The Object of Thanks

During the Thanksgiving season we are often encouraged to be thankful and that is a good biblical principle.  The Bibe says, “Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (I Thessalonians 5:18). If you examine the New International Version (NIV) translation of the Bible, you will discover that the words “give” and “thanks" are repeated together 33 times.  In nearly all these cases “thanks” is more than just having a thankful attitude.  There is an object towards which thankfulness is directed.  You would assume that the object of thanks would be people.  Why?  Because people give gifts, do nice things for others, or express words of encouragement.  Common sense tells us that we should be thankful for what others do for us.  However, the object towards which we should be thankful in the verses with the two words mentioned is the Lord.  For example, “Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever” (Psalm 107:1).

In these verses there are a number of occasions where thanks to the Lord is accompanied with worship.  The Bible says, “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.  My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song” (Psalm 28:7).  Singing to God is a way to worship.  Scirpture also says, “I will give thanks to the Lord because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High” (Psalm 7:17). These “give thanks” verses identify several important actions that all of us can take this Thanksgiving season.

1)    Direct your thanks toward God.  You might thank the Lord for His provision for you – the food you enjoy, the air you breathe, the family of which you are a part, the salvation He provides for you, the forgiveness of your sins, or the many blessings you receive from God.

2)    Include worship as you give thanks.  Praise God, as you speak, sing or as you hum a tune.  A church service would be a good place for you to worship God.  However, wherever you are – at home, at work, or on a long walk – let a hymn or words of praise flow through your mind or be on your lips as you hum or sing or pray.  If you sing, do not worry about singing on key; just make a “joyful noise” (Psalm 100:1) before the Lord.

3)    Give thanks whatever is happening to you.  You may be discouraged and lonely or “down and out.”  Even if you find yourself in these circumstances, there are many things for which to thank God like the rain that provides refreshment, the sunshine you enjoy, the cool breeze on your face.  Let’s make the Lord the object of our thanksgiving.

This year take time to think about how your giving of thanks can be focused on God.  Let the things for which you are thankful be saturated with the Lord who is the object of your faith. 

Christmas Giving

At Christmas time you will probably experience love, joy, peace, music, excitement, anticipation, decorations, and greetings.  However, what is experienced, far more than anything else, is the act of giving.  We give gifts to those we love and appreciate, and of course, giving brings joy, excitement, and anticipation. Examining the Biblical Christmas Story reveals many elements of giving.

First, God gave.  The act of giving at Christmas began with the wonderful gift of God’s son, the Lord Jesus Christ.  This giving is explained in John’s gospel which says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).  God gave his son.

Second, the Angel gave.  The angel that appeared to the shepherds on the Judean hillside gave the great news of the birth of Jesus Christ.  The gospel of Luke tells us, “An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.” (Luke 2:9-11).  The angel gave good news.

Third, the Shepherds gave.  After hearing the good news, we are told that the shepherds “Hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them” (Luke 2:16-18).  Then the shepherds gave by spreading the word about the birth of the Savior.  The shepherds gave words of inspiration.

Fourth, the Magi gave.  Not only did the Magi come from the east, but they came with a purpose – to worship the Savior and to present him gifts.  Scripture says, “They saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh” (Matthew 2;11).  The Magi gave gifts and worship.

As we give gifts to family and friends this year, let’s take time to think about Jesus, who should be the focus of our giving.  He is the reason that we celebrate Christmas.  He is the gift that was given.  Through Him we have been offered eternal life.  “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).  And, this wonderful gift can be ours by believing in Christ and personally receiving him into our lives. “Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God” (John 1:12).

The Glory Due His Name

What is it that God wants you and me to do?  More than anything else, God wants us to live our lives so that He receives glory.  Three verses of scripture express this thought through the phrase “the glory due his name.”

1) "Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name.  Bring an offering and come before him; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness.” (I Chronicles 16:29).

2) Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness” (Psalm 29:2).

3) “Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts” (Psalm 96:8).

