+ (2.Cor.9:15): God is the ultimate Giver. He gave a gift too wonderful for words -- the gift of His Son. God's extraordinary gift of salvation should motivate you to give generously to others. Spend time meditating on how much God has given you. Then evaluate your generosity in light of God's generosity to you.
+ Acts.20:35: "In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus Himself said: 'It is more blessed to give than to receive.'".

+ (1.Thes.5:18): It is easy to give thanks for the blessings; it is more difficult to give thanks for the blessings in disguise. By far, the most difficult task is to give thanks "no matter what happens" -- even the situations that make no sense or are extremely painful. Yet this difficult task has been assigned to all believers, "for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus". Learning to give thanks in everything means learning to trust God completely. When a believer can give thanks so willingly, he or she has trusted that God is completely in control of all situations and is working out His will. ( + Romans.8:28: "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose). (L.A.B.)

+*+*+*+*+*+*+

-- 2 Corinthians 9:6-15
+ 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. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
+ 9 As it is written: "He has scattered abroad His gifts to the poor; His righteousness endures forever." (Psalm 112:9). 10 Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness.
+ 11 You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. 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. 13 Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14 And in their prayers for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has given you.
+ 15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable Gift!



Thanksgiving Prayer

With Thankful hearts we praise You, Lord,
On this Thanksgiving Day.
We ask that You stay near us
And hear us as we pray.

For food and shelter we are grateful,
For all the blessings from above,
For health, for friends, for dear one
For showing us Your love.

We're grateful for the rain You send
And for the sunshine bright and warm,
For all the times You've kept from us
Misfortune, grief, and harm.

The greatest gift of all, though, Lord,
Is Jesus Christ, Your Son,
Who is our loving Savior
And a friend to everyone.

-- Kathleen Boehm

+*+*+*+*+*+*+

-- Philippians 4:6-7
6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with Thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the Peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

---

True Thanksgiving means that we need to Thank God for what He has done for us, and not to tell Him what we have done for Him. -- George R. Hendrick



"What should be the focus of Christians on Thanksgiving?"

+ The original thanksgiving celebration was held by the Pilgrim settlers in Massachusetts during their second winter in America in December, 1621.

+ From that time forward, Thanksgiving has been celebrated as a day to give thanks to God for His gracious and sufficient provision. President Abraham Lincoln officially set aside the last Thursday of November, in 1863, “as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our beneficent Father.” In 1941, Congress ruled that after 1941, the fourth Thursday of November be observed as Thanksgiving Day and be a legal holiday.

+ Scripturally, we find things related to the issue of thanksgiving nearly from cover to cover. Individuals offered up sacrifices out of gratitude in the books of Old Testament. The Mosaic Law set aside three times each year when the Israelites were to gather together. All three of these times [Unleavened Bread (also called the Feast of the Passover) (Exodus 12:15-20), Harvest or Pentecost (Leviticus 23:15-21), and the Feast of Ingathering or Tabernacles (Leviticus 23:33-36)] involved remembering God’s provision and grace. Harvest and Tabernacles took place specifically in relation to God’s provision in the harvest of various fruit trees and crops. The book of Psalms is packed full of songs of thanksgiving, both for God’s grace to His people as a whole through His mighty deeds, as well as for His individual graces to each of us.

+ In the New Testament, there are repeated admonitions to give thanks to God. Thanksgiving is to always be a part of our prayers. Some of the most remembered passages on the giving of thanks are the following: (1.Thessalonians.5:16-18; Philippians.4:6-7; 1.Timothy.2:1; ....)

+ 1.Timothy.2:1-4: "1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for everyone, 2 for kings and all who are in high positions, so that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and dignity. 3 This is right and is acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 Who desires everyone to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth."

+ Of all of God’s gifts, the greatest one He has given is the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. On the cross of Calvary, Jesus paid our sin debt, so a holy and just Judge could forgive us our sins and give us eternal life as a free gift. This gift is available to those who will call on Christ to save them from their sin in simple but sincere faith (John 3:16; Romans 3:19-26; 6:23; 10:13; Ephesians 2:8-10). For this gift of His Son, the gift which meets our greatest need. + Ephesians 2:8: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God."; + 2.Corinthians 9:15: "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!"

