THANKING GOD

I. Reasons for Thanking God: Why should we thank God?

A. Thanksgiving magnifies God. Psalm 69:30—"I will praise the name of God with a song, and will
magnify him with thanksgiving."
B. Thanksgiving honors God. Psalm 50:23—"Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that
ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God."
C. Thanksgiving glorifies God. 2 Cor. 4:15—"For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace
might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God."
1. Thanksgiving to God is a testimony to God's people of His wonderful acts. Psalm 35:18—"I
will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people."
2. Thanksgiving to God is a testimony to the heathen of our great and wonderful God. Psa. 18:49
—"Therefore will I give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and sing praises unto thy
name."
D. Thanksgiving is commanded by God. 1 Chron. 16:8—"Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon his
name, make known his deeds among the people." 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." (cf. Ps. 105:1)
E. We should thank God because He is our God , and we are His people and His sheep. Psalm 79:13
—"So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise
to all generations."
F. We should thank God because it is a good thing to do. Psalm 92:1—"It is a good thing to give thanks
unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:"
II. What should we thank God for?
A. We should thank God for His goodness . Psalm 106:1—"Praise ye the Lord. O give thanks unto the
Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever." (cf. Ps. 107:1; 118:1, 29; 136:1)
B. We should thank God for His mercy . Psalm 136:2-3—"O give thanks unto the God of gods: for his
mercy endureth for ever. [3] O give thanks to the Lord of lords: for his mercy endureth for ever."
C. We should thank God for His holiness . Psalm 30:4—"Sing unto the Lord, O ye saints of his, and
give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness."
D. We should thank God for His presence . Psalm 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."
E. We should thank God for His power and sovereignty. Rev. 11:17—"Saying, We give thee thanks, O
Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power,
and hast reigned."
F. We should thank God for His Word . Psalm 119:62—"At midnight I will rise to give thanks unto thee
because of thy righteous judgments."
G. We should thank God for His wonderful works . Psalm 136:3-4—"O give thanks to the Lord of lords:
for his mercy endureth for ever. [4] To him who alone doeth great wonders: for his mercy endureth for
ever." (read the rest of the Psalm)
H. We should thank God for His gift of His Son and salvation. 2 Cor. 9:15—"Thanks be unto God for his
unspeakable gift."
I. We should thank God for the victory over sin and death that is in Christ Jesus. 1 Cor. 15:57—"But
thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Cor. 2:14—"Now thanks
be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his
knowledge by us in every place."
J. We should thank God for answered prayer . John 11:41—"Then they took away the stone
from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou
hast heard me."
K. We should thank God for our Christian ministry . 1 Tim. 1:12—"And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord,
who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry;"
L. We should thank God for Christian giving . 2 Cor. 9:11-12—"Being enriched in every thing to all
bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God. [12] For the administration of this service not
only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God;"
M. We should thank God for our food . Acts 27:35—"And when he had thus spoken, he took bread, and
gave thanks to God in presence of them all: and when he had broken it, he began to eat." (cf. Rom. 14:6; 1
Tim. 4:3- 4)
 N. We should thank God for His grace to others. 1 Cor. 1:4—"I thank my God always on your behalf,
for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ;"
O. We should thank God for the faith and love of other Christians. Col. 1:3-4—"We give thanks to
God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, [4] Since we heard of your faith in
Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints."
P. We should thank God for our spiritual inheritance . Col. 1:12—"Giving thanks unto the Father,
which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:"
Q. We should thank God for our partners in God's work. Philip. 1:3-5—"I thank my God upon every
remembrance of you, [4] Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy, [5] For your
fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now; "
R. We should thank God for the reception of God's Word by others. 1 Thes. 2:13—"For this cause
also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye
received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in
you that believe."
S. We should thank God for wisdom and strength. Daniel 2:23—"I thank thee, and praise thee, O thou
God of my fathers, who hast given me wisdom and might, and hast made known unto me now what we
desired of thee: for thou hast now made known unto us the king's matter."
T. We should thank God for deliverance . 1 Chron. 16:35—"And say ye, Save us, O God of our
salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy
name, and glory in thy praise."
U. We should thank God for government . 1 Tim. 2:1-2—"I exhort therefore, that, first of all,
supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; [2] For kings, and for all
that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty."
V. We should thank God for everything . Ephes. 5:20—"Giving thanks always for all things unto God
and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;"
III. How should we thank God?
A. We should give offerings of thanksgiving. Psalm 116:17—"I will offer to thee the sacrifice of
thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord."
B. We should give thanks in music and song . Psalm 147:7—"Sing unto the Lord with
thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God:" (cf. 2 Chr. 5:13; 1 Chr. 25:3)
C. We should give thanks in prayer . Philip. 4:6—"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer
and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God."
D. We should give thanks in worship . Psalm 100:4—"Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into
his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name." (cf. Ps. 95:2)
E. We should give thanks always . Ephes. 5:20—"Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the
Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;" (cf. Ps. 30:12)
F. We should give thanks in all circumstances . 1 Thes. 5:18—"In every thing give thanks: for this is
the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."
G. We should give thanks with praise . Read 1 Chr. 5:13-14.
H. We should give thanks through Jesus Christ . Rom. 1:8—"First, I thank my God through Jesus
Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world." (cf. Col. 3:17; Heb. 13:15)