A THANKFUL HEART

“Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  (Ephesians 5:19-20)

A thankful heart is one of the primary identifying characteristics of a believer. It stands in stark contrast to pride, selfishness, and worry. And it helps fortify the believer's trust in the Lord and reliance of His provision, even in the toughest times. No matter how choppy the seas become, a believer's heart is buoyed by constant praise and gratefulness to the Lord. 

-- John MacArthur

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GIVING THANKS TO GOD

“We thank You, O God! We give thanks because You are near. People everywhere tell of Your wonderful deeds.”  (Psalm 75:1 NLT)

The first American Thanksgiving was celebrated less than a year after the Christian Plymouth colonists had settled in the new land of America. The first Thanksgiving Day, set aside for the special purpose of prayer as well as celebration, was decreed by Governor William Bradford on July 30, 1623. There were harvest festivals, or days of thanking God for plentiful crops. During the Revolutionary War, eight special days of thanks were observed for victories and for being saved from dangers. On November 26, 1789, President George Washington issued a general proclamation for a day of thanks. Our national day of thanksgiving was proclaimed by President Lincoln in 1863 with these words, “a day of Thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father.”

Today we still celebrate this national and legal holiday, but are we celebrating in the right manner as Christians? Are we forgetting the main purpose of this day is prayer and thanksgiving as we feast and fellowship? The Lord is not opposed to our feasting and our gathering of friends and family to dine, but if our only prayer is to ask God to bless our food are we not forgetting the real meaning of this day? God delights in blessing us as His children. However, do we, as His children delight in blessing Him with our prayers and thanks? 

-- Betty Miller, excerpted from an article entitled “Celebrating the Thanksgiving Holiday: What the Bible Says”

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PRAISING THE CREATOR

“For by Him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities -- all things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” (Colossians 1:16-17 ESV)

When you sit down to eat, pray. When you eat bread, do so thanking Him for being so generous to you... When you dress, thank Him for His kindness in providing you with clothes. When you look at the sky and the beauty of the stars, throw yourself at God’s feet and adore Him who in His wisdom has arranged things in this way. Similarly, when the sun goes down and when it rises, when you are asleep or awake, give thanks to God, who created and arranged all things for your benefit, to have you know, love and praise their Creator. 

-- St. Basil the Great

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THE SOURCE OF LIFE’S BLESSINGS

“Lord, I will thank You with all my heart; I will sing to You.” (Psalm 138:1)

The grateful heart sees beneath the surface to the source of life's blessings.  Richard Cabot used to say to his students at Harvard: "When you say to me, 'thank you', remember I couldn't have done for you what I did, had not hundreds of others done for me.  They could not have done for me what they did, had not thousands done for them.  So the thing goes on in infinite space and time.  Therefore, when you say thank you to anyone, you are really saying, 'Thank You, God'.” 

-- Dr. Harold Beaty in a sermon titled "Life's Greatest Virtue" 

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CONSIDER THE MIRACLE

"You made my whole being; You formed me in my mother’s body. I praise You because You made me in an amazing and wonderful way.”  (Psalm 139:13-14 NCV)

As David thought about the individual attention to detail God took in creating him, God’s goodness and power overwhelmed him. His automatic response was to praise God for what He’d done.

Consider the miracle of your own creation by considering David’s words. Think about the intricacy of the inner workings of your body, your unique physical frame, and the specific personality traits that make you you. Then do as David did. Thank God for who He created you to be and for the purpose He has for your life. 

-- From “100 Favorite Bible Verses”

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GOD’S INDESCRIBABLE GIFT

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”  (2 Corinthians 9:15 NIV)

It seems strange that there should ever have been any doubt as to what gift it is which evokes this burst of thanksgiving. There is but one of God's many mercies which is worthy of being thus singled out. There is one blazing central sun which shines out amidst all the galaxy of lights which fill the heavens. There is one gift of God which, beyond all others, merits the designation of “unspeakable.” The gift of Christ draws all other divine gifts after it. “He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all -- how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:32 NIV) 

-- Alexander Maclaren

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EXPRESSING THANKS FOR GOD’S GRACE

“All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Even before He made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in His eyes. God decided in advance to adopt us into His own family by bringing us to Himself through Jesus Christ. This is what He wanted to do, and it gave Him great pleasure. So we praise God for the glorious grace He has poured out on us who belong to His dear Son.”  (Ephesians 1:3-6 NLT)

Paul says that God “chose us” to emphasize that salvation depends totally on God. We are not saved because we deserve it but because God is gracious and freely gives salvation. We did not influence God’s decision to save us; He saved us according to His plan. Thus, there is no way to take credit for our salvation or to allow room for pride. The mystery of salvation originated in the timeless mind of God long before we existed. It is hard to understand how God could accept us. But because of Christ, we are holy and blameless in His sight. God chose us, and when we belong to Him through Jesus Christ, God looks at us as if we had never sinned. All we can do is express our thanks for His wonderful love… Have you entered into this loving relationship with God? 

