Giving Thanks Always

Ephesians 5:20 Giving
thanks always unto God the
Father in the name of our
Lord Jesus Christ.
 What is the hardest thing
in life: 
To do for the crowd?
To tell someone the truth?
To give thanks in troubled times? 
Unthankful people are never happy people.
Unthankful people are filled with bitterness,
fear, negativism, selfishness, self-pity. 
Thankfulness is the secret to a happy and
productive Christian life. 
 A preacher was on a train and was sitting across
from a well dressed businessman. Sitting next to
him was a woman, gorgeously dressed with
diamonds dripping off her fingers. This woman
was complaining about everything. The preacher
asked the man what his business was, and the man
told him. The preacher then asked if the woman
was his wife. The man replied, “yes.” The preacher
asked what the woman did for business. The man
replied, “She is in manufacturing.” The preacher
asked, “What kind of manufacturing.” The man
answered, “She manufactures her own
unhappiness.”
 When should we be thankful?
What should we be thankful for?
How do we give thanks always?
A.     When should we be thankful?
The Bible teaches us to give thanks always – We are
reminded that: 
a. God gives us benefits daily. Everyday should be
Thanksgiving Day for us. 
Psalms 68:19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with
benefits, . . . 
b. Every day you get a fresh load of God’s mercies. 
Lamentations 3:22-23 22 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we
are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23
They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
c. You should never pray without thanking God. 
Philip. 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer
and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be
made known unto God.
A.     When should we be thankful?
There are Four levels of life: 
a.       There are the Grumblers – Lowest level - people
constantly grumbling and complaining. They can
brighten up a room by just leaving it. 
b.      There are the Ungrateful – Next to the lowest level -
They don’t complain, but they just don't give thanks. 
c.       There are the Grateful - Second highest level -
Grateful for the Obvious – These give thanks for the
obvious blessings. 
d.      There are the Earnestly Grateful - The highest level -
Grateful for all things at all times – These give thanks to
God for all things, all the time. This is the secret of joy.
A.     When should we be thankful?

Think and Thank - If you are thinking

you ought to be thanking.
Thanksgiving is a matter of right thinking.
In the old Anglo-Saxon language
thankfulness means "thinkfulness"
B.     What should I be thankful for?

Your Faith (Eph 5.19; Col 3.16; Psalm 95.2; 105.2) – Ephisians
5:19 The fact that you are saved should put a hope in
your heart, a hop in your step, and a hymn on your lips. 
Colossians 3:16 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you
richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one
another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing
with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Psalms 95:2 2 Let us come before his presence with
thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with
psalms.
Psalms 105:2 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye
of all his wondrous works.
B.     What should I be thankful for?
Your Fresh Water – There are many in our
world who do not have fresh water. In India
75-80% of the population do not have safe
water to drink. 2 million die annually from
water related diseases. 
Your Dirty Dishes (Food) – Many in our world
would love to have dirty dishes to thank God
for. Dirty dishes mean you have just had a
good meal to eat. 
Your Fortune – The things that God has given
and done for you. 
B.     What should I be thankful for?

Your Friends – The religious friends you have in the Lord

Jesus Christ is a blessing beyond blessings. And we ought
to thank our friends, because it will cheer them up and
build them up. 
There was a woman who had taught as an educator
for over 50 years. One day a man want to send some
one a thank you note and thought of her. He wrote her a
note of thanks for teaching him to read and love books.
He received a letter back the woman said. Your letter is
the first letter of thanks I have received after 50 years of
teaching. It came on a blue cold day, and it has
cheered me like nothing else in many years. It has
brought a tear to my eye, thank you for your letter. 
C.     How do we give thanks always? 
Give thanks in the Spirit unto the Father through the Son
Ephesians 5:20– “Giving thanks always for all things unto
God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;”
- With the authority of the son. 
A man was shipwrecked on an island. He had
foraged around and built a hut, in which was his cooking
fire. One day he was looking for food when he saw
smoke. Upon returning he notice his hut had burned up.
He said, “God everything I had was in that hut and you
burned it up.” A few hours latter a boat rowed up, the
men said, “We saw your signal fire and have come to
rescue you.” 
Paul wrote this epistle from prison. From that cold dark
place he wrote, “Give thanks always.” 
LET’S GET INVOLVED.LET’S
THANK OUR LORD.

THANK YOU
AND
HAPPY SABBATH!