“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:18
One thing I absolutely love about Thanksgiving, besides the amazing food my mother makes, is that it causes us to gather around the table with loved one Would you love God if He didn’t love you?
Thanksgiving causes us to remember and give thanks to God for the many blessings we’ve been given.
In his letter to the church of Philippi, the Apostle Paul encourages us to, “Rejoice in the Lord always”. (Phil 4:4)
Now it doesn’t say to rejoice sometimes.
It doesn’t say to rejoice only when we eat turkey and pumpkin pie.
It doesn’t say to rejoice only when the stores have huge sales. No, we are encouraged to rejoice in the Lord always.
As Christians, is it even possible to be thankful every day of the year, instead of just on the day we gather for a turkey dinner with all the fixings?
The answer surely is yes.
You’re Called to Be Thankful in Every Season
The truth is, we’ll always have many reasons to be grateful to God.
The truth is, we can purpose in our hearts to rejoice and thank Him at all times!
As God’s children, we’re called to praise Him during the calm seasons in our lives, and during the seasons when the storms are raging.
As Job begs the question, “Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?” (Job 2:10)
Trusting God enables us to remain hopeful, joyful, and thankful no matter what we’re going through.
We know that anything the enemy intends for evil, God will turn and use for good.(Genesis 50:20)
If God has allowed it, then He has a reason for it, and it’s ultimately for our good! (Romans 8:28)
So when life is going exactly the way you want it to, praise God! When life seems to be completely falling apart, still praise Him!
Lift your hands in adoration to your Jesus at all times, in every season, and for every reason!
Have You Counted Your Blessings Lately?
As Christians, we can be thankful that we’re saved, having absolute assurance that one day we’ll be in heaven for all eternity!
We can be thankful that the veil of separation has been torn, and that we can have direct access to the Creator of the heavens and earth through prayer!
We can be thankful that we are filled with the enabling power of the Holy Spirit!
We can be thankful we have the Word of God and the promises of God!
We can be thankful that we are redeemed, delivered, and that our chains have been broken!
We can be thankful for our friends and family.
We can be thankful we have shelter and clothing!
We can be thankful we have money to pay our bills!
We can be thankful that God almighty chose us as His beloved children!
We have 10,000 plus things to praise, thank, and bless our Lord for!
It’s time to celebrate! It’s time to be thankful! And it’s time to bless the Lord with all that is within us!
Be Careful of The Enemy Schemes
We are living in the last day’s and Satan knows it.
He is trying to wreak havoc on our lives, but that doesn’t mean we throw in the towel and give up.
It doesn’t mean we’re can start complaining and walking around discouraged with a bad attitude.
It doesn’t mean we become part of the crowd that becomes hardened, and unthankful to God.
We rather should choose to be a generation who seeks the Lord. We should be people who count everything this world has to lure us away with as loss.
We need to keep running our race with endurance until we cross our own finish line.
Without God’s help we can’t do anything, but with Him, all things truly are possible! (Matthew 19:26)
Remember, life here on earth is only temporary.
Similar to the first settlers who established Thanksgiving in the 1620’s, we too are but pilgrims here on this earth.
We’re simply pilgrims passing through. So let’s make the most of this time with the ones we love. (Matt. 5:16)
10 More Things Christians Should Be ThankFul For
Study Verses: Here’s a list of just a few of the many reasons we as Christians can be thankful to God for every day of the year:
1. Our salvation and everlasting life in heaven! (John 3:16)
2. The forgiveness of our ALL our sins! (Psalm 103:12)
3. God’s unconditional love for us! (Romans 8:38-39)
4. God’s promises being yes and amen! (2 Corinthians 1:20)
5. Radical deliverance from addictions and freedom from bondage! (John 8:36)
6. The loved ones God has blessed us with! (Psalm 68:6)
7. The places we are able to call our homes and being supplied all that we need! (Philippians 4:19)
8. The fact that we were chosen by God before the foundations of the world! (John 15:16)
9. God’s presence, direct access, protection and faithfulness to answer our prayers. (Hebrews 4:6)
10. God’s comfort, perfect peace, Holy Spirit, Son Jesus Christ and unchanging, infallible Word! (John 1:1)
How Being Thankful Should Make You Act
As Pastor Levi Lusko has said, “We all have the choice, the choice to rejoice!”
This Holiday Season, let’s choose to be grateful, joyful, and thankful in all circumstances.
Let’s choose to step out of our comfort zones, and share the Gospel with our unsaved family members.
Let’s choose to put the needs of others before our own, and show the love of Jesus Christ to those relatives who may be a little difficult to love.
For such a time as this God has chosen us as His hands and feet in this wicked and fallen world, so let’s choose to allow His light to shine so brightly through us to others. That way, unbelievers will see our good deeds and give glory to our Father in heaven!
Let’s never forget that our God is good…all the time, and all the time…our God is good!
“All of my life
In every season
You are still God
I have a reason to sing
I have a reason to worship
And I will bring praise
I will bring praise
No weapon formed against me shall remain
I will rejoice
I will declare
God is my victory and He is here…”
From all of us here at CC South Bay, we want to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!
