Thanksgiving

Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; 11 you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God. 12 For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God. 2 Corinthians 9:10-12 (NASB)

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. Philippians 4:4-7 (NASB)

Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. Colossians 3:14-15

Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; 3 praying at the same time for us as well, that God will open up to us a door for the word, so that we may speak forth the mystery of Christ, for which I have also been imprisoned; 4 that I may make it clear in the way I ought to speak. Colossians 4:2-4 (NASB)

There are one hundred and thirty-five verses in the Bible that talk of giving “thanks” or “thanksgiving.” Forty-four of them are in the New Testament, not counting the “variations” like thanksgivings (plural) or thankful. If there is any doubt that God desires us to be thankful, a quick look in Scripture should easily dispel it.. As we celebrate the national holiday called Thanksgiving, I would like to remind all of us that we are encouraged in Scripture to live a lifestyle of thanksgiving. Granted, one day is a start, but the goal should be a lifetime of giving thanks to the One we should all be thankful to and for.

Currently, we live in a society, though, that would like to even obscure Who we are thankful to. Even in our social circles, it seems to be too tedious to call it “Thanksgiving.” We would rather call it “Turkey Day.” God help us to remember that it is not just a “put aside a day to be thankful.” It is a heart of thanksgiving that the Lord is looking for. I encourage the reader to meditate (ponder and shew over) the verses that I've listed above and while you're at it, ponder the promises that are connected to the simple instructions to be thankful.

Look, especially at Philippians 4:4-7. Paul tells us to rejoice always. He tells us to be anxious for nothing, but to pray with thanksgiving. Where is the worry in that??? Would we rather worry about what we are going to eat, what we are going to wear or what we will do tomorrow? Or would we rather reap the benefits of following God's mandate through His servant, Paul? First of all, we are told that if we follow Paul's advice, the peace of God will guard our hearts and that the Peace that comes from God is even beyond our understanding. Where is worry when the Peace of God is overshadowing every concern that we can think or? Not only that, but that same Peace will guard our minds. How many times do we depend on our understanding and get in trouble? Want a solution?

Look at 2 Corinthians 9:10-12 and notice in verse 12 that it is through thanksgiving that God supplies the needs of the saints “fully and overflowing.” Let me remind us all that it is through thanksgiving that God moves. It's not just a “thank You” God is looking for, though. God looks for a heart

Thursday, November 26, 2020