The Thanksgiving Principle

Title: The Thanksgiving Principle

Text: Various

Scripture Reading: Psalm 107:1-22

Four Gs of Thanksgiving: Gather, Gabble, Gobble, & Git

What is Thanksgiving?

Three Myths of Thanksgiving:

1. Thanksgiving is not important

2. Thanksgiving means pretending problems don't exist

3. Thanksgiving only applies when God makes life easy or pleasant

What does the Bible say about thanksgiving?

1. Thanksgiving is the will of God

1 Thess. 5:18

2. Gratitude enlarges faith

Psalm 100:4

3. Thanksgiving energizes prayer

Phil. 4:6, 1 Chron. 16:34-35, Isaiah 12:4

4. Gratitude crushes grumbling

Phil. 2:14, 1 Pet. 1:6-7, James 1:2-4

5. Thanksgiving brings glory to God

Psalm 106:47

The Principle in Practice:

1. Count your blessings...literally

2. Record God sightings

3. Share your blessing list

4. When tempted to worry or grumble, PRAY!

“Do you think, O Christian, that you can measure the love of Christ? Think of what His love has brought you—justification, adoption, sanctification, eternal life! The riches of His goodness are unsearchable! Oh, the breadth of the love of Christ! Shall such a love as this have half our hearts? Shall Jesus’ marvelous loving-kindness and tender care meet with but faint response and tardy acknowledgment? O my soul, tune your heart to a glad song of thanksgiving! Go through the day rejoicing, for you are no desolate wanderer, but a beloved child, watched over, cared for, supplied, and defended by thy Lord.”  (Charles Spurgeon – Slightly modernized – From the Daily Help devotional.)