Eph 5 20 Thanksgiving CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO

At this time of Thanksgiving it is helpful for us to see from the Bible why we are to be thankful.  We are to be thankful because thanksgiving is:

A fulfillment of God’s commandment – 1 The 5:18; Eph 5:20 – we are to be thankful, not only “in” everything, but also “for” all things.  We are commanded to be thankful because in hard situations and under hard circumstances it is very hard to be thankful.  Yet, when we are thankful, we are able to face these difficult things in our lives with an attitude of gratitude rather than an attitude of despair.  Rom 8:28 is true.

An acceptable sacrifice to God – Heb 13:15-16; Ps 116:17 – we don’t offer literal blood sacrifices anymore, yet there are spiritual sacrifices which we are to offer.  When we offer thanksgiving to God, we offer him a spiritual sacrifice that is pleasing and acceptable to him.

A testimony of God to the heathen – Ps 18:48-50 – one of the best ways to testify of God’s goodness and greatness to those who are lost is to thank God before them for the things he has done in your life.  That’s what the teenage young man did the night I received Jesus Christ as my Savior.  His thanksgiving for what God was doing in his life encouraged me to seek Jesus.

A testimony of God to the congregation – Ps 35:18 – when we have a time of praise during our Wednesday night prayer meetings, your thanksgiving for all that God is doing in your lives is such a blessing.  Your words are reassuring and encouraging to the rest of us.

An entrance to God in prayer – Phil 4:6-7; Ps 95:2, 100:4 – prayer is essential in our Christian walk.  The best way to enter in prayer before the Lord is to start with thanksgiving.  It really “opens the door” in our conversation with the Lord and brings us “close” to him.

Conclusion: keep these reasons for thanksgiving in mind each day.  They will help you be even more thankful than you already are.