“Be Thankful”

Scripture: Philippians 4:4-7

New Living Translation (Chapter 4)

Chapter 4

Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stay true to the Lord. I love you and long to see you, dear friends, for you are my joy and the crown I receive for my work.

Words of Encouragement

2 Now I appeal to Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. 3 And I ask you, my true partner, to help these two women, for they worked hard with me in telling others the Good News. They worked along with Clement and the rest of my co-workers, whose names are written in the Book of Life.

4 Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice! 5 Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.

6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

8 And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. 9 Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.

Paul’s Thanks for Their Gifts

10 How I praise the Lord that you are concerned about me again. I know you have always been concerned for me, but you didn’t have the chance to help me. 11 Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. 12 I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. 13 For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. 14 Even so, you have done well to share with me in my present difficulty.

15 As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this. 16 Even when I was in Thessalonica you sent help more than once. 17 I don’t say this because I want a gift from you. Rather, I want you to receive a reward for your kindness.

18 At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

20 Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen.

Paul’s Final Greetings

21 Give my greetings to each of God’s holy people—all who belong to Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send you their greetings. 22 And all the rest of God’s people send you greetings, too, especially those in Caesar’s household.

23 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

(Icebreaker - Joke)

1216 With Hat And Coats On

It was on Thanksgiving several years ago that Helen Hayes cooked her first turkey. Before serving it she announced to her husband, Charles MacArthur, and their son James: “Now I know this is the first turkey I’ve ever cooked. If it isn’t right, I don’t want anybody to say a word. We’ll just get up from the table without comment, and go down to the hotel for dinner.”

Then she retired to the kitchen. When she entered the dining room, bearing the turkey, she found her husband and son seated at the table—wearing their hats and coats.

—Kansas City

Paul Lee Tan, Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times (Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc., 1996), 347.

Thankfulness is Gratitude

Gratitude defined:

Natural expression of thanks in response to

blessings,

protection, or

love.

In the Judeo-Christian tradition, gratitude is not a tool used to manipulate the will of God.

It is never coerced or fabricated in one’s mind; rather, ...

gratitude is

a joyful commitment of one’s personality to God.

Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Gratitude)

In the OT, gratitude to God was the only condition in which life could be enjoyed.

For Jews, every aspect of creation provided evidence of God’s lordship over all life.

The Hebrew people thanked him for the magnificence of the universe (Pss 19:1–4; 33:6–9; 104:1–24).

When they received good news they thanked God for his goodness and great deeds (1 Chr 16:8–12).

When they received bad news, they also gave thanks, trusting that he was a just God (Jb 1:21).

Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Gratitude)

Gratitude was such a vital part of Israel’s religion that it pervaded most ceremonies and customs.

Thank offerings acknowledged blessings from God (Lv 7:12, 13; 22:29; Ps 50:14).

Shouts of joy (Ps 42:4), songs of praise (145:7; 149:1), and music and dance (150:3–5) all added to the spirit of thanksgiving in worship.

Feasts and festivals were celebrated in remembrance of God’s steadfast love throughout their history (Dt 16:9–15; 2 Chr 30:21, 22).

King David appointed levitical priests to offer God thanks (1 Chr 16:4). This custom was carried on by the kings Solomon (2 Chr 5:12, 13) and Hezekiah (31:2), and by those who returned from the exile (Neh 11:17; 12:24, 27).

Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Gratitude)

In the NT, the object of thanksgiving is the love of God expressed in the redemptive-work of Christ.

The apostle Paul thanked God for that

gift of grace (1 Cor 1:4; 2 Cor 9:15) and

the ability to preach the gospel (2 Cor 2:14; 1 Tm 1:12).

Paul thankfully participated in the spiritual gifts (1 Cor 14:18).

Gratitude for love and faith among believers pervades his letters (Rom 6:17; Eph 1:15, 16; Phil 1:3–5; Col 1:3, 4; 1 Thes 1:2, 3).

Because the expression of gratitude is tied so closely to the response of faith, Paul encouraged believers

to give thanks in all things (Rom 14:6; 1 Thes 5:18).

He commanded Christians to pray with thanksgiving (Phil 4:6; Col 4:2) in the name of Christ, who has made all thanksgiving possible (Eph 5:20).

In his teaching on how to celebrate the Lord’s Supper, Paul specified that Christians should give thanks, just as the Lord “had given thanks” (1 Cor 11:24).

Be Thankful

That man is truly happy who can say of all his substances, be it little or be it much, “The Lord gave it to me.”

Fifteen Years After!, Volume 53, Sermon #3025 - Job 1:21

Charles Spurgeon

Grateful Prayer Brings Peace

By Rick Warren — July 26, 2020

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace.”

Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

It’s not easy to stop worrying about the often-scary, everyday parts of our lives, but God tells us how to do it:

“Pray about everything . . . thank him for all he has done” (Philippians 4:6 NLT). Grateful prayer brings peace. God says that when you start to worry, stop to pray.