-- From the “Life Application Study Bible”

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A LIFESTYLE OF THANKSGIVING - Part 2

When thanksgiving is a lifestyle, gratitude will fill us and pour out of us no matter what is going on around us. Remember that the mouth speaks only out of the overflow of whatever is in the heart. This lifestyle though is not something that we can build in the spur of the moment. It is an attitude that must be cultivated as a discipline. When the last thing we want to do is give thanks that is when we should remind ourselves of who our God is and pray with thanksgiving. The psalmist does the same thing in Psalm 42:11: “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God.”

The Psalmist is determined to praise God even when he is troubled and distressed. He encourages himself to trust in God because he knows the character and nature of the Lord he serves. He acknowledges his situation but he chooses to dwell on God instead of the circumstance. That is why he so boldly declares, “I will praise Him because He is my Savior and my God.”

Prayers of thanksgiving are far more than just mere words. Gratitude and thanksgiving should dwell in our hearts so that they anchor our souls in the hope of God no matter where we find ourselves. Give thanks to the Lord because He is good and because His love endures forever. (Psalm 136:1) 

-- Adapted from Robin Haque

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A LIFESTYLE OF THANKSGIVING - Part 1

“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

Thanksgiving is an integral part of Christian Living. According to 1 Thessalonians 5:18, we are to give thanks in all circumstances because doing so is the will of God for us. All circumstances. It’s easy to pray prayers of thanksgiving in good circumstances but what about thanks-giving prayers in bad situations, or even horrible ones? How can we be thankful then?

Thanksgiving is not done just by speaking words of thanks. Thanksgiving prayer, for the child of God, is an attitude. A person who is truly thankful for a gift or a blessing does not merely say the words, they will express their gratitude in other ways to the Giver that shows just how much they appreciate what was done for them.

In the same way, in our own lives, we can live lives that express our gratitude to the Lord who sustains us every single day. The season of life that we currently find ourselves in can be good or bad but God is the same. We are told to give thanks in all circumstances because doing so focuses our eyes on the God who is with us in all circumstances, instead of on the circumstances themselves. 

-- Adapted from Robin Haque

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A THANK-YOU GIFT TO GOD

“Since God has shown us great mercy, I beg you to offer your lives as a living sacrifice to Him. Your offering must be only for God and pleasing to Him, which is the spiritual way of worship.”  (Romans 12:1 NCV)

When it comes to worship, who you are matters more than what you do. If you are someone who deeply loves God and wants to live a life that gives Him joy, everything you do can be a form of worship. From singing songs of praise to washing dishes or helping a friend, every moment of your life becomes a thank-you gift to God.

Giving these simple gifts or offerings comes naturally when you give God one big gift each day -- the gift of your life. In the Old Testament, people gave God their first fruits. This was a thank-you gift given to God in return for all He’d given them. They’d give the first and best portion of produce they’d harvested, riches they’d received, or the best animals from their flocks. After Jesus sacrificed His life for others, God asked people to follow His Son’s example by presenting Him with the gift of themselves.

You don’t have to die to give this gift. All you have to do is ask God to help you devote your body, mind, and heart to becoming who He wants you to be. That’s how you turn an ordinary life into a dynamic living sacrifice. 

-- From “100 Favorite Bible Verses”

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A POSTURE OF THANKFULNESS

“Whatever happens, keep thanking God because of Jesus Christ. This is what God wants you to do.”  (1 Thessalonians 5:18 CEV)

Recently I had a conversation with someone who was naming things she is grateful for during this challenging season. "I'm glad I'm in a grateful mood," she said. But what I heard in her story wasn't a "mood," but a posture. She has practiced the spiritual discipline of gratitude for many years, and I had the privilege of hearing the fruit of it. Through habit, her practice of giving thanks has become so integrated in her life that it flows out with joy -- not just for the obvious gifts, but for the gifts that are more difficult to see, name, and receive. Listening to her describe God's unexpected blessings during a season of restriction, limitations, and change inspired my gratitude too.

-- Excerpted from “Updates From Sharon Garlough Brown” Newsletter

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RETURNING THANKS

“Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! His faithful love endures forever.”  (Psalm 107:1 NLT)

Returning thanks for blessings already received increases our faith and enables us to approach God with new boldness and new assurance. Doubtless the reason so many have so little faith when they pray is because they take so little time to meditate upon and thank God for blessings already received. As one meditates on the answer to prayers already granted, faith waxes bolder and bolder, and we come to feel in the very depths of our souls that there is nothing too hard for the Lord. As we reflect upon the wondrous goodness of God toward us on the one hand, and upon the other hand upon little thought and strength and time that we ever put into thanksgiving, we may well humble ourselves before God and confess our sin.  

