Make Thanksgiving A Way Of Life

11.24.2024

Introduction

Since it is Thanksgiving week, I felt that we should talk about it today!

Giving of thanks should be a regular part of your life! And, not just over your meals or on Thanksgiving Day!!

How much giving of thanks do you do?

Psalm 50:14

Offer to God thanksgiving,

And pay your vows to the Most High.

Psalm 92:1

It is good to give thanks to the LORD,

and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High

Psalm 100:4

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,

And into His courts with praise.

Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.

Psalm 105:1

Oh, give thanks to the LORD!

Call upon His name; make known His deeds among the peoples!

Psalm 107:1-2

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!

For His mercy endures forever. 2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy,

The First Thanksgiving

This Thursday we celebrate a mostly American tradition of Thanksgiving.

The Pilgrims endured a terrible winter after they arrived here in 1620.

Quote:

(From The Christian History of Thanksgiving by Dr. Eddie Hyatt).

America’s national “Thanksgiving” holiday is rooted in the nation’s Christian origins and the habit of its first immigrants to set aside special days for giving thanks to God for His goodness and blessings.

This custom can be traced back to the Pilgrims who landed at Cape Cod in November of 1620, who periodically would set aside days in which to offer gratitude to God for His mercy and blessings.

This custom was carried on by succeeding generations and found its way into the national consciousness and calendar.

The Pilgrims who landed on Cape Cod in November of 1620 were devout followers of Christ who had left the comforts of home, family and friends to pursue their vision of a renewed and reformed Christianity.

They were not whiners but chose to maintain a positive attitude even through the most trying times, such as the winter of 1620-21 when sickness ravaged their community and half of them–about fifty—were taken away in death.

The first Thanksgiving was celebrated by the Pilgrims after they had gathered in their harvest in the fall of 1621, about one year after their landing at Cape Cod. Although their hearts were still heavy from the losses suffered the previous winter, there were at least three areas for which they felt particularly grateful to God.

With the arrival of spring the sickness that had immobilized the community and taken many of them in death had lifted. Their health returned, and although sad from their losses, they were able to apply themselves to carving out a home in the New England wilderness.

With the arrival of spring, God providentially sent to them an English-speaking Native American, Squanto, who became their interpreter and guide, helping them establish friendly relations with Massosoit, chief of the Wampanoag, the nearest and most powerful tribe in the region. In March of 1621 they had signed an agreement of peace and mutual aid with Massosoit, which resulted in both peoples moving freely back and forth in friendship and trade.

Through hard work and Squanto’s advice about farming and fishing (they were mostly townspeople and craftsmen) they experienced abundant harvests during the summer and fall of 1621.

Even though they still felt the loss of so many friends and family members, they could see God’s hand of mercy sustaining them in the preceding months. So after gathering in their fall harvest, which was abundant, Governor William Bradford designated a Day of Thanksgiving during which they would pause to offer up thanks to God for his mercy and blessings. They were not whiners. They knew what it meant to “count their blessings.”

We too need to set aside a time for the giving of thanks just like the first settlers in 1621.

Thanksgiving is now a Federal holiday in America, a holiday with distinctly Christian roots. President Franklin Roosevelt signed a resolution on December 26, 1941, establishing the fourth Thursday in November as the federal Thanksgiving Day holiday.

As the years have passed, we as a nation have become entitled to prosperity and blessing. We feel like it is owed to us.

Once you’re blessed, maintain it with a thankful heart!

Deuteronomy 8:10-18 (NKJV)

When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you. 11 “Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today, 12 lest—when you have eaten and are full, and have built beautiful houses and dwell in them; 13 and when your herds and your flocks multiply, and your silver and your gold are multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied; 14 when your heart is lifted up, and you forget the LORD your God who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage; 15 who led you through that great and terrible wilderness, in which were fiery serpents and scorpions and thirsty land where there was no water; who brought water for you out of the flinty rock; 16 who fed you in the wilderness with manna, which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do you good in the end— 17 then you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my hand have gained me this wealth.’ 18 “And you shall remember the LORD your God, for it is He who gives you power to get wealth, that He may establish His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.”

I cannot count on my fingers and toes the number of people I have known through the years who have been blessed by God, and then just got slack and allowed the enemy to rob them, and they eventually fell away from God.

It is so easy to get absorbed with the busyness of life and fail to remember what got you to where you are!

What do you do when you are blessed by God?

Do you give thanks?

Only one leper came back to thank Jesus for his healing.

Luke 17:11-19 (NKJV)

Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. 13 And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

14 So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, 16 and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. 17 So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? 18 Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” 19 And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”

What do you do when God answers your prayers, or heals your body, or helps you in your finances or in your business?

I make a practice of thanking God every single day!

The first step away from God is a lack of gratitude!

Taking for granted what you have removes God from the center of life.

Romans 1:20-25 (NKJV)

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

Lack of thankfulness courts darkness and depravity.

Lack of giving thanks opens us up to pride and self-sufficiency, thinking that we can manage life well without God’s help.

The road to defeat and personal harm begins when we think we can make it in life without God’s help.

For many years I have started my day in my prayer time taking some time to thank God for who He is, for my salvation, for the baptism with the Holy Spirit, for health, for a clear mind, for answered prayer.

Do you take time everyday to thank God? You should!

Giving thanks should be at the heart of our relationship with Jesus!

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NKJV)

In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (AMP)

In every situation [no matter what the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 (CEV)

Whatever happens, keep thanking God because of Jesus Christ. This is what God wants you to do.

We don’t give thanks for everything, but in everything.

Ephesians 5:20 (ESV)

Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Colossians 3:17 (NKJV)

And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Hebrews 13:15 (NKJV)

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

Once you pray in faith and expect God to answer, let the rest of your communication about that request be thanksgiving!

Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV)

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6 (WNT)

Do not be over-anxious about anything, but by prayer and earnest pleading, together with thanksgiving, let your request be unreservedly made known in the presence of God.

Most of the time, I pray one time and then spend the rest of the time in praise!

Like the transmission on your car, don’t stay in first gear! First gear spiritually is asking for something. But after asking, go to the next gear: praise, worship, and thanksgiving.

It will speed up the process!

Examples:

Job:

I started practicing this in earnest right after Susan and I were married and moved to Oklahoma.

I spent weeks looking for a job. I prayed, and then spent considerable time thanking God for the job!

Psalms 106:12 (NKJV)

Then they believed His words; They sang His praise.

The flu:

March 1995 I was attacked severely with flu symptoms. I canceled my schedule for the day and planned to stay in bed. The Lord spoke to me to get up and praise and thank Him for healing me! Within the hour the symptoms left!

A building for a church.

My granddaughter’s healing.

Sometimes you can pray too much! Switch from praying to thanksgiving for what you’ve asked!

New Testament Scripture:

Colossians 1:12

Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.

Colossians 2:6-7

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

Colossians 3:15

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.

Colossians 4:2

Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.

Hebrews 13:15

Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.

Make giving thanks a part of your daily routine!

Action Points:

1. Do you ever take for granted the things you have – your salvation, your family, your health, your provision?
2. How often do you make it a practice to give thanks to God for what He is to you and what He has done for you?
3. How often, after praying in faith, do you switch over to thanksgiving as you wait for the answer?