Expressions of Thanksgiving

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We have much for which to be thankful.

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Expressions of Thanksgiving

1 Thessalonians 5:18 NKJV
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
We are to give thanks IN all circumstances. This doesn’t mean that we must give thanks FOR all circumstances, because not everything that happens to us in life is a good thing.
We are to give thanks IN all circumstances. This doesn’t mean that we must give thanks FOR all circumstances, because not everything that happens to us in life is a good thing.
We are to give thanks IN all circumstances. This doesn’t mean that we must give thanks FOR all circumstances, because not everything that happens to us in life is a good thing.
For example, it’s hard to give thanks when a loved one passes away. That is a heart-wrenching time, but we can give thanks if our loved one is in Christ or is a Christian. That makes their passing somewhat bearable. So, in all circumstances we must somehow find a way to give thanks to God. There is something for which to be thankful in every circumstance of life if we will look for it.
ILL.- Scottish minister Alexander Whyte was known for his uplifting prayers in the pulpit. He always found something for which to be grateful. One Sunday morning the weather was so bad that one church member thought to himself, "Certainly the preacher won’t think of anything for which to thank the Lord on a wretched day like this."
Much to his surprise, however, Whyte began by praying, "We thank Thee, O God, that the weather is not always like this." Yes, if nothing else, during bad situations in life we can be thankful that they will eventually pass.
And, of course, normally when we think of giving thanks, we think of giving thanks for our meals.
ILL.- The preacher asked the little girl at church, “Do you say a prayer before you eat your meals?” She replied, “No, we don’t do that because mom’s a good cook.”
If your mom is a good cook then perhaps you don’t need to give thanks for the food or ask God’s blessing on it. Is that right? No, I don’t think so. I think all the food that God gives us (good, bad or otherwise) should be received with thanksgiving.
1 Timothy 4:4–5 NKJV
4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; 5 for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
Nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving! Does this mean we can eat anything?

The Reason for Thanksgiving

Nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving! Does this mean we can eat anything?
Our food is consecrated by prayer! Or perhaps by the prayer of thanksgiving. Consecrated. Meaning what? To consecrate something is to make it sacred. Does praying over our food make it sacred? Could be. At least, we should give thanks for whatever we have and ask God to bless it and make it useful to us, give us energy, etc. Does this work for junk food too?
When we pray and give thanks for our food, it may be as we’ve heard it prayed before: that we ask God to bless our food to our bodies and then our bodies to His service. I believe there is something to that since we all are supposed to serve the Lord and we need physical energy to be able to do that.
I think it’s always right to give thanks for everything good in life and ask God’s blessing on it whether it’s food, our work, our lives, our loved ones, our ministries, etc.
The book of Psalms is full of praise to God. We can learn from the Psalms and from David who penned many of the Psalms.
PROP.- The book of Psalms gives us more insight into our expressions of thanksgiving.
1- The reason for thanksgiving
2- The place of thanksgiving
3- The way of thanksgiving

The Reason for Thanksgiving

ILL.- A little boy was softly saying his night prayers kneeling by his Mother. "Say your prayers louder, darling, I can’t hear you," said little Johnny’s Mother. "But I’m not talking to you" was the instant reply.

The Place of Thanksgiving

ILL.- A little boy was softly saying his night prayers kneeling by his Mother. "Say your prayers louder, darling, I can’t hear you," said little Johnny’s Mother. "But I’m not talking to you" was the instant reply.
The God of heaven should always be the object of our prayers. The reason for thanksgiving is because of who God is!
Psalm 7:17 NKJV
17 I will praise the Lord according to His righteousness, And will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.
Psalm 136:2 NKJV
2 Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever.
No matter what other gods people have, HE IS THE GOD OF GODS! He is a better God! He is the best God because He is actually the only God there is! Consequently, how can we not be thankful to Him?! It’s just totally unthinkable to not give thanks to the God who created us and gives every good and perfect gift to us! We would be nothing and we would have nothing were it not for Him! It’s a shameful thing to not give thanks to Him and do it often!
No matter what other gods people have, HE IS THE GOD OF GODS! He is a better God! He is the best God because He is actually the only God there is! Consequently, how can we not be thankful to Him?! It’s just totally unthinkable to not give thanks to the God who created us and gives every good and perfect gift to us! We would be nothing and we would have nothing were it not for Him! It’s a shameful thing to not give thanks to Him and do it often!

The Place of Thanksgiving

How would you parents feel if your kids never said, “Thank you” to you for the things you do for them or give them?
- Someone has well said, “An ingrate is neither ‘in’ nor ‘great.’”
- “Giving thanks is a course from which we never graduate.” If we’re smart, the older we get, the more we’ll give thanks!
- “If you have nothing to be thankful for, make up your mind that there is something wrong with you!” AMEN!
ILL.- A Sunday School asked her class of little children what they were thankful for. One little boy said, “I’m thankful for my glasses.” He went on, “They keep the boys from fighting with me and the girls from kissing me.”
We all have something or many things for which we should be thankful and the biggest of all is our great God and Father!
Psalm 28:7 NKJV
7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusted in Him, and I am helped; Therefore my heart greatly rejoices, And with my song I will praise Him.
ILL.- The owner of a large department store offered a prize of $5,000 to the one giving the best answer to the question: “How can my business be most speedily and surely improved?” Many people submitted different lengthy answers. Roy McCardell received a check for $5,000 for simply writing on a postal card, “Tell your clerks to say ‘Thank you!’ ”