Parents understand the power of gratitude. Most parents wouldn’t appreciate their children always making requests without saying “thank you” for what they’ve already received. God sees it the same way. He wants us to ask him for what we need and want. More than 20 times in the New Testament, we’re told to “ask” him. But he wants us to ask with gratefulness.

The Bible urges us to be specific in our requests—and our praises. Instead of a simple “thank you for everything,” he wants us to tell him what we’re grateful for. When someone tells us, “I’m so grateful for you,” ask them to be specific. Most people like to hear what they are appreciate about and why the other individual is grateful.

God wants to hear the same things. So when you pray, tell God what you’re thankful for.

Prayer is one of the most important ways we tell God “thank you.”

Thanking God in advance is a big step of faith. The Bible says that when we have the faith to thank God ahead of time for an answer to our prayers, miracles happen.

The more thankful we are, the more God works in our lives.

Everyday we should all walk around with Thanksgiving in our Heart because God has and is good to each one of us.

The Bible says that God inhabits the praise of his people. He empowers and uses our thanksgiving as an instrument of power in our lives.

PLAY today’s audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>

Spend some time in prayer, thanking God for those things. What are some ways you believe God will bless you in the future? Thank God for those things—even before they happen.

Be Thankful

Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations 6584 Think and Thank

6584 Think And Thank

It has often been pointed out that thinking precedes thanking. When we are presented with a gift, it is because we think of its significance and meaning that we are led to express our appreciation.

What, then, are the thoughts that, entertained by the Christian, lead to thanksgiving?

Somewhere in our thinking there should be thoughts of God. Perhaps we should start there. God—what a train of thoughts should be started when we think of Him! Power, wisdom, goodness, grace, love, care: these are just some of the thoughts that cluster around the word God.

When Paul traces the downward path of mankind, he begins by saying that men, “when they knew God, … glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful” (Romans 1:21). Men were not thankful that they had a revelation of God; indeed, they sought to suppress that knowledge and to evade its power.

In addition to thoughts of God, there should be thoughts of ourselves. We should see our own insignificance in the light of the facts we know about God. We should see and confess our own frailty and failures. We should admit our commitment to earthly things. But we should not stop there. We should think thoughts about our privileges in Christ. God has loved us and made us significant, through sending His Son to die for us. The Father has accepted us in the Beloved Son.

In the light of these thoughts, we should be led to think of our responsibilities. We are now responsible to live for God’s glory. Redeemed, we should seek to serve Him faithfully. We should recognize our responsibility to be thankful, and from our lips there should come a daily song of praise.

Why is it, then, that we are not more thankful? The truth probably is that we don’t stop to think. The cares and riches and pleasures of this life choke the plant of gratitude, and our lives become unfruitful.

Thanksgiving is thus really the product of careful cultivation. It is the fruit of a deliberate resolve to think about God, ourselves, and our privileges and responsibilities. By giving thanks we make manifest the fact that our lives are not controlled by the imperious cares and concerns of this life. We give testimony to the fact that material things do not dictate the horizons of our soul.

—Prairie Overcomer

Be Thankful

In closing

Therefore my brothers and my sisters

stay true to the Lord

love one another

remember you belong to the True and Living God

& despite of all that is going on in this world

stay strong in The Lord & The Power of His Might

continue to be Thankful and hold on to God’s unchanging Hand

continue to work hard for God and spread The Good News of Jesus Christ, so other might also be saved

always be full of joy in The Lord

Again…I say be Thankful and Rejoice!

Be considerate in all that you do

Always remember The Lord is coming soon!

no man knows they day nor they hour but The Lord is coming soon

Be Thankful and pray to The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

Don’t worry about anything

instead, pray about everything

Tell God what you need

Tell God Thank you for what he has done

Tell God Thank you for supplying all your needs according to His riches in Glory

Be Thankful and

God’s peace will guard your hearts and minds

Continue to live in and for Christ Jesus

Now, my brothers and my sisters

one final thing

While you are being Thankful

fix your thoughts on what is true

fix your thoughts on what is honorable

fix your thoughts on what is right

fix your thoughts on what is pure

fix your thoughts on what is lovely

fix your thoughts on what is admirable

fix your thoughts on what is Holy

Think about excellent things

Think about those things that are pleasing in the very eye-sight of God

Think about those things worthy of praise

keep putting into practice all the Godly things you have learned

keep putting into practice all you have heard me talk about that is in The Word of God

“Be Thankful”

John 3:16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

Hallelujah!!! Thank you Jesus!!!

Praise Him for His Mighty Acts!

Praise Him for His Wondrous Works!

Let Everything that Has breathe Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!

If God has been good to you, say Yes!

Hallelujah!!!

Thank you Jesus!

Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible Gratitude

In the OT, gratitude to God was the only condition in which life could be enjoyed.

Walter A. Elwell and Barry J. Beitzel, “Gratitude,” Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), 900.