THANKS GIVING -- GIVING THANKS -- TO GOD ON THANKSGIVING

flexibility: the quality of bending easily without breaking
adaptability · adjustability · variability · versatility 
Lord grant me this quality called flexibility-- new and fresh every morning is my prayer -- then give me spiritual eyes and ears to see and hear the blessings you send my way -- and the open my heart, mind, and soul to rejoice boldly as I praise your miracle of never-ending new creations moment by moment day by day! Amen. 

THANKS-GIVING
“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it 

is like wrapping a present 

and not giving it.”

“Two things I ask of you, Lord;
do not refuse me before I die:
Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.
Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, ‘Who is the Lord?’
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God.
Proverbs 30: 7-9

THANKSGIVING WAS FIRST OBSERVED BY ISRAEL
Israel celebrated Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread and the Feast of the Firstfruits within a week’s period of time.
They gave thanks to the Lord God for their freedom and bounty at the same time.
The priest offered bulls, rams, and lambs for the nation on the first day of the celebration.

Leviticus 23: 7-8
7 On the first day you shall have a holy convocation; you shall not do any laborious work.
8 But for seven days you shall present an offering by fire to the Lord. On the seventh day is a holy convocation; you shall not do any laborious work.’”
On the second day, a sheaf of the first ripe barley was offered as the first fruit of the harvest.

Leviticus 23:9-11
9 Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying,
10 “Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘When you enter the land which I am going to give to you and reap its harvest, then you shall bring in the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest.
11 He shall wave the sheaf before the Lord for you to be accepted; on the day after the sabbath the priest shall wave it.

General Thanksgiving

By the PRESIDENT of the United States Of America

A PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLICK THANKSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

NOW THEREFORE, I do recommend and assign THURSDAY, the TWENTY-SIXTH DAY of NOVEMBER next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed;-- for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enable to establish Constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted;-- for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge;-- and, in general, for all the great and various favours which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

And also, that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech Him to pardon our national and other transgressions;-- to enable us all, whether in publick or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us); and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

GIVEN under my hand, at the city of New-York, the third day of October, in the year of our Lord, one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine.

(signed) G. Washington

Source: The Massachusetts Centinel, Wednesday, October 14, 1789

http://www.earlyamerica.com/earlyamerica/firsts/thanksgiving/thankstext.html

THANKFULNESS

• Thanksgiving means simply to give thanks, or be grateful.
• It means to express appreciation.
• Every language has a term which means thank you.
• The histories of Israel and America have much in common.
• Israel was in bondage in Egypt.
• They escaped, wandered in the wilderness and finally settled in the Promise Land.
• In the 17^th century, a group of Protestants could no longer tolerate the religious tyranny of England.
• They made a long ocean voyage, endured a harsh winter and finally reaped a bountiful harvest on the shores of the American continent.
• Like that first group of Pilgrims, we annually set aside a time of remembrance and thanksgiving.

Psalm 103

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul,

And all that is within me, bless His holy name.

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,

And forget none of His benefits;

3 Who pardons all your iniquities,

Who heals all your diseases;

4 Who redeems your life from the pit,

Who crowns you with lovingkindness and compassion;

5 Who satisfies your years with good things,

So that your youth is renewed like the eagle.

6 The Lord performs righteous deeds

And judgments for all who are oppressed.

7 He made known His ways to Moses,

His acts to the sons of Israel.

8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious,

Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness.

9 He will not always strive with us,

Nor will He keep His anger forever.

10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins,

Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth,

So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him.

12 As far as the east is from the west,

So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

13 Just as a father has compassion on his children,

So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.

14 For He Himself knows our frame;

He is mindful that we are but dust.

15 As for man, his days are like grass;

As a flower of the field, so he flourishes.

16 When the wind has passed over it, it is no more,

And its place acknowledges it no longer.

17 But the lovingkindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him,

And His righteousness to children’s children,

18 To those who keep His covenant

And remember His precepts to do them.

19 The Lord has established His throne in the heavens,

And His sovereignty rules over all.

20 Bless the Lord, you His angels,

Mighty in strength, who perform His word,

Obeying the voice of His word!

