He sat there in a cold dark prison cell; --
he knew that the next foot-steps in the corridor might be those of the guards
taking him away to his execution. -- His only bed was the hard, cold stone
floor of that dark, cramped prison cell.
Not an hour passed when he was free from the
constant irritation of the chains -- & the pain of the iron handcuffs
cutting into his wrists & legs.
Separated from friends -- unjustly accused
-- brutally treated -- if ever a person had a right to complain -- it was this
man -- once ever so active -- now dwindling away -- almost forgotten in a harsh
prison environment.
But -- but instead of complaints -- his lips
rang with words of praise & thanksgiving!
The man was the Apostle Paul -- a man who
had learned the meaning of true thanksgiving -- even in the midst of great
adversity!
In that awful prison environment -- Paul wrote
the words found in --Ephesians
This Letter to the
When Paul wrote these words from that prison
cell in
Yet his words are uplifting -- powerful --
& extremely important to us -- even today -- especially on this Sunday
before Thanksgiving!
Listen to them; -- allow them to sink into
your heart! -- Eph. 5:19-20.
"Speaking to yourselves in psalms &
hymns & spiritual songs -- singing & making melody in your heart to the
Lord; -- giving thanks always for all things unto God & the Father in the
name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Paul is saying -- "Sing & make
music in your heart to the Lord -- always giving thanks to God the Father for
everything" (
Think about what Paul is saying: "Always giving thanks ... for
everything."
But -- isn't Paul going a little too far?
Of course we can give thanks for food, family,
& friends; -- for country,
church, & community; -- for
eyes, ears, fingers,
hands, feet, & a sound mind. -- Who isn't thankful for
the good things of life?
But -- can we be thankful for the rough
& touch experiences of life?
Paul is suggesting in our text that we must
be thankful always for everything. --
Can Paul really mean it? -- Isn't Paul going a little too far?
Must we thank God for our problems?
Can we have a thankful attitude toward the
troubles that slap us down?
Must we thank God for our troubles too?
It seems -- that the men of greatest faith
have had this holy habit; -- this holy habit of "always giving thanks ...
for everything."
It was true of the Psalmist David; -- it was
true of the Apostle Paul.
It has been true of so many godly saints --
down through the ages!
Thanksgiving for the Apostle Paul was not a
once-a-year celebration -- but rather a daily reality that changed his life --
his overall attitude -- & made him a joyful person in every situation!
Daily thanksgiving -- no matter the
circumstances -- can change your life also! -- It can literally turn your life
around!
A young pastor learned a great lesson while
counseling.
Early in his ministry a young mother came to
him -- torn by the stress of a crumbling marriage -- & five young children
to care for.
Not knowing what to do or say -- the young
pastor prescribed better than he knew. -- He showed her Phil.
Phil. 4:6-7 (also written by Paul) -- reads:
-- "Do not be anxious about anything -- but in everything -- by prayer
& petition, with thanksgiving -- present your requests to God. -- And the
peace of God -- which transcends all understanding -- will guard your hearts
& minds in Christ Jesus” (NIV).
The young pastor asked the troubled lady to
find something for which to be thankful about her way-ward husband.
The next week the young mother returned. She seemed very peaceful!
Not quite understanding it -- the pastor
asked: -- "You don't seem to have a problem today. -- Has your husband
returned home?"
She said: -- "Oh, no. -- But I was
faithful with the scripture prescription you gave me -- & God has given me
peace."
Then she added: -- "I thought &
thought about what I could be thankful for. -- Finally, it came. -- He is a
good truck driver."
That tiny thought of thanksgiving released
enough power to bring her strength through one of the most stressful periods of
her life!
Thanksgiving -- that is the giving of thanks
to God -- is powerful!
And the giving of thanks to God for all His
blessings -- should be one of the most distinctive marks of every believer in
Jesus Christ!
Is that true in your life? -- Do you posses
the spirit of thanksgiving?
Or -- has a spirit of ingratitude hardened
your heart -- & chilled your relationship with God -- & with
others?
Nothing turns us into bitter, selfish,
dissatisfied people more quickly than an ungrateful heart.
And nothing will do more to restore
contentment -- & the joy of our salvation -- than a true spirit of
thankfulness!
God appreciates our thanksgiving! -- It
lifts Him up -- & it glorifies Him!
Thanksgiving endears God to us -- & it
draws us closer to Him.
Our thanksgiving should include at least
three things: --
1.
Thanksgiving should include the Blessings of Life!
Have you ever stood over a sink full of
dirty dishes -- & given thanks to God?
-- Probably not! -- But we should!
A sink full of dirty dishes usually means
that we have been blessed by God with daily food & water.
Do you realize that two thirds of the world
goes to bed hungry every night?
Our prayers are often very general. -- We
say, “Thank you God for all your blessings" -- but what are those
blessings for which we give thanks?
The song writer said it so well --
"Count your blessings -- name them one by one. -- Count your many
blessing; -- see what God has done."
We have all had some difficult times in our
lives.
Maybe even times that we have despaired even
life itself.