The underlined words in the above verses indicate exactly what you and I need to do to give God credit for who He is and what He has done for us.  We are to:

• “Bring an offering” – No one should come into God’s presence without bringing something.  This gift acknowledges that everything – including oneself – belongs to God.
• “Come before Him” – To come is God’s call suggesting that He is a personal God and desires that people enter His presence.  Because Christ died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, we become the righteousness of God when we put our trust in Him.
• “Worship Him” – Since God is worthy of all praise and honor, we should acknowledge his graciousness and goodness as we lift his name in praise and thanksgiving.
• “Come into His courts” – To be in God’s courts means to be in His presence, and we can do so no matter where we are.  However, in a gathering of God’s people (like at a church) we corporately worship him.

Each action above is an extension of oneself to God to lift the Lord up and give Him the glory that is due His name.  As you reflect on these thoughts ask yourself:

1)      What action have I taken that ascribes to the Lord the glory due his name?

2)      Have I brought an offering that suggests that I belong to God?

3)    In what ways have I worshiped God through expressing my praise of him?

4)    Have I come into God’s presence to simply spend time with Him?

We ought to think carefully about God and act each day to make sure that we ascribe to the Lord the glory that is due His name.

Praising God

Many people praise God, but most who do so have not thought about praising Him in places other than where they go to worship.  Obviously, the church, synagogue, or temple is a place to praise the Lord.  However, we need to be aware that we can, and we should, praise God anywhere and at any time.  Generally, praise is the expression of warm approval or admiration of someone or for something special they have done.  Christian praise is considered an expression of gratitude and respect towards God because of His goodness and the blessings He has provided for us.

The six verses of Psalm 150 expand on Christian praise. They explain a lot to us about praise and help us understand aspects related to the worship of God.  In this Psalm we learn the following:

1)      Places to Praise the Lord.  We are told that we should praise God “in His sanctuary” and “in His mighty heavens” (verse 1).  Although we may often think of praise as happening in a church building, praise can be expressed to God anywhere in the whole earth where God has displayed His power.

2)      Things for which to Praise God.  The psalm identifies “His acts of power” and “His surpassing greatness” as things for which to praise God (verse 2).  God orders and controls all the forces of nature and His divine power stands behind His greatness.

3)      Instruments with which to Praise God.  Many different instruments can be used for bringing praise to God (verses 3-5).  A few of the nine instruments noted in these verses include “trumpet, harp, strings and cymbals.”  It is important to remember that the praise is not in the instruments themselves, it is in the hearts of the people who use these and other instruments as they worship the Lord.

4)      Persons and Things should be United in Praise to God.  “Everything that has breath” should be involved in praising the Lord (verse 6).  If you have breath, you should use it to express your praise to the wonderful God who created you.

The Psalmist concludes Psalm 150 by saying, “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord.” (verse 6).  Maybe it is time for all of us to evaluate our expressions of praise to God including how, where and with what we offer our gratitude and show our respect to Him.  Are you ready to praise the Lord?

The Beginning of Thanksgiving

During the month of November we celebrate Thanksgiving Day.  Have you ever wondered where the tradition of giving thanks began?  Throughout history many groups, including the people of Israel, have celebrated a bountiful harvest with a thanksgiving ceremony.  One of the festivals the Israelites celebrated had three different names.  It was called the Feast of Tabernacles, the Feast of Booths, or the Feast of Ingathering.  This feast marked the completion of the harvest and commemorated the wanderings of the Israelites in the wilderness.  Along with other feasts, this feast did several things.

• It preserved the religious faith of the nation and the unity among the people.
• It was a constant reminder of the way God had delivered them from difficulties in the past.
• It promoted gratitude to God among the people and acknowledged their trust in Him as their wonderful Provider.
• It gave an opportunity for the Children of Israel to show reverence for God.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving this year, let’s be reminded of the opportunity we have in this great country of ours to exercise our faith and worship God.  Let’s thank God for the way He constantly delivers us and preserves us, even through difficulties.  And let’s commit ourselves to exercise our trust in God Almighty, maker of heaven and earth.  Calvin Coolidge, the 30^th President of the United States, said the following in one of his Thanksgiving proclamations.  “We have been a favored people; we ought to be a grateful people.  We have been a most blessed people; we ought to be a most thankful people.”

