Enter into His Gates with Thanksgiving

1. Enter into His Gateswith Thanksgiving Psalm 100:4

2. Give Thanks to God! • For His goodness, might, mercy and deliverance (1 Chrn. 16:7-8; Psa. 100:4; 107:1-3; 136:1-3) • The Lord’s comfort of Zion provokes thanksgiving from its inhabitants, Isaiah 51:1-3 “giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph. 5:20)

3. What is Thanksgiving? • “Grateful acknowledgment of benefits received” • Opposite of selfishness, arrogance and rebellion • It springs out of love, joy and praise • Where it is found, contentment is found • Without it, anxiety and lusts abound “giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph. 5:20)

4. Giving Thanks Presupposes • Knowledge you have been blessed, 1 Tim. 1:12-13 • Knowledge of the blessings received, Phil. 1:3-5 • Knowledge of the source of the blessings, Jas. 1:17; Dan. 4:30-33 “giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph. 5:20)

5. When Must We Give Thanks? • Before (expectation), 2 Chrn. 20:20-21 • Honor and faith(Heb. 13:5-6) • During (reliance), Acts 28:15 • Aware of God in your life (Job 1:21) • After (acknowledgment), Exo. 15:1; Dan. 2:23; Lk. 17:11-19 • Remembering God Psa. 34:1 “giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph. 5:20)

6. For What Must We Give Thanks? • Physical and spiritual, ordinary and extraordinary, received and withheld (2 Cor. 12:10), 1 Ths. 5:18 • Food (1 Tim. 4:4), All men (1 Tim. 2:1), Memories (Phil. 1:3), Brethren (Col. 1:3) “giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph. 5:20)

7. For What Must We Give Thanks? • Giving thanks is a test and profession of our faith • Paul’s imprisonment (Phil. 1:12-14, 18) • How we can be thankful for “everything”? Rom. 8:28 • No exterior force can separate us from the love of Christ! Rom. 8:35-39 “giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph. 5:20)

8. To Whom Do We Give Thanks? • The Father is the giver of all good gifts, Jas. 1:17; Matt. 7:11 • Not exclusively the Father,1 Tim. 1:12 • Father gave the Son(Jno. 3:16) • Son gave his life(Matt. 20:28) • Holy Spirit gave all truth(Jno. 16:13-15) • Godhead, Rom. 1:20-21; Acts 17:25 “giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph. 5:20)

9. How Must We Give Thanks? • Christ Jesus is the means of all the blessings we receive, Ep. 1:3; Col. 3:17 • We give thanks with our whole being • Our lips (prayers and songs),Heb. 13:15 • Our lives (sacrifice and service), Col. 2:7 “giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph. 5:20)

10. Give Thanks to God! • Ingratitude reveals pride, self-reliance, self-satisfaction, and self-centeredness, 2 Tim. 3:1-4 • Lack of thankfulness toward God is the height of ungodliness, Psa. 140:13 • We must overflow with thanksgiving, Col. 2:7 “giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph. 5:20)