Psalm 116:17 - I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD.
Hello readers! We are taking a quick break from our study of Joshua to take a timely look at the topic of thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is the act of rendering thanks or expressing gratitude for favors and mercies we have already received or will receive in the future.
While we set aside a special day each year to be thankful, the truth is that Christians should be living a lifestyle of thankfulness to God because he bestows boundless gifts and mercy upon us every single day!
Below is a list of things to be thankful for.� Keep in mind that these suggestions are merely starting points; as you begin to meditate on them, let your heart lead you into greater and newer realms of thanksgiving and praise based on your personal relationship with Jesus!
First and foremost, Christians are thankful for the forgiveness of sin through the blood of Christ:
1 Peter 1:18-19 - Since you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain manner of life received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
What good things are you enjoying today? Family, friends, a successful business, good health, retirement, or a child you never thought you could have? What about peace, joy, the promise of eternal life or spiritual gifts?
The sacrifice of Christ is the basis for all the blessings we will ever receive. His blood broke the authority of satan in our lives, atoned for our sin, and reunited us with Father God, who is the source of all good things (James 1:17).
We should never let a single day go by without being thankful for the sacrifice he made on the cross!
Christians can be thankful that we will receive an inheritance in heaven:
I Peter 1:3-4 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you�
As good as life on earth is for most of us, it doesn't compare with the wonders of heaven! Some people mistakenly think that heaven will be boring. They think Christians will sit on clouds all day, just playing harps!
But the scriptures give us a very different picture of life in heaven. We will be living in a city, enjoying the company of God and others, engaging in fruitful/meaningful work and exploring new realms. In fact, scripture tells us that we cannot even begin to fathom how stupendous our next life is going to be (Isaiah 64:4, 1 Corinthians 2:9)!
So regardless of what difficulties or disappointments you may have in this life, be thankful that God has prepared a place for you in heaven; and one day you will be with him forevermore (John 14:2-3). �
Christians can be thankful that we do not walk through life alone:
Isaiah 43:1-2 - But now thus says the LORD that created you, O Jacob, and he that formed you, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed you, I have called you by your name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you: when you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned; neither shall the flame scorch you.
Wow! What a wonderful promise from God!
We are all well aware that life is not a bed of roses. At some point, each of us will encounter tough circumstances which threaten to overwhelm us. And sometimes the people we count on for help fail us or abandon us.
But thankfully, that is never the case with God.� He is not a 'fair weather' friend; he is our all powerful, all knowing, faithful King, who walks with us in every circumstance (even in the valley of the shadow of death - Psalms 23:4).� He will never leave us or forsake us; he will not allow us to be overwhelmed, as long as we trust in him.� �
Christians can be thankful for spiritual armor:
Ephesians 6:14-17 - Stand therefore, having your loins girded about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, with which you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
God has not left us defenseless in this world; he has provided us with the weapons we need to partner with him and defeat the enemy of our soul. Now there is a reason to be thankful!
One of our strongest defensive weapons is the shield of faith. So, what is faith, and how do we use it as a shield?
In simple terms, faith is believing what God says; its trusting that what he promises us will come to pass because he faithfully keeps his word. When satan tries to attack us with lies, fear, worries/anxieties or any other evil, we can open the bible and remind ourselves of God's promises of peace, safety, healing and deliverance. When we stand firm believing the word of God, our faith firmly blocks the attacks of the devil.
As wonderful as that is, there is even more good news – you can increase your faith. Think of it this way: Faith is a lot like your muscles. If you exercise your muscles, they expand and grow, making you stronger. In the same way, if you exercise your faith by believing in God during a trial, your faith will expand and grow, making you spiritually stronger. This prepares you for greater spiritual victories.
In Hebrews chapter 11, we have a listing of some of the astonishing things that people have done with their faith. Take a few minutes and read through it; your own faith will be strengthened by it!
Our armor also includes an exceptionally powerful offensive weapon – the sword of the Spirit which is the word of God.
This is a weapon which we wield with our mouths.� By praying and declaring the promises of God over every situation in our lives, we can gain the victory over satan and change the circumstances of our lives and the lives of those we love.� The ability to pray and declare the word of God is a gift that we should be thankful for each and every day!
Christians can be thankful for each other:
Romans 12:4-5 - For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
In the book of Romans and again in 1 Corinthians chapter 12, Paul describes the church as the body of Christ.
Our bodies are made up of very different parts like hands, feet, kidneys, brains, etc. Each part has an essential duty to perform and together they make up a complete, fully functioning body.
So it is with the body of Christ.� Each Christian has a different yet essential role in the body of Christ.� Some of the people in your church will have the gift of prophesy or tongues or healing.� Others will be gifted in preaching, teaching, worship or administration.� It takes all of the members working together to make a fully functional church.�
Today is a good day to be thankful for the individuals in your church who allow God to work through them to minister to you!� It's also a good day to be thankful for the gifts and talents God has given to you.� Thank him for the opportunities you have to minister to others. ��
Let me offer you some encouragement, relief and strength:
Scripture tells us that with God all things are possible. Because that is the case, Christians will always have limitless reasons to thank, praise and worship our God.
This raises an important question - What methods can we use to express our thanksgiving?
- We can use our mouths to vocally give thanks to God for what he has done.� While verbal thanksgiving is an essential part of our prayer life, we can give thanks to God at any time.� You can do it while driving, while mowing the lawn or while falling asleep at night.�
- We can also express our thankfulness by using the gifts God has given us.� For example, we can show our thankfulness for the word/promises of God by using them in spiritual warfare.� We can show thankfulness for the body of Christ by showing up at church each week and participating in the service.
- We can actively demonstrate thankfulness for our blessings by ministering to the poor.� Jesus says that when we feed the hungry, visit the sick or provide for the needy, it is the same as ministering to him (Matthew 25:40).
- We can show our thankfulness by spreading/sharing the gospel message with the lost so that they too can enjoy eternal life and all of the other blessings of God.� ����
May you have a blessed Thanksgiving Day!
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