Thanksgiving
We have just gone through a holiday in America called Thanksgiving. I wonder though, how many people have really given thanks to the Lord for the year that He has given them. We are so tied up in thinking about ourselves (selfishness) that it takes special drives or posters or some kind of advertisement for us to share with others. We typically do not do that throughout the year because frankly we are continually thinking about ourselves. So when we do get a time to sit down and think about all that the Lord has done for us we are too busy stuffing ourselves and watching football on television to notice that our lives have changed. How long will this go on? Notice that in this passage we are to always give thanks for all things in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father. That's always, not just one day out of the year when we might decide to pray a prayer of thanksgiving.
Ephesians 5:17-21 (NASB)
[17] So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. [18] And do not get drunk with wine, *for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, [19] speaking to *one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; [20] always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to *God, even the Father; [21] *and be subject to one another in the *fear of Christ.
Some times we aren't being thankful because we don't heed the call to be anxious for nothing - but to pray and supplicate (pray for others) along with thanksgiving making your request to God. He knows what you need before you ask it, but it is still a good idea to ask because it shows your dependence on Him. The result is peace, the type of peace that guards your hearts and minds in Christ. The type of peace that is needed when the trials of life fall upon us. Trials will always come - it is of course better to be prepared for it, by not being fearful about it, but knowing that help is near in the Lord.
Philippians 4:4-7 (NASB)
[4] Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! [5] Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is *near. [6] Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. [7] And the peace of God, which surpasses all *comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
We are told to let the word of Christ dwell within us and we are to sing with thankfulness in our hearts to God. We therefore should always be thankful to God. He provides for us and without His help we would falter very quickly.
Colossians 3:16-17 (NASB)
[16] Let the word of *Christ richly dwell within you, *with all wisdom teaching and admonishing *one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing *with thankfulness in your hearts to God. [17] Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
Again, it tells us in First Thessalonians to pray without ceasing and to give thanks in everything. We pray for our daily needs, we pray for others, we pray for direction, and we pray for the Lord's will to be done here and now. Giving thanks in everything again shows our dependance on the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 5:15-18 (NASB)
[15] See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. [16] Rejoice always; [17] pray without ceasing; [18] in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
We receive whatever comes our way from the hand of God. Everything that He has created is good - so we should receive it with gratitude and thankfulness. Did we create food? Nope, we are beholdin' to the Lord for all of it and we should give thanksgiving to Him for his provision.
1 Timothy 4:4-5 (NASB)
[4] For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; [5] for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.
The Old Testament tells us that there is such a thing as a sacrifice of thanksgiving. We have need of being thankful for a lot, in fact everything that comes our way comes from His hand. Thanksgiving is a natural response to what the Lord has done in our lives. We need to be doing this more than one time a year. The day that is set aside for Thanksgiving should be used for that. We should be thankful for what the Lord has provided to us.
Psalms 50:14 (NASB)
[14] “Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving
And pay your vows to the Most High;
The psalmist reminds us that it is good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing praises to His name. Maybe you can't sing a lick but He is still worthy of our trying. We should always remember what He has done in our lives.
Psalms 92:1-2 (NASB)
PSALM 92
A Psalm, a Song for the Sabbath day.
[92:1] It is good to give thanks to the LORD
And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
[2] To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning
And Your faithfulness *by night,
Part of thanksgiving is to give thanks to the Lord, another part is to make known His deeds to other individuals. We should be so thankful that we cannot help but express to others, "Do you know what the Lord did for me this week ..." How soon we forget His lovingkindness and His mercy towards us.
1 Chronicles 16:8-12 (NASB)
Psalm of Thanksgiving
[8] Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples.
[9] Sing to Him, sing praises to Him;
*Speak of all His *wonders.
[10] *Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
[11] Seek the LORD and His strength;
Seek His face continually.
[12] Remember His wonderful deeds which He has done,
His marvels and the judgments from His mouth,
We are to enter His gates with thanksgiving. When we approach the Lord we are to give Him praise and we are to be thankful to him. We are to bless His name for He has done mightily in our lives.
