Giving Thanks To God

“Every day should be a day of thanksgiving on the Christian’s calendar”

Eph. 5:20 Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Paul wrote that we are to abound with thanksgiving (Col. 2:7) “Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.”

1 Th. 5:18 – “in everything give thanks” It is God’s will that we be thankful and we must do the will of God to go to heaven (Mt. 7:21)

The example of Jesus At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. (Mt. 11:25)

I. Remember never to forget

Forgetfulness is an enemy of thankfulness Joseph was forgotten by the butler Gen. 40:23 – “Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgot him.”

Only 1 of 10 lepers remembered to thank Jesus

Lk. 17:15-17 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, [16] And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. [17] And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?

Ps. 103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits (KJV) Bless = means to praise God

“Blessed are those who give without remembering and those who receive without forgetting”

II. Count your blessing for what you have – refuse to dwell on what you don’t have

1 Tim. 6:8 And having food and raiment let us be therewith content.

Heb. 13:5 Let your conversation (manner of life) be without covetousness; (greed) and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

So often we fail to remember the things with which we are so remarkably blessed “Count your many blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord hath done”

Try and count: Your spiritual blessings Christ our savior, the church, the Bible, Promises of God, hope of heaven, the fact that we are Christians, etc.

Your physical blessings Families, health, our food, shelter, clothing, our freedom, the beauty of God’s creation, jobs, etc.

Perhaps an old Kentucky “recipe” for washing clothes will help us appreciate our modern conveniences … “build fire in the back yard to heat the rain water … set the tubs so the smoke won’t blow in your eyes … shave a whole cake of soap in boiling water … sort the clothes in three piles – …

1 pile of white – 1 pile of colors and one pile of rags and work britches … rub dirty spots hard on a scrub board … spread towels on the grass and hang rags on the fence … pour rinse water in flower bed … scrub porch with the soap water … turn tubs upside down … put on a clean dress … brew some coffee … sit and rock a spell and count your blessings.

III. Express your gratitude

We must express our gratitude verbally

Ps. 107:1-2 O give thanks unto the LORD, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy

Mrs. Thomas Carlyle died with an aching heart, having written in her diary, “Carlyle never praises me. If he says nothing I have to be content that things are all right.”

Let us never be guilty of withholding thanksgiving from our heavenly Father. We must express our gratitude by our lives as well as our lips

Ps. 116:12 David writes, “What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?” In gratitude we will give unto God our love, our time, our talents, our money, our life, our all!

IV. Realize that you receive great gifts from God; and never forget the giver of the gifts

Js. 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning

1 Cor. 15:10 – Paul was aware of where his blessings came from But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Lk. 12:16-21 – The rich farmer did not realize the source of his blessings And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: [17] And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?...

[18] And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. [19] And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry…

[20] But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? [21] So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

Conclusion In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (1 Th. 5:18)

Points gleaned from Wendell Winkler – Heart Diseases and Their Cure