Ephesians 5:20 (NKJV)
Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
The word “thanksgiving” is really two words: the word “thanks” and the word “giving”. The word “thanksgiving” means two things. First, it means to adopt an attitude of giving thanks always, and second, it means to maintain an attitude of gratitude. Maintaining an attitude of gratitude includes giving thanks every day; therefore, every day should be Thanksgiving Day!
The original plan of God for the United States of America was to bless this land and its people so abundantly that they would have no other choice but to respond with thanksgiving. As Christians, we can (and should) give thanks every day because God is our wonderful, loving heavenly Father who sent Jesus to redeem us, to be our Lord and Savior, and to bless our lives.
Here are 4 ways you can start your personal Thanksgiving movement. This is how you can respond to God for His many blessings in your life.
1. Be thankful to God for this great free country and the religious freedoms we enjoy.
In 1789, President George Washington issued the first official Thanksgiving Day proclamation. It reads in part: “Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God – to obey His will – to be grateful for His benefits – and humbly implore His protection and favor, and whereas both Houses have, by their joint committee, requested me to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity to peaceably establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”
The intimation of our first President was that because of the divine favor of God, every day should be Thanksgiving Day.
Next, the year 1863 was pivotal for the Thanksgiving Holiday. It was then that President Abraham Lincoln proclaimed the last Thursday in November as a national day of Thanksgiving. Here is part of what he said in his Thanksgiving Day Proclamation: “It has seemed to me fit and proper that God should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged, as with one heart and one voice, by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November as a day of thanksgiving and praise to our Father who dwells in the heavens.”
The intimation of Abraham Lincoln was that when we realize that everything is ultimately a gift from God, we can experience the attitude of gratitude. Every President since 1863 has proclaimed a day of Thanksgiving and in 1941, Thanksgiving Day was finally sanctioned by Congress as a legal holiday on the fourth Thursday in November.
2. Be thankful for the little things in life.
If you can see, be thankful. If you can hear, be thankful. If you can breathe, be thankful. If you can walk, be thankful.
There is a story about a young boy who complained because he didn’t have the latest fashion of athletic shoes. But then he met a boy who didn’t have any shoes at all, and he was thankful. And then the boy without any shoes began to complain, but then he met a boy who didn’t have any feet, and he was thankful. And then the boy without any feet began to complain, until he met a boy without any legs, and he was thankful. And as the story goes, wearing the most popular brand of athletic shoes didn’t seem to matter that much after all.
The cure for complaining is thanksgiving. Let’s make sure we’re thankful for all the little things God has blessed us with.
3. Don’t take those closest to you for granted.
We will treat a complete stranger with respect, but we won’t get the car door for our wives. We will treat someone we see once a week with respect, but we won’t take the time to show a family member we see every day how much they mean to us. Sweeping statement now: Thanking God for the people in our lives leads to more reasons to be thankful for them.
4. Stop thinking about what you don’t have and stop talking about what seems to be going wrong in your life.
Blaming and complaining tend to cause God’s blessings to exit your life; whereas thanksgiving is a powerful magnet that draws to us more of everything God has blessed us with. In other words, God will give you more of what you’re thankful for!
These 4 attitudes will make this year’s thanksgiving season your best ever. And furthermore, when you decide to make these attitudes your daily habits, you will be fulfilling God’s will for your life as outlined in First Thessalonians 5:18 which states: “In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
To enjoy this message in its entirety, order the Thanksgiving CD. This message was recorded LIVE during Thanksgiving weekend.