King David understood the importance of giving thanks to the Lord.Psalm 118:24 says, This is the day the Lord has made i will rejoice and be glad in it. Maybe your day hasn't gone t he way it was planned, or you are going through difficulties and setbacks, but we can maintain an attitude of gratitude even in the midst of hard times. As Paul puts it, Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say, rejoice! Thanksgiving is an attitude that does not depend on the circumstances we find ourselves
What should we thank God for, and how should we praise Him?
One writer put it this way (anonymous writer)
Be thankful that you don't already have everything you desire.
If you did, what would there be to look forward to?
Be thankful when you don't know something
For it gives you the opportunity to learn.
Be thankful for the difficult times.
During those times you grow.
Be thankful for your limitations
Because they give you opportunities for improvement.
Be thankful for each new challenge
Because it will build your strength and character.
Be thankful for your mistakes
They will teach you valuable lessons.
Be thankful when you're tired and weary
Because it means you've made a difference.
It is easy to be thankful for the good things.
A life of rich fulfillment comes to those who are also thankful for the setbacks.
The theme of Thanksgiving is found throughout the Bible, and perhaps
nowhere more so than in the Psalms. Psalm 103 is a great psalm of thanksgiving.
Bless the Lord my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name.
This psalm, attributed to King David, begins with words of personal thanksgiving,
and I think that's where most of us begin too. If you had to make a list of what
you are thankful for, where would you start? Probably with the ways in which
you have personally been blessed.
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
and do not forget all his benefits
who forgives all your iniquity,
who heals all your diseases,
who redeems your life from the Pit,
who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
who satisfies you with good as long as you live
so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
God blesses us with salvation and health and with all the good things we need. The greatest blessings may be the ones we most take for granted.
REASONS TO PRAISE GOD
Very simply, we praise God because He is worthy of our praise ( 1 Chron. 16:25; Rev. 5:11-14). He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is our Creator, Provider, Healer, Redeemer, Judge, Defender and much more. Another foundational reason to praise God is simple obedience. The Bible says God is a "jealous" God who demands and desires our praise. "You shall have no other gods before Me," says the first commandment ( Deut. 6:7). As the psalmist said, "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord" ( Psalm 150:6). As we praise God, we will discover incredible benefits for our lives. That's because human beings were created by God to praise Him ( Isa. 43:7, Matt. 21:16). Due to man's original sin, however, this relationship was disrupted. Praising God helps restore us to that right relationship, for God actually dwells in the praises of His people ( Psalm 22:3). As we draw near to the Father in praise, He draws near to us ( James 4:8). Praise is also our ultimate destiny. When the Lord Jesus Christ returns again to earth, all creation -- including prideful mankind -- will recognize His glory and praise Him ( Phil. 2:9-11).
PRAISE FOR PROTECTION
God also gives us assurances of additional blessings as we praise Him. When we praise God, He honors us as His children, and provides His loving protection ( 2 Sam. 22:47-51). Failure to praise God, however, leaves us out of fellowship with God and out of His divine protection ( 1 Samuel 2:27-32). Our praise can also serve as a powerful witness to those who do not know the Lord ( 1 Peter 2:9). Also, God can work miraculously through our praises. The ancient walls of Jericho came crashing down, giving victory to God's people, as a result of shouts of praise ( Joshua 6:1-21). The prison doors shook open when Paul and Silas praised God ( Acts 16:25-26).
LIVING A LIFE OF PRAISE
It is vitally important to live in an attitude of praise toward God. But what can you do if you are having difficulty maintaining a life filled with praise?
1. Commit your life to Christ. First, be absolutely sure that you have placed your complete faith in
Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of your life. The Bible says that "if you confess with your mouth Jesus
as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved" ( Rom. 10:9).
The life of praise begins here, with the confession of your mouth that "Jesus is Lord."
2. Confess sin and repent. Sin, including prideful self-reliance, separates us from God and from His love
and protection. But we have the assurance of forgiveness if we come to Him in repentance ( 1 John 1:9).
Confess any known sin and ask God to search your heart. Then, receive His forgiveness.Praise God anyway! Despite your present feelings, it is important to offer praise to God, what Hebrews
13:15 calls a sacrifice" of praise. Despite our feelings or circumstances, God often asks us to take the first
step, especially when He is trying to help us grow in our faith ( James 1:2-4).
3. Join together with other believers. Sharing your struggles with another brother or sister in Christ is not
only good idea ( Ecc. 4:9-10), it is commanded ( James 5:16). Uniting with other believers in regular worship
is also a key to being able to praise God ( Heb. 10:24-25).
Psalm 150 Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty expanse.
Praise Him for His mighty deeds; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness. Praise
Him with trumpet sound; Praise Him with harp and lyre. Praise Him with timbrel and dancing;
Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe. Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with
resounding cymbals. Let everything that has breath praise the LORD
Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that
acknowledge his name. Hebrews 13:15
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your
requests be made known to God. Philippians 4:6
In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God ...1 Thessalonians 5:18
Psalm 100:4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.
1 Chronicles 15:16 David told the leaders of the Levites to appoint their brothers as singers to sing joyful songs,
accompanied by musical instruments: lyres, harps and cymbals
1 Chronicles 16:9 Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts
1 Chronicles 16:23 Sing to the LORD, all the earth; proclaim his salvation day after day
2 Chronicles 5:13 The trumpeters and singers joined in unison, as with one voice, to give praise
and thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, they raised their
voices in praise to the LORD and sang: "He is good; his love endures forever." Then the temple of the
LORD was filled with a cloud,