+ We, like the Pilgrims, have a choice. In life there will always be those things that we can complain about (the Pilgrims had lost many loved ones), but there will also be much to be thankful for. As our society becomes increasingly secular, the actual “giving of thanks to God” during our annual Thanksgiving holiday is being overlooked, leaving only the feasting. May God grant that He may find us grateful every day for all of His gifts, spiritual and material. God is good, and every good gift comes from Him (+ James.1:17: "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, Who does not change like shifting shadows."). For those who know Christ, God also works everything together for good, even events we would not necessarily consider good (+ Romans.8:28-30: "28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose. ...). May He find us to be His grateful children. (Anonymous).

Give Thanks

Give Thanks with a grateful heart,
Give Thanks to the Holy One;
Give Thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son.
And now let the weak say “I am strong.”
Let the poor say “I am rich.”
Because of what the Lord has done for us. Give Thanks.

-- Henry Smith

+*+*+*+*+*+*+

-- 2 Corinthians 2:14
But thanks be to God, Who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.

-- Colossians 2:6-7
6 So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with Thankfulness.

---

The Christian who walks with the Lord and keeps constant communion with Him will see many reason for rejoicing and Thanksgiving all day long. ~ Warren Wiersbe



A Thanksgiving Prayer

Dear Father in Heaven
Please lend me Your ear,
'Cause I've got a Prayer
You'll be happy to hear.

LORD, there's no request list
This time when I Pray,
I just want to give Thanks
This Thanksgiving Day.

First, I want to Thank You
For gifts from above:
Your unending mercy,
Your undeserved love.

And Thank You for sending
Your Son down to earth,
For now those in Jesus
Can have second birth.

LORD, Thank You for saving
Your children from Hell,
And giving Your Spirit
Who comes to indwell.

And Thank You for choosing me
To be Your own,
For now that You're in me
I'm never alone.

LORD, Thanks for forgiving me
When I'm untrue,
And last, but not least, Father,
Thank You for You!

-- Connie

+*+*+*+*+*+*+

-- Psalms 138:1-8
1 I give You Thanks, O LORD, with all my heart;
I will sing Your praises before the gods.
2 I bow before Your holy Temple as I worship.
I will give Thanks to Your Name for Your unfailing Love and Faithfulness,
because Your Promises are backed by all the honor of Your Name.
3 When I pray, You answer me;
You encourage me by giving me the strength I need.
4 Every king in all the earth will give You Thanks, O LORD,
for all of them will hear Your Words.
5 Yes, they will sing about the LORD’s ways,
for the glory of the LORD is very great.
6 Though the LORD is great, He cares for the humble,
but He keeps His distance from the proud.
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You preserve my life;
You stretch out Your hand against the anger of my foes,
with Your right hand You save me. Your power will save me.
8 The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me;
Your love, O LORD, endures forever --
Do not abandon the works of Your hands.

---

When a Christian finds himself in a difficult situation, he should immediately give thanks to the Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, by the power of the Spirit, to keep his heart from complaining and fretting. The devil moves in when a Christian starts to complain, but thanksgiving in the Spirit defeats the devil and glorifies the Lord. ~ Warren Wiersbe



Thanksgiving Day Prayer

However do I Thank YOU, LORD
For all You've given me.
Firstly, for this country that I live in
Which allows me to be Free.
And gives me the right to worship YOU,
However, I think best!

And to follow any pathway I may choose
However, ill conceived, or circuitous!
I may choose it and then forsake it,
My right to do so, nonetheless.

And if I stumble in my choices,
However many they may be.
I may rise and turn around again,
Change my mind and my direction then
And with them my destiny.

Yes, LORD how do I Thank You
For all You have given me?
My Hope, my Belief, my Dreams, my Faith
Which inspires and enables me
To make a difference in this world.

And all because of YOU!

What You have given and have done,
Your Life, Your Crucifixion
And then Your Resurrection too!

Oh! LORD Thank YOU,
Thank You for this life,
You have granted me
And at its conclusion,
My salvation yet to be.

My God, my LORD, I Thank You for
Every blessed day,
Even those, which tried my soul
For they brought me closer to YOU,
And they taught me to depend on YOU.

And then to be ever grateful too
For the sunshine that would follow rain,
The light that followed dark and pain
And the rainbow that is called my life.

Yes, My LORD I Thank You for
This blessed gift, my immortal soul,
And yet, my very mortal life.

But, most of all and on this day
LORD, I bow my head in Prayer and Pray:

"Oh! My LORD, please accept
My heartfelt Thanks
For all these many blessings
And then most especially,
For these beloved friends and family
Who have gathered here with me."

