The Bible tells us in so many places to give thanks to God. “Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms” (Ps 95:2). The word for thanksgiving there in the Hebrew is "todah", it means adoration, praise, and giving thanks. This word occurs over 30 times in the Old Testament. 

In the New Testament, the apostle Paul taught us to voice our thankfulness to God (Eph. 5:4). In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 Paul exhorted us to thank God in everything no matter what the circumstances are. It is also interesting to note that in teaching about prayer he very much emphasized the importance of accompanying all of those prayer requests with thanksgiving (Phil 4:6).  

We don't need to thank God for the challenges we face in life but for the way out of those challenges. "We are more than conquerors through him that loved us” (Rom.8:37). If you have a thankful heart you won’t have a complaining heart; so, let's have thankful hearts for all of God's love and blessings, and look forward expectantly to what he will accomplish through us. 

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In Philippians 4:6 Paul tells us that whenever we pray it should be mixed with thanksgiving to God. In Psalm 100:4 the people were exhorted to enter his gates, or presence, with thanksgiving. We can sing with grateful hearts to our God (Col 3:16). We are also exhorted to abound in thanksgiving (Col 2:7). The psalms are replete with thanksgiving to our heavenly father.

It is God's will for us to have thankful hearts (1 Thess 5:18); we don't need to think for too long to be able to prepare a long list of the blessings of God that we experience daily. We are recipients of his indescribable gift in Jesus our savior (2 Cor 9:15). We are forgiven (Eph 1:7), saved (Rom 10:9), healed (1 Peter 2:24) and walk in victory and authority (Col 2:15) over all the works of satan.  

To give thanks is to glorify God (Psalm 50:23). Like praise, thanksgiving pleases God and draws us up into his presence (1 Thess 5:18). Paul urged us to give thanks (1 Tim 2:1). Take some time today to be thankful, to thank God and see how he will lift you up into his spiritual realm, his presence: "In thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right-hand there are pleasures forevermore" (Psalm 16:11; KJV).

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A glorious early summer morning just leads me to want to praise God and thank him for all the blessings he pours on us daily. We should all have thankful hearts (Ps 95:2). We have only to look around us to see the blessings of God in his creation (Rom 1:20).

Every day when we wake up we need to thank God for life, family, loved ones and for God’s love, mercy, forgiveness and presence in our lives; how blessed we are. When each of our children were born I was always reminded that we are: “fearfully and wonderfully made” by the hand of our mighty God (Ps 139:14; KJV). He cares for us, each one of us (1Peter 5:7).

We are told to: “enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise” (Ps 100:4) and to: “come before his presence with thanksgiving” (Ps 95:2). God created our earth and he saw that it was good (Gen 1). He made us to fellowship with him (Gen 3:8-9).

The bible tells us that every good thing comes from our heavenly Father: “with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17). He designed us to live the life that he does, an abundant life (John 10:1). He is so faithful and he desires and is so worthy of, our thanks and praise. As we give thanks and praise him our worries disperse and we are lifted into His presence (Ps 100:4; Ps 22:3). Spend some time today thanking God and praising Him.

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A BLOG by Norman and Jean Rawlings, authors of the book: “On the Way: Basic Christian Training”. Check out our web site for information on our book and more encouraging Bible based blogs. Fill out the: “contact us page” on our website and in the comments section REQUEST A FREE COPY OF A CHAPTER FROM OUR BOOK, click here: www.onthewayinlove.com