But -- if we really look at all the
blessings of life -- we will find that it’s good to be alive!
To feel the wind in our face; -- to see the
sunrise; -- to fall in love; -- to see a new born child for the first time; --
to feel our child -- or a parent -- or even a friend -- hug us -- & tell us
we are special!
Thank God for the material blessings He gives
you.
We seem never to be satisfied with what we
have -- rich or poor -- healthy or sick.
But what a difference it makes when we
realize that everything we have has been given to us by God!
Are you constantly preoccupied with what you
do not have?
Or have you learned to thank God for what
you do have?
Thank God for the people in your life!
It is so easy to take people for granted --
or even to complain & become angry because they do not meet our every wish.
But we need to give thanks for those around
us -- our spouses -- our children -- our relatives -- our friends -- &
others who help us in so many ways.
Do you let others know that you appreciate
them? -- & are thankful for them? -- Thank God for those who touch your
life!
Our thanksgiving should always include the
blessings of life!
2. Thanksgiving should also include the Burdens
of Life!
Now this is the tough one! -- But over &
over -- especially in the writings of the Apostle Paul -- that is the
admonition that is given to us.
In our text -- Paul says -- “Always giving thanks
... for everything."
In
In
Paul even demonstrated this truth for us
while he & Silas were in jail in
But we are told that -- "around
This admonishment to give thanks for all
things means that we are to thank God for the apparent good and the apparent
bad; -- both are in the hands of God!
Job thanked God for all things -- at least
at the beginning of his tragedy.
You remember that Job's wife had had enough
of all their problems -- & she suggested that Job simply curse God &
die.
Job's answer was straight -- & to the
point. -- He told her -- "You talk
like a godless woman. -- Should we accept only good things from the hand of God
& never anything bad?" (
To be
thankful in all things means to turn our attention away from the hardship &
trials we bear -- & to begin to focus upon the sovereignty of an all-wise
God -- Who is working out His plan & purpose in our lives.
This is never an easy thing to do. -- Yet we
can learn to honestly pray -- "Lord, I don't pretend to like what is
happening. -- I wouldn't choose it this way. -- But help me to use what You
permit -- & be thankful anyway."
Can we be thankful for pain? -- For
suffering?
We can -- if we learn to use it.
We may never be able to understand it -- or
explain it. -- But we can use it to become stronger ourselves -- & more
compassionate with others.
Can we be thankful for temptations &
trials?
We can -- if we see that a battle must be
fought before a victory can be won.
Can we be thankful for disappointments? -- The
heartache of betrayal & misunderstanding?
We can -- if we remember that "He
comforts us in all our troubles so that we (in turn) can comfort others. --
When others are troubled -- we will be able to give them the same comfort God
has given us" (2 Cor. 1:4 -
Do you mean to say pastor -- that we are to
thank God even for tragedy & death?
I don't like giving thanks for tragedy &
death -- but I have a question: -- "Do you have an alternative to
suggest?"
The alternatives -- upon examination -- are
not very good.
We can believe that God had nothing to do
with this world's tragedies -- & that things are simply out of control.
Or we can believe that God is a monster --
& we complain bitterly against Him.
Or we can believe that God is basically good
-- but helpless.
But all of these alternatives led to
bitterness or hopelessness.
The only alternative which does not lead to
bitterness is the recognition that everything that comes from the hand of God
is proper -- & should be received with praise & thanksgiving!
As we learn to submit the sovereignty of an
all-wise God -- then we can learn to offer unlimited praise to the Lord -- even
in difficult circumstances.
The name of Matthew Henry is familiar to
many Christians around the world -- because of his well-known commentary on the
Scriptures.
He was a godly man who accepted everything
in life as coming from the hand of the Lord.
One day he experienced the stark reality of
being robbed of his wallet.
That night -- he told his wife about his
unfortunate experience -- & then said -- "I thank God!" --
Surprised, she asked why he would thank God!
He replied -- "I am thankful; -- first,
because I was never robbed before; second, although he took my wallet, he did
not take my life; -- third, although he took all I had on me -- I had left most
of my money at home & so he did not take that much; -- & fourth, I am
thankful by the grace of God -- that it was I who was robbed -- & not I who
was the robber."
What is your reaction to the difficult
circumstances of life?
I am personally indebted to a wonderful old
Christian who became bed-ridden when she was past 90.
I sympathized by saying: -- "I see you
are having a little trouble."
Her wrinkled face smiled back at me -- &
she chided me -- "Oh, no, I’m not having trouble. -- I just didn't know
when to quit -- & the good Lord made me lie down. -- But I have been having
a wonderful time reading His Word -- & talking with Him when I can't sleep
-- & He turns this bed into a green pasture. -- 'He makes me to lie down in
green pastures.'"
Most of us adults in
We are always on the move -- driving, going,
just coming home, -- or just getting ready to leave -- but always on the move
-- so that we hardly know how to relax for a quiet evening at home.
We are restless -- nervous -- fidgety. --
Even when we are relaxing -- we have an almost guilty complex that we should be
doing something -- or going somewhere!
