Understanding Thanksgiving

Intro

What is thanksgiving

Understanding the power of thanksgiving

Proverbs 4:7 “7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: And with all thy getting get understanding.”

Wisdom is knowing what to do and doing it but what enhances that doing is understanding. Understanding is knowing the insight, getting the depth of the why of something.

Psalm 47:7 “7 For God is the King of all the earth: Sing ye praises with understanding.”

We need to praise and give thanks with understanding.

Def - giving glory to God for his mighty deeds, what God has done in our lives personally and as a church

God wants Us to give Thanks

Psalm 107:22 “22 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, And declare his works with rejoicing.”

Luke 17:11–19 KJV 1900

11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: 13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. 15 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? 18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole.

Every time God does something in people’s life, he is waiting to see who will return to give thanks

Psalm 103:2 KJV 1900

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all his benefits:

Deuteronomy 6:12 KJV 1900

12 Then beware lest thou forget the Lord, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

Thanksgiving is required, its a MUST

Why Do Thanksgiving

To acknowledge His wonders among us all through the year. Every good thing we have seen are the product of the hand of God, all the glorious things happening in our lives are the product of the hand of God.

Psalm 118:23 “23 This is the Lord’s doing; It is marvellous in our eyes.”

Psalm 115:1 “1 Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, But unto thy name give glory, For thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.”

Acts 12:21–24 “21 And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. 22 And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. 23 And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost. 24 But the word of God grew and multiplied.”

Daniel 4:30 KJV 1900

30 The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?

God that belongs to God is poisenous to man. Give Glory to God, Give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to him

Matthew 22:21 “21 They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s.”

The glory BELONGS TO GOD.

WHY DO WE GOD THANKS?

Reason 1 - To preserve our blessings

Malachi 2:1–2 “1 And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for you. 2 If ye will not hear, and if ye will not lay it to heart, To give glory unto my name, saith the Lord of hosts, I will even send a curse upon you, and I will curse your blessings: Yea, I have cursed them already, because ye do not lay it to heart.”

Jeremiah 13:16 “16 Give glory to the Lord your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and, while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness.”

The value of a blessing lays also in your ability to keep the blessing. What you thank God for will last and what you dont will vanish. learn to preserve blessing requires gratitude to God. Even in every day life, its easy to go back to someone whom you thanked before

Tomatoes in cans and natural tomatoes

Reason 2 - To perfect the blessing

Luke 17:13–17 “13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. 15 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?”

In the process of going, they were cleansed.

They were waiting for completion before appreciation. God will never complete what you dont appreciate. James 1:17

James 1:17 KJV 1900

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.

GOOD and PERFECT

Until you thank God for GOOD, you do not qualify for PERFECT.

So, every time God gives you something good, know that he is positoning you for the PERFECT but your attitude (grateful or ungrateful) will determine your access to the PERFECT. Its a test.

Psalm 138:8 “8 The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me: Thy mercy, O Lord, endureth for ever: Forsake not the works of thine own hands.”

Reason 3 - To multiply our blessings Or generate New ones

John 6:6–11 “6 And this he said to prove him: for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, Two hundred pennyworth of bread is not sufficient for them, that every one of them may take a little. 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, saith unto him, 9 There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many? 10 And Jesus said, Make the men sit down. Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, in number about five thousand. 11 And Jesus took the loaves; and when he had given thanks, he distributed to the disciples, and the disciples to them that were set down; and likewise of the fishes as much as they would.”

Jesus gave thanks and divided among the 12

Jesus also raised Lazarus starting by givign thanks John 11:41

John 11:41 KJV 1900

41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

Acts 2:47 “47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”

Jeremiah 30:19–22 “19 And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry: And I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small. 20 Their children also shall be as aforetime, And their congregation shall be established before me, And I will punish all that oppress them. 21 And their nobles shall be of themselves, And their governor shall proceed from the midst of them; And I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: For who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me? saith the Lord. 22 And ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.”

Multiply your status - God will glorify you before men

Single to married, to mother, father, employee to employer.

Reason 4 - Thanksgiving validate our prayers

Philippians 4:6 “6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

Many prayers are inefficient because of lack of thanksgiving.

HOW TO GIVE THANKS ACCEPTABLY

The way we thank God does matter just like there is a way of praying or asking.

There is a WAY of thanking HIM. If we miss that way, our thanksgiving may be void.

There was a way to carry the Ark, there was a way to behave in the tabernacle by the priest, else they could die - Lev 10:1-3

Leviticus 10:1–3 KJV 1900

1 And Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took either of them his censer, and put fire therein, and put incense thereon, and offered strange fire before the Lord, which he commanded them not. 2 And there went out fire from the Lord, and devoured them, and they died before the Lord. 3 Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it that the Lord spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace.

Do it Cheerfully

2 Corinthians 9:7 “7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”

Deuteronomy 28:47–48 “47 Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things; 48 Therefore shalt thou serve thine enemies which the Lord shall send against thee, in hunger, and in thirst, and in nakedness, and in want of all things: and he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck, until he have destroyed thee.”

Ephesians 5:19 “19 Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;”

Let you heart rejoice, true joy coming INSIDE

Do it Quickly

Beware lest you forget - Deuteronomy 6:12 “12 Then beware lest thou forget the Lord, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.”

No later comers in thanksgiving, do it quickly, procrastination. When finish the fast, we did give thanks, and we could let it up to Dec 31st but that seems too far

Next time we will do thanksgiving on the last day of fast

Do it With Understanding

Why We are giving

What to Expect in return

Psalm 47:7 “7 For God is the King of all the earth: Sing ye praises with understanding.”

Conclusion