Discover the life-changing power of thanksgiving a spiritual law woven throughout Scripture that determines whether we progress or decline in our walk with God. In “The Law of Thanksgiving,” Duane Sheriff teaches that gratitude magnifies God, strengthens our faith, and reframes our circumstances. It is how we enter His presence, honor His goodness, and resist the cultural pressures that distort truth and elevate emotions above Scripture. Thanksgiving is not just a response but a spiritual force we must model and pass on to the next generation, anchoring their hearts in truth while the world around them grows increasingly confused. Our faith weakens quickly when we stop thanking God, and our confidence returns just as quickly whengratitudeisrestored.Duaneaddressestoday'sculturalshifttowardentitlement,deception, and even a reprobate mind revealing that the journey away from God begins with something assubtleasanunthankfulheart.Inaculturespiralingintodarkness,thanksgivingkeepsus and our children rooted in truth, grounded in faith, and steady in the goodness of God.
Key Points
• Thanksgiving is a spiritual law of progress: what you're thankful for, you retain and increase; what you're unthankful for, you lose and decrease.
• Thanksgiving is the sound of our faith and how we glorify God.
• The progression to a reprobate mind begins with knowing God but failing to glorify Him and being unthankful.
• Thanksgiving strengthens faith; unthankfulness weakens it
• We must teach our children to be thankful and explain the power of gratitude
• Faith speaks through praise, worship, and thanksgiving; unbelief speaks through murmuring and complaining
Scripture References
• Romans 1:16-32
• Philippians 4:6
• I Thessalonians 5:18
• Colossians 2:6-7
• 2 Tomothy 3:1-5
• Psalm 100:4, 69:30
The Law of Thanksgiving
December 7, 2025
[Part 1]
Discussion Questions
• How does the practice of thanksgiving function as a spiritual law that affects what we retain and increase versus what we lose and decrease in our lives?
• In what ways do you see the progression from knowing God to having a reprobate mind (as described in Romans 1) playing out in contemporary culture, and how can we guard against this in our own lives?
• When facing difficult circumstances, how can we intentionally shift from magnifying our problems to magnifying God through thanksgiving?
• What is the difference between glorifying God and being thankful, and why does Paul link these two actions together as essential for retaining knowledge of God?
• Why does God command us to give thanks in everything (1 Thessalonians 5:18), and how is this instruction ultimately for our benefit rather than just for God's pleasure?
• How can parents practically teach their children the discipline of thanksgiving in a culture that often promotes entitlement and complaint??
• How does the act of thanksgiving during corporate worship serve a different purpose than private thanksgiving, and why is assembling together vital for maintaining our knowledge of God?
• What does it mean that thanksgiving is the sound of our faith, and how does this change the way we should approach prayer and petition?
The Law of Thanksgiving
November 23, 2025
[Part 2]
key points
Message Summary
Thanksgiving is more than just a holiday tradition it is a fundamental law in God's kingdom. In the message "Thanksgiving," Duane Sheriff teaches that Scripture reveals a powerful spiritual principle: whatever we are thankful for, we retain and increase, but whatever we become unthankful for, we eventually lose. Colossians 3 places thanksgiving alongside peace, love, and forgivenessasessentialtotheChristianlife,whileRomans1warnsthatanunthankfulheartisthe first step toward apostasy and a corrupted mind. When people knew God but refused to glorify Him or give thanks, their hearts became darkened. Thanksgiving, then, becomes a spiritual safeguard preserving our faith, protecting our hearts, and anchoring us in the knowledge of God. It is also a legacy we pass to our children, teaching them to recognize the freedoms, blessings, and daily graces they easily overlook. When we enter God's gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise, we activate our faith and position ourselves to walk in the fullness of His blessings.
Key Points
• The law of thanksgiving: what you are thankful for, you retain and increase; what you are unthankful for, you lose and decrease.
• Thanksgiving causes faith to abound and is the action and voice of faith.
• Thanksgiving is a command and a mark of true Christians, not optional behavior.
• Thanksgiving causes faith to abound and is the action and voice of faith.
