A.  Why Should I Give Thanks to God?

A1

Because of his great mercy

1 Chronicles 16:34 — Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.

Mercy: {BDB} goodness, kindness, faithfulness {NASEC} compassion, favor, loyalty

This mercy never fails – it endures forever, because it is God’s character, which does not change.

A2

For his glorious creative power

Psalms 19:1 — The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.

A3

Because he hears me

Proverbs 15:29 — The Lord is far from the wicked, But He hears the prayer of the righteous. 

 A4

To achieve deep and lasting peace

Philippians 4:6-7 — Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. 

A5

To do the will of God

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 — Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

u Is it possible to pray without ceasing? Yes, because it doesn’t mean that we must pray 24 hours a day – it means we must be persistent in our prayers and not give up, never stop the practice for prayer. 

A6

Because God is my strength through all adversity

Habakkuk 3:17-19 — Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls - Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength; He will make my feet like deer's feet, And He will make me walk on my high hills.

A7

To glorify God

Psalms 50:23 — Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; And to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God."

B. What Can I Be Thankful For?

B1

God’s Provisions

Matthew 6:31-33 — Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

B2

The gift of eternal life

Romans 6:23 — For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We should be thankful that we do not have to suffer the consequences of our sin, because Jesus has already suffered the consequences of our sin for us.

B3

Victory over death/Satan

1 Corinthians 15:57 — But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

B4

God’s salvation

Psalms 13:5-6 — But I have trusted in Your mercy; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, Because He has dealt bountifully with me.

B5

For spouses, family and friends

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 — Two are better than one, Because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, For he has no one to help him up. Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm; But how can one be warm alone? Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

B6

God’s unchanging nature

James 1:17 — Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.

u Guy N. Woods says this about the phrase “no shadow of turning”:  no obscuring shadow ever falls over God, hiding His goodness. He is ever at the zenith; He occupies the position of the sun at high noon in the steady and unvarying light with which he shines.

B7

Our Savior, Christ Jesus

John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

B8

For our new lives in Christ

2 Corinthians 5:17 — Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

B9

Blessings when persecuted

Matthew 5:11-12 — Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

B10

Testing / proving of our faith

James 1:2-4 — My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

We should be thankful that God tests us from time to time, because that is the best way for use to mature spiritually, to develop patience, to suffer for the Lord, and to be complete in our Christianity.

C.  How Do I Develop An Attitude Of Thankfulness?

C1

Through constant awareness

Psalms 9:1 — I will praise You, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all Your marvelous works.

C2

Through immediacy

Luke 17:15-16 — {the cleansing of the 10 lepers} And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan.

Notice the immediacy of the one leper’s thankfulness – we should thank God immediately when our prayers are answered and not postpone it, lest we forget.

C3

By walking in Christ

Colossians 2:6-7 — As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

We should be thankful for the wonderful role model we have in Jesus.

C4

By staying calm

Colossians 3:15 — And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.

We should be thankful for God’s providence in leading us to the church His son built, the body of Christ, however that may have happened.

C5

Enjoying food

1 Timothy 4:4 — For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving;

D.  How Can I Express My Thankfulness?

D1

By praising God

Psalms 9:2 — I will be glad and rejoice in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.

D2

Knowing God’s Word

Colossians 3:16 — Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

D3

Give generously

2 Corinthians 9:7-8 — So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you, that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have an abundance for every good work.

D4

By forgiving others

Matthew 18:32-33 — Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?'

D5

By mercy and compassion

Matthew 25:40 — And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'

D6

By Obedience

John 14:15 —  If you love Me, keep My commandments.

E.  When Should I Give Thanks To The Lord?

E1

Any Time

Psalms 92:2 — To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, And Your faithfulness every night,

At morning, thankfulness for being given a new day, with new opportunities to serve the Lord.

At night, thankfulness for the blessings we received that day, and reflection on what we could improve on tomorrow.

E2

Before meals

Matthew 15:36 — And He took the seven loaves and the fish and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples; and the disciples gave to the multitude.

E3

At the end of the day

Psalm 63:6 — When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches.

F. What Can I Thank God For In Difficult Times?

F1

The truth of God’s Word

Psalms 138:2 — I will worship toward Your holy temple, And praise Your name For Your lovingkindness and Your truth; For You have magnified Your word above all Your name.

We can praise God for his lovingkindness and his being completely truthful with us – his integrity is perfect.

F2

Victory in Jesus

1 Corinthians 15:57 — But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

F3

God’s grace

Ephesians 2:8 — For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,

F4

The integrity of God’s Word

2 Timothy 3:16-17 — All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

We should always be thankful for God’s divine word, for its clarification of doctrine, for correction when we need it, and for instructing us in the ways of righteousness. Because of it we can be complete and thoroughly equipped to do the work and live the life that God wants us to.

G. Personal Application

In a world where people often focus on what they lack, the Bible invites us to cultivate hearts of thankfulness.  Ask yourself these questions and provide personal answers that you can implement in your life.

G1

Why do I think God wants us to be thankful in all circumstances, even when things are difficult?

My Answer:

G2

How can I practice thankfulness when I don't feel like it?

My Answer:

G3

How does understanding God's goodness and unfailing love inspire thankfulness in my own life?

My Answer:

G4

What are some specific ways I can 'enter His gates with thanksgiving' this week?

My Answer:

G5

How can thankfulness promote peace in my heart and in my relationships with others?

My Answer:

G6

Are there any relationships in my life where expressing more gratitude could foster greater peace?

My Answer:

G7

How does thanking God for what He has already done help me alleviate worry and anxiety?

My Answer:

G8

In what ways can I adopt Philippians 4:6-7 in my life to experience God's peace? 

    Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication,

    with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the

    peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your

    hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

My Answer: