TAKE TIME TO THANK GOD

To me, the national holiday of Thanksgiving is my favorite. While we are to be thankful each day for the bountiful blessings that flow from the hand of our gracious God, this day is set aside as a time for the entire nation to express its gratitude and to enjoy the fellowship with family and friends. David wrote long ago, “Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving…” (Psalms 95:2). “Enter into his presence with thanksgiving…” (Psalms 100:4). “I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving” (Psalms 69:30). The apostle Paul said “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you ” (I Thessalonians 5:18). Again, Paul wrote, “In nothing be anxious, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known unto God'' (Philippians 4:6) We must accept by faith that “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning” (James 1:17). My friends, it is impossible to “count your blessings, name them one by one” because they are innumerable. Thanksgiving will produce ‘thanksliving’. It is only when we live by faith in God and in His Son Jesus Christ that we can say as Paul wrote in Ephesians 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” The faith that saves is the faith that obeys (Hebrews 5:8; Galatians 3:26,27). When our hearts are ‘overflowing with thanksgiving’, we cannot help but to - “Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heav’nly hosts; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!”