Psalm 100 was written as a psalm for giving thanks.  As you participate in Thanksgiving activities this season, let this psalm be the expression of your heart to God: “Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.  Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.  Know that the LORD is God.   It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.  Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.  For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” (Ps 100:1-5)

What God Requires

If someone were to ask you, “Does God require anything of you?” you would probably answer “no.”  Most likely your answer would be based on the fact that you live in America and as a U.S. citizen you have freedom to do as you like.  However, apart from that you may be surprised to know that the correct answer to this question should be “yes.”  God does require something of us.  Those people who call themselves "Christian" so effortlessly think about all the good things that God does for them. However, they so easily forget that God might require something of them.  Here is what the Scripture says. “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God ask (require) of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good?” (Deuteronomy 10:12-13).

This verse contains five excellent attitudes and actions that God required of the Children of Israel.  These requirements are the same things that God wants from everyone.  Let’s examine these five requirements more carefully.

1)    “To Fear the Lord.”  To fear God is to have a deep respect, reverence, and awe for who He is and for His divine power and authority.  Ecclesiastes 12:13 reminds everyone to, “Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind.”

2)    “To Walk in in obedience to God.”  To walk in God’s ways is to live uprightly by being obedient to what pleases God and by living the way He wants us to live.  Jeremiah made the decision for the people and himself when he said, “We will obey the Lord our God to whom we are sending you, so that it will go well with us for we will obey the Lord our God” (Jeremiah 42:6).

3)    “To Love God.”  To love God is to do all one can to desire Him above everything else and to intimately know Him by making Him the highest priority in life. Mark 12:30 makes loving God clear when it says, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength."

4)    “To Serve the Lord.”  To serve God is to demonstrate by our actions that we acknowledge Him wholeheartedly and allow everything we do – how we live, what we think, and what we say – to be an act of service to God.  In Luke 4:8 Jesus reminded Satan of the focus of service when he said, “It is written: ‘Worship the Lord your god and serve him only."

5)    “Observe the Lord’s commands.”  To keep God’s commands is to not only understand what those commands are, but to completely obey everything that God has decreed.  It was God who told Moses, “Observe the commands of the Lord your God, walking in obedience to him and revering him” (Deuteronomy 8:6).

So, how are you doing with what God requires of you?  As you look at these five requirements which one is easiest for you to carry out?  Which one is hardest for you to do?  I challenge you to ask yourself the following questions about each requirement. (1)   Do I constantly fear God?  (2) Is the way I am living pleasing to God?  (3)  Is it my deepest desire to intimately know God? (4)  How am I demonstrating my service to God?  (5) Do I delight to obey what God says?

 

Love and Worship

Because of Valentine’s Day most people think about “love” during the month of February.  It is interesting that the word “love” has a synonym for it and that word is "worship".  Here's what God’s Word says about the connection of love and worship.  In the Old Testament the prophet Isaiah said, “Foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord to serve him, to love the name of the Lord, and to worship him, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to your covenant—these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer” (Isaiah 56:6-7).

All people are acceptable to God.  Their acceptance is based on service, love and worship of the Lord, respect for the Sabbath, and adherence to the teachings of God’s Word.  Among other things this suggests that if we are to worship God we must also love Him.  Jesus reminded his hearers that the greatest commandment was to: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” and “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37, 39).

All of these verses seem to imply that love is crucial and when it is directed towards God worship should also be included.  A suggestion or challenge for you and me during the month of February is to take time to evaluate our lives and action.  Do we love both people and God?  You might ask yourself, “What have I done to show my love for others?  What have I done to express my love for God?”  You might also ask, “Has my love for God included worship?”  Maybe when we worship God, whether in the privacy of our own home or in a gathered assembly, our thoughts should be focused on both love and worship.