North Anderson Baptist Church
Ephesians 5:20 NIV
In whatever you do and whatever comes your way give thanks to God because our God is worthy of thanksgiving.
During this Thanksgiving season let us turn our minds and hearts to give thanks to God in all situations. Why should we always give thanks?
Listen to Paul as he writes to the church at Colosse, found in Colossians 3:15-17,
Colossians 3:15-17 NIV
In this passage we hear Paul telling the people in Colosse that they are to let Christ rule in their hearts, and do it with thanksgiving. He tells them that they should allow the “Word of Christ” to dwell in them richly. If you are having something dwell in you richly it seems to me that it is full and overflowing, abundantly dwelling. They are to encourage each other with all wisdom and should show their gratitude and thankfulness by praising God with all their hearts through singing. Now Paul says whatever they do, if in word or deed, do it in the name of the Lord Jesus giving thanks to God through Jesus. Because of all that Jesus has done for us and in us and as we follow Him and respond to His love, we ought to give thanks. Has everything that has come our way been good? No! But, are we to believe that Jesus our Savior and Lord has complete control over our lives? YES! Then we are to give thanks in everything because of Him who has our lives in His hand. Amen!
When reading in the Life Application Bible Commentary on Ephesians 3:20, (“...always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,”) there are three things the commentators list as important to think about regarding giving thanks to God. I would like to take these three thoughts and expand on them for our consideration about giving thanks in every situation.
Romans 8:28 NIV
Thank God -
1. Because in all things God works for our good if we love Him and are called according to His purpose.
Our God tells us through the apostle Paul that even if something doesn’t seem good when it comes your way, we are to remember that God who loves us so much He has orchestrated this specific event in your life so you can see the precious love of God for you, or that someone whom you love will see the hand of God working and they will come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Or, maybe God is working out in our life some difficulties that we need to see that might be destroying our life and without His intervention we might fall away from the way of the Lord and lose so many blessings God has in store for us. For all of this we need to give thanks. Notice, “in all things God works for your good.” God is a good, good Father and He knows what His children need. Sometimes it is discipline in love (Hebrews 12:5-11,
Hebrews 12:5-11 NIV
) and sometimes it is a pat on the back, with an, “Atta Boy.” Notice too, there is a qualification here. If we are called for the purpose of God in our life, that is if we are a Christian, then God has called us and if we love Him. Each of us who have accepted the Lord Jesus as Savior and Lord and then lives a life that expresses that you love God through you fellowship with Him, and if you obey His commandments then you are included in this promise and you should be giving thanks to your God.. Jesus said in John 15:9-14,
John 15:9-14 NIV
Looking at these words Jesus said helps us to see that we are loved by Him and He desires that we love Him in return, remain in Him and follow His commands and if we do, then we will do what He says. His promise that He will work everything out for our good is predicated on the fact that we are first called of Him and then He declares the definition of how you love Him. Are you called of Him? Do you love Jesus the way He defines loving Him? Take time to think about that right now.
Are you convinced that you fulfill those requirements? I declare today that I am called of God for His purpose and that I love Him by His scriptural definition of loving Him. I believe He then will work out all things for my good, no matter what those things are. Do you believe this? What is my response to be? I am to give thanks in all circumstances!
Helen Keller was an American educator, advocate for the blind and deaf and co-founder of the ACLU. Stricken by an illness at the age of 2, Keller was left blind and deaf. Beginning in 1887, Keller's teacher, Anne Sullivan, helped her make tremendous progress with her ability to communicate, and Keller went on to college, graduating in 1904. During her lifetime, she received many honors in recognition of her accomplishments. ( Biography)
Helen’s life was not easy. If you would check on the movie “The Miracle Worker” you can get a glimpse of the difficulty of her life. But, the difficulty didn’t stop there. Even as an educated adult she still had trouble with prejudice people regarding her disabilities. Even thinking about her life, I have seen some of her comments are challenging and I think relate to our subject of making it through the troubled times with thanksgiving. Here are just a few.
So much has been given to me that I have no time to ponder that which I don't have.
Faith is the strength by which a shattered world shall emerge into the light.
Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.
Jeremiah 16:19 NIV
Isaiah 43:1-5 NIV
Thank God -
2. Not for your problems, but for the strength He is building in you through the difficult experiences of your life.
Jeremiah surely knew struggles and trials. Here he delivers a special message to all who are overwhelmed with life’s experiences. He says we need to remember that God is strengthening our lives through those difficult times and our trials that come our way. I say thank Him for that! Through those problems He is building you up in your faith and He desires that we trust in Him. In those stressful times, God becomes one’s refuge, fortress and strength. We can trust in Him to be with us and carry us through as well as provide a quiet and safe place during those trials. A refuge is a place where animals or birds can go to keep safe and from harm from those who might seek to hurt them.
