GOD’S WILL IN THANKSGIVING

“In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thess. 5:18 NKJV).

Thanksgiving is such a noble act. People have forgotten how to say thanks. If you are poor at giving thanks to man, you will be poor in giving thanks to God and vice versa. God’s people must be good examples to others on the promptness of giving thanks.

The duty of thanksgiving – “This is the will of God.” If it is the will of God, then it is our duty. God’s people are especially obligated to give God thanks for His blessing. It is indeed a duty. It is the will of God for our life.

The difficulty of thanksgiving – “In everything.” Giving thanks may not come easy for some people. Our text says we are to give thanks in everything. In Eph. 5:20 Paul says basically the same thing when he exhorts us to give thanks for “all things.” It is easy to thank God for the good things of this life, but to thank God for adversities is another thing; it is something very difficult to do. But thanksgiving can make the sour sweet and the bitter taste better.

The discipleship in thanksgiving – “In Christ Jesus.” If you belong to the Lord, then you are “in Christ Jesus.” Believers in the Lord Jesus ought to be the first ones to give thanks. We need to be the examples of thanking God for everything. Instead, professing Christians often grumble and complain like the Israelites in the wilderness under Moses. We ignore the many blessings that God has given to us and concern themselves with our present problems. But facing life’s adversities can be victorious if we face them with thanksgiving. We need to thank God for what we have and not continually fuss about what we don’t have. Indeed, we can be thankful that we do not have many things to fuss about not having. Maybe if we had them, we would not be happy. When we are thankful, life will treat us a lot better. Since it is God’ will that we be thankful, let us then be thankful and watch God bless us for it.

(Adapted from Butler’s Sermon Starter Vol. 7)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“Gratitude is an offering precious in the sight of God, and it is one that the poorest of us can make and be not poorer but richer for having made it!”

Aiden Wilson (A.W.) Tozer (1897 – 1963)

American Pastor, Theologian and Author

Word Study

Fall (falling) down

In Luke 8:47 we read, “Now when the woman saw that she was not hidden, she came trembling; and falling down before Him, she declared to Him in the presence of all the people the reason she had touched Him and how she was healed immediately” (NKJV).

“Fall (falling) down” is the Greek word prospíptō (προσπίπτω = pros-pip'-to). It is made up of two words: “pros” which means to, against, and “pipto” which means to fall forwards, fall down, prostrate oneself before another in homage or supplication. In classical Greek, prospíptō can mean to fall upon or strike against, and hence, to attack or assault. In the Septuagint, prospíptō also means to fall before or fall upon. In the New Testament, prospíptō means to fall down before. In context, when the woman realized she could not remain hidden in the crowd, she came forward to acknowledge her healing. The woman’s faith had healed her (cf. 8:48).

“Fear Nots” Found in the Bible

“But and if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled” (1 Peter 3:14 KJV).

Did You Know…

Thanksgiving and grace are from the same Greek root word cháris (χάρις = khar'-ece) which means graciousness, kindness, goodwill; a gift, a favor; thanks, gratitude.

Bible Quiz

In the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican, what did the Pharisee thank God for?

**Answer to last week’s Bible Quiz: How were the Israelites saved from the snakes God sent in judgment to bite them? Moses made a bronze snake, put it on a pole and the people looked at it (Num. 21:8-9).

Names For the Lord Jesus in the Bible

“WORD OF GOD”

"He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God” (Rev. 19:13 NJKV).

Meaning – WORD OF GOD refers to the Lord Jesus Christ as the final word of God, the voice of God Himself, and the ultimate revealer of God’s will.

Insights – “Word of God” is one of the familiar names of our Lord Jesus in Scripture (cf. John 1:1-14). A word is made up of letters, and the Lord Jesus is “the Alpha and Omega” (cf. Rev. 21:6; 22:13). He is the ‘divine alphabet’ of God’s revelation to us. As the Word of God, the Lord Jesus is God’s perfect communication and revelation. When you listen to the Lord Jesus, you are hearing the voice of God. He is the full expression of the mind, will, and purpose of God. As the author of Hebrews reveals, in these last days, God has “spoken to us by His Son” (Heb. 1:2). And just as we reveal our minds and hearts to others by our words, so the Father reveals Himself to us through His Son, the incarnate Word (cf. Rev. 14:7-11).

Did You Know – Christian History

Johann von Staupitz was born around 146 in Motterwitz, Saxony, Germany. He was a German Catholic Priest, Theologian, and Vicar General of the Augustinian friars in Germany.

Staupitz first met Martin Luther at Erfurt in April 1506. Luther, a young friar plagued by persistent thoughts of spiritual inadequacy, felt compelled to confess to Staupitz everything sinful he had ever done. At least once, Luther spent six hours confessing to Staupitz, who responded Luther’s doubts by counselling him on the Means of Grace and on salvation through the blood of Christ. He encouraged Luther to take a doctorate and become a teacher. Luther did and succeeded Staupitz in the chair of Biblical Theology at Wittenberg. This means that Luther now had to study the Bible for himself and counsel others from it. Luther had not dealt much with the Bible; the theology courses he handled emphasized writings other than the scriptures. Lecturing on Romans and Galatians, Luther arrived at his world-changing insights on faith. In the end, Luther broke with the Roman confessional system; it had been of no help to him. He renounced penances and indulgences. The teachings of the Bible became his guides in place of church fathers, confessors, or popes.

Staupitz, on the other hand, never left the Roman Church. However, he remained friendly toward Luther. He was present when Cajetan ordered Luther to recant. Shortly afterward, he released Luther from his Augustinian vows. Still, he wrote words of encouragement to Luther. “The world hates the truth. By such hate Christ was crucified, and what there is in store for you today if not the cross I do not know.” At one point, Staupitz relayed Luther’s position to Rome for the reformer. Pressure was put on Staupitz to shut Luther up. He resigned rather than attempt it. Rome ordered him to recant. He hesitated. He had never taught the things he was told to abjure (renounce). In the end, he accepted the pope as his judge. In his last letter to Luther, Staupitz told him he still loved him dearly. But he implored him to remember the weak. “Do not denounce points of indifference which can be held in sincerity,” he advised, adding, “We owe much to you, Martin.” Staupitz died at Salzburg on December 28, 1524. He had written books on predestination, faith and love. Pope Paul IV placed these on the Index of Prohibited Books in 1559.

A Little Humor

Young Simon was sitting in his grandmother’s kitchen, watching her prepare the Thanksgiving meal. ‘What are you doing?’ Simon enquired. ‘Oh, I’m just stuffing the turkey,’ his grandmother replied. ‘Wow, that’s cool.’ Simon remarked. ‘Are you going to hang it next to the deer?’

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“Worldly pleasures turn sour in the heat of eternity!”