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1 Corinthians 11:23-25

"For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread: And when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, "Take, eat: this is My Body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me."  After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, "This cup is the New Testament in My Blood: this do you, as oft as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."

"Giving thanks" means to show gratitude for something.  In tonight's scripture, we read about Jesus taking the bread and giving thanks for it.  The bread in this scripture is symbolic of Christ and how we as Christians can enter in to Christ. 

When a Christian gives thanks, they are showing gratitude for what Christ has done.  Christians are able to "enter in" with a heart of thanksgiving, because we have been redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb.  The more we read the Bible, the more we will realize what Christ has done for us, which then causes us to thank Him more!

2 Corinthians 4:15 says, "For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant Grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the Glory of God." When we read about God's Grace and think on it, there should be an automatic thankfulness from our heart! God's Grace is a gift that has been given, with no return, and we can be thankful!

Luke 17:11-19, "It came to pass, as He went to Jerusalem, that He passed through the middle of Samaria and Galilee.  As He entered into a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, which stood afar off: they lifted up their voices, and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." When He saw them, He said to them, "Go show yourselves to the Priests." It came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.  And one of them, when He saw that He was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.  Jesus answered saying, "Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? There are not found who returned to give Glory to God, save this stranger.  He said to him, "Get up, go your way: your faith has made you whole."

We read here that only one came back to be thankful.  We can understand after reading this that there is a big difference between being thankful and going to Jesus to be thankful.

America needs to be thankful that we can pray and preach God's Word.  Instead, America is following after the path of Romans 1:21, "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened."

How does someone's walk with the Lord become darkened?

Ephesians 4:18-19, "Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart: Who being past feeling have given themselves over to lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness."

Christians have to go out and bring in those who "don't understand and are ignorant" so that they will understand. 

Psalm 92:1, "It is a good thing to give thanks to the LORD, and to sing praises to Your Name, O Most High:"

1 Thessalonians 5:18, "In every thing give thanks: for this is the Will of Christ Jesus concerning you."

Why is it good to give thanksgiving to God?

James 1:17, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of Lights, with Whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."

God wants us to learn to be thankful for all the Gifts He has Given us.  If we can't be thankful for what we have received, then we can be thankful for what we have been spared.  What has the Lord spared you from?

"There's a roof above me,

I've a good place to sleep.

There's food on my table,

and shoes on my feet.

You gave me Your Love, Lord,

and a fine family.

Thank You, Lord, for Your Blessings on me."