Be Ye Thankful

Giving Thanks Glorifies God

We are commanded to be thankful always for all things that the Lord is working in our lives. The parable of ten lepers being cleansed, and only one returning to Christ to give thanks for our healing and salvation, is our fulfillment of prophecy as the chosen of God.  We honor God, the Father and the Son when we return and give thanks in all things.

Luk 17:12  And as Christ [He] entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: 

Luk 17:13  And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 

Luk 17:14  And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.

Luk 17:15  And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, 

Luk 17:16  And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. 

Luk 17:17  And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? 

Luk 17:18  There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger. 

Luk 17:19  And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole. 

As spiritual lepers, chief of sinners, we thank the Lord for His mercy that has opened our eyes to our sin and the Commandments that save us. We are always thankful for what the Lord gives us to eat and drink daily, both spiritually and physically. Our spiritual food and drink are the Commandments and the resulting grace, the wine of the Gospel, the cup of His blood that represents the trials and tribulations we endure to enter into the Kingdom of God.

The parable of the Last Supper and examples of giving thanks for our nourishment reveal the mystery to those who see. We are doing likewise in our day of the Lord. The Elect of God are One Body and partake of One Bread that is distributed to us all.

Luk 22:17  And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: 

Luk 22:18  For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God [The Promise, the return of Christ to dwell in us] shall come. 

Luk 22:19  And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. 

Luk 22:20  Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

Those who hear the Gospel and are not thankful become the foolish virgins whose hearts are eventually darkened, as they fall away from the faith, having no oil in their lamps when the trials of faith come.

Rom 1:21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 

Rom 1:22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 

Those being healed of their sins and spiritual leprosy are the true Israel of God who have and continue to receive the mercy and many blessings of God. Our spiritual healing and salvation are not without cost or suffering, and they require us to endure many tribulations to finish the race. We are thankful for all the things the Lord works in our lives. Through all of it, the good, the bad, the up, the down, we are commanded to remain thankful and always give thanks to the Lord.

Psa 92:1  A Psalm or Song for the sabbath day. It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High

We have entered into the Sabbath rest that remains of the true Israel of God. We are at peace, having ceased from our carnal works and now standing solely on the Commandments of God. Whatsoever we do is in the name of the Commandments by which we give thanks to God and the Father.

Col 3:14  And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. 

Col 3:15  And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. 

Col 3:16  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. 

Col 3:17  And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. 

The Psalms are full of verses regarding giving of thanks. We give thanks to God by obeying His Commandments, which in spirit is singing praises to His Name.

Psa 18:49  Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy name.

Psa 30:4  Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

Psa 75:1   Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare.

Returning to the Lord as the one leper did is returning to the Commandments. Going to the Commandments is giving thanks to the Lord, and is our calling upon His Name, and thereby making known the Gospel among the people. The Lord multiplies and increases us when we witness faithfully for the Commandments.  We thank the Lord for giving us what we seek, the living waters of eternal life, which is to know Him and the Father.

1Ch 16:8  Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people. 

1Ch 16:9  Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works. 

1Ch 16:10  Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. 

Time is short in our day of the Lord. We redeem the time wisely and walk not as fools. We know and trust the Lord in working all things for the greater good of our salvation and manifesting His precious promise in our lives. No matter the trial or situation we find ourselves in, we say, “Praise the Lord” and give Him thanks for His work in us.

Eph 5:19  Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 

Eph 5:20  Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; 

Eph 5:21  Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God. 

Losing our life to save it is difficult for our weak flesh, hence the many admonishments and reminders to be ye thankful always. We honor God and bring glory to His Name when we obey the Commandment.

1Th 5:18  In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 

We certainly give thanks for the physical food the Lord provides before we eat. Yet we remember the Scriptures are spiritual and speak of spiritual truths and ways. We are also to give thanks to our heavenly Father before we eat of the daily bread of life that He is giving us. The bread of life is the Living Christ, the Commandments that we eat with thanksgiving to our maker. We are being filled with the Living Christ, who is teaching us righteousness.

Joh 6:35  And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. 

Christ is the example we follow. Whenever bread was given out for nourishment, thanks were first given to God.

Mar 8:6 And he commanded the people to sit down on the ground: and he took the seven loaves, and gave thanks, and brake, and gave to his disciples to set before them; and they did set them before the people. 

Mat 15:36 And he took the seven loaves and the fishes, and gave thanks, and brake them, and gave to his disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. 

We do not fear men or what they can do to us. We fear the Lord, and we give Him thanks even at great costs to our standing in the carnal world. Daniel was faithful and would rather obey the Lord than avoid being thrown into the lion’s den.  We give thanks to the Lord and seek not to please men.

Dan 6:10 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. 

Never forget to give thanks to God for one another and for the blessing we reap in being gathered with His little flock who share a like precious faith. We know how rare, rarer than the gold of Ophir, are the true saints of God being saved in this age whose hearts and minds are tuned to the Gospel. We give thanks and pray for one another.

Col 1:3  We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, 

Col 1:4  Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints, 

Col 1:5  For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the Gospel;