PASTOR’S MESSAGE SMALL WORDS BUT SO VITAL.

by Roger Purdom

I went in to take my first school assembly of this new term in an Infant School. As the Headteacher was introducing me she reminded the children of some of the words they had been thinking about during the first week of term. “Please and Thank you and Sorry are all very important words”, she told the children. Then she introduced me. I picked up on one of these – “Thank you.” I talked about how important it is to say “Thank you” in so many different situations and how easy it is to forget to say it.

As I came away from the school, I said “Thank you” to God for the opportunity to go into schools and teach them some Bible stories. And then I thought about the many reasons we have to say “Thank you” to God every day.

As we start another month – just 86 shopping days left before Christmas – let’s take a wander through the Bible and see how important giving thanks is.

1 Chronicles 16:8 ‘Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done.’
1 Chronicles 16:34 ‘Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures for ever.’
1 Chronicles 29:13 ‘And now our God, we give you thanks and praise your glorious name.’
2 Chronicles 7:3 ‘When all the Israelites saw the fire coming down and the glory of the LORD above the temple, they knelt on the pavement with their faces to the ground and they worshipped and gave thanks to the LORD, saying, “He is good; His love endures for ever.”’
2 Chronicles 20:21 ‘After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise Him for the splendour of His holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying, “Give thanks to the Lord, for His love endures for ever.” ’
Nehemiah 12:31 ‘I had the leaders of Judah go up on top of the wall. I also assigned two large choirs to give thanks.’
Psalm 7:17 ‘I will give thanks to the LORD because of His righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.’
Psalm 28:7 ‘The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to Him in song.’
Psalm 30:12 ‘O LORD my God, I will give you thanks for ever.’
Psalm 35:18 ‘I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you,’
Psalm 75:1 ‘We give thanks to you, O God, we give thanks, for your Name is near; men tell of your wonderful deeds.’
Psalm 100:4-5 ‘Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the LORD is good and His love endures for ever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.’
Psalm 136:1-3 and 26 ‘Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good. His love endures for ever. Give thanks to the God of gods. His love endures for ever. Give thanks to the LORD of lords. His love endures for ever. Give thanks to the God of heaven. His love endures for ever.’
Isaiah 12:4 ‘In that day you will say, “Give thanks to the LORD, call on His name; make known among the nations what He has done and proclaim that His name is exalted.’
Daniel 6:10 ‘Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened towards Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, as he had done before.’
Luke 2:38 ‘Coming up to them at that very moment, she (Anna) gave thanks to God and spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem.’
Mark 6:41 ‘Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to His disciples to set before the people.’
Luke 22:19 ‘And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” ’

Romans 6:17-18 ‘But thanks be to God, that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. You have been set free from sin and have become salves to righteousness.’
1 Corinthians 15:57 ‘But thanks be to God. He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.’
2 Corinthians 2:14 ‘But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him.’
Ephesians 5:20 ‘always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.’
Colossians 3:17 ‘And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.’
1 Thessalonians 5:18 ‘giving thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.’
Revelation 11:16-17 ‘And the twenty four elders, who were seated on their thrones before God, fell on their faces and worshipped God, saying, “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and have begun to reign.” ’

“Thank you” – two small words but when we think about who God is and all He has done, these words are so vital as we live our Christian lives.

Let’s use this coming month to say “Thank you” to God as often as we can.

Parkside Evangelical Church

PASTOR’S MESSAGE SMALL WORDS BUT SO VITAL.

by Roger Purdom

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