What Should We Be Thanking God For This Year?

It is almost Thanksgiving and we all have our minds geared towards giving thanks. We thank God for our family, our friends, a good year, a place to live and so many other things. I thought I would write a little post with a list of Bible verses about giving thanks to God and why we should purpose to be thankful all the time. I was expecting to find most of my verses in Psalms, but that is not where they started at. In fact, God used this little study to open my eyes to something wonderful, glorious and full of HIS majesty!

Do you know why we are to give thanks to God? Because He is good. And His mercy and love endure...forever.

And friends, when God's people acknowledge that publicly, He moves in great power and might! Just read these verses below and you'll see what I mean!

"He {David} 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...'Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever'...With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest of those chosen and designated by name to give thanks to the LORD, 'for His love endures forever.'" 1 Chronicles 16:4,34&41

Thanks was so important in David's mind that he chose and appointed men just to spend time thanking and praising God! This all took place over the time that David had the ark of the covenant brought back to Jerusalem. David also wrote a Psalm for this occasion and gave it to the appointed men. The theme of this Psalm was "give thanks to the LORD, 'for His love endures forever." It was a time of great rejoicing and unity throughout the people of Israel, followed very closely by great victories over their enemies. I believe this was a direct result of their praising of God for His goodness and everlasting love!

​The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise and thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang: "He is good; His love endures forever." Then the temple of the LORD was filled with a cloud...and the glory of the Lord filled the house of God..."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." 2 Chronicles 5:13-14 & 7:3

When Solomon built the temple for the Lord he dedicated it with a ceremony of overwhelming richness and sacrifice. Then the priests sang "He is good; His love endures forever" and when they sang God's presence came down and filled the temple like a cloud so that the priests could not even enter into it! Solomon gave a sermon and a prayer after that and then God sent fire from Heaven that consumed all of the sacrifices and the people fell on their face and worshiped Him once again because "He is good and His love endures forever." 

"After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of His holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: 'Give thanks to the LORD, for His love endures forever.'  Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated." 2 Chronicles 20:21

Let me give you a little context here: 2 nations were coming after the small nation of Judah. King Jehoshaphat did not know what to do and spent much time fasting, praying and beseeching God for His help. God promised Jehoshaphat the victory. When the enemy came upon them, Jehoshaphat sent singers in front of the army, praising God because His love endures forever. The Lord gave them a great victory that day, and they did not even have to lift a finger!

Is it just coincidence that the Lord moved in a great way every time His people thanked Him and gave Him praise? I don't think so!

So the next time the bills pile up and you don't know how you will pay them -
"Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever."

When you feel discouraged, and wonder where God is -
"Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever."

When the devil whispers his lies to you and you are tempted to believe them -
"Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever."

When you face an impossible situation and you see no way out - 
"Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever."

When fear sneaks into your heart and attempts to fill your mind with terrifying thoughts -
"Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever."

And God will come through to you! The Bible says that God inhabits or is enthroned in the praises of His people. Your praise has power! And when you praise Him, praise Him with the right attitude. Praise Him because He is good. And because His love endures forever.

This Thanksgiving, thank God for all the material blessings He has poured out on you, because they are blessings from Him! But do not forget to thank Him for 2 of the most important things: His goodness and everlasting love.

And don't save your thanks for Thanksgiving - praise God for His goodness and love now, today and forever!

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