And be ye thankful. Colossians 3:15 C
In the place of anxiety, worry, unnecessary carefulness of taking thoughts for what could have been or what should be, murmuring, self pity weeping or whining, give thanks for the situation you found yourself unto God who is beautiful for every situation to manage and redefine and rearrange the unsuitable event (s) in your life. It become a sin if you are not thankful in good or bad times, in summer or winter, spring time or autumn, days of joy or sorrow, days of prosperity or adversity, in sickness or good health, for the food you eat and the water you drink, when you go out and come back home, when you sleep and wake up the next day, give thanks to the Father for all things through our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:19.
Though chance and time happens to everything in life, nothing is by chance in this world, especially in your life as a child of God, but all things are order and direct by him who rules from heaven among the sons of men, he changes times and season. Therefore, conscious giving of thanks is the will of God, a non – interrupted believer’s way of life in any season of life – in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus, concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5:17.
Giving of thanks at all times for all things is your emotional reaction and verbal declaration of appreciating God’s presence and operations in your life, showing your submissive behavior in reaction and responsive expression to whatever God is doing or allows to happens in your life in agreement to whom God is (a) as the Sovereign Creator with whom there is no rising up, no questioning, protestation or hardening of heart against his will and doings – then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped. Job 1:28: (b) because of the present preservation of our being – the living dog is better than a dead lion – give thanks: (c) because of the salvation of your soul – rejoice for your name is written in the book of life: (d) because of the privilege of relationship and fellowship with the Father, Son and the Holy Spirit – giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son. Colossians 1:12-13.
Thanksgiving should be our first word whenever we come before the throne of grace (serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. Psalms 100:2-4), exalting the God of all grace for access and privilege to worship and dialogue with him.
Thanksgiving should be the last word before we leave the throne of grace and the place of prayer, showing and expressing steadfast faith before him that answers prayers – continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving. Colossians 4:2. Note. Is not our sufficiency of God? Those who will not fail to give God the glory and praises due unto his name will give thanks always for all things. They will not receive any praise or glory attributes to them by the working of God’s good hand upon them, but will acknowledges him as the source of all good things. They will not take credit for been a blessing to others, nor sit on other’s head for helping them, but owns God as their righteousness, thankful for the favor to be an instrument of good works, but they as an unprofitable servant, who is just doing his work – offer unto God thanksgiving. Psalms 50:14.
God never stop to work in us until he perfect everything concerning us. True believers grows in Christ through implicit obedience and by unceasing act of giving thanks for his continuous works, considering that God is at work in them both to will and do according to bis good pleasure – as ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. Colossians 2:6-7.
The kingdom of God is joy in the Holy Ghost. Romans 14:17. Whatever the devil throws against the spirit filled believer will not work because he will not charge God for evil, but will give thanks while he rejoices in hope that all things will work out for his good at the end. The discovery of this truth will only produce correspondence action to move a believer into a life of constant thankfulness or thanksgiving. Is not the work of righteousness peace, assurance and quietness forever? Isaiah 32:17.
What else can anyone desired in this restless world above peace, joy and quietness? Who will not be thankful always unto God for all things than the sinners in Zion, their heart is filled with constant fear of the uncertainty of the present and future, unto whom he has given sorrow and vexation of spirit? They are not only ungrateful to men, even unto God, like the children of Israel were blinded by dis-content spirit against the good acts and tender mercies of God towards them, but murmured, complained, wept and were slain for their ungratefulness.
Be ye thankful. This is a direct command for constant expression of acknowledgement and appreciation of the great redemptive work accomplished by Christ on the cross of Calvary to purchase our salvation and prepare for us a place in heaven: by him – Christ therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. Hebrews 3:15.
Be ye thankful, if indeed the Son has set you free from the heavy bondage and grievous slavery of sin into his easy yoke and light burden – oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing. Psalms 107:21-22. Note: those who will not be thankful for all things before God will not come into his rest nor see the light that will arise for the righteous out of darkness. They will not obtain mercy and find help to walk through and come out of their trouble waters and fire, at the end, he will not be glorified in their situation as the result of their faithless response to crisis. Psalms 112:4.
Be grateful unto God for all that you have received in the past through prayer. Be thankful for what you are about to receive in prayer. Be thankful for what will be given in the future through prayer – be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Philippians 4:6.