21 Bless the Lord, all you His hosts,

You who serve Him, doing His will.

22 Bless the Lord, all you works of His,

In all places of His dominion;

Bless the Lord, O my soul!

THANKFULNESS FOR GOD’S DELIVERANCE
The Lord commanded Israel to remember their deliverance from bondage perpetually.

Deuteronomy 6: 6-9
6 These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.
7 You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.
8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead.
9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Deuteronomy16:12
12 You shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and you shall be careful to observe these statutes.

THANKSGIVING IS A TIME OF REMEMBRANCE
We need to thank God for our blessings as a way of life; whether bitter or sweet, stormy or calm.
We must constantly remember what the Lord has done for us.

Habakkuk 3: 17-18
17 Though the fig tree should not blossom

And there be no fruit on the vines,

Though the yield of the olive should fail

And the fields produce no food,

Though the flock should be cut off from the fold

And there be no cattle in the stalls,

18 Yet I will exult in the Lord,

I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.

Remember the Sabbath Day.

Exodus 20:8
8 “Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
Communion is a time to remember the death of Jesus Christ.

Luke 22: 19
19 And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

GIVE THANKS FOR YOUR SALVATION
Remember the things Christ has done for you. Give thanks for your salvation, healing, and preservation in Him.

THE REASON FOR THANKFULNESS
We do not deserve any of God’s goodness, the bread and the meat we eat, the very water we drink, taste of His mercy!
His love clothes us.
His spiritual blessings flow in a continual stream. We should praise God with thanksgiving in all circumstances and all situations.

UN-THANKFULNESS IS PROPHETIC
Ingratitude and unthankful ness are signs of the end-time.
The word, unthankful, mentioned twice in the Bible.

Luke 6: 35
35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men.

2 Timothy 3: 1-2
1 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come.
2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy

LET US THANK GOD

Let us thank God for the opposition we have had to meet, the resistance that has forced us to put forth our best effort, the disputes that have compelled us to re-examine our arguments and eliminate our flaws.

Let us thank God for the struggles that have caused us to grow,
The defeats that have kept us humble, the losses that have made us cautious,
And the dangers that have kept us alert.

Let us thank God for the risks we have had to take,
That have brought out hidden strengths.

Let us thank God for some of the enemies we have made, for to have no enemies means that we have not taken issue with wrong, defied any evil or rallied to the defense of the oppressed.

Let us thank God for our critics who tell us the truth about ourselves.

Above all,

Let us thank God that good has often come out of evil; that struggles we would have preferred to avoid have turned into blessings; that confident in His love and goodness, we have found strength and courage to face whatever comes to run the race that is set before us.

Author unknown

Romans 8: 26-30
26 In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;
27 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;
30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

1 Corinthians 9:24-27
24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.
25 Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
26 Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air;
27 but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

Hebrews 12: 1-12
1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
3 For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

A Father’s Discipline
4 You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin;
5 and you have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons,
“My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord,

Nor faint when you are reproved by Him;

6 For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines,

And He scourges every son whom He receives.”

7 It is for discipline that you endure; God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?
8 But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons.
9 Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of spirits, and live? 1
0 For they disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness.
11 All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.
12 Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble,

THANKSGIVING
Our power is shut off, and suddenly we become thankful for electricity.
Our garbage is not picked up, and suddenly we become thankful for the garbage collector’s weekly stop.
A good friend dies and suddenly we discover how much he meant to us.
Our water becomes too polluted to drink, and suddenly we appreciate pure water.
Why is it, Lord, that we take for granted the uncounted blessing of life until they are removed from us?
We take for granted, the mind you have given us, the beauty of the earth around us, the rain and soil combining to produce our food, the love of family and friends surrounding us.
Today I thank you for being patient with us, for not forgetting us when we forget you, for loving and forgiving us, for music and singing, for rest and leisure, for those who understand us, for laughter and joy, for being with us always.
Most of all I thank you for not withholding the blessings of life from us even though we take them for granted.
Take us into the world where we turn words of thanksgiving into deeds of service.
Amen
Author unknown

　

THANKSGIVING AND GRUMBLING
The head of the family at the morning meal asked the blessing as usual, thanking the Lord for the things so bountifully provided.
Immediately afterwards, as was his bad habit, he began to grumble about hard times, the poor quality of the food he was forced to eat, the way it was cooked, and much more.
His little daughter interrupted him: “Father, do you suppose God heard what you said a while ago?” “Certainly”---- with the confident air of an instructor. “And did He hear what you said about the bacon and the coffee?” “Of course”---- not quite so confidently. “Then, father, which did God believe?”

