GIVE THANKS UNTO THE LORD        

If you are a Christian you should be thankful to God for His goodness. In 1 Chronicles 16:8 we read, "Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people." It will do us good to think about and meditate upon all the times and ways that God has treated us well even when we have not treated Him well or and have not been thankful to Him. Where is our sense of thankfulness to the Almighty God in this nation? Christians should (1) Give thanks to God the Father, (2) Give thanks at all times, (3) Give thanks for everything, and (4) Give thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.' (Ephesians 5:20) God wants us to have thankfulness in our hearts for what He has done for us. This will cause us to remember that we should never be afraid in life. He has helped us before and He will see us through this present struggle. This leaves no room for me to be arrogant or rude but I must simply look to God with a thankful heart! Our lives can be full of light and hope when we learn to be thankful. Thankfulness also causes us to feel tenderness and love for those around us.

          Give thanks unto the Lord for your present blessings. Christians are blessed with both salvation and joy. Paul wrote, "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful." (Colossians 3:15) We should be thankful to God that His peace rules or governs our hearts. Jesus Christ’s coming to earth and making his voluntary sacrifice to save us is the greatest expression of God’s love for us. Our salvation is in "one body" or one church. How could we hope to have salvation, joy and peace unless we continue in unity? We have one God and one Lord who has called us unto salvation. Let us be forever grateful for the great privilege of salvation in Christ. Give thanks unto the Lord for your present blessings.

          Give thanks unto the Lord for what you are freed from through our Lord Jesus Christ. In Christ you are freed from the guilt of sin. "But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53:5) In Psalm 38 we find David struggling with true guilt because of his sin. "For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness." (Psalms 38:4-5) If you are a Christian you need not walk with feelings of guilt. Christ has set us free from guilt and sin. In Christ you are set free from condemnation. By His death Jesus condemned the thing that was trying to condemn us, that is sin. (Romans 8:1-4) If you walk with God sin will never condemn you. In Christ we are freed from eternal misery. "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." (Revelation 21:4) Without Christ we go into eternal misery and that eternal misery is forced into our soul! Eternal misery is the necessary consequence of the rejection of God's grace. Give thanks unto the Lord for what you are freed from through our Lord Jesus Christ.

          Give thanks unto the Lord for your future blessing in Christ. Eternity in Christ will bring you both a new body and a heavenly home. Heaven is not a place where our current bodies will be acceptable. "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption." (1 Corinthians 15:50) Our new bodies will be like Christ's glorious body. "For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself." (Philippians 3:20-21) Our glorious body will dwell in heaven. Our heavenly home is an eternal dwelling. "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Peter 1:3-5) How wonderful it will be when Jesus comes to receive us so that we will be with Him forever. Give thanks unto the Lord for your future blessing in Christ.

          "Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness." (Psalm 30:4) Only those who are faithful in Christ are in a position to truly give thanks unto the Lord. To become a Christian hear the word (Romans 10:17), believe in Jesus (John 8:24), repent of sins (Acts 17:30-31), confess Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:9-10) and be baptized into Christ. (Galatians 3:26-27) Come to Jesus today if you are lost in your sins! All heaven is interested in your salvation from sin. God is love and He wants you saved! The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin. Having obeyed the gospel you should then live a faithful and thankful life. "It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High." (Psalm 92:1)

By Charles Box, Walnut Street Church of Christ, 306 Walnut Street,