Ephesians 5:20 Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our LORD Jesus Christ.
Thanksgiving is fast approaching us, just a week away therefore being thankful is something that every Christian should practice on a regular basis. Thanksgiving should not be limited to a certain day, but be a part of our lives at all times, in all circumstances. Not only is it appropriate for us to be thankful during the holidays but it would be beneficial to our spirituality if we made an extra effort to be grateful to God at all times, in all places, and for all things. No matter what’s going on in our lives, we should give thanks to Our Heavenly Father. Thanksgiving is an attitude, a natural part of Christian character. “Give thanks” is a command, an imperative. Giving thanks is not an option for the serious Christian. This command is in the present tense, so the instruction is to keep on giving thanks. Give thanks in everything and in all circumstances. Apostle Paul challenges us to be thankful of all things only makes sense in the light of the promise of Romans 8:28 We know that all things work together for good for those who love God. Paul is not saying just give thanks for everything, but in connection with everything that happens. In every circumstance, no matter what or where, you can still thank God. Not everything that happens to us is good, but God uses everything that happens to work for our good; to make us stronger in our walk and faith in Him. Sometimes, we don’t know whether something is good or bad, but we can be thankful that God is working for our good in everything. Thanksgiving is the natural response to the grace and goodness of a great and wonderful God who cares and provides. Thanksgiving should overflow in the life of every Christian. God can take all things and use them for our good. So why should we give thanks? Though there are many reasons: We should give thanks because Rom. 6:17-18 tells us to be thankful for deliverance from sin. When we give our lives to Christ, we are freed from our slavery to sin and enter into a new relationship as children of God. I Cor. 15:57 tells us be thankful for the victorious life we have in Christ.
So how Should We Give Thanks: Through praise - There is something about praise that strengthens us, lifts us closer to God. And, through service - As a doctor judges the heart by a heartbeat/pulse, so people can judge our thankfulness by our lives. Real thankfulness results in service to God. When you become thankful and have an abundance of thanksgiving flow from your heart, people just naturally gravitate towards you. You become a source of inspiration and joy to those around you. Let us all be thankful for everything that God has done for us through Jesus. He has truly supplied all our needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. When we give a gift to someone, when we help another person, when we perform an act of kindness for a fellow human being, we expect some expression of appreciation. Our generosity or service may not be consciously motivated by any desire for recognition. Our action may be prompted primarily by our love, or our compassion, or our genuine concern for the other person's happiness. But if there is little or no evidence of gratitude, we are hurt and offended, and at times grow indignant. Our human desire for thanks is an echo from the heart of God. He, too, wants to be thanked. He expects us to show our gratitude for all His wonderful goodness to us. The Old Testament, as well as the New, rings with the summons to thanksgiving.
Psa. 95:1-2 tells us "O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise!"
And Psa. 100:4 tells us "Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name!" So, how do we express our gratitude to God? How can you and I tell if we are really thankful?
Obviously, we praise God with our lips. The author of Hebrews 13:15 says that through Christ we should "continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name". Words, nevertheless, are notoriously cheap, and the gratitude that contents itself with "Thank You" to God, however piously and eloquently phrased, can be cheap and insincere. Real Christian thankfulness should be a life – transforming dynamic. If we are thankful to God, then we shall obey Him. God has redeemed us in order to make us like Jesus. If we are grateful for all that He has done for us, especially for our redemption through Christ’s death on the cross, we shall express that gratitude by our obedience to His will. Out of our gratitude, determination is born to live a yielded life, the desire to please God in all things. A thankful Christian is an obedient Christian. We can be an obedient Christian with thanksgiving by Hebrews 3:13 But encourage one another daily as long as it is call Today, so that none of you maybe hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
Colossians 4:2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 Give thanks in all circumstances; for this the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will]. So praise God in good times and bad times. Praise in the morning, praise God at noontime, Praise God in the evening, praise God at night, give God thanks in season and out of season, be thankful always. AMEN. AMEN. AMEN.
Psa. 95:1-2 tells us "O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise!"
And Psa. 100:4 tells us "Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name!" So, how do we express our gratitude to God? How can you and I tell if we are really thankful?
Obviously, we praise God with our lips. The author of Hebrews 13:15 says that through Christ we should "continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name". Words, nevertheless, are notoriously cheap, and the gratitude that contents itself with "Thank You" to God, however piously and eloquently phrased, can be cheap and insincere. Real Christian thankfulness should be a life – transforming dynamic. If we are thankful to God, then we shall obey Him. God has redeemed us in order to make us like Jesus. If we are grateful for all that He has done for us, especially for our redemption through Christ’s death on the cross, we shall express that gratitude by our obedience to His will. Out of our gratitude, determination is born to live a yielded life, the desire to please God in all things. A thankful Christian is an obedient Christian. We can be an obedient Christian with thanksgiving by Hebrews 3:13 But encourage one another daily as long as it is call Today, so that none of you maybe hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.
Colossians 4:2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 Give thanks in all circumstances; for this the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God.
1 Thessalonians 5:18 Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will]. So praise God in good times and bad times. Praise in the morning, praise God at noontime, Praise God in the evening, praise God at night, give God thanks in season and out of season, be thankful always. AMEN. AMEN. AMEN.
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