Christ was at the cave by the tomb where Lazarus was laid to rest in his death. Though he grieved for his friend, but was not mentally and morally weakened to forget the first thing before God in prayer in which was thanksgiving…..Father, I thank you that has heard me. And I knew that thou hear me always…. John 11:42-43.
While some of the mourners murmured and accused him of insensitivity to the sickness of Lazarus until his death, he focused and composed himself to give thanks to God that hears prayer, before he exercised authority over the spirit of death to bring his friend back to life. Was Mary not bowed down on her feet when she met the Lord at his arrival at Bethany to comfort her and her sister Martha for their brother’s death? John 11:32. Let no situation rob you of your right sense of understanding and worshipful spirit in the time of sorrow to forget not to give thanks unto him who can bring water out of the rock and river in your desert.
If we have faith in the Sovereignty of him whose kingdom rules over all, believing on what God is doing on earth, as obedient children, it is our first duty, in our daily prayers, to give thanks before him for all men – I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; for kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. 1Timothy 2:1-6.
Moreover, thankfulness is not limited to constant verbal expression unto him whose mercy endures forever. Believers should walk and live as those who are truly appreciative and grateful to God for all that he has done, will do, and will continue to for us in Christ Jesus. Those who are practically thankful for their salvation will not forsake their own mercy to observe lying vanity, but will renounce every hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but will defend the truth and earnestly contend for the faith once delivered unto the saints.
Let your life and consecration, zeal and obedience provoke or challenge others unto love and obedience with good works unto God as your deepest behavioral gratitude to him. Those who are truly thankful to God for the light given and grace received will walk in the light as children of light, living in such a way that thanksgiving will be offered unto God for their life: for what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God. 1 Thessalonians 3:9.
God want to see a thankful behavioral of a gospel like lifestyle in us, lest we become unthankful children by the way and manner we’re living out the Christian life. Is it not an unthankful behavior if ay do have a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof? Will he accept the person of such? Has he not instructs us to turn away from such ungrateful brethren? Surely, conformity to the world is not the way to be thankful to the Lord, but a betrayal of his sacrificial love and atonement work. Where is the behavioral and lifestyle of gratitude to God if the earth (believer’s spiritual lifestyle and moral behavior) that drinks of the rain that comes often upon it should bear thorns and briers, instead of bringing forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed? Should such not be cursed, rejected and destroyed by the Lord at the end according to his word? Hebrews 6:7-8.
Was Haggai, Sarah’s Egyptian housemaid thankful through comportment shown before her mistress after she conceived by Abraham? Was Hazael, king of Samaria thankful by actions, considering his humble beginning as a servant who by chance ascends to the throne? Haggai, Sarah’s maid was conceited and rebellious to her mistress, while Hazael was oppressive, wicked and a murderer, but both were severely punished by God. Neither God, nor the earth, can bear the ungrateful behavior of a servant who becomes king and a fool when he is filled with meat; or an odious woman when she is married; or an handmaid that is heir to her mistress. Proverbs 30:21-23.
Jonathan, the son of King Saul, to be re-assured that David will be grateful for all his goodness towards him through loving and kind response to his generation after him, made him to swear an oath of the Lord. We must practically show gratitude of all the mercies we’re receiving from God before him, by extending the same mercies and love toward others: otherwise, we shall be judged and condemned and rejected like the wicked servant who was forgiven a thousand talents debt, but could not be patient for his fellow servant owing him an hundred talents debt until he can repay, but hurriedly put him in prison – be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32.
It is hypocrisy, a slap on the Lord’s face, betrayal, and a lifestyle of ungratefulness, if anyone who is called by his name his caught up with the love of the world – Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth: for the Lord hath spoken, I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me. The ox knows his owner and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. Isaiah 1:2-4.
Those who truly appreciate Christ sufferings and his death on their stead, will not only express it verbally to thank God ceaseless for his love to send his Son to die for us (by him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. Hebrews 13:15), but will follow Christ that sanctify them out of the camp, being saved and having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lusts, will practically come out of it to separate themselves from the lusts therein (1 John 2:15-17), not in any friendship with the world (James 4:4), or in conformity to any of its culture and standards of their vain lifestyles (Romans 12:1-2), but will sanctify the Lord in their hearts, lifestyles and daily walk, lest they be defiled by the iniquity of Babylon – wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. Hebrews 13: 12-14.