The Place of Thanksgiving

ILL.- The owner of a large department store offered a prize of $5,000 to the one giving the best answer to the question: “How can my business be most speedily and surely improved?” Many people submitted different lengthy answers. Roy McCardell received a check for $5,000 for simply writing on a postal card, “Tell your clerks to say ‘Thank you!’ ”
I don’t know if saying thank you will improve the retail business but it won’t hurt it either. We’ve all been checked out by people who never said thank you, get out of here or anything. I do know, however, that the one big thing that could improve our standing with God is having an overflowing appreciation to Him for who He is and what He’s done for us! No one. No one gives thanks to God too much, but we should try!

The Place of Thanksgiving

Where do you give thanks the most? At the dinner table? At other times? At other places?

The Way of Thanksgiving

Psalm 35:18 NKJV
18 I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people.
Among the throngs of people I will praise you. We should praise Him in the church and in the world. It’s easy or easier to praise the Lord in the church than it is in the world, but it should be done everywhere. Do you do that? If so, how? Are you quick to praise the Lord in any given situation?
Among the throngs of people I will praise you. We should praise Him in the church and in the world. It’s easy or easier to praise the Lord in the church than it is in the world, but it should be done everywhere. Do you do that? If so, how? Are you quick to praise the Lord in any given situation?

The Way of Thanksgiving

ILL.- I remember several years ago having to see a retinal specialist from Memphis but he had an office here in Jonesboro. Previously, I had been seeing bright lights, flashing in my side vision. My regular optometrist said I needed to see this retinal specialist. He dilated my eyes and put me through an extensive eye exam. Finally, when it was all over he said, “I see no retinal damage or tears.” My reaction was, “Praise the Lord!” To which that doctor said, “Amen.” His was a nice response to my praise. And my praise was a natural response to God’s goodness!
I realize that not everyone will join with you or respond positively when you praise the Lord vocally in public. Some might say an “Amen,” but others might be silent or frown at you, as if to say, “What’s wrong with you?” Or “Are you some kind of religious nut?”
I do think most of the time we are too quiet when it comes to praising the Lord! We should be quick to praise Him for all good things!
Regardless of the response, when we get in public I think we should be quick to praise the Lord for every good and perfect gift He sends our way, whether it’s a good eye exam or a good grade at school, good report from the doctor or whatever. Thank you, Lord!
Or it could even be that you’re watching your favorite ball team and they get a run or score a touchdown and you shout, “praise the Lord!” or “Hallelujah!” (The word “Hallelujah” probably sounds a little more secular and less religious sounding than “praise the Lord,” but it means the same thing.)
Psalm 105:1 NKJV
1 Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the peoples!
Giving thanks verbally or vocally is a way of making God known in public. Whenever you bow in public to pray and give thanks, you are pointing to the God of heaven.
Giving thanks verbally or vocally is a way of making God known in public. Whenever you bow in public to pray and give thanks, you are pointing to the God of heaven.

The Way of Thanksgiving

ILL.- Just as preacher Harry Ironside was about to begin his meal, a man approached and asked if he could join him. Ironside invited him to have a seat. Then, as was his custom, Ironside bowed his head in prayer. When he opened his eyes, the other man asked, "Do you have a headache?" Ironside replied, "No, I don’t." The other man asked, "Well, is there something wrong with your food?" Ironside replied, "No, I was simply thanking God as I always do before I eat."
The man said, "Oh, you’re one of those, are you? Well, I want you to know I never give thanks. I earn my money by the sweat of my brow and I don’t have to give thanks to anybody when I eat. I just start right in!" Ironside said, "Yes, you’re just like my dog. That’s what he does too!"
Brothers and sisters, when we pause in public to pray we are not being boastful in our faith, but we are humbly pointing to the Lord who gives us life and everything else that is good. It is only right to give Him thanks and we never know who is watching. Giving thanks to God is a good deed but it’s also a good witness for the Lord. It says a lot about what we believe and who we believe in! Please don’t be afraid to publicly praise the Lord!

The Way of Thanksgiving

Psalm 69:30 NKJV
30 I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify Him with thanksgiving.
Psalm 95:2 NKJV
2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.
Psalm 147:7 NKJV
7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; Sing praises on the harp to our God,
Ephesians 5:19–20 NKJV
19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Colossians 3:16–17 NKJV
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.
It should be obvious that we are to both ‘say’ our thanks to God and ‘sing’ our thanks to Him! We sing in church and well we should, but we should sing our thanks to the Lord at other times as well! Do you sing in the shower? Try singing a hymn of two! Do you sing while you drive? Why not sing a song to God while driving?
Anyway you do it is a good way to do it! Sing praise. Give your thanks to the Lord!
It should be obvious that we are to both ‘say’ our thanks to God and ‘sing’ our thanks to Him! We sing in church and well we should, but we should sing our thanks to the Lord at other times as well! Do you sing in the shower? Try singing a hymn of two! Do you sing while you drive? Why not sing a song to God while driving?
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