2 Tim 2:15 "Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
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GIVING THANKS ALWAYS
LORD’S DAY, OCTOBER 5
1 Thessalonians 1:1-2
1 Thessalonians 5:16-22
“We give thanks to God
always for you all…”
GIVING THANKS ALWAYS
Christians ought to be the most thankful people in the world. As children of God who have been so richly blessed by Him, praise and thanksgiving should come most naturally to us. Like the Apostle Paul, we should be giving thanks to God always for all things.
Paul was a man of prayer. In every epistle that he wrote, he never failed to share the prayers that he had for the church or individuals that he was writing to. God’s testimony of Paul (soon after his salvation) was “behold, he prayeth” (Acts 9:11). In the final epistle that Paul wrote before his death, he shared “that without ceasing I have remembrance of thee in my prayers night and day” (2 Tim 1:3). All through his life, he was continually giving thanks to God, for he knew that all things are of God and are therefore thankworthy.
In like manner, he shared in 1 Thessalonians 1:2 that “we give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers.” He was so thankful to learn of the spiritual progress of the saints in Thessalonica. He knew that it happened not because of man’s efforts, neither did he try to take credit for it. He knew that it was all of God, and therefore all glory should be unto Him. Most naturally, he gave all thanks to God.
As believers, we too must always be quick to thank God for everything that we have in this life. We must always count our blessings, and remember that every good gift and every perfect gift comes from our loving heavenly Father. He delights in our worship and praise of Him, and so our prayers must always begin and end with thanksgiving to Him. We can never thank God too much. Such gratitude will go a long way in helping us to be thankful and contented people.
THOUGHT: When was the last time I truly expressed my thankfulness unto God for all that He has done for me?
PRAYER: Father, help me to be thankful always for all things.