1 THESSALONIANS 5:18 – Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
THEME OF THE DAY. THE IMPORTANCE OF THANKSGIVING. It will be the most important attitude and practice Christians develop. It will determine how close to the Lord Jesus we get. It will prevent the sin of complaining about anything or anyone. It will free us from selfishness. It will remove the sinful attraction of worldliness. This “it” is living with a heart of thanksgiving that produces a life of thanksgiving. Not only is this a command, but thanksgiving to God in all things reminds us of our dependence on Him and His great love to us. But there is more to this living with a thankful heart. There is something of the greatest significance when it comes to the topic of thanksgiving. It actually determines everything in the Christian life; everything in regards to the power to live the Christian life as well as the purpose in the Christian life – doing the will of God.
In our Christian culture, and among individual Christians, there is a lot of clamor about the working of the Holy Spirit. Christians are quick to call something “Of the Spirit” and I fear we need to be not so quick and more discerning. This means we must not let our feelings, experiences, and understandings be the determining factors in what is a true work of the Holy Spirit. Just because a song moves us in a service; a sermon lifts us up; or some other spiritual experience occurs does not mean it is of “The Holy Spirit.” Remember, the devil comes as an “angel of light” and will counterfeit everything God does. The only safe and true guide to verify what is of the Holy Spirit or not is the Scripture. And God’s Word provides us five evidences of the Spirit of God at work in a church and individual life of Christians.
The first evidence of a work of God’s Spirit in us and our churches is the centrality of the Lord Jesus, not an emphasis on the Spirit. Jesus says, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you” (John 16:12-14). Be cautious to place any credibility on someone or some teaching that places more emphasis on the Spirit than on Jesus. The Spirit always downplays Himself and elevates Christ. This will be apparent in Spirit-filled Christians. They will make much of the Lord Jesus in the lives and speech.
The other four evidences of a work of the Spirit are found in the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians – And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:18-21). They are “a heart and life of worship”, “giving of thanks in all things”, “submitting to one another in the fear of God” and what is implied in all is spiritual fellowship with one another. Where the Spirit of God is present, true Biblical fellowship occurs; life on life sharing among believers. But for today’s purposes, though none of the five evidences in a Spirit-filled, Spirit-controlled life may be separated or stand alone, the giving of thanks stands out because it is the easiest to neglect. Is that not true? How thankful do we really live? Take some time to ponder those questions. May it lead us to being more thankful and giving evidence that God’s Spirit is at work in us and from us.
PRAYER: “Father, may my heart and life be a constant flow of thanksgiving to You in all things.”
QUOTE: “A mark of being Spirit-filled and thus Spirit-controlled is living in the spirit of thanksgiving.”