All the while -- God is trying to say
something: -- "Slow down & start living. -- Enjoy your friends -- your
family -- & your faith!"
But the voice of God is overpowered by the
roar of the traffic -- the wail of sirens -- the rude interruptions of the
doorbell -- or the cell phone.
Meanwhile the soft voice of God whispers,
saying: -- "Lie down, my child & rest a while! -- Your nerves weren't
made to stand the strain; -- your body wasn't engineered for such
stress."
But we refuse to lie down -- until God makes
us lie down.
And then we think that we are in trouble --
& we wonder "where is God? -- Why
didn't He prevent this? -- Why didn't He come to my rescue?"
Is it really trouble & tragedy? -- Or is
it a divinely disguised blessing?
Trouble is not always trouble! -- It is
often God's way of making us lie down -- turn around -- stand still -- pray
harder -- or start over again!
So often trouble is only a part of the
painful growing process!
When trouble breaks your heart -- &
makes your knees buckle -- & forces penitent tears from eyes turned in
prayer to Almighty God -- then trouble may turn out to be a redeeming agony; --
a blessing in disguise.
Every trouble has vast built-in
opportunities to make you grow -- to learn -- to serve -- or to be
cleansed.
So learn to thank God even for the burdens
of life!
3. Thanksgiving should include the Benefits of
Life -- as well -- especially our life in Jesus Christ!
We draw back from difficulties -- & yet
not one of us is exempt from some kind of trouble.
However -- as Christians -- in the midst of
the trials -- we can thank God because we know that He has promised to be with
us -- & that He will help us!
I don't know what trials you may be facing
right now -- but God does!
And He loves you -- & is with you by His
Holy Spirit.
In ourselves we do not have the strength
that we so often need.
But when we look to Him -- we discover that
"it is God who works in (us) to will -- & to act according to His good
purpose” (Phil.
As Christians -- there are many benefits of
life we enjoy!
The greatest of these is to know that we are
forgiven -- & through faith in Jesus Christ -- we are a child of God!
And because we believe His Holy Word --
"we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those
who love God" (Rom
Understanding that everything comes from God
-- & praising Him for it -- is an effective way to prevent bitterness --
& instead, enjoy His peace!
We are constantly adding to our prayer list
-- but more than anything -- we should be adding to our praise list!
"Oh, but" -- you may say --
"there are some things I cannot give thanks for; -- there are some things
so hard -- so difficult to bear."
Wait a moment! -- Dear Christian -- some day
-- some glorious day --
"When
we stand with Christ in glory,
Looking
o'er life's finished story." --
We
shall then see as we cannot now see -- just why all the hard things in life
were permitted.
We shall see how God was seeking to set us
free from hindrances -- by pruning the branches from which He wished to get
fruit for Himself.
In that day -- we will thank Him for all the
sorrow -- as well as for all the joy!
The benefit we enjoy as God's children -- is
in knowing that nothing can come to me -- to you -- but what His love allows
& permits!
With God in control -- "All things do
work together for good!"
Therefore -- our thanksgiving -- expresses
confidence in God's ability!
Thanksgiving is an expression of our faith
-- & creates an environment in which God can work.
Faith is the only environment in which God
can truly work!
In the days of the Great Depression --
Clarence Darrow -- the brilliant attorney -- addressed the members of a black
church in
Most of them were desperately poor --
without jobs -- & without hope.
When Darrow began to speak -- he recounted
all of their troubles -- & summed up their problems.
Then -- remembering how they had sung so
beautifully -- he said: -- "And yet you sing! -- No one can sing like you
do! -- What do you have to sing about?"
Quick as a flash -- a lady in the
congregation shouted out -- "We've got Jesus to sing about!"
And so we all do; -- we've got Jesus to sing
about!
Even when life bombards us with difficulty
& disappointment -- even when we've lost possessions or position -- if we
have Jesus -- we have all we really need!
Oh what benefits are ours! -- Think of who
you are in Christ; -- what He's done for you; -- & what He's doing in you
by His Spirit.
Conclusion:
Henry Frost served for many years as a
missionary to
In his journal he wrote of a very difficult
time in his life.
He says: -- "I had received sad news
from home -- & deep shadows had covered my soul. -- I prayed, but the
darkness did not vanish. --
I
summoned myself to endure, but the darkness only deepened. --
Then I
went to an inland station & saw on the wall of the mission home these
words: -- 'Try Thanksgiving.' -- I did -- & in a moment every shadow was
gone -- not to return!"
Yes the Psalmist was right when he said: --
"It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord."
Our thanksgiving should include the blessing
of life -- & also the burdens of life -- as well as the benefits of our
life in Jesus Christ!
Have you been going through some difficult
times?
Have you prayed -- but they are still there?
Have you told yourself to keep on going --
& it would some day disappear -- but it got only deeper?
Then -- why not try thanksgiving?
Whether life is pleasant -- or difficult --
hear & heed the words of our text once again: -- “Sing & make music in
your heart to the Lord -- always giving thanks to God the Father for
everything."