“Thanks” and “JOY” come from the same Greek root word. Therefore “THANKS” is expressing Joy. 

  • A THANKFUL HEART- IS A JOYFUL HEART BRIMMING OVER WITH THANKSGIVING. 
  • A THANKLESS HEART IS A – JOYLESS HEART- BRIMMING OVER WITH COMPLAINING AND DISATISFACTION

THE word “Thanks,” – Originally it meant – A THANKFUL ATTITUDE. Later it came to Mean- The EXPRESSION of THANKS.  In the Scriptures Thanks is seldom giving from one person to another. Usually one person GIVES THANKS TO GOD for Another person. Thus, the Glory and the Thanks are due mainly to God not to other people.

The English Preacher John Henry Jowett once wrote , “Every Virtue Divorced from Thankfulness is Maimed and Limps Along the Spiritual road.” 

Helen Keller- a bright and shining example of Godly Living said, “Three things I thank God for every day of my life; Thanks that He has vouchsafed me knowledge of His Works; Deep thanks He has set in the darkness the lamp of faith; Deep, deepest thanks that I have another life to look forward- a life joyous with light and flowers and heavenly song.” Helen Keller was born both Blind and deaf- and yet she made the Choice to be Thankful!

 SCRIPTURE VERSES ON THANKFULNESS TO GOD

God’s Will is that you be Saying Thanks continually; {1 Thess 5:18}

It is the will of God for you at this moment irrespective of your circumstances that you be a thankful individual.

Did you know there is no one outside of you that can stop you from making the choice to obey the command to be thankful?

You are not only commanded to be thankful, you have the capacity to be thankful, it comes down to a choice of loves. Do you love Him enough to obey His command and chose to be thankful? Gods people, including you should be marked by thankfulness, a people who express gratitude, His will is that you be saying thanks continually. I Thessalonians 5:18, “in every thing give thanks for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

THANKSGIVING GLORIFIES GOD. Do you remember the story about the 10 lepers when Jesus told them He would heal them? And as they went on the way, they were healed. And one came back, and Jesus said, “Where are the other 9? Has only one returned to glorify God?” How did he glorify God? He was thankful. -{Luke 17:11-19}

Who is to be the FOCUS of Thanksgiving? GOD IS to Be!! God is to be The OBJECT OF OUR THANKS GIVING. Psalm  100:3-4 says, – “Give thanks to Him; …”

What  should you be Thankful To God For?

Thankful to Him for His…

A. GOODNESS– 1 Chron 16:34 “ O  Give thanks to the Lord for He is GOOD, for His Lovingkindness is everlasting.”
Thank  Him for His...

B. VICTORY – 1 Cor 15:57 – “But THANKS BE TO  GOD who GIVES us the VICTORY through our Lord Jesus Christ.” – Victory over sin, satan and death…
Thank  God for His…

C. SALVATION – 2 Cor 9:15 – “Thanks Be  TO GOD for  His Indescribable gift.”
 Give thanks to Him for…

D. CHANGED LIVES– 2 Thes 1:3 – “We ought  ALWAYS TO GIVE THANKS TO GOD for you brethren, as is only fitting, BECAUSE your faith is Greatly enlarges and the love of each one of you toward one another GROWS even Greater.”
Give thanks to Him for…

E. Other Christians/ The Family of God – Phil 1:3 – “  I give  THANKS to God upon every remembrance of You..”
WHY?

F. BEING ABLE TO PARTICIPATE in the gospel with OTHERS. – Phil 1:3 “ I thank my God upon my every remembrance of you all… in view of your PARTICIPATION in the Gospel from the first day until now.”

Reread the above verse and specifically Personalize them such as” Lord I THANK You because You are Good… etc.” and with each giving of thanks to Him you are Glorifying Him and doing His will!