Counting Our Blessings

Psalm 100:4 (New International Version)

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving
and his courts with praise;
give thanks to him and praise his name.

Song Lyrics to “He Has Made Me Glad”
I will enter his gates with
thanksgiving in my heart
I will enter his courts with praise
I will say this is the day that the
Lord has made
I will rejoice for he has made me glad
He has made me glad
He has made me glad
I will rejoice for he has
made me glad (2x)

Deuteronomy 8:7-18 and Luke 17:11-19
"Remembering To Give Thanks: Blessing God"

God treats us well even when we are not treating Him well or thinking kindly about Him. Sometimes, we don’t show appreciation for what we have or act like we are aware of where things come from.

Deuteronomy 8:7-1, is an example and serves us as a reminder of how this was apparent to God in the Old Testament times.

It emphasizes that Moses, after telling the people of Israel how they will prosper in the promised land, that they are about to enter after so many years of slavery and then of wandering in the wilderness, they will eat their fill, and have fine houses and large herds, and that their silver and gold will multiply, says:

“Do not say to yourself, "my power and the might of my own
hand have gotten me this wealth. But remember the Lord
your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth,
so that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your
ancestors, and as he swearing to you today."

Chapter eight of Deuteronomy of the Old Testament speaks so well of what we all know somewhere in our hearts, but often seem to forget in our actions and our attitudes.

It explains that everything we have is a gift from God, which may be a gift worked upon by our hands, a gift perhaps even enhanced by our own strength, but a gift none-the–less and most importantly, as God gives us the hands we need, and God gives us the strength we have.

If we would remember this at all times - it would make our lives
much easier, it would bless everyone around us, and as well as it would bless God..

Not so long ago famous people all over the world were polled by a
magazine which asked them the question - "If you could be granted
one wish that would come true right now - what would that be?"

There were some very interesting responses - but one response
impressed the magazine's editors so much that they commented on it.
That response was this -

“I wish that I could be given an even greater ability to appreciate all that I already have."

This is an interesting answer and an interesting thing to wish for.

What do you think would happen if everyone of us suddenly became
a more thankful person? What if all of us suddenly became more appreciative people?

No one likes to be taken for granted - or to see someone that they love taking things for granted.

All of us like to be appreciated, all of us like to be thanked, and all of us, like to see those we love live thankful lives, appreciative lives, so much so that we teach our children this virtue - at our supper tables,- during birthday parties, - in the middle of visits from their grandparents,- just about anytime that they are receiving something from someone or asking someone for something.

It is a great thing to teach our kids to say please and thank you, and it helps them out in this world. It is a great thing to be appreciated, to be thanked; but we should think with holy and prayerful minds as we thank God with our worship for the harvest we are all enjoying.

The questions God put on my heart today are, “Where is your sense of thankfulness?” How complete is it? How deep does it run in your life?”

I Thessalonians, chapter five, verse eighteen says

"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." and in Ephesians, chapter five, where Paul is telling new Christians how they should live, it says: "Give thanks to God the Father at all times and forev erything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

The standard of the early church of the disciples and the apostles was really incredible. It had incredible results in the lives of those disciples and apostles, and in the lives of all those around them.

They lived happy and triumphant lives. Scripture shows that they rejoiced even when they were being afflicted and persecuted as their fellowship continually grew until it reached the ends of the earth.

Give thanks in all circumstances. Give thanks for everything. Give thanks at all times.

This is a step beyond remembering God and thanking God for all the wealth that we enjoy in this our promised land. This is a step beyond remembering God and obeying his commands because He gave us fine houses and filled our bellies. This is even a step beyond thanking God, as the leper thanked Him, for healing him through Jesus of his disease.

This is the kind of “Thanksgiving” “in our living” which is demanding and rewarding. Demanding because when we are feeling pressed to wall and find it difficult to fulfill the word that says:

"Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."

“Demanding” to us when we are feeling struck down by some affliction or angry because someone did something thoughtless; upset because our dog escaped out the door in the morning; when we have difficulty feeling grateful to God for the circumstances we are in; when we want to feel sorry for ourselves for the trouble we are in; when we want to yell at the kids for being whatever kids are when they are thoughtless; instead of wanting to praise God - or to pray to Him about the situation with thanksgiving,


How about you? Do you have a faith that is “thankful” in everything?

It's something to think about especially it is something to think about when you consider the power of “Thanksgiving” and of how not only are we blessed or rewarded for it, but so is God and all those around us.

When we forget - hard things get harder. When we allow the situation we are in to swallow us up and to swallow all thought of God's power and goodness up; when we begin to think we have earned and deserve all the good things we have, and when we forget that God is able to help us in the midst of all the bad things that occur, well - life becomes bleaker, and true virtue becomes harder to find.

God wants us to celebrate his love. God wants us to “give thanks in everything”.

God doesn't want this because He is greedy for praise. The Lord doesn't want it so that He will feel better about Himself. He wants it because it will bless us and because it will bless the world He has made.

He wants us to remember what He has done- so that we will not be afraid when we are in need of help, and so that we will not grow arrogant or rude when we are prospering. He wants us to remember and give thanks to Him, and to those around us so that our lives will be full of light and hope and so our actions full of tenderness and love.

As the psalmist declares - "It is good to give thanks to the
LORD, to sing praises to his name". Praise be unto God and thanksgiving for his many blessings Amen.

My Prayer: What bountiful harvest we have received from You. We count our blessings without number. You give us heath, a warm family, life, prosperity and a peaceful heart. You give us Your strength through adversity and security in turmoil. You give us opportunities to serve which enrich our lives. We acknowledge the rich blessings You showered upon us. Help us to appreciate them. Remove from our heart the idea that our recognition of these blessings will earn us future blessings. Allow us to focus this “Thanksgiving” on what You have done for us and rejoice in the daily blessings You give us. In this I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen