In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Jesus knelt down and began to pray saying, "Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done." Luke 22:411
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Fellow Believers in Yeshua, the Lamb of God, who is living Truth, worthy of all praise and thanksgiving,
This verse is likely one you memorized as a child if you were blessed to be raised in the faith. I ask you to read it again slowly and meditatively. Separate each word as you speak it aloud and pause. Hear what you are saying. What questions pop to the surface? Knowing this Truth why do we mutely treat it as though it were designed to be shelved along side a good book we plan to read some day? Are we not to eat His word, digesting it so it becomes part of us?
The first word is: 'In'... not beside, or following or previously to... but 'in'. Like swimming. Not beside the water or near the water or on the dock but in for the swim. Wet with Truth that oozes out of our pores, drenching us and refreshing those around us. His word is to become sinews and muscle and movement and energy. 'Everything'. Not some things, or what we would chose or that which tickles our fancy or suits us at the moment, but the painful, trying, prickly, disappointing losses, all we would avoid like a snake bite. 'Give'. A choice of our wills. A surrender. To willingly give. Whether we feel like praising or not. 'Thanks'. Choosing to be thankful even if you do not feel like it. Not so easy for a society that commonly operates at this fleshly level. 'For'... because it is 'God's will for you'. Followed by the expository phrase 'in Christ Jesus'. Do we really need any more reason than that we are "in" Christ and it is our Savior's will for us? He who purchased us with His own blood lived these very words. Let's eavesdrop in the garden of Gethsemane:
Jesus knelt down and began to pray saying, "Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done." Luke 22:411
I have questions... what is to be foundation for my gratefulness? Am i to be grateful because others are worse off than me and i feel guilty? Their pain is greater, their loss is larger, their struggle paralyzing? Am i to be filled with gratefulness because i have a lot of stuff? Have you heard someone say, "I am so thankful after seeing video of the earthquake and Tsunami in Japan and the deadly tornado in Southern United States." This is dysfunctional thinking. 'I am thankful it wasn't me' is not a reflection of the grateful spirit i am commanded to exercise daily; irregardless of my circumstances. Such things can open my eyes to see how blessed i am to be given abundant provision for my need and i should give thanks... it is part of the 'everything'. But the reason is not found in the rubble or in the blessings. It is found in Christ Jesus. Period. Who I am 'in' Christ Jesus gives me everything needed to shout, to sing, to dance in praise to my Heavenly King, my Fountain of Living Water... my Abba.
I am encouraged to go beyond 'birth' Truths and move on to 'growth' Truths. Calvary is the secret of it all. It is what He did there that counts, and what He did becomes a force in my life when i appropriate it by faith. This is the starting point at which all Godly living must take its rise. MJS
O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His loving-kindness is everlasting. 1 Chronicles 16:34
As we daily take up our cross, denying ourselves and follow Him we will be thankful. Because as we count ourselves dead to sin, the flesh and the world, we will experience Christ living through us. We cannot come to Him and find acceptance for anything we have done in our strength, our flesh. He can only accept that which is from His Son. Not even our thanksgiving is acceptable unless it is the fruit of His life in and through us. Hear me dear ones! Most of the church spends their energy trying to please God without a clue they are living by there own efforts. Finally the insidious failure overwhelms and they fall on their face before Him. They must learn to died to self (Romans 6-7) applying the Truth that they are crucified with Him. Hear me. Our best is not acceptable to Him. Only the perfect Lamb of God can bring that which is acceptable to a Holy God. It is the divine way. Trust Him to live through you. We need to humble our self and admit our failure to be grateful is because we have built a foundation on a temporary footing rather than the unchanging victorious, Holy Son of God.
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. II Cor 4:18
Hear these scriptures and ask: 'Why should I give thanks to the LORD?' What do they tell us? Believing truth will produce a thankful spirit in us, glorifying the Lord.
I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness; I will sing the praises of the name of the LORD Most High. Psalm 7:17
O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His loving-kindness is everlasting. 1 Chronicles 16:34
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. Psalm 107:1
Unchanging One, You who hold my every breath, You who are never surprised by my failure to be grateful, You are the fountain of Living Water supplying my every need... You have placed me in Christ and I am in awe of You... i bow, i worship. You are so beautiful. Give me understanding as i read Your word and create a ravenous hunger for You. Change me! Cleanse me from all my fleshly-efforts to please You; teaching me to rest in the power of Your Holy Spirit, that i might please You today, O Lord, You know i long to please you always. By Your Spirit enable me to give thanks in everything, not for everything, but You are worthy to be praised always and forever. I can give thanks that You redeem everything and turn it to serve Your purposes... there is no God but You! Blessed be the Name of Adoni. amen
You are loved immeasurably.... give thanks to Him!
