Thanksgiving
Thankfulness in our prayers
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts
with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For
the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth
endures to all generations.
Palsm 100:4-5
He who observes the day, observes it to the Lord; and he who does not
observe the day, to the Lord he does not observe it. He who eats, eats
to the Lord, for he gives God thanks; and he who does not eat, to the
Lord he does not eat, and gives God thanks.
Romans 14:6
Why we are thankful to out Lord?

You and I are promised that "all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be
persecuted" (2 Tim. 3:12). God no longer promises temporal prosperity as He did before
"the kingdom of the heavens" was introduced. Today's believer often experiences poverty
and distress. Suffering for Christ's sake is still to be endured.
"Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for
your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that
you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His
glory, you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are
blessed, because the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you."--1 Peter 4:12-14

But how can we praise God for His wonderful goodness when fiery experiences befall us?
Praise becomes possible when we realize that He permits suffering, anxiety and trouble as
part of our discipline (Heb. 5:8,9, Rom. 6:16, 1 Pet. 1:14, 2 Cor. 10:5). They are permitted
to try us to see of what sort we are. If we are dross (Isa. 1:25, Ezek. 22:18), we will imitate
the Israelites of old. We will weary God with continual complaints.--Num. 14:22, Heb.
3:8,15

Those whom the LORD is pleased to use say: "Thou LORD art my Helper! I thank Thee
that Thou art ever near. I thank Thee for guidance. I thank Thee that the path of suffering
was marked out in advance by our loving burden bearer. I thank Thee that all things
work together for good to those who love Thee and are of the called according to Thy
purpose. I thank Thee for the grace sufficient which is supplied as needed. Enable me to
make use of that grace, so that I may not give way to doubt or despair, or to feelings of
depression. Enable me to take up my cross to follow in the Master's footsteps, and do it
cheerfully."--Heb. 13:6, 1 Pet. 2:19, John 15:20, Rom. 8:28, 2 Cor. 12:9, Matt. 16:24, John
16:33

Such an attitude will surely please God. By it we acknowledge our insufficiency and His
sufficiency. It involves thankful acceptance of His favors. It means trying to show others
that God's grace is real, not a delusion. It means overcoming our natural disposition to
irritability, grumpiness or sulkiness through Jesus' living in us. It means living with a
cheerful countenance as befits the King's children. It is proof that we want to be copies of
God's dear Son. Our imitation of His virtues recommends those virtues to others.--1 Pet.
2:9

We praise the LORD when we diligently respond to "the upward calling of God in Christ
Jesus" (Phil. 3:14). It is wonderful that we are invited to joint-heirship in Jesus' Kingdom
(Rom. 8:17), to live and reign with Him in everlasting glory (2 Tim. 2:12). We show our
appreciation of this calling by zealously making our calling and election sure.--2 Pet. 1:10
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