11-25-20   THOUGHTS

1Chron 16:34    O give thanks to the LORD, for [He is] good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting.
We should live as a thankful people.  Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day.  So is every day!
A prayer as Israel willingly amassed a fortune to build the Temple.
1Chron 29:10-16    So David blessed the LORD in the sight of all the assembly; and David said, "Blessed are You, O LORD God of Israel our father, forever and ever. 11  "Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, indeed everything that is in the heavens and the earth; Yours is the dominion, O LORD, and You exalt Yourself as head over all. 12  "Both riches and honor come from You, and You rule over all, and in Your hand is power and might; and it lies in Your hand to make great and to strengthen everyone. 13  "Now therefore, our God, we thank You, and praise Your glorious name. 14  "But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer as generously as this? For all things come from You, and from Your hand we have given You. 15  "For we are sojourners before You, and tenants, as all our fathers were; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope. 16  "O LORD our God, all this abundance that we have provided to build You a house for Your holy name, it is from Your hand, and all is Yours.
Ps 79:13   So we Your people and the sheep of Your pasture Will give thanks to You forever; To all generations we will tell of Your praise.
Ps 100:4   Enter His gates with thanksgiving [And] His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
Ps 116:17  To You I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving, And call upon the name of the LORD.
Jonah 2:9  But I will sacrifice to You With the voice of thanksgiving. That which I have vowed I will pay. Salvation is from the LORD."
A search of thanksgiving in the early part of the bible finds thanksgiving connected to sacrifice. Cost and return to God from His bounty is the idea.  It’s a connection between the Receiver and the Giver.  It is EXPRESSED GRATEFULNESS!  I hope we are teaching our children to say “thanks”?  God surely taught his children to express thanksgiving!
1Cor 15:57   but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Col 3:15-17   Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16  Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17  Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
1Thes 5:18   in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

My Prayer:
It is right for us to give thanks to you Oh God.  When we consider all that we have at your hand, we are awed.  You sustain us day by day. We rise in hope because of your grace and mercy in Christ Jesus.  Your love is ever present in our lives.  We are sure that things will end as you have said. Remind us each morning that you let us live, that we are just passing through this world.
In Jesus name             Amen