't say to give thanks for all circumstances. Sometimes some people get that confused. He's not saying give thanks for all circumstances. We're not instructed to give thanks for evil being done. We're not to give thanks for disaster, for war. No, we give thanks even in the midst of bad circumstances. We give thanks despite difficult circumstances because our gratitude starts with God, not the circumstance. Paul understood that our hope, our contentment, it all begins and ends with God. And that's something the circumstances cannot take away from you. Our hope is in the Lord. That is the secret of being content in every circumstance. We give thanks to God. We put our hope in Him. We practice gratitude. And the third Point today is that gratitude it becomes worship when expressed through obedience and service. Listen to what Paul says to believers in the small city of Colossae, written while Paul is in prison in Rome. He says to them, put on then as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another. And if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other, as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive. And above all these, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you are called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Whatever you do, do everything giving thanks to God. God the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write these words while he was in prison writing to the believers in Colossae. But you know what? The Bible wasn't just written for them in their time and their situation, it is written for us today. Whatever you do, do everything giving thanks to God. Church, this is how we're going to become stronger in Christ. In this instruction, it aligns well with spiritual adulthood, in which we've gained a measure of maturity in the faith. At this point, gratitude becomes an ingrained habit and source of strength to us. Right? In adolescence, it's no longer coming naturally with questioning, we must choose. But by time we are spiritually becoming mature, it becomes an ingrained habit and a source of strength to us. Challenges still come, but the mature believer remains stable and committed when they come. Quite some time ago, I trained in uh self-defense using mixed martial arts. And one of the martial arts that we were taught was Krav Maga. Krav Maga. Anyone familiar? Okay. Not really. That's all right. It is a self-defense system that was developed for the Israel Defense Forces. And one of the exercises is what to do. This is a self-defense uh form. What to do if someone has a gun to your back. Okay? We practice this again and again. We had little dart guns, so you'd know if you you got shot with this thing. And we practice again and again and again and again, over and over and over and over. And although the training was decades ago for me, honestly, I I would feel quite confident if I had to be put in that situation to disarm the person. Why? Because through repetition, it became an ingrained habit. It became instinctual what to do. Through repetition, the response has become a habit. Church, we need to make gratitude our habit. That's that's as we progress through, that is a mark of spiritual maturity. Learning to give thanks in every situation. Learning to practice gratitude regularly. It makes us stronger in Christ. It helps us to weather difficult situations which will come. Gratitude is that thing that we will draw from that will help see us through, that won't allow discontent to take root in our lives, that won't allow us to become bitter over different things and spread out of gratitude, we find strength. Cultivating an attitude of gratitude, it's easy when everything is going well. All right. If you get a promotion at work, uh if your kids are doing well at school, uh when physically you're healthy inside and out, wow, gratitude is easy. It's very easy to feel thankful. But in the pit of adversity, it's in that place that our gratitude is forced into something strong. And so I want to encourage you, whether you're going through a difficult time now or in the future when one comes, dig into this. If you need to, start off each day. Just write it down for yourself. Three things I'm thankful for today. Start off with that mindset. Remember the spec. You want to have the right perspective, especially when you're going through difficult situations. Lasting gratitude. It is forged in adversity. And so, church, as we enter into a new year very soon, as we enter into 2026, I want to challenge each and every one of you, cultivate the attitude of gratitude in your life. I am confident that we can do this together as a church. I am confident of that. And as we transform this practice of gratitude into a habit, it's going to see us move forward in our spiritual lives in 2026. Amen. God is going to do it. And we are going to be on this journey together. We're all going to be stronger in Christ. We're not going to be next year the same as this year. God is at work in our lives. God is transforming us. He is committed to us. And if we will put this into practice, taking on this attitude of gratitude, we're going to see amazing growth in the new year. In closing, I'd just like to invite you to close your eyes. And I'm going to read for us again that portion of Psalm 103 that our brother Gary read for us earlier. So please close your eyes now and listen to the word of the Lord for us. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me. Bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul. Forget not all his benefits, who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, who satisfies you with good, so that your youth is renewed like the eagles. Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word. Bless the Lord all his hosts, his ministers who do his will. Bless the Lord all his works in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul. We pray that you've been ministered to by the Word of God today. If you'd like to know more about Ishun Christian Church, please visit our website at yccanglican.com. Have a blessed day.