Thanksgiving

thanks-giv’-ing, noun

1.) The act of rendering thanks or expressing gratitude for favors or mercies.

2.) A public celebration of diving goodness; specifically, Thanksgiving Day

3.) A form of words, as a grace, giving thanks to the Divine Being.

General Thanksgiving; in the Book of Common Prayer, a form of thanks prescribed for the ordinary blessings of life.

Thanksgiving day; specifically, in the United States, a day set apart each year by executive authority, for public thanksgiving and praise to God, and celebrated by religious and social festivities, particularly family reunions.

The Great Thanksgiving; that part of early and Oriental liturgies giving praise to God for his (sic) great works, as the creation of the world and man.

 

 

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

 

Whereas it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favor; and

 

Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me “to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:”

 

Now, therefore, I do recommend and assign Thursday, the 26th day of November next, to be devoted by the people of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being who is the beneficent author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be; that we may then all unite in rendering unto Him our sincere and humble thanks for His kind care and protection of the people of this country previous to their becoming a nation; for the signal and manifold mercies and the favorable interpositions of His providence in the course and conclusion of the late war; for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty which we have since enjoyed; for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national one now lately instituted; for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and, in general, for all the great and various favors which He has been pleased to confer upon us.

 

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations, and beseech Him to pardon our national and other trangressions; to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually; to render our National Government a blessing to all the people by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed; to protect and guide all sovereigns and nations (especially such as have shown kindness to us), and to bless them with good governments, peace, and concord; to promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and us; and, generally, to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as He alone knows to be best.

 

Given under my hand, at the city of New York, the 3d day of October, A. D. 1789.

WASHINGTON.

 

I will reiterate that America was never a Christian nation, yet America did acknowledge the Most High and many of the laws were based off the guidelines for man to live by, as set out by the Holy Scriptures.  Yet the United States had this going for it, God Almighty was acknowledged and standards of holiness were followed by many.  Fast forward to the year 2015 and America now blasphemes God with proclaiming to be a Christian nation, yet only with their mouth.

 

As the next Black Friday comes upon us, peoples hearts will not be towards the Lord in lowliness as they proclaim their thankfulness for those blessings which He has bestowed upon them, rather they will be checking their shopping lists, hurrying to eat their dinner and begin lining up at stores to become savage beasts.  Their actions will be nothing even close to thanksgiving, rather they will “be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, unyielding, slanderers, without self-control, savage, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.”  2nd Timothy 3:2b-5a

 

Can a true Believer set aside only one day per year to be thankful to the Lord God Almighty?  Here what the Holy Scriptures has to say about being thankful to God.

 

“And when you offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving unto Jehovah, offer it of your own will.”  Leviticus 22:29

 

“Mattaniah the son of Micha, the son of Zabdi, the son of Asaph, the leader who began the thanksgiving with prayer;”  Nehemiah 11:17a

 

“Now at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought out the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to attend to the dedication with gladness, both with thanksgiving and singing, with cymbals and lutes and harps.”  Nehemiah 12:27

 

“For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were heads of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.”  Nehemiah 12:46

 

“I will wash my hands in innocence; thus I will go around Your altar, O Jehovah, so that I may proclaim with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all Your marvelous works.”  Psalms 26:6-7

 

“Offer to God thanksgiving, and make good your vows to the Most High, and call on Me in the day of trouble; and I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.”  Psalms 50:14-15

 

“I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving.”  Psalms 69:30

 

“Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms.”  Psalms 95:2

 

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.”  Psalms 100:4

 

“Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing.”  Psalms 107:22

 

“I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of Jehovah.”  Psalms 116:17

 

“Sing unto Jehovah with thanksgiving; make music with the harp to our God, who covers the heavens with clouds, who prepares rain for the earth, who makes grass to grow on the mountains.”  Psalms 147:7-8

 

“Those who observe empty vanities forsake their faithfulness; but I will sacrifice to You with the voice of thanksgiving; I will make good that which I have vowed. Salvation is from Jehovah!”  Jonah 2:8-9

 

“Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for eating, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything unto all sincerity, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.  For the ministry of this service not only supplies what is lacking to the saints, but also is abounding through many thanksgivings to God, through the proof of this ministry, they glorify God for your professed obedience to the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal sharing with them and all men, and by their prayer for you, who long for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you.  Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift.”  2nd Corinthians 9:10-15

 

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”  Philippians 4:6-7

 

“As you have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, being rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.”  Colossians 2:6-7

 

“Be devoted to prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving;”  Colossians 4:2

 

“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, being devoted to corrupting spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be partaken with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.  For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by the Word of God and prayer.”  1st Timothy 4:1-5

 

“And all the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and did homage to God, saying: Amen.  Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever and ever.  Amen.”  Revelation 7:11-12

 

As Christians, let us never forget to be thankful to God!

 

Amen!