The Power of Thanks 2

Part 2 The Power of Thanks

Living A Life Of Thanksgiving

This month we’re started a series on “The Power Of Thanks, or living a life of Thanksgiving.

We know that even though in America, Thanksgiving is celebrated on the 4th Thursday of November and this year it’s Nov 27, we as Christians should celebrate being thankful each and everyday.

King David said it like this:

Psalm 119:164 (NKJV) 164 Seven times a day I praise You, Because of Your righteous judgments.

Exodus 23:25 (NKJV) 25 “So you shall serve the Lord your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you.

Last week I started with a pretty hard scripture and showed how even through mankind knows there is a God,

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (NKJV) 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end.

Man still choses to not give Him thanks.

Romans 1:21 (NKJV) 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

When we, especially in America think of all that we have, we should be the most grateful of all people.

The Pilgrims’ First Thanksgiving (1621)

After a brutal winter where nearly half of the Mayflower settlers died, the Pilgrims could have easily turned bitter. Instead, when the harvest came in the fall of 1621, they paused to thank God. They invited their Native American friends, and celebrated for three days. They gave thanks before they had abundance.

Think of it “When you have lost half your company and still lift your hands in gratitude — that’s the power of thanksgiving.”

Let’s look at some points about living a “Life Of Thanksgiving”

We need to understand that Gratitude is a lifestyle, not just a moment or a feeling.

We need to give Thanks in all season’s of our lives.

Just like in the world there are different season’s,

Genesis 8:22 (NKJV) 22 “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.”

So in our lives we have different season. There will be times of Joy and times of sorrow, there will be births and there will be deaths, there will be times when everything goes right and times when it seems like everything is going wrong.

“It is not the happy people who are thankful; it is the thankful people who are happy.”

The scripture that is so used for these times of life is:

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NKJV) 18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Again, I don’t believe this is saying to give thanks for the devils works…

John 10:10 (NKJV) 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

But to give thanks to God for all of His good works.

John 10:10 (NKJV) 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

“Gratitude turns what we have into enough.”

2. Let’s “Let Peace Rule Our Heart’s.

Colossians 3:15–17 (NKJV) 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Thankfulness cultivates peace, unity, and healthy relationships. Gratitude strengthens faith and encourages graceful words and actions, magnifying God’s presence in our lives.

Abraham Lincoln’s Proclamation (1863)

In the middle of the Civil War, Lincoln established Thanksgiving as a national holiday. He wrote:

“No human counsel hath devised, nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God...”

Think about that: a national call to thanksgiving during one of the darkest, bloodiest times in our history.

Gratitude in times of peace is appreciation; gratitude in times of Hardship is worship.

We would worry less if we praised more. Thanksgiving is the enemy of discontent and dissatisfaction.” – Harry Ironside

3. The Sacrifice Of Thanksgiving

Psalm 116:17 (NKJV) 17 I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, And will call upon the name of the Lord.

I think of the sacrifice’s in the O.T. and they were always giving of something that was dead. But God wants us to give Him now, a living sacrifice. OURSELVES.

Romans 12:1–2 (NKJV) 1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Church Family, True gratitude can require effort, especially in hardship. Offering thanksgiving in trials is an act of faith that honors God and strengthens trust. These small sacrifices create a

history of remembrance in our hearts.

When we see how the Lord got us out of them.

How about today: Offer a “sacrifice of thanksgiving” for something you are still waiting on God to fulfill.

Like the story I read last week.

The Boy Who Prayed for Shoes:

A little boy knelt by his bed and prayed, “God, please give me a new pair of shoes.” He prayed for days, but nothing happened. Finally, his mom said, “Honey, let’s thank God for the shoes you already have.” The boy looked at his old, scuffed sneakers, sighed, and said, “Okay, Lord… thank You for my shoes.” That very weekend, a neighbor gave him a brand-new pair—just his size. The boy told his mom, “I think God was waiting for me to say thank You before He sent the new ones!” “Gratitude unlocks God’s generosity.”

Let’s let God know that we love Him, no matter what goes on.

Psalm 84:10 (NKJV) 10 For a day in Your courts is better than a thousand. I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God Than dwell in the tents of wickedness.

Joke: “I heard about a new Thanksgiving diet. You can eat whatever you want... as long as you stand while you do it — preferably on the scale!”

4. Let’s have “Gratitude In Action”

Being thankful is more than just walking around with a smile, it’s a heart action.

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.”

James 2:17 (NKJV) 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

James 2:17 (TPT) 17 So then faith that doesn’t involve action is phony.

Genuine gratitude overflows into generosity, service, and encouragement. A thankful

heart actively blesses others, reflecting God’s grace outwardly.

Maybe during this Thanksgiving season, we can “Do one intentional act of kindness today as an expression of gratitude”.

James 1:22–25 (NKJV) 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

5. Contentment in life, is the true fruit of a thankful Heart.

Gratitude produces contentment by shifting focus from lack to God’s sufficiency.

True abundance is defined by God’s presence, not material accumulation.

Philippians 4:11–13 (NKJV) 11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

“Contentment is not the fulfillment of what you want, but the realization of how much you already have.”

1 Timothy 6:6–8 (NKJV) 6 Now godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 8 And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.

“Gratitude turns what we have into enough.

Hebrews 13:5–6 (NKJV) 5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?”

“Discontentment is born when gratitude dies.”

“The secret of contentment is knowing how to enjoy what you have, and to lose all desire for what you don’t need.”

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