1. By David Turner www.BibleStudies-online.com

2. “ Keep both eyes open to your mercies,” advised Robert Louis Stevenson. “The man who has forgotten to be thankful has fallen asleep in life.”

3. A thankful heart is not only the greatest virtue, but the parent of all the other virtues.

4. A. Thanksgiving was central in Jesus’ prayers Matthew 26:27 (NIV) Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you.

5. A. Thanksgiving was central in Jesus’ prayers Mark 8:6 He told the crowd to sit down on the ground. When he had taken the seven loaves and given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people, and they did so.

6. A. Thanksgiving was central in Jesus’ prayers John 11:41 So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me.

7. B. Thanksgiving was a central part of Paul’s prayers. Romans 1:8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. 1 Corinthians 1:4 4 I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.

8. B. Thanksgiving was a central part of Paul’s prayers. Ephesians 1:15-16 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.

9. B. Thanksgiving was a central part of Paul’s prayers. Philippians 1:3 I thank my God every time I remember you. Colossians 1:3 We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,

10. B. Thanksgiving was a central part of Paul’s prayers. Ephesians 5:20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

11. B. Thanksgiving was a central part of Paul’s prayers. 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

12. C. Thanksgiving should be a central component of our prayers. Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

13. C. Thanksgiving should be a central component of our prayers. 1. Ingratitude is often at the heart of ineffective prayer.

14. A. Thanksgiving is a mark of spiritual vitality. 1. At the core of David’s spiritual vitality was a heart of praise and thanksgiving, recognizing his blessings. 1 Chronicles 16 4 He appointed some of the Levites to minister before the ark of the Lord, to make petition, to give thanks, and to praise the Lord, the God of Israel: … 7 That day David first committed to Asaph and his associates this psalm of thanks to the Lord: 8 Give thanks to the Lord, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. … 34 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. 35 Cry out, “Save us, O God our Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name, that we may glory in your praise.”

15. A. Thanksgiving is a mark of spiritual vitality. 2. There was thanksgiving and spiritual vitality of the nation during Solomon’s reign in times of blessings. 2 Chronicles 7:1-3 1 When Solomon finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. 2 The priests could not enter the temple of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled it. 3 When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the Lord above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground, and they worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, “He is good; his love endures forever.”

16. A. Thanksgiving is a mark of spiritual vitality. 3. Paul gave thanks even in the midst of trials. Philippians 1:3-6 3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

17. A. Thanksgiving is a mark of spiritual vitality. 4. Corrie Ten Boom gave thanks in the midst of trials

18. A. Thanksgiving is a mark of spiritual vitality. B. A lack of gratitude causes spiritual impotence. exp. The Jews lack of gratitude for manna in the desert. C. Ingratitude leads to a downward spiral in depravity.

19. Romans 1:18-25 (NIV) 18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20 For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature— have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. 21 For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. 24 Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25 They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

20. A. WHEN should we give thanks? ALWAYS Ephesians 5:18-20 18 Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. 19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, 20 always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

21. A. WHEN should we give thanks? ALWAYS 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 17 pray continually; 18 give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

22. B. FOR WHAT should we give thanks? For the Creation: It’s provisions, it’s beauty, it’s revelation of the majesty, power, wisdom and goodness of God, and man’s place in the creative order. Psalm 8 (NIV) 1 …. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens. 2 From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. 3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? 5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet: 7 all flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, 8 the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. 9 O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!

23. B. FOR WHAT should we give thanks? For our physical provisions 1 Timothy 4:4-5 4 For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, 5 because it is consecrated by the word of God and prayer.

24. B. FOR WHAT should we give thanks? For the coming Kingdom Isaiah 25:6-9 6 On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine— the best of meats and the finest of wines. 7 On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; 8 he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth. The Lord has spoken. 9 In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

25. B. FOR WHAT should we give thanks? For People, especially for other believers Romans 1:8 8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.

26. B. FOR WHAT should we give thanks? For our salvation and the salvation of others 2 Corinthians 4:14-15 14 because we know that the one who raised the Lord Jesus from the dead will also raise us with Jesus and present us with you in his presence. 15 All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.

27. B. FOR WHAT should we give thanks? Thank God For What You Cannot Loose. Romans 8:35–39 (ESV) 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

28. B. FOR WHAT should we give thanks? Thank God For What You Cannot Loose. Eternal life (Jn. 10:28) Forgiveness (1 Jn. 1:9) God’s presence (Heb. 13:5) Access to the Lord through prayer (Heb. 4:15–16).

29. C. TO WHOM should we give thanks? To God To People: Parents Friends Teachers Others

30. D. HOW should we give thanks? With our lips: In prayers, psalms and hymns. With letters With our giving 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 (NIV) 6 Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. …. 12 This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.

31. D. HOW should we give thanks? With our lips: In prayers, psalms and hymns. With letters With our giving With our lives (service) Romans 12:1 1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

32. JOY – Rejoicing in what you have and who you are, instead of gripping about what you don’t have and who you aren’t. CONTENTMENT – Satisfaction with what we have and the way things are, rather than complaining about how we’d prefer things to be. PEACE – With self, others and life because we are thankful for who we are, who our God is, and the lot we have been handed, even in the midst of trials.