I love the passage out of Isaiah 43. The prophet surely knows the Lord well and can instruct us on who God is for those of us going through the most difficult times of our lives. Notice, God states who He is and who we are. He says that we are not to fear and that He knows our name and He has already redeemed us. He states three kinds of trouble that we go through: 1)When you pass through the waters, 2) when you pass through the rivers and 3) When you walk through the fire. For each of these God declares His presence and help. He will be there with you, He will not let the waters sweep over you and you will not be burned or the flames will not put you ablaze. God is so capable to meet whatever need you have and show His power in it all. How can that happen? He is God Almighty and He loves you and you are precious to Him. He claims you His and He wants you to know that in the middle of all the sorrow and trouble He is there with you! Our hearts are to express thanks to the One who carries us in and through our troubles.
Through it all, God desires that we trust Him and thank Him for His will to be done even if it hurts us and does not look like He loves us.
Andrae Crouch wrote a song many years ago that explains what I am trying to say.
Through It All
I've had many tears and sorrows,
I've had questions for tomorrow,
there's been times I didn't know right from wrong.
But in every situation,
God gave me blessed consolation,
that my trials come to only make me strong.
Through it all,
through it all,
I've learned to trust in Jesus,
I've learned to trust in God.
Through it all,
through it all,
I've learned to depend upon His Word.
I've been to lots of places,
I've seen a lot of faces,
there's been times I felt so all alone.
But in my lonely hours,
yes, those precious lonely hours,
Jesus lets me know that I was His own
Through it all,
through it all,
I've learned to trust in Jesus,
I've learned to trust in God.
Through it all,
through it all,
I've learned to depend upon His Word.
I thank God for the mountains,
and I thank Him for the valleys,
I thank Him for the storms He brought me through.
For if I'd never had a problem,
I wouldn't know God could solve them,
I'd never know what faith in God could do.
Through it all,
through it all,
I've learned to trust in Jesus,
I've learned to trust in God.
Through it all,
through it all,
I've learned to depend upon His Word.
God says that there will be times of sorrow and trouble but we still need to give thanks to Him because He loves us and He will not let anything happen to us that is not a part of His plan for our life.
Romans 8:35-39 NIV
Thank God -
3. Because you can be sure that God’s perfect love will see you through.
There is nothing better than the perfect love of God. What Paul writes about in this Roman passage is that God’s love overcomes all obstacles in the life of the believer who love God and are called according to His purpose. What kinds of problems can we be assured of His love and care: trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, sword, death, life, angels, demons, height, depth, or nothing in all creation will be able to separate any believer from God Himself! What else can we imagine? Our God desires that in all things we are to give thanks to Him for who He is and what He can do or has done for us.God can, through any experience, remind us that He is in charge. He does want us to respond though with a thankful heart.
J. Vernon McGee tells this story.
As I write this, he says, there is a great deal of nonsense being promoted which I call sloppy agape. I heard recently, "Just say to everybody, 'I love you.'" My friend, if you don't love them, don't say it. If you do love them, show it.”
Dr. Howard Kelly was a great surgeon and a great obstetrician. He wrote in the field of obstetrics, and his works were classic among doctors for a long time. He was also a great Christian, a wonderful man of God. The story is told of his taking a walk in the country outside the city of Baltimore in one of those lovely rural areas. He became thirsty and stopped at a farmhouse to ask for a drink of water. A little girl answered the door. She said that her parents had gone to town and there was no water in the house but there was cold milk down at the spring. Would he like a glass of milk? He said, "I surely would." So he sat on the porch while she got a glass of milk and brought it to him. My, it was delicious! She asked, "Would you like another glass?" He said, "I surely would." So she brought him another glass. He thanked her, then went on his way down the road, thinking what a lovely little girl she was. Not many days later the little girl became sick. She had a pain in her side and was taken to Johns Hopkins Hospital. Who do you suppose was the doctor who came in and examined her? It was Dr. Kelly, and he recognized her as the little girl who had given him the glasses of milk. He performed the necessary surgery and took special care of her. When it was time for her to go home, her parents came for her and waited anxiously for the bill because they didn't have the money to pay for the operation and the hospital costs. When the bill was presented to them, they opened it with trembling hands. Under the total balance was written, "Paid in full with two glasses of milk," signed "Dr. Howard Kelly." This was love in action, and the love he expressed was the fruit of the Spirit, because Dr. Kelly was a wonderful Christian.
We not only need to express thanks to God but also share our love with others telling them or showing thanks for their influence or great deeds toward us. God calls us to do this in our lives too.
Thinking back to our scripture today, Ephesians 5:20 “...always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
In the context of the verse, God is telling us that when we are filled with the Holy Spirit our lives will express a thankful heart to God and others no matter what comes our way, whether good or bad. Can you say that your life radiates that truth? What will it take for you to become like that?Remember in whatever you do and whatever comes your way, give thanks to God because our God is worthy of thanksgiving.
Bring your life before the Lord and let Him know you want Him to fill you with the Holy Spirit. Surrender all you are to Him and confess your need and willingness for your life to be completely His. Pray and ask the Lord now.
If you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ through faith in Him by what He has done at the Cross, then come and pray with me down front. God is ready to accept you when you call on Him.
Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV