Thankful Living

I THESSALONIANS 5: 16 – 18

JESUS CHRIST had a word for unthankful people. He was very select in choosing the proper descriptive word for ingrate. In addressing the ungrateful farmer, whose bumper crop overfilled his barns, Jesus said to him, “Thou fool…” The Greek word employed by Dr. Luke (12:20) was APHRON, meaning “the lack of common sense perception,” or signifying “without reason.” It is simply reasonable to be thankful.Our predecessors knew this and set aside a special day, called Thanksgiving, for the purpose of acknowledging thanks to God.

President George Washington issued the following presidential proclamation in 1789:

“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 of Congress 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 signal favors of Almighty God…”

It sounds like our first president knew the difference between separation of church and state and the employment of Biblical principles by a Christian statesman.

President Lincoln established Thanksgiving in 1863 as a national holiday specifically to give thanks to God for the blessings we have received during the previous year.

Today a concerted effort is being made by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, which is composed of thousands of preschool and elementary teachers. They have published an “Anti-bias Curriculum” that attacks the holiday. This organization urges teachers to focus on the plight of Native Americans. “Talk about what is fair and unfair, what helps us learn about Native Americans, what hurts their feelings.” This is a virtuous thing to do, but not at the expense of debasing one of our major holidays.

Other efforts to downplay the true meaning of the holiday urge teachers to emphasize the day as one in which the Pilgrims met with the Native Americans to thank them for their help.

In all of these efforts the true Christian faith of those who initiated and inaugurated the holiday is omitted.

Jesus said it is “mindless,” the practice of a “fool” not to give thanks. Therefore, to be wise, we should employ regularly the three principles stated in our text. The three we relate to are all internal aspects of inner life. We must have:

I. THE CAPACITY TO EXPRESS JOY (VS. 16 “REJOICE ALWAYS”)
First, notice at the end of verse 18, these are “the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” That is, God want’s you to do them. In each of these the modifier comes emphatically before the verb: Always rejoice, Continually pray, in everything give thanks.

Centuries earlier the prophet Nehemiah (8:10) said of Israel, in one of their greatest times of difficulty, “The joy of the Lord is thy strength.”

The angelic messenger shouted, “Joy to the world the Lord has come.” This isn’t a bonfire-pep-rally-kind-of-energy-of-the-flesh elation that soon fades. Neither is it a type of self-delusion brought about by not facing reality. Nor is it the synthetic kind mirrored by fake smiles and quoted slogans. It is a calm, consistent sense of well-being because all is well with the Father, even if ALL isn’t well in your world.

All was not well with the Christians who initially received this letter. They had “received the word in much affliction, with joy in the Holy Spirit” (I Thess. 1: 6). Notice they had “much affliction.” They are described in 2:14 as having “also suffered.”

The exhibition of joy amid suffering was one of the distinctive traits of the young church. It still characterizes a Spirit-filled believer.

This command is an imperative statement, an appeal to the will. It reminds us that we are in part responsible for maintaining an outlook filled with joy. It reminds us that Christian joy is not totally dependent upon externals but is a result of the internal presence of the Holy Spirit and His being given control of our attitude.

Don’t be disappointed with yourself if you have had difficult times and have failed to rejoice. However, never be content to let such a spirit characterize you. For a Christian to remain sad, negative, or in a complaining mood is to break a command. It shows a basic mistrust of God: either His love, wisdom, or power.

To be around some people, even on their good days, is as cheering as witnessing an autopsy, or diving into an icy lake. Don’t let the glow and glory of your today be polluted by the garbage of someone’s gloom. Don’t live in the valley of the humdrum. Move up to the mountains of joy.

Before His ascension our beloved Lord said, “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15: 11).

The elderly Apostle John wrote, “These things we write to you that your joy may be full” (I John 1:4).

Based on these statements it is self-apparent that joy is in part dependent upon having a Bible orientation, NOT a world view.

II. THE CONFIDENCE TO ENGAGE IN PRAYER (VS. 17 “PRAY…)
Prayer is the natural consequence of friendship with God.

Thoreau said, “Most men lead lives of quiet desperation.” Perhaps this is true. For those of whom it is true, it is a revelation they have not established the right friendship with God.