Psalm 104

The Lord’s Care over All His Works.

1  Bless the Lord, O my soul!
O Lord my God, You are very great;
You are clothed with splendor and majesty,
² Covering Yourself with light as with a cloak,
Stretching out heaven like a tent curtain.
³ He lays the beams of His upper chambers in the waters;
He makes the clouds His chariot;
He walks upon the wings of the wind;
⁴ He makes the winds His messengers,
Flaming fire His ministers.

⁵ He established the earth upon its foundations,
So that it will not totter forever and ever.
⁶ You covered it with the deep as with a garment;
The waters were standing above the mountains.
⁷ At Your rebuke they fled,
At the sound of Your thunder they hurried away.
⁸ The mountains rose; the valleys sank down
To the place which You established for them.
⁹ You set a boundary that they may not pass over,
So that they will not return to cover the earth.

¹⁰ He sends forth springs in the valleys;
They flow between the mountains;
¹¹ They give drink to every beast of the field;
The wild donkeys quench their thirst.
¹² Beside them the birds of the heavens dwell;
They lift up their voices among the branches.
¹³ He waters the mountains from His upper chambers;
The earth is satisfied with the fruit of His works.

¹⁴ He causes the grass to grow for the cattle,
And vegetation for the labor of man,
So that he may bring forth food from the earth,
¹⁵ And wine which makes man’s heart glad,
So that he may make his face glisten with oil,
And food which sustains man’s heart.
¹⁶ The trees of the Lord drink their fill,
The cedars of Lebanon which He planted,
¹⁷ Where the birds build their nests,
And the stork, whose home is the fir trees.

¹⁸ The high mountains are for the wild goats;
The cliffs are a refuge for the shephanim.
¹⁹ He made the moon for the seasons;
The sun knows the place of its setting.
²⁰ You appoint darkness and it becomes night,
In which all the beasts of the forest prowl about.
²¹ The young lions roar after their prey
And seek their food from God.
²² When the sun rises they withdraw
And lie down in their dens.
²³ Man goes forth to his work
And to his labor until evening.

²⁴ O Lord, how many are Your works!
In wisdom You have made them all;
The earth is full of Your possessions.
²⁵ There is the sea, great and broad,
In which are swarms without number,
Animals both small and great.
²⁶ There the ships move along,
And Leviathan, which You have formed to sport in it.

²⁷ They all wait for You
To give them their food in due season.
²⁸ You give to them, they gather it up;
You open Your hand, they are satisfied with good.
²⁹ You hide Your face, they are dismayed;
You take away their spirit, they expire
And return to their dust.
³⁰ You send forth Your Spirit, they are created;
And You renew the face of the ground.

³¹ Let the glory of the Lord endure forever;
Let the Lord be glad in His works;
³² He looks at the earth, and it trembles;
He touches the mountains, and they smoke.
³³ I will sing to the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praise to my God while I have my being.
³⁴ Let my meditation be pleasing to Him;
As for me, I shall be glad in the Lord.
³⁵ Let sinners be consumed from the earth
And let the wicked be no more.
Bless the Lord, O my soul.
Praise the Lord!

GIVING THANKS TO GOD

On the third Thursday of every year, America celebrates Thanksgiving.

Though it is often regarded as a harvest festival, it is an opportunity to thank God for His many gifts.

