{"id":900,"asset_id":1185,"title":"\"A Thankful Heart\" -\u00a0Francis Frangipane, Cedar Rapids, IA","alias":"a-thankful-heart-francis-frangipane-cedar-rapids-ia","introtext":"<p><img src=\"https:\/\/images.elijahlist.com\/faces\/Francis_Frangipane_2018_600px.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"222\" height=\"150\" style=\"float: left;\" hspace=\"10\" align=\"center\" \/><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 14pt;\"><strong>\"A Thankful Heart\" -&nbsp;<\/strong><\/span><strong>Francis Frangipane, Cedar Rapids, IA<\/strong><\/p>\r\n<div id=\"word-truncate\">\r\n<p>The very quality of your life, whether you love it or hate it, is based upon how thankful you are toward God.&nbsp;<strong>It is one's attitude that determines whether life unfolds into a place of blessedness or wretchedness.<\/strong>&nbsp;Indeed, looking at the same rose bush, some people complain that the roses have thorns while others rejoice that some thorns come with roses. It all depends on your perspective.<\/p>\r\n<p>This is the only life you will have before you enter eternity.&nbsp;<strong>If you want to find joy, you must first find thankfulness.<\/strong>&nbsp;Indeed, the one who is thankful for even a little enjoys much. But the unappreciative soul is always miserable, always complaining. He lives outside the shelter of the Most High God.<\/p>\r\n<p class=\"subtitle\">Our Worst Enemy - the Destroyer<\/p>\r\n<p><strong><em><strong><em><strong><img src=\"https:\/\/images.elijahlist.com\/email_images\/freephoto_words_have_power_250px_Pixabay.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"198\" height=\"132\" hspace=\"10\" vspace=\"10\" border=\"0\" align=\"right\" \/><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong>Perhaps the worst enemy we have is not the devil but our own tongue. James tells us, \"[T]he tongue is set among our members as that which...sets on fire the course of our life...\" (James 3:6). He goes on to say that this fire is ignited by Hell. Consider:&nbsp;<em>with our own words we can enter the spirit of Heaven or the agonies of Hell!<\/em>&nbsp;(Photo via Pixabay)<\/p>\r\n<p>It is Hell, with its punishments, torments and misery, that controls the life of the grumbler and complainer! Paul expands this thought in 1 Corinthians 10:10, where he reminds us of the Jews who \"...grumble[d]...and were destroyed by the Destroyer.\" The fact is, every time we open up to grumbling and complaining, the quality of our life is reduced proportionally\u2014the \"Destroyer\" is bringing our life to ruin!&nbsp; <a href=\"https:\/\/elijahlist.com\/words\/display_word.html?ID=26513\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>CONTINUE READING &gt;&gt;&gt;<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\r\n<\/div>","fulltext":"","state":1,"catid":"8","created":"2021-12-06 13:06:39","created_by":"873","created_by_alias":"","modified":"2021-12-06 13:06:39","modified_by":null,"checked_out":null,"checked_out_time":null,"publish_up":"2021-12-06 13:06:39","publish_down":"0000-00-00 00:00:00","images":"{\"image_intro\":\"\",\"float_intro\":\"\",\"image_intro_alt\":\"\",\"image_intro_caption\":\"\",\"image_fulltext\":\"\",\"float_fulltext\":\"\",\"image_fulltext_alt\":\"\",\"image_fulltext_caption\":\"\"}","urls":"{\"urla\":false,\"urlatext\":\"\",\"targeta\":\"\",\"urlb\":false,\"urlbtext\":\"\",\"targetb\":\"\",\"urlc\":false,\"urlctext\":\"\",\"targetc\":\"\"}","attribs":"{\"article_layout\":\"\",\"show_title\":\"\",\"link_titles\":\"\",\"show_tags\":\"\",\"show_intro\":\"\",\"info_block_position\":\"\",\"info_block_show_title\":\"\",\"show_category\":\"\",\"link_category\":\"\",\"show_parent_category\":\"\",\"link_parent_category\":\"\",\"show_associations\":\"\",\"show_author\":\"\",\"link_author\":\"\",\"show_create_date\":\"\",\"show_modify_date\":\"\",\"show_publish_date\":\"\",\"show_item_navigation\":\"\",\"show_icons\":\"\",\"show_print_icon\":\"\",\"show_email_icon\":\"\",\"show_vote\":\"\",\"show_hits\":\"\",\"show_noauth\":\"\",\"urls_position\":\"\",\"alternative_readmore\":\"\",\"article_page_title\":\"\",\"show_publishing_options\":\"\",\"show_article_options\":\"\",\"show_urls_images_backend\":\"\",\"show_urls_images_frontend\":\"\"}","version":1,"ordering":null,"metakey":"","metadesc":"","access":"1","hits":null,"metadata":"{\"robots\":\"\",\"author\":\"\",\"rights\":\"\",\"xreference\":\"\"}","featured":"1","language":"*","xreference":"","note":""}