Be Thankful!
Be Thankful! 1 Thessalonians 5:17
As we approach the national holiday known as Thanksgiving, we would do well to remember not only to be thankful, but to understand why it is imperative that God's children be thankful. There are many reasons to be thankful. Most times we think of being thankful for our prosperity, our families, our health, and other similar things. The Bible has much to say about thankfulness, and our study today examines some the reasons we should be a thankful people.
As we approach the national holiday known as Thanksgiving, we would do well to remember not only to be thankful, but to understand why it is imperative that God's children be thankful. There are many reasons to be thankful. Most times we think of being thankful for our prosperity, our families, our health, and other similar things. The Bible has much to say about thankfulness, and our study today examines some the reasons we should be a thankful people.
- We are COMMANDED to be thankful - Psalm 100:4-5
- Colossians 2:6-7 b/c of THE FAITH that we have been taught
- Colossians 3:14-15 b/c of the BODY of Christ to which we belong
- It is a GOOD THING to be thankful- Psalm 92:1
- Romans 1:21 unthankfulness indicates a REPROBATE mind
- James 4:17 failure to do what is right is SIN
- God is NEAR - Psalm 75:1
- Psalm 73:28
- Psalm 119:151
- Acts 17:25-31
- God is HOLY
- Not immoral (Zeus + woman = Hercules) like heathen gods- pagan worship was grossly immoral w/ temple prostitutes & sodomites.
- Not cruel like pagan gods - "pass thru the fire" Eze. 16:21;20:26
- Ps 30:4; 97:12 Give thanks when remembering God's holiness
- Leviticus 20:7 "SANCTIFY yourselves and be ye HOLY"
- 1 Peter 1:15-16 I must be HOLY b/c my God is HOLY
- 2 Peter 3:11 the kind of person I should be in all HOLINESS
- God's MERCY
- 1 Ch 16:34 - His mercy endures forever (Ps 106, 107, 118, 136)
- Psalm 103:8-14 - God's "3-D" Mercy
- DECLARATION - v. 8
- DESCRIPTION - v. 8, 11
- DIMENSIONS - v. 17
- Titus 3:5 We are SAVED by God's mercy
- Justice is getting what I deserve; mercy is not getting what I deserve; grace is getting what I do not deserve.
- God's GIFTS - James 1:17
- Galatians 1:3-4; 2:20 Jesus gave HIMSELF
- 2 Corinthians 9:15 the UNSPEAKABLE gift = GOSPEL
- God has made us VICTORIOUS - 1 Chronicles 29:11-13
- Psalm 98:1 God's RIGHT hand and HOLY arm
- Isaiah 25:8 God will swallow up DEATH in victory
- 1 Corinthians 15:50-58 the victory is given through JESUS
- Before it is TOO LATE - Psalm 6:4-5