This week Bro. Leo continues us on a new series of studies on Biblical Thanksgiving.

The American Thanksgiving Holiday originated in the Old Testament.  We find it in Lev. 7:11-13, peace offering.  A person making a peace/thanksgiving offering would take time out of their day to prepare the offering with the priest and offer it to God to show his gratitude for the blessings received.   The phrase “peace offering” in vs.11 is translated from the Hebrew word “shelem” which means to voluntarily offer a sacrifice in response to a blessing received.

In Psa. 69:30 and Lev. 7:12 the word “thanksgiving” is translated from the Hebrew word “tôdâh” which means overflowing heart felt gratitude with a jubilant spirit, Todah is an outward physical offering that reflects an inward posture of the mind and heart. We offer “Todah” unto the Lord as sacrificial praise & thanksgiving (https://waynecountybiblecenter.com/praiseworship-study/).

In 1Peter 2:5 Christians are to offer up spiritual sacrifices individually because of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit we are each priest.  In Heb. 13:15-16 we are told to continually speak gratitude to God and help those around us that are in need, out of a spirit of gratitude.

Our Thanksgiving Holiday reminds us that we should be grateful everyday for what God has done for us.

Birkot Hashachar (Morning Blessings)
Praised are You, Lord our God, Sovereign of the universe, Who enables Hiscreatures to distinguish between night and day.  Praised are You, Lord our God, Sovereign of the universe, Who made me inHis image.Praised are You, Lord our God, Sovereign of the universe, Who made me a Jew.   Praised are You, Lord our God, Sovereign of the universe, Who made mefree.  Praised are You, Lord our God, Sovereign of the universe, Who gives sightto the blind.  Praised are You, Lord our God, Sovereign of the universe, Who clothes thenaked.  Praised are You, Lord our God, Sovereign of the universe, Who releases the bound.  Praised are You, Lord our God, Sovereign of the universe, Who raises the downtrodden.  Praised are You, Lord our God, Sovereign of the universe, Who creates the heavens and the earth.  Praised are You, Lord our God, Sovereign of the universe, Who provides for all my needs.  Praised are You, Lord our God, Sovereign of the universe, Who guides us on our path.  Praised are You, Lord our God, Sovereign of the universe, Who strengthens the people Israel with courage.  Praised are You, Lord our God, Sovereign of the universe, Who crowns the people of Israel with glory.  Praised are You, Lord our God, Sovereign of the universe, Who restores vigor to the weary.

Scriptures used in today’s study:

Psa 69:16 Hear me, O LORD; for thy lovingkindness is good: turn unto me according to the multitude of thy tender mercies.
Psa 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.

Lev 7:11 And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which he shall offer unto the LORD.
Lev 7:12 If he offer it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried.

1Pe 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.

Heb 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
Heb 13:16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

2Co 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:
2Co 5:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.

Luk 17:14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.
Luk 17:15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,
Luk 17:16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.
Luk 17:17 And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?
Luk 17:18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.

Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Rom 1:20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:
Rom 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.
Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

Psa 77:11 I will remember the works of the LORD: surely I will remember thy wonders of old.
Psa 77:12 I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.

Psa 126:1 A Song of degrees. When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.
Psa 126:2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.
Psa 126:3 The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.

Psa 63:3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
Psa 63:4 Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.
Psa 63:5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:
Psa 63:6 When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.
Psa 63:7 Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.
Psa 63:8 My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.

This week Bro. Leo continues us on a new series of studies on Biblical Thanksgiving.  Last weeks study looked at God’s expectations of our thankfulness for physical blessings and how He expects us to express our thankfulness to Him.  Today’s study will look at our spiritual blessings, especially His mercy.

The first thing we need to understand about God’s mercy is the concept Jesus taught in Matt. 5:44-45.  God shows mercy upon both His children and His enemies.  Rom. 5:8, 10 tells us God, loved us when we were His enemies, so much that He sacrificed His son to reconcile us to Him.

In Eph. 2:4 the word “mercy” is translated from the Greek word “eleos” which means love and kindness exercised towards us as it relates to the forgiveness of our sins.  Mercy is an action of God based upon a motivation of God’s love and patience.

Mercy has action, motive and purpose.  The action of God’s mercy is forgiveness of our sins.  The motive of God’s mercy is His love for us.  The purpose of God’s mercy is to reconcile our relationship with Him.

