Prayer
Thanksgiving
Psalm 100:4
Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts
with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.
NASB
Thanksgiving is the practical aspect of a believer giving his heart felt thanks to God. It is that aspect of praise where we thank our God for all that He has done for us. This joy of thanks comes from a grateful heart.
Strangely enough, however, it appears that Scripture requires all believers to thank God, even if they are ungrateful. Paul writes, "in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NASB).
Perhaps, it is easier to understand this admonition when you consider that Scripture assumes your are thankful to God for His work in salvation and sanctification. The mere fact you are a Christian pictures the work of Christ on the Cross and the gift of God the Father in sending His Son to die on the Cross forming the bridge to your salvation. Isn't this enough for you always to be thankful?!
Romans 7:25 Thanks
be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself
with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh
the law of sin. NASB
Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward
us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
NASB
1 Thessalonians 2:13 For this reason we also constantly
thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from
us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is,
the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe. NASB
In the world of prayer,
Scripture teaches that we need to be thankful for God's answer to our
prayers, even without knowing what the answer will be. We have the assurance
of Scripture that God&s answer to our prayers will always be in line with
His Will.
Romans 8:28-29 28 And we know that God causes all
things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are
called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also
predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would
be the firstborn among many brethren NASB
The words of Paul forever remain
true. Whether we "feel" thankful or not, we should always thank
God in our prayers for all He has done for us.
Philippians 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything
by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made
known to God. NASB
