THANKSGIVING: PART SEVEN

Here are just a few of the things God's Word has to say about thanksgiving from the Old Testament:
"And when ye will offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto the LORD, offer it at your own will" (Lev. 22:29).
"Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the Most High" (Ps. 50:14).
"I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving" (Ps. 69:30).
"Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name" (Ps. 100:4).
"Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto God" (Ps. 147:7).

Here are some from the New Testament:
"For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God" (2 Cor. 4:15).
"Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God" (Phil. 4:6).
"Rooted and built up in Him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving" (Col. 2:7).

Here is a passage that instructs Christians concerning what we may eat:
"Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving: for it is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer" (1 Tim. 4:2-5). This passage is especially important as it is a warning from the Apostle Paul about false prophets in the latter days who will put religious restrictions on foods (1 Tim. 4:1). The Jews are restricted by a dietary law which we know today as eating only those things declared to be kosher. Christians have no such restrictions; we are able to eat anything as long as we do so with a clear conscience, and precede our meal with the Word and with prayer (1 Cor. 10:25-33; 1 Tim. 4:5). Any group claiming to be Christian that restricts what one can eat, is most likely a cult.

I will close today by pointing out that all thanksgiving belongs to the God, for it is from Him that we have "every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father...." (Jam. 1:17). The Bible's last reference to thanksgiving makes that absolutely clear: "Saying Amen: 'Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever.' Amen" Notice thanksgiving is the central of seven things which belong to our wonderful God. Give thanks unto the Lord!