-- R. A. Torrey

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GIVING THANKS

“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18  NIV)

Our joys, prayers, and thankfulness should not fluctuate with our circumstances or feelings. Obeying these three commands -- be joyful, keep on praying, and be thankful -- often goes against our natural inclinations. When we make a conscious decision to do what God says, however, we will begin to see people [and circumstances] in a new perspective. When we do God’s will, we will find it easier to be joyful and thankful.

Paul was not teaching that we should thank God for everything that happens to us, but in everything. Evil does not come from God, so we should not thank Him for it. But when evil strikes, we can still be thankful for God’s presence and for the good that He will accomplish through the distress.

-- From the “Life Application Study Bible”

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A PERSONAL PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

“Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His name! For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations.”  (Psalm 100:4-5)

Dear God: Thank You for Your amazing power and work in my life; thank You for Your goodness and for Your blessings over me. Thank You that You are able to bring hope through even the toughest of times, strengthening me for Your purposes. Thank You for Your great love and care. Thank You for Your mercy and grace. Thank You that You are always with me and will never leave me. Thank You for Your incredible sacrifice on the cross that I might have freedom from sin and life beyond measure. Forgive me for when I don't thank You enough, for who You are -- Father, Son and Spirit; for all that You do; for all that You've given. Help me to set my eyes and my heart on You afresh. Renew my spirit, fill me with Your peace and joy. I love You and I need You, this day and every day. I give You praise and thanks, for You alone are worthy! Amen.

-- Adapted from "The Power of Gratitude: 21 Verses of Thanks to God" by Debbie McDaniel

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THE ART OF THANKSLIVING

"And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow Him. Let your roots grow down into him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness."  (Colossians. 2:6-7)

Thanksgiving has always been for me a time to be thankful for all the blessings in my life. But how do we live Thanksgiving? I found the answer to that question in an article written by Wilferd A. Peterson called, “The Art of Thanksgiving”. In this article he talks about acts of thanksliving. To quote from this piece, Mr Peterson writes: "The art of thanksgiving is thanksliving. It is gratitude in action. It is applying Albert Schweitzer's philosophy: 'In gratitude for your own good fortune you must render in return some sacrifice of your life for the other life."

It is thanking God for the gift of life by living it triumphantly. It is thanking God for your talents and abilities by accepting them as obligations to be invested for the common good. It is thanking God for all that men and women have done for you by doing things for others. It is thanking God for opportunities by accepting them as a challenge to achievement. It is thanking God for happiness by striving to make others happy. It is thanking God for beauty by helping to make the world more beautiful. It is thanking God for inspiration by trying to be an inspiration to others. It is thanking God for health and strength by the care and reverence you show your body. It is thanking God for the creative ideas that enrich life by adding your own creative contributions to human progress. It is thanking God for each new day by living it to the fullest. It is thanking God by giving hands, arms, legs, and voice to your thankful spirit. It is adding to your prayers of thanksgiving, acts of thanksliving.

Thanksgiving is a time to be thankful to God for all we have, but thanksliving is a way of life that if implemented could improve the quality of life not only for you and me, but for others. Do you live in a thanks giving way?

-- Adapted from an article entitled “Thanksgiving or Thanksliving” by Catherine Pulsifer


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THE SACRIFICES OF THANKSGIVING

“Oh that men would praise the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing.”  (Psalm 107:21-22)

It has been said that talk is cheap. We thank the Lord and we say “Lord, we're so thankful, we're so grateful for all that you've done for us.” Well, do you know what we need to do? We need to turn Thanksgiving into Thanks-living. That is, to offer to God the sacrifices of thanksgiving.

Now, if we're thankful it really ought to show in our lives. And by the way, I don't believe that there's any other sin quite like the sin of ingratitude… The poet Milton, the blind poet, said that a person with an ungrateful spirit only has one vice, he said because all of the rest of his vices are virtues compared to ingratitude. Every other sin is a virtue compared to the sin of ingratitude.

How terrible not to be grateful to God, and yet in America all around we can find those who are grumbly hateful rather than humbly grateful. Well, how can we translate our Thanksgiving today into Thanks-living? We're to offer to God what the Bible calls the "sacrifices of thanksgiving."

-- Adrian Rogers in “Love Worth Finding”

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MUNDANE MIRACLES

“So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”  (1 Corinthians 10:31)

How do you eat and drink for the glory of God?

Paul is using the daily rituals of eating and drinking to make an all-encompassing point: even the most mundane of activities is absolutely miraculous. You take approximately 23,000 breaths every day, but when was the last time you thanked God for one of them? The process of inhaling oxygen and exhaling carbon dioxide is a complicated respiratory task that requires physiological precision. We tend to thank God for the things that take our breath away. And that’s fine. But maybe we should thank Him for every other breath, too!

-- Mark Batterson in “All In”


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