Thankfulness By Arlo Moehlenpah

First read the following article on thankfulness and the endnotes. After that you should take the quiz. If you wish to print this article with better formatting of the endnotes click the pdf version.

It is not only a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, 1 but it is the will of God to give thanks in everything. 2

Israel was told to thank “the Lord for He is good! for His mercy endures forever.” 3 Also, they were to thank the Lord for His Creation, for deliverance from Egypt, for the Promised Land, and for food. 4 . We are to enter His gates 5 and come before His presence with thanksgiving. 6 Jesus set an example by giving thanks for food. 7 Giving of thanks should be a top priority. 8 Paul thanked God for his unspeakable gift 9 and that the Lord put him into the ministry. 10 Also, he gave thanks to God for those delivered from the bondage of sin 11 and at the end of his epistles he often thanked those who helped him such as Phoebe, Priscilla and Aquila. 12

There is a need not only to be thankful but to express it. Jesus healed ten lepers and probably all ten were thankful but only one returned to give thanks. 13 The Psalmist wrote that he would not just give thanks in private but among many people. 14 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits. 15 Honoring the LORD with your possessions is saying thanks to the Lord. 16 Someone said that tithing to the Lord can be compared to tipping a server at a restaurant.

Paul prophesied that in the last days men would be unthankful. 17 He wrote about men who knew God, but did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, vile passions, and debased mind. 18 We are exhorted not to complain like the Israelites complained in the wilderness and were destroyed. 19

One person said he used to complain about no shoes until he met a man with no feet.

Whenever I asked my great-aunt Susie Malles how she was doing, she replied, “I have much to thank the Lord for.” Someone said if you thank the Lord for what you have the Lord will give you more for which to be thankful, which is a short but important imperative. 20 After Joseph interpreted the dream the chief butler forgot Joseph. 21 Since forgetfulness can be interpreted as being unthankful, it is important that we remind ourselves to write a thank you note.

1 Psalms 92:1 It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, KJV

2 1 Thessalonians 5:18 In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God NKJV

3 Psalms 136:1 Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. NKJV

4 Psalms 136:2-26 NKJV

5 Psalms 100:4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, NKJV

6 Psalms 95:2 Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving NKJV

7 John 6:11 And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted. NKJV

8 1 Timothy 2:1-2 Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, NKJV

9 2 Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift! NKJV

10 1 Timothy 1:12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, NKJV

11 Romans 6:17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. NKJV

12 Romans 16:1-4 I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea, that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also. Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. NKJV

13 Luke 17:11-19

14 Psalms 35:18 I will give You thanks in the great assembly; I will praise You among many people. NKJV

15 Psalms 68:19 Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, NKJV

16 Proverbs 3:9 Honor the LORD with your possessions, And with the firstfruits of all your increase; NKJV

17 2 Timothy 3:1-2 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, NKJV

18 Romans 1:18-32

19 1 Corinthians 10:10 1 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. NKJV

20 Colossians 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. NKJV

21 Genesis 40:23

Quiz on thankfulness