A Proper Attitude Series

A Proper Attitude

Biblical Perspective on Thanksgiving

Ephesians 5 19 - 20 says, "Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, ALWAYS giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." And 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."

The Apostle Paul has some key truths: Praise, Thanksgiving, Always, Continually and In All Circumstances: These are not attitudes for just the Sunday service, but a continue daily life expression.

The following proclamation was made by Governor Bradford in 1623, 3 years after the Pilgrims settled at Plymouth:;

"To all ye Pilgrims,

Inasmuch as the great Father has given us this year an abundant harvest of Indian corn, wheat, peas, squashes and garden vegetables, and has made the forests to abound with game and the sea with fish and clams, and in-as-much as He has protected us from the raids of the savages, has spared us from pestilence and disease, has granted us freedom to worship God according to the dictates of our own conscience; now I, your magistrate, do proclaim that all ye Pilgrims, with your wives and ye little ones, do gather at ye meeting house, on ye hill, between the hours of 9 and 12 in the day time, on Thursday November ye 29th of the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred and twenty three, and the third year since ye Pilgrims landed on ye Plymouth rock, there to listen to ye pastor and render thanksgiving to ye Almighty God for all His blessings." A proper perspective.

We need the proper perspective: Before we can gain a proper attitude we need to understand there are a hindrances that scares the spiritual heart, preventing true thanksgiving.

1.) Our pride - I got myself were I am - by my own hard work. There is no one to thank.

2.) Critical spirit - finding fault - embracing the complaining attitude towards work, family, government, the weather.

"A lady known as an incurable grumbler constantly complained about everything. At last her preacher thought he had found something about which she would be happy, for her farm crop was the finest for miles around. When he met her, he said with a beaming smile, `You must be very happy Mary. Everyone is saying how healthy your potatoes look this year.’ Upon which she replied - `True they’re pretty good, but what am I going to do when I need bad ones to feed the pigs.’" (Steve Malone)

3.) Lack of Gratitude: Someone said, "If the stars only came out once per year - we would stay up all night to look at them." The fact is they are out every night - we have grown accustom to them. It is easy to grow accustom to God's blessings. (Steve Malone - A Proper Perspective On Thanksgiving)

Interrogative Sentence: What is a Biblical perspective on Thanksgiving? I do not know about you - it bothers Pennie and I when you see and hear so much about Christmas - before Thanksgiving. Pennie and I were pleasantly surprised to actually here a Thanksgiving TV commercial - promoting a thankful attitude - not a Thanksgiving add to sell turkeys. But a real thanking attitude.

Proposition: I would propose to you - Thanksgiving should be expressed - should be expansive - and is expected.

Transitional Sentence: Thanksgiving should be expressed. Psalm 100 says, "Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth. Worship the LORD with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. 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. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the LORD is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations." Notice it says all the earth, express thanksgiving.

Psychologists today tell us that sincere gratitude, thanksgiving, is the healthiest of all human emotions. Hans Selye, who is considered the father of stress studies, has said that gratitude produces more positive emotional energy than any other attitude in life. And a thankful heart will endear others to us and us to others. For you see thanksgiving is not only good for the giver but also good for the receiver. (Steve Malone - A Proper Perspective On Thanksgiving)

I do not know about you - I think that this modern day mentality of commercializing Christmas before Thanksgiving Day is a reflection of an ungrateful heart, a desire to feed greed.

Practical ways of expressing thankfulness to God are:

1.) Spend time with Him -