God is Great, God is Good, Give HIM Thanks!
Making it Personal
Prayer of Thanksgiving part 4
Prayer is our communication and more importantly our conversation with our Creator and Redeemer. This Thanksgiving Day, we need to give HIM our First Thanks.
The past 3 weeks we have been taking a look at prayer, and tonight, this thanksgiving eve, I believe we are to continue with that study. Although, my next look at prayer was to be about FASTING and prayer, but somehow, I don’t think I would get very far with the FASTING part with tomorrow being Thanksgiving day.
As a child, we learned to say Grace before we ate.
God is Great, God is Good, Now we thank HIM for our food. By HIS hands, we all are fed, Thank you LORD for our daily bread. Amen.
Then if we had already started to eat, and realized we hadn’t prayed yet
God is Good, God is Great, Thank you for the food we ate.
Such a simple prayer.
1. God is Great
2. God is Good
3. Thank Him
GREAT
Psalm 86:10 For You are GREAT, and do wondrous things; You alone are God.
Psalm 95:3 For the LORD is the GREAT God, And the GREAT King above all gods.
Luke 1:31-33
31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.
32 He will be GREAT, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David.
33 And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His kingdom there will be no end.
Titus 2:13-14
13 looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our GREAT God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.
GOOD
Psalm 107:1 says, Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is GOOD! For His mercy endures forever.
Psalm 143:10
Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Your Spirit is GOOD. Lead me in the land of uprightness.
Psalm 34:8
Oh, taste and see that the LORD is GOOD; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!
Psalm 25:8 GOOD and upright is the LORD; Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.
Psalm 100:5 For the LORD is GOOD; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.
Psalm 106:1 Praise the LORD! Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is GOOD! For His mercy endures forever.
Nahum 1:7 The LORD is GOOD, A stronghold in the day of trouble; And He knows those who trust in Him.
Romans 2:4 the GOODness of God leads you to repentance!
How simple a prayer yet how important it is that we give thanks.
THANKS
Psalm 30:12 To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent.O LORD my God, I will give THANKS to You forever.
Psalm 50:14 Offer to God THANKSgiving, And pay your vows to the Most High.
Psalm 69:30
I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify Him with THANKSgiving.
Psalm 75:1 We give THANKS to You, O God, we give thanks! For Your wondrous works declare that Your name is near.
What is it that you have to be thankful for?
Romans 1:8
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.
1 Corinthians 1:4 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus,
1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
2 Corinthians 2:14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.
2 Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! [The Gospel of Christ]
Ephesians 5:20 WE ARE TO BE...
giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.
Hebrews 13:15
Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
Revelation 7:12 saying: Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen.
Revelation 11:17 We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Chronicles 16:8, 29, 34
8 Oh, give thanks to the LORD!
Call upon His name;
Make known His deeds among the peoples!
29 Give to the LORD the glory due His name;
Bring an offering, and come before Him.
Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness!
34 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever.
Deuteronomy 8:10-11
10 When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the LORD your God for the good land which He has given you.
11 Beware that you do not forget the LORD your God by not keeping His commandments, His judgments, and His statutes which I command you today,
What do you have to be thankful for?
5 Grains of Corn
Tradition says that the pilgrims who came to this country, came at a time in which they were not prepared for the long winter ahead. During that time, they had to ration what food they had left, and each was given just 5 grains of corn per day.
5 Grains of Corn.
Then on that next season, the Indians taught them how to fish and hunt and plant their food. At harvest time, there was such an abundance of food that they gathered together to celebrate with their Indian friends in a feast of Thanksgiving.
But before they began their feast, on each plate was 5 grains of corn. The corn was to remind them that in the first year, the Lord sustained them. The corn was a reminder to thank God for His care. The Pilgrims had little, but they did possess gratitude. It was upon this base of genuine gratitude to God that America was built.
Today as we pass out these 5 grains of corn, be reminded of the many blessings that God has provided to each of us. And begin your Thanksgiving day celebration with Thanking God for at least 5 things he has done for you.
As a tradition, distribute grains of corn to everyone seated at the table, and before you begin, circle the room and let everyone share something they are thankful to God for.
Then, take the same five grains of corn and think of five people in your lives that have made an impact on your life, then take the time to tell them how much you appreciate them, whether you do it in person, by a telephone, letter or e-mail.
Make your thanks known to them.
Gods word says we are to "Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise, give thanks to Him and praise His name."
Paul tells us to "give thanks in all circumstances" 1 Thess. 5:18
David Prayed a PRAYER of Thanksgiving in 1 Chronicles 29
Let us pray
[1 Chronicles 29:10b-13]
Blessed are You, LORD God [of Israel], our Father, forever and ever.
11 Yours, O LORD, is the greatness,
The power and the glory,
The victory and the majesty;
For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours;
Yours is the kingdom, O LORD,
And You are exalted as head over all.
12 Both riches and honor come from You,
And You reign over all.
In Your hand is power and might;
In Your hand it is to make great
And to give strength to all.
13 Now therefore, our God,
We thank You
And praise Your glorious name.
[paraphrased]
14 For all things come from you
15 We are nothing without you; we have no hope except what comes from you, Jesus.
16 All this abundance is all Your own
17 You test the heart and have pleasure in righteousness
18 Keep this forever in the intent of the thoughts of the heart of each of us. Fix our heart toward you.
20 We bless your holy name.
And give you Honor and Praise and come before you with Thankfulness in our hearts for your mercy, and grace and salvation.
[Revelation 11:17] We give You thanks, O Lord God Almighty, The One who is and who was and who is to come, Because You have taken Your great power and reigned.
[Revelation 7:12] saying: Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen.
Thank you for Jesus, our Savior, Redeemer and soon coming King.
For it is in your Magnificent Name, Jesus, we pray. Amen.