-- Unknown

+*+*+*+*+*+*+

-- Psalms 100
1 A psalm. For Giving Thanks.
Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
2 Worship the LORD with gladness;
Come before Him with joyful songs.
3 Know that the LORD is God.
It is He who made us, and we are His;
We are His people, the sheep of His pasture.
4 Enter His gates with Thanksgiving and His courts with Praise;
Give Thanks to Him and Praise His Name.
5 For the LORD is good and His love endures forever;
His faithfulness continues through all generations.

---

Without Thy sunshine and Thy rain
We could not have the golden grain;
Without Thy love we'd not be fed;
We thank Thee for our daily bread.
-- Anonymous



Give Thanks to GOD

Thank GOD for the gift of life,
For letting me be me,
For all that I can know by words
And all that I can see,
For all the music I can hear
And all the songs I sing,
For all the joy that comes to me
And all the joy I bring,

For all the food that I can taste
And all the sweet scents smell,
For all the loved ones I can touch,
Who love and wish me well,

For all the beauty of the world,
Ever fresh and new,
I don't know whom else I can Thank,
And so I'm Thanking You.

-- Unknown

+*+*+*+*+*+*+

-- 1 Timothy 2:1-6
1 I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and Thanksgiving be made for everyone -- 2 for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. 3 This is good, and pleases God our Savior,
++ 4 Who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is One God and One mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 He gave His life to purchase freedom for everyone. This is the message that God gave to the world at the proper time.



Thanksgiving

A day of reflection for blessings bestowed
A day spent with family and friends both new and old
A day of feasting, fellowship and fun
A day to give Thanks for all God has done

This day has been celebrated year after year
By people of all cultures both far and near
It’s a day most people reflect on how they have been blessed
All the ways, the people and things that brought blessings are addressed

There’s turkey and dressing, cranberry sauce and lots of dessert to eat
Everyone fixing their plates, going for seconds while all diets cease
There’s lots of greeting, laughter and eating being done
While the men look at football, children play games
and women’s conversation goes on and on
This is one of the greatest days looked forward to for the year
It brings people together in unity and makes hearts full of cheer
This day is set aside to give Thanks for everything
This is the will of our Heavenly Father for everyday,
not just for Thanksgiving

-- Deidre Blair

+*+*+*+*+*+*+

-- Ephesians 5:19-20
19 Then you will sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, making music to the Lord in your hearts. 20 And you will always give Thanks for everything to God the Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

-- Colossians 1:3-6
3 We always Thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4 Because we have heard of your Faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints -- 5 the Faith and Love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the Gospel 6 that has come to you. All over the world this Gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth.

-- Philippians 1:2-6
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 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.

-- Colossians 3:16-17
16 Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use His Words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with Thankful hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, Do it all in the Name of the Lord Jesus, Giving Thanks to God the Father through Him.



-- Psalms 95:1-3
1 Come, let us sing to the LORD!
Let us give a joyous shout to the rock of our salvation!
2 Let us come before Him with Thanksgiving.
Let us sing Him psalms of praise.
3 For the LORD is a great God, the great King above all gods.

-- Psalms 105:1-8
1 Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name;
make known among the nations what He has done.
2 Sing to Him, sing praise to Him; tell of all His wonderful acts.
3 Glory in His holy name;
Let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice.
4 Look to the LORD and His strength; seek His face always.
5 Remember the wonders He has done,
His miracles, and the judgments He pronounced,
6 O descendants of Abraham His servant,
O sons of Jacob, His chosen ones.
7 He is the LORD our God; His judgments are in all the earth.
8 He remembers His covenant forever,
the word He commanded, for a thousand generations.

-- Psalms 136:1-9
1 Give Thanks to the LORD, for He is good. {His love endures forever.}
2 Give Thanks to the God of gods. {His love endures forever.}
3 Give Thanks to the LORD of lords: {His love endures forever.}
4 to Him who alone does great wonders, {His love endures forever.}
5 Who by His understanding made the heavens, {His love endures forever.}
6 Who spread out the earth upon the waters, {His love endures forever.}
7 Who made the great lights -- {His love endures forever.}
8 The sun to govern the day, {His love endures forever.}
9 The moon and stars to govern the night; {His love endures forever.}
+ 26 Give Thanks to the God of heaven. {His love endures forever.}

-- Psalms 147:7
Sing to the LORD with Thanksgiving;
Sing praises on the harp to our God.