Ephesians 5:20

Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

THE MANUFACTURER'S HANDBOOK

ON PRAISE AND THANKFULNESS

BE THANKFUL FOR THE GIFT OF GOD’S SON

Jesus Christ was given as a gift to this world because of God’s great love for people. John 3: 16

He is Alpha and Omega. Revelation 1: 18

He is the Chief among ten thousand. Song of Solomon 5: 10

BE THANKFUL FOR GOD’S UN-MEASURABLE GRACE

Even when we were dead in trespasses, He made us alive together with Christ that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace and His loving kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 2: 5, 7

BE THANKFUL FOR GOD’S POWER AND OMNIPOTENCE

He is omnipotent. He has power in both heaven and earth. Matthew 28: 18

He has power over all flesh John 17: 2

Christ is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1: 24

BE THANKFUL FOR HIS OMNISCIENCE AND WISDOM

God has knowledge about all things John 21: 17

He has all wisdom and knowledge. Colossians 2: 3

He is our wisdom. 1 Corinthians 1: 30

BE THANKFUL FOR HIS OMNIPRESENCE

God’s presence is in the midst of His people. Matthew 18: 20

His presence will last even to the end of the world. Matthew 28: 20

His presence should cause our hearts to burn within us. Luke 24: 32

BE THANKFUL FOR HIS MIRACLES

Jesus Christ opened the eyes of the blind. John 9: 25

He healed the sick and demon possessed. Matthew 8: 16

He healed the lame and crippled people. Luke 13: 10-13

BE THANKFUL FOR CHRIST’S WORDS AND PARABLES

His parables revealed truth to His disciples. Mark 4L 10-11

His Word lights our path. Psalms 119: 105

His Word is eternal and will never pass away. Mark 13: 31

BE THANKFUL FOR HIS PROMISES AND FAITHFULNESS

Christ promises rest for the soul. Matthew 11: 28

He promises justification. Roman 5: 1

He promises eternal life. John 11: 25-26

BE THANKFUL FOR ALL THINGS

Praise Him as a way of life, whether bitter or sweet. Habakkuk 3: 17-18

Praise Him when your are chastised. Revelation 3: 19　

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing,
in everything give thanks;
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

William Bradford's "A Call to Thanksgiving"

by: Kathryn E. Darden, William Bradford

Plymouth Colony, MA

Nov 20, 2012

First Thanksgiving

It was November of 1623. Three years before, the Pilgrims had left left their homes, jobs and extended families and braved a perilous voyage to a strange world to escape religious persecution in England. They survived the treacherous ocean voyage to come to a strange land and face a harsh climate without food or shelter.
Arriving without shelter and with little food or other provisions, they lost half of their number that first winter to the cold, sickness and starvation. Slowly the Pilgrims built dwellings and planted gardens and building the Massachusetts Pilgrim Colony, "Plymouth Plantation." The pilgrims learned much from their Native American friends about how to best plant crops in North American soil. However, the first two years their small food supplies were heavily rationed.
When the third year saw a bountiful harvest, peace with the Indians, and less sickness, Governor William Bradford and the Pilgrims felt the need and desire to thank God for their new life in a new land where they could worship the Lord without fear of persecution.
To All Ye Pilgrims
Inasmuch as the great Father has given us this year an abundant harvest of Indian corn, wheat, beans, squashes, and garden vegetables, and has made the forests to abound with game and the sea with fish and clams, and inasmuch as He has protected us from the ravages of savages, has spared us from pestilence and disease, has granted us freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our conscience; now, I, your magistrate, do proclaim that all ye Pilgrims, with your wives and little ones, do gather at ye meeting house, on ye hill, between the hours of 9 and 12 in the day time, on Thursday, November ye 29th of the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and twenty-three, and the third year since ye Pilgrims landed on ye Pilgrim Rock, there to listen to ye pastor, and render thanksgiving to ye Almighty God for all His blessings.
--A Thanksgiving Proclamation Attributed to Governor William Bradford

http://www.christianactivities.com/william-bradfords-call-thanksgiving

Disclosure: Much of what is in my posts are things I have compiled through the years and I do not know if they have copyrights. What I do know about origin or website I give credit and have tried to always post a link to the origin. I do not market anything in any way on this blog -- I merely hope it will encourage and inspire others.