• Unthankfulness is the first step toward apostasy and spiritual darkness leading to a reprobate mind
• We must teach our children to be thankful by giving them perspective on blessings and the price paid for freedom
Scripture References
• Romans 1:18-25
• Colossians 3:12-17
• Ephesians 5:18-20
• Colossians 2:6-7
• 2 Timothy 3
• Psalm 100:4
The Law of Thanksgiving
November 23, 2025
[Part 2]
Discussion Questions
• How does the law of thanksgiving that what you're thankful for you retain and increase manifest in your own life experiences?
• In what ways might an unthankful heart lead someone down the path toward apostasy, as described in Romans 1:21?
• How does it mean to thank God in everything rather than for everything, and how does this distinction change your approach to difficult circumstances?
• What are some practical ways you can begin and end your prayers with thanksgiving to transform your prayer life?
• Why do you think Paul commands believers to 'be thankful' in Colossians 3:15, and what does it reveal about thanksgiving being a choice rather than a feeling?
• How can we leverage corporate worship and praise times to cultivate deeper thanksgiving rather than focusing on personal musical preferences?
• How does unthankfulness quench the Holy Spirit in our lives, as suggested in 1 Thessalonians 5:18-19?
• What does it mean that thanksgiving is the sound of our faith, and how does this change the way we should approach prayer and petition?
• What are some practical ways you can begin and end your prayers with thanksgiving to transform your prayer life?
The Law of Thanksgiving
December 14, 2025
[Part 3]
key points
Message Summary
Thanksgiving ismore thana seasonal expression it is a spirituallaw thatreleasesfaith, joy, and victory in the believer’s life. Gratitude is essential for spiritual growth, aligning our hearts with God’s grace and opening the door for His power to work in situations that feel overwhelming or impossible.InPartThree of"TheLawofThanksgiving,"DuaneSheriffteacheshowGoddesigned gratitude to shape our perspective and anchor our trust in Him. Scripture reveals that Thanksgiving is a powerful response of faith, acknowledging God as our source even before we see the outcome. When Thanksgiving becomes a lifestyle, it shifts our focus from problems to promises, from fear to faith, and from pressure to peace. Instead of being driven by circumstances, believers learn to stand firm in confidence, trusting God’s goodness and faithfulness while becoming more aware of His presence in every area of life.
Key Points
• The spiritual law of thanksgiving: What you're thankful for, you retain and increase; what you're unthankful for, you lose and decrease.
• Unthanksgiving leads to a reprobate mind, as described in Romans 1, where people knew God but neither glorified Him nor gave thanks.
• Thanksgiving magnifies the Lord in our souls, making God bigger in our perspective while our problems become smaller
• Thanksgiving is the voice of faith and the safest act of faith we can operate in
• Thankfulness harnesses our emotions and carnal thoughts, leading to peace that passes understanding
Scripture References
• Romans 1:18-28
• Philippians 4:6-8
• Joshua 3:7
• Luke 1:46
• Mark 11:23-24
• Psalm 100:4, 69:30
The Law of Thanksgiving
December 14, 2025
[Part 3]
Discussion Questions
• How does the practice of thanksgiving actively magnify God in your soul, and what happens to your perspective on problems when you fail to maintain an attitude of gratitude?
• In what ways have you experienced the law that 'what you're thankful for, you retain and increase, and what you're unthankful for, you lose and decrease' in your own life?
• When facing overwhelming challenges, how can you practically shift from magnifying your problems through complaining to magnifying God through thanksgiving??
• What does it mean that thanksgiving is 'the voice of faith,' and how does expressing gratitude activate your faith even when your heart isn't fully engaged?
• How can parents and grandparents effectively teach children the discipline of thanksgiving in a culture saturated with abundance and entitlement??
• Reflecting on Jonah's experience in the belly of the fish, how does remembering God's past faithfulness help you harness your emotions during your darkest moments?
• How does unthankfulness quench the Holy Spirit in our lives, as suggested in 1 Thessalonians 5:18-19?
• Why is it important to recount and rehearse what God has done in your life, even when you fear it might sound like bragging or drawing attention to yourself?
• How does combining prayer with thanksgiving, as instructed in Philippians 4, lead to the peace of God that surpasses all understanding?
