The testimony of Achan's sin testifies to the danger of greed and the importance of being thankful for God's provisions. Gratitude and thanksgiving are the responses to God's provision and grace. Greed is the sin of being ungrateful and taking what has not been provided.

This passage teaches us to be thankful for God's provision and honor him with what He provides.

Perspective changes everything. An invading army is bad, but not when protected by a heavenly host. That is what Elisha's servant discovered when the king of Syria surrounded their city (2 Kings 6:8-23). In our passage, Paul continues to recognize the reality of suffering he had experienced and that all those who follow Christ will know. And yet he speaks of the afflictions of this world not as unbeatable foes but as temporary light annoyances because, in the light of eternity, they have no weight.

Thanksgiving, in the most basic sense, is an acknowledgment of a gift or act of service. We rightly express thanksgiving when we receive gifts, no matter the quality or value of the gift. Also, we rightly express thanksgiving when receiving service – even service that we pay for.

However, thanksgiving as an act of worship is entirely more significant and important. When you have a thankful heart that responds to God in worship with thanksgiving, this is more than simply acknowledging recite of a gift. Thanksgiving worship flows from the heart of one who recognizes their need, recognizes the source of their provision, and responds with worshipful praise and thanksgiving to the one who has provided.

Psalm 9 is a psalm of David. The psalm is divided into two parts. Verse 1-12 declares what God has done, and verses 13-20 declare what God will do. We could glean many things from this text, but three main truths are we are to be thankful for what God has done, thankful for what God will do, and thankful for who God is.

Thanksgiving and generosity are inseparable. One produces the other. Thanksgiving produces generosity. Generosity produces thanksgiving. And both thanksgiving and generosity bring glory to God.