OPEN BIBLE VOL. 56 NO. 10 OCTOBER 2015
BULLETIN
New Brunswick
Bible institute GOD’S PURPOSE
OUR PASSION
FOCUS
BY MATTHEW LITTLE
ENCOUNTER 2016
THANKSGIVING Thanksgiving - for some this is a confusing holiday. We set aside a day a year to be thankful and then, for the most part, the rest of the year we are very much self-absorbed. Don’t get me wrong, I love Thanksgiving, but we desperately need the attitude of thankfulness to impact our lives at all times.
those words are followed up with the admonition “...and be ye thankful.” (Colossians 3:15b). There is certainly a link between our relationship with Jesus and our attitude of thankfulness. The more deeply the work of Christ grips our lives, the more thankfulness will flow from our hearts.
As I looked at God’s Word, I was impressed with three things God reminds us about thankfulness. First, thankfulness is God’s will for your life. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Maybe you are struggling with God’s will for your life. Well, start by being thankful, for this is most certainly His will for you. Furthermore, God’s will is that you be thankful in everything and this attitude is something God wants for you. He says it is “concerning you”. Isn’t it interesting how we can always think of 10 people who could use this Bible truth but we are never one of them.
Third, it appears in Scripture that thankfulness combats fear, worry and doubt. Philippians 4:6 says, “Be careful for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” I know I often worry about the future instead of being thankful for the present and the blessings of God on my life today. Paul says if you want to battle anxiousness, worry and fear start developing a thankful heart. D.L. Moody had a simple yet profound motto for his life, “Careful for nothing, prayerful for everything, thankful for anything.”
Second, thankfulness is motivated by the work of Christ in our lives. Colossians 3:15a & 16a say, “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts... Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly...” and then
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Today, spend some time thanking God for what He has done in you, for you and through you. And if you feel you have nothing to be thankful for then heed these words, “If life has not treated you as you think it should, be thankful, you might not like what you really deserve.”
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