Psalms 100:4 (NASB)
[4] Enter His gates with *thanksgiving And His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
Hopefully this has given us some reason to pause and realize that it is the Lord that upholds us, not ourselves. It is the Lord alone that provides for us, not something that we alone have accomplished. Why wouldn't we want to give Him praise and be thankful more than just one time during the year.
Ephesians 5:17-21 (NASB)
[17] So then do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. [18] And do not get drunk with wine, *for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit, [19] speaking to *one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; [20] always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to *God, even the Father; [21] *and be subject to one another in the *fear of Christ.
Some times we aren't being thankful because we don't heed the call to be anxious for nothing - but to pray and supplicate (pray for others) along with thanksgiving making your request to God. He knows what you need before you ask it, but it is still a good idea to ask because it shows your dependence on Him. The result is peace, the type of peace that guards your hearts and minds in Christ. The type of peace that is needed when the trials of life fall upon us. Trials will always come - it is of course better to be prepared for it, by not being fearful about it, but knowing that help is near in the Lord.
Philippians 4:4-7 (NASB)
[4] Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! [5] Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is *near. [6] Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. [7] And the peace of God, which surpasses all *comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
We are told to let the word of Christ dwell within us and we are to sing with thankfulness in our hearts to God. We therefore should always be thankful to God. He provides for us and without His help we would falter very quickly.
Colossians 3:16-17 (NASB)
[16] Let the word of *Christ richly dwell within you, *with all wisdom teaching and admonishing *one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing *with thankfulness in your hearts to God. [17] Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
Again, it tells us in First Thessalonians to pray without ceasing and to give thanks in everything. We pray for our daily needs, we pray for others, we pray for direction, and we pray for the Lord's will to be done here and now. Giving thanks in everything again shows our dependance on the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 5:15-18 (NASB)
[15] See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. [16] Rejoice always; [17] pray without ceasing; [18] in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
We receive whatever comes our way from the hand of God. Everything that He has created is good - so we should receive it with gratitude and thankfulness. Did we create food? Nope, we are beholdin' to the Lord for all of it and we should give thanksgiving to Him for his provision.
1 Timothy 4:4-5 (NASB)
[4] For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; [5] for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer.
The Old Testament tells us that there is such a thing as a sacrifice of thanksgiving. We have need of being thankful for a lot, in fact everything that comes our way comes from His hand. Thanksgiving is a natural response to what the Lord has done in our lives. We need to be doing this more than one time a year. The day that is set aside for Thanksgiving should be used for that. We should be thankful for what the Lord has provided to us.
Psalms 50:14 (NASB)
[14] “Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving
And pay your vows to the Most High;
The psalmist reminds us that it is good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing praises to His name. Maybe you can't sing a lick but He is still worthy of our trying. We should always remember what He has done in our lives.
Psalms 92:1-2 (NASB)
PSALM 92
A Psalm, a Song for the Sabbath day.
[92:1] It is good to give thanks to the LORD
And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
[2] To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning
And Your faithfulness *by night,
Part of thanksgiving is to give thanks to the Lord, another part is to make known His deeds to other individuals. We should be so thankful that we cannot help but express to others, "Do you know what the Lord did for me this week ..." How soon we forget His lovingkindness and His mercy towards us.
1 Chronicles 16:8-12 (NASB)
Psalm of Thanksgiving
[8] Oh give thanks to the LORD, call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples.
[9] Sing to Him, sing praises to Him;
*Speak of all His *wonders.
[10] *Glory in His holy name;
Let the heart of those who seek the LORD be glad.
[11] Seek the LORD and His strength;
Seek His face continually.
[12] Remember His wonderful deeds which He has done,
His marvels and the judgments from His mouth,
We are to enter His gates with thanksgiving. When we approach the Lord we are to give Him praise and we are to be thankful to him. We are to bless His name for He has done mightily in our lives.
Psalms 100:4 (NASB)
[4] Enter His gates with *thanksgiving And His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
Hopefully this has given us some reason to pause and realize that it is the Lord that upholds us, not ourselves. It is the Lord alone that provides for us, not something that we alone have accomplished. Why wouldn't we want to give Him praise and be thankful more than just one time during the year.