Thankfulness (November 20, 2022)

• Time to express

Leviticus 7:29 – 30 ~ “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, Whoever offers the sacrifice of his peace offerings to the Lord shall bring his offering to the Lord from the sacrifice of his peace offerings. His own hands shall bring the Lord’s food offerings. He shall bring the fat with the breast, that the breast may be waved as a wave offering before the Lord.”

• God told the people of Israel to bring their peace offerings personally, with their own hands. They were to take time and effort to express thanks to God. You are the only person who can express your thankfulness to God and to others. Do you leave it to other to express thanks for what people have done? Do you rely on the one leading the prayer to thank God for you? Take time yourself to express thanks both to God and to others who have helped and blessed you.

• Developing an attitude of

Numbers 11:4 – 6 ~ “Now the rabble that was among them had a strong craving. And the people of Israel also wept again and said, “Oh that we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.”

• Dissatisfaction comes when our attention shifts from what we have to what we don’t have. The people of Israel didn’t seem to notice what God was doing for them – setting them free, making them a nation, giving them a new land – because they were so wrapped up in what God wasn’t doing for them. They could think of nothing but the delicious Egyptian melons they had left behind. Somehow they forgot that the brutal whip of Egyptian slavery was the cost of eating those melons. Before we judge the Israelites too harshly, it’s helpful to think about what occupies our attention most of the time. Are we grateful for what God has given us, or are we always thinking about what we would like to have? We should not allow our unfulfilled desires to cause us to forget God’s gifts of life, food, health, work, and friends.

Numbers 31:48 – 50 ~ “Then the officers who were over the thousands of the army, the commanders of thousands and the commanders of hundreds, came near to Moses and said to Moses, “Your servants have counted the men of war who are under our command, and there is not a man missing from us. And we have brought the Lord’s offering, what each man found, articles of gold, armlets and bracelets, signet rings, earrings, and beads, to make atonement for ourselves before the Lord.”

• After carefully accounting for all their men, the officers discovered that not one solider had been lost in battle. At once they thanked God. After going through tough times, we should be quick to thank God for delivering us and protecting us from severe loss.

• Continuous part of life

1 Chronicles 16:41 ~ “With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest of those chosen and expressly named to give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever.”

• Certain Levites were appointed to give continual praise and thanks to God. Praise and thanksgiving should be a regular part of our routine, not reserved only for celebrations. Praise God continually, and you will find that you won’t take his blessings for granted.

Psalms 92:1 – 2 ~ “It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High; 2 to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night,”

• During the Thanksgiving Holiday, we focus on our blessings and express our gratitude to God for them. But thanks should be on out lips daily. We can never say thank you enough to parents, friends, leaders, and especially to God. When thanksgiving becomes an integral part of your life, you will find that your attitude toward life will change. You will become more positive, gracious, loving and humble.

• Elements of

1 Chronicles 16:7 – 36

• Four elements of true thanksgiving are found here:

• Remembering what God has done.

• Telling others about it

• Showing God’s glory to others.

• Offering gifts of self, time, and resources.

• Get into the habit of fully expressing your thanks to God.

• All areas of life

Psalms 138:1 ~ “I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise;”

• Thanksgiving should be an integral part of our lives. This theme is woven throughout the psalms. As we thank God for material and spiritual blessings, we should also thank him for answered prayer. Remember when you asked God for protection, strength, comfort, patience, love or other special needs and he supplied them? Beware of taking God’s provision and answered prayer for granted.

• How to give thanks

1 Thessalonians 5:18 ~ “give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

• Paul was not teaching that we should thank God for everything that happens to us, but in everything. Evil does not come from God, se we should not thank him for it. But when evil strikes, we can still be thankful for who God is and for the good he can bring through the distress.