Thanksgiving, Paul's Style
Thanksgiving, Paul’s Style
As we in America celebrate a day of Thanksgiving, I thought it would be worthwhile to investigate how Apostle Paul would have celebrated one. Why just Paul? Well, since we have been studying Paul in the book of Acts and his prominence in the early church, what better way to give thanks than to see what Paul thanked God for.
Let’s briefly reflect on the thanksgiving offered by Paul on behalf of the churches the Holy Spirit helped him start.
What are you thankful for? I am thankful to God for you and your obedience to the Word of God. I am thankful for half a century of God’s grace to me on this earth since Nov. 27th is my birthday.
Ephesians 1: 15-Thanksgiving and Prayer
15For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit[f] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
Philippians 1: 1-3 Thanksgiving and Prayer
3I thank my God every time I remember you. 4In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Colossians 1: 3- 6 Thanksgiving and Prayer
3We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints— 5the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel 6that has come to you.
1 Thessalonians 1: 2 Thanksgiving for the Thessalonians' Faith
2We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. 3We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ
1 Corinthians 1: 4- 6 Thanksgiving
4I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5For in him you have been enriched in every way—in all your speaking and in all your knowledge— 6because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you.
2 Thessalonians 1: 3-4 Thanksgiving and Prayer
3We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. 4Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.
1 Timothy 1:12 The Lord's Grace to Paul
12I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. 13Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 1:3 Thanks to God for Timothy by Paul
3I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. 5I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.
Philemon 1: 4-6 Thanksgiving and Prayer
4I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, 5because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. 6I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.
Romans 1:8
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Timothy 4:4
For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,
Philippians 4:6- 7
6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
You get the picture? In addition to other things, Paul thanked God for that which matters the most in our lives – our faith in Christ Jesus. Your peace of mind rests on Thanksgiving to God. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
As we in America celebrate a day of Thanksgiving, I thought it would be worthwhile to investigate how Apostle Paul would have celebrated one. Why just Paul? Well, since we have been studying Paul in the book of Acts and his prominence in the early church, what better way to give thanks than to see what Paul thanked God for.
Let’s briefly reflect on the thanksgiving offered by Paul on behalf of the churches the Holy Spirit helped him start.
What are you thankful for? I am thankful to God for you and your obedience to the Word of God. I am thankful for half a century of God’s grace to me on this earth since Nov. 27th is my birthday.
Ephesians 1: 15-Thanksgiving and Prayer
15For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. 17I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit[f] of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. 18I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
Philippians 1: 1-3 Thanksgiving and Prayer
3I thank my God every time I remember you. 4In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
Colossians 1: 3- 6 Thanksgiving and Prayer
3We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, 4because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all the saints— 5the faith and love that spring from the hope that is stored up for you in heaven and that you have already heard about in the word of truth, the gospel 6that has come to you.
1 Thessalonians 1: 2 Thanksgiving for the Thessalonians' Faith
2We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. 3We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ
1 Corinthians 1: 4- 6 Thanksgiving
4I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5For in him you have been enriched in every way—in all your speaking and in all your knowledge— 6because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you.
2 Thessalonians 1: 3-4 Thanksgiving and Prayer
3We ought always to thank God for you, brothers, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love every one of you has for each other is increasing. 4Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.
1 Timothy 1:12 The Lord's Grace to Paul
12I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me faithful, appointing me to his service. 13Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 14The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 1:3 Thanks to God for Timothy by Paul
3I thank God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. 4Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. 5I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.
Philemon 1: 4-6 Thanksgiving and Prayer
4I always thank my God as I remember you in my prayers, 5because I hear about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints. 6I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ.
Romans 1:8
First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.
1 Thessalonians 5:18
Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Timothy 4:4
For everything God created is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,
Philippians 4:6- 7
6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
You get the picture? In addition to other things, Paul thanked God for that which matters the most in our lives – our faith in Christ Jesus. Your peace of mind rests on Thanksgiving to God. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
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