Scriptures used in today’s study:

Eph 1:1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus:
Eph 1:2 Grace be to you, and peace, from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
Eph 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Eph 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

1Jn 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
1Jn 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

Lam 3:22 It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
Lam 3:23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

Psa 103:8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.
Psa 103:9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.
Psa 103:10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.
Psa 103:11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.
Psa 103:12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.
Psa 103:17 But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children’s children;

Heb 8:11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
Heb 8:12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

Mic 7:18 Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? he retaineth not his anger for ever, because he delighteth in mercy.
Mic 7:19 He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.
Mic 7:20 Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.

Psa 86:15 But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.
Psa 86:16 O turn unto me, and have mercy upon me; give thy strength unto thy servant, and save the son of thine handmaid.

Psa 85:10 Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
Psa 85:11 Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven.
Psa 85:12 Yea, the LORD shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase.

This week Bro. Leo starts us on a new series of studies on Biblical Thanksgiving.  Today’s study will look at what God expects us to be thankful for and how we are to express our gratitude.

In Psa. 26:7 the word “publish” is translated from the Hebrew word “shâma‛” which means to announce, to vocalize, to tell, to sing out.  We honor God by speaking our thanksgiving out loud.  By doing so adds a degree of focus in our minds that we don’t get by just thinking the thoughts of thanksgiving.

In Psa. 26:7 the word “thanksgiving” is translated from the Hebrew word “tôdâh” which means overflowing heart felt gratitude with a jubilant spirit, Todah is an outward physical offering that reflects an inward posture of the mind and heart. We offer “Todah” unto the Lord as sacrificial praise & thanksgiving (https://waynecountybiblecenter.com/praiseworship-study/).

In Psa. 26:7 the word “tell” is translated from the Hebrew word “sâphar” which means to recount and renumerate (make a list) with praise and celebration.  We should think back and make a list of what God has done for you and make a list and thank Him.

Biblical gratitude and thanksgiving is specific, exact, meditative, reflective and it’s focused on the past (Josh. 4:1-3, 19-24).

In Lev. 23:39-44 we find the origin of our national Thanksgiving holiday.

“Forasmuch as it is the indispensable duty of all men to adore the superintending providence of Almighty God; to acknowledge with gratitude their obligation to him for benefits received…together with penitent confession of their sins, whereby they had forfeited every favor; and their humble and earnest supplications that it may please God through the merits of Jesus Christ, mercifully to forgive and blot them out of remembrance…it is therefore recommended…to set apart Thursday the eighteenth day of December next, for solemn thanksgiving and praise, that with one heart and one voice the good people may express the grateful feeling of their hearts and consecrate themselves to the service of their Divine Benefactor…acknowledging with gratitude their obligations to Him for benefits received….To prosper the means of religion, for the promotion and enlargement of that kingdom which consisteth ‘in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost’.”
— Authored by Samuel Adams, The first national Thanksgiving Proclamation, issued by the revolutionary Continental Congress on November 1, 1777

Our Thanksgiving holiday should be an annual reminder to us that we need to be thankful to God for all the blessings He has bestowed upon us.  It is very important to have this reminder so that we don’t fall into the “poor pitiful me” trap.  We all have many things to be thankful for, but we have to stop and remember and vocalize our thanksgiving to God in order to fully understand those blessings (Psa. 16:5-7).

Scriptures used in today’s study:

Psa 26:6 I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, O LORD:
Psa 26:7 That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, and tell of all thy wondrous works.
Psa 26:8 LORD, I have loved the habitation of thy house, and the place where thine honour dwelleth.

Jos 4:1 And it came to pass, when all the people were clean passed over Jordan, that the LORD spake unto Joshua, saying,
Jos 4:2 Take you twelve men out of the people, out of every tribe a man,
Jos 4:3 And command ye them, saying, Take you hence out of the midst of Jordan, out of the place where the priests’ feet stood firm, twelve stones, and ye shall carry them over with you, and leave them in the lodging place, where ye shall lodge this night.
Jos 4:19 And the people came up out of Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and encamped in Gilgal, in the east border of Jericho.
Jos 4:20 And those twelve stones, which they took out of Jordan, did Joshua pitch in Gilgal.
Jos 4:21 And he spake unto the children of Israel, saying, When your children shall ask their fathers in time to come, saