Thanksgiving From The Bible Pt. 12 Cast Off Anxiety, Rejoice In Christ. Pray With Thanksgiving

We have been studying about thanksgiving from a Biblical perspective. We want to know what it means to give thanks to God and we are learning many wonderful truths that must impact us.  

Rejoicing in the Lord is an expression of thanksgiving. 

Philippians 4:4   Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. 

True joy and a rejoicing heart comes from a consistent focus upon Jehovah. How could it be otherwise? 

Jehovah is the covenant keeping God who always does what He promises to do for us. He is the God of lovingkindness and His heart of love and patience for us will never change. 

He is the omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent God of eternity. Yet, He will dwell with those who have humble hearts and contrite spirits (Isaiah 57:15).

To rejoice is to have a heart that overflows with happiness and gladness because of knowing Jesus Christ and loving Him. Rejoicing often accompanies spiritual growth, for the more we learn about all that Jesus did for us, the more joy we have. 

Thus, thanksgiving includes rejoicing in the Lord, from our hearts, with minds that are saturated with His holy truth. 

Thanksgiving comes from meditating on God's Word. 

Psalm 104:33,34  I will sing unto the LORD as long as I live: I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. 34)  My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the LORD. 

We learn to take great delight in the LORD, knowing that He will always do what is right, good and best for us (Psalm 37:4). Singing praise to Jehovah is the same as rejoicing in the Lord. 

Both the Psalmist and the apostle Paul are calling us to a different kind of life. A life that is noteworthy because we refuse to murmur, grumble or complain about everything. 

Instead we find a full contentment and happiness in God, no matter how challenging or good our circumstances may be. We can rejoice in hard times as well as in good times. This is thanksgiving to God that is an acceptable offering to Him.

We are called to have a spirit of moderation. 

Philippians 4:5  Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 

Moderation is a word that refers to having a mild disposition, and being patient and gentle toward others. 

Moderation is a spirit that refuses to become combative over things that do not matter. It is meekness when  provoked and a readiness to forgive the injuries others have done to us. 

The command to have moderation in our dealings with other people is based upon the imminent return of Jesus Christ. We are reminded that He is coming back and will judge all believers at that time. 

Thus, we will give an account of our service and stewardship to Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11-17). This provides ample motivation for each of us to seek moderation in our own spirit. 

Jesus Christ is the pattern for believers to follow. 

1 Peter 2:21-23  For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: 22)  Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 23)  Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: 

The apostle Peter tells us that we are called to follow Jesus Christ's example. We are to follow in His steps. 

Jesus did not ever sin. He never spoke with guile, or hypocrisy or deceit. The religious leaders hated Christ and they heaped abuse and reproached Him. 

Yet, Jesus did not become angry or threatening or explosive. He displayed a meek and gentle spirit, even though He could have made them undone with a mere word. 

We are exhorted to be moderate in spirit because this was the example of our Lord Jesus Christ, When He was verbally reviled, He did not respond in kind. His Spirit was marked by meekness, gentleness and patience (Matthew 11:25-30). 

All too often, we can easily be impatient with others, or we respond with anger when things do not go the way we planned. 

We can become self absorbed instead of focused upon God, and this spawns a selfish spirit, instead of one marked by moderation.  

When we are giving thanks to God for all His goodness to us, we will find a moderate spirit forming in us, by the ministry of God's Spirit. 

Let our prayers be filled with thanksgiving. 

Philippians 4:6  Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 

God through His apostle tells us to not be consumed with anxiety. Given the depravity and God defiant nature of our culture, many people, and many believers may struggle with anxiety. Yet, we are told not to be overwhelmed with it. 

God already told us that this present evil world is going to become increasingly bad. Our mission is still the same and our hope is in heaven, not in the plans of men. 

In His sermon on the mount, Jesus tells us  to "take no thought" for what we eat, what we drink, or what we wear because our Father in heaven knows our needs and will supply them. 

The words "take no thought" mean not to become anxious or filled with anxiety. This is what Paul is telling us to do. We must avoid anxious care and distracting thought as we deal with the wants and difficulties of life.

Instead we are to turn to our Father with prayers and supplications because He will hear us and help us. 

A "prayer" is telling our Father about what our immediate needs are, while "supplication" means continuing in earnest prayers to the Father. 

Our prayers, requests and supplications are to be offered to God with thanksgiving. Why? Because we have confidence that our Father will hear us and that He will help us as He promised to do. 

When any thing burdens our spirits, we must ease our minds by prayer. When our affairs are perplexed or distressed, we must seek direction and support from our Father

Thanksgiving to God is an act of rendering thanks or expressing gratitude for His grace and mercy toward us. We can remember His past mercies and this fills our heart with gratitude. 

Thoughts to Ponder...

Thanksgiving is connected with rejoicing in the Lord, for all of His love and goodness to us. 

Thanksgiving is continual rejoicing because God is so good to us and patient with us. 

A thankful heart will form in us as we meditate on God and His Word. 

A thankful heart will form in us as we learn to follow in the footsteps of Jesus and as the Spirit of God builds moderation into our character. 

Let each one of us resolve to put all of our anxieties, fears and worries upon our Lord, for He tells us to cast all our cares upon Him, because He cares for us. 

Let us then pray earnestly, sincerely expressing our needs to our Father and trusting Him to supply them. 

Let us bring prayers that are filled with thanksgiving for His abundant provision for both our physical life and our spiritual life. 

Bob