Amen Amanda, what I really enjoyed about this blog post is how you encouraged us to be thankful when things are calm or when there is a storm.
Of course it’s easier said than done but I think that that’s what God wants His children to be like. Thank you for this powerful reminder 🙂
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you so much Peter for your reply! It definitely is easier said than done, but I was just reminded that, “Whatever God has in store for us…He will equip us for”! So no matter what we’re going through, we can be thankful that God has our back! That He brings us to the storm to show us how mighty He is to get us through it! Thank you again for your reply!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and you family as well!!! =]
Amen Amanda, what I really enjoyed about this blog post is how you encouraged us to be thankful when things are calm or when there is a storm.
Of course it’s easier said than done but I think that that’s what God wants His children to be like. Thank you for this powerful reminder 🙂
Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you so much Peter for your reply! It definitely is easier said than done, but I was just reminded that, “Whatever God has in store for us…He will equip us for”! So no matter what we’re going through, we can be thankful that God has our back! That He brings us to the storm to show us how mighty He is to get us through it! Thank you again for your reply!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and you family as well!!! =]
Wonderful column, Amanda. It serves as a strong reminder that if we choose to thank God for everything, it leaves no room to wallow in discouragement and despair. As Christians we not only have the right to happiness, but we can anchor it in our constant “Thank Yous” to our loving Father. Every day. Jesus came so that “our joy may be complete.” If we have Jesus and our joy is complete, then we are thanking God every day of our lives, not out of compulsion but of a glad heart. For everything. The choice is ours.
Amen Ani! Thank you so much for your reply! I think so many times we allow the lies of the enemy…or what we’re seeing all around us, to rob us of the joy God has given us! I love how you said, “For everything. The choice is ours.” So many times I’ll find myself choosing to go down that road of discouragement simply because I’m not choosing to thank and trust God….because I’m choosing to walk by sight not by faith. But Jesus came to “give us life and that more abundantly”!! How awesome is our God! I want to choose today to be grateful and thankful and joyful! =] I hope you have a very wonderful Thanksgiving! God bless you!
Wonderful column, Amanda. It serves as a strong reminder that if we choose to thank God for everything, it leaves no room to wallow in discouragement and despair. As Christians we not only have the right to happiness, but we can anchor it in our constant “Thank Yous” to our loving Father. Every day. Jesus came so that “our joy may be complete.” If we have Jesus and our joy is complete, then we are thanking God every day of our lives, not out of compulsion but of a glad heart. For everything. The choice is ours.
Amen Ani! Thank you so much for your reply! I think so many times we allow the lies of the enemy…or what we’re seeing all around us, to rob us of the joy God has given us! I love how you said, “For everything. The choice is ours.” So many times I’ll find myself choosing to go down that road of discouragement simply because I’m not choosing to thank and trust God….because I’m choosing to walk by sight not by faith. But Jesus came to “give us life and that more abundantly”!! How awesome is our God! I want to choose today to be grateful and thankful and joyful! =] I hope you have a very wonderful Thanksgiving! God bless you!
Hi Amanda,
I was hoping that I could reprint your article “10,000 Things Every Christian Should Be Thankful For “in our church community newsletter.
thanks
Sure! Thank you so much! =] God bless you!
Hi Amanda,
I was hoping that I could reprint your article “10,000 Things Every Christian Should Be Thankful For “in our church community newsletter.
thanks
Sure! Thank you so much! =] God bless you!
Oh God is great this has given a great leap forward in faith. Be blessed Amanda am fred from Tanzania
Hi Fred, thank you so much for your comment! Praise God He spoke to you and encouraged you in this blog post. Be blessed! =]
Oh God is great this has given a great leap forward in faith. Be blessed Amanda am fred from Tanzania
Hi Fred, thank you so much for your comment! Praise God He spoke to you and encouraged you in this blog post. Be blessed! =]
God bless you! Amanda
Thank you so much, Natty!! God bless you too!! =]
God bless you! Amanda
Thank you so much, Natty!! God bless you too!! =]
Thanks Amanda – just ran across this looking for something to include in my blog to my Boy Scout Troop in tonight’s newsletter. This will fit the bill nicely. Hope you and your family have a week of blessing as we give thanks. From our home in NorCal to yours in SoCal – Happy Thanksgiving. ~ Marty
Thanks Amanda – just ran across this looking for something to include in my blog to my Boy Scout Troop in tonight’s newsletter. This will fit the bill nicely. Hope you and your family have a week of blessing as we give thanks. From our home in NorCal to yours in SoCal – Happy Thanksgiving. ~ Marty
Very inspiring , looking for something i could add in my teaching about thanksgiving on this coming sunday service and im so glad that i came accross to this message…God bless you ..and more wisdom and knowledge from God..
Very inspiring , looking for something i could add in my teaching about thanksgiving on this coming sunday service and im so glad that i came accross to this message…God bless you ..and more wisdom and knowledge from God..
Comment…thanks be to the most high. yes it is good to give thanks and i ma thankful for little thighs He has done and greater things He has done and my aspirations he will surely grant unto me
Comment…thanks be to the most high. yes it is good to give thanks and i ma thankful for little thighs He has done and greater things He has done and my aspirations he will surely grant unto me