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Many people have a hard time expressing gratitude for the good things in their lives, much less the painful and difficult things.
It’s easy to think of thanksgiving as a two-word expression: “Thank you.” But gratitude is more than words of reciprocity. Gratitude is the manifestation of the presence of God himself in a person; an appreciation for every season and situation as having a purpose in God’s plan. Selected Scriptures
We live in a greeting-card culture where there are a thousand ways to say ”Thank you” to a multitude of different people. But ultimately, every “Thanks You” should be directed to God who is the source of every blessing whether heavenly, personal, or in the world around us. Psalm 92 – 1-8
In the age of the Do-It Yourself, it’s easy to transfer that mentality to the Christian life – to try to force ourselves to be grateful when we don’t feel like it. But such efforts will go unrewarded. Only by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit can be continually manifest gratitude. Ephesians 5:18 – 21
On our best days our human nature will always find reasons to complain or be ungrateful. Yet even on our worst days, if we will look for them, we can find reasons to be grateful. The very fact of knowing God is always a cause for thanksgiving – along with His blessings. Covers Daniel 6:10.
If someone recorded our every blessing form God, and how often we went back to say, ”Thank you,” we might be embarrassed. Too often we take our blessings and run instead of returning to acknowledge their source. Jesus encountered one man who returned and gave thanks for his gift. Covers Luke 17:11 – 19.
Some Christians go through life (as the saying goes) like they were born in a pickle factory – wearing a consistent frown instead of a crown of joy. Those who fail to walk in the joy of gratitude are missing out of the “why” and “how” of what is means to be thankful to God. Psalm 100
Because a “thank you” is an individual act it’s easy to think of gratitude as something we have to “do.” We can also think of gratitude as an overflow of who we are – people passionately in love with God. Five steps in a life fully involved with God will overflow in gratitude to Him. Selected Scriptures.
Thanksgiving feasts in the Old Testament lasted seven days, the original American Thanksgiving lasted three, and today it’s been shortened to one day of food and football. But times of thanksgiving can be meaningful celebrations if we take advantage of the opportunities we have. Deuteronomy 16:11 – 17
Required courses for medical students involve studying human anatomy since the health of the whole is dependent on the health of the parts. The same is true with praise given to God. To praise God worthily, we must understand the why’s and wherefore’s – the anatomy of praise. Covers Psalm 33.
The Bible says that the earth “groans” as in childbirth awaiting the end of God’s plan, and that one day all creation will give praise to God. It behooves us, therefore, in anticipation of that day, to make praise to God the unifying priority and theme of out lives as part of God’s creation. Psalm 148
Most Christians are familiar with the "Doxology" sung in churches. But there are doxologies in Scripture written for differing reasons and under different circumstances. Indeed, every Christian has many reasons to compose his or her own doxologies for the great things God has done. Selected Scriptures