To “pray without ceasing” doesn’t mean continuously occurring, BUT constantly reoccurring. It means never to hang up the receiver, even if you are not talking. It means to always have your antenna up. Our practice of prayer may be intermittent but the spirit of prayer must be incessant.
Constant prayer causes our mind to conceive and the child brought forth is WISDOM.

In times of crisis, we are prone to resort to prayer. In the Cuban missile crisis, America faced pending disaster. Russian-made missiles in Cuba were found aimed at our cities. A naval blockade was set up. Confrontation seemed inevitable. People rushed to stores to stock up on medicine, food, and batteries. President Kennedy in an address to the nation appealed to all people to pray “in your homes, churches, and schools.” Even schools! Yes, crisis forgets about improper laws. If we will pray in crisis, why not in celebration.

If you are ever on a flight preparing for a crash and the pilot has time you will hear the following:
“We are beginning our final descent. At this moment, in accordance with International Aviation Codes established at Geneva, it is my obligation to inform you that if you believe in God you should commence prayer.”

Don’t wait for a nose dive to pray.

Self-confidence apart from the right relationship with the Lord is one of our greatest hindrances. Associated-confidence is a sure way to victorious living. By this is meant, aligning yourself with the will of the Father through prayer.

For example, the failure of Simon Peter, at the time of the betrayal of Christ, could not be attributed to insincerity or a lack of zeal. In good faith he loved Jesus. In good faith he would have died for Him. His failure grew out of a prayerless heart in the garden. As a result, he trusted his own strength to do what his own will dictated. If he had obeyed His Lord and prayed, this self-deception would have been avoided.

God is not likely to grant you the good things you yourself desire if you don’t even ask Him for them.

III. THE CAPACITY TO ACKNOWLEDGE PRAISE (VS. 18 “GIVE THANKS”)
The word “praise” is derived from the Latin word “preisier” which means to prize. Therefore, praise is the recognition of the worth and merit of our God. To praise is to prize.

Often the most beautiful praise comes from the bleakest circumstances. The decade of the 1669s in England was filled with disaster. The plague in 1665 resulted in the death of over 70,000 people in London. A year later in an attempt to destroy some plague infested areas by fire a city wide fire broke out that destroyed most of the city. The prophets of doom and gloom predicted the city and England would never recover.

During all of this a godly Christian man — Bishop Thomas Ken — kept encouraging the people that he could still see the light of God’s purpose and presence even through all this.

He felt compelled to write a song expressing his deep conviction that God was still sovereign and worthy of praise. He wrote and we still sing:

“Praise God from whom all blessings flow,

Praise Him all creatures here below,

Praise Him above ye heavenly host.

Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.”

Praise is not an option to those who want to please God. He said it is His “will,” that is, what He wants of us.

Praise spares us the pain of a bloated ego. When we learn to pass on to the Lord all the praise we receive, we are blessed.

Praise is rooted in the confidence that God can use all things for good. Those who realize that blessings often come wrapped in burdens can give thanks “in everything.”

Alexander Solzhenitsyn, as a Russian dissident was imprisoned in Siberia. He wrote of that horror:
“It was only when I lay there on rotting prison straw that I sensed within myself the first stirrings of good. Gradually, it was disclosed to me that the line separating good and evil passes, not through states, nor classes, nor political parties, but right through all human hearts. So, bless you, prison, for having been in my life.” What are the “prisons” in your life, presently, for which you need to praise the Lord?

That little preposition “in” (en) means to give thanks “in connection with everything.” Knowing this prevents us from facing the adversities of life with gritted teeth, and enables us to face them with grateful hearts.

The fact that “this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” does not mean you have to do it, but that you can do it at all times. There are many things we can’t do, but this we can do. You can pull yourself out of the shadows of life into the sunlight of His love by prayer. Often a Psalm begins by the writer describing himself as being in a state of despondency. Read on! As he begins to praise the Lord in this state, it is as though his spirit takes wings and soars in joy. The dove of joy rises on the wings of prayer and praise.

If circumstances leave you with little obvious in them for which to praise the Lord, take an imaginary walk around Calvary. Look into the eyes of Jesus. Listen to His quivering, but acquitting voice saying, “Father, forgive them.” Remember the crown of thorns. Then tell yourself, “All this was done for me.” See if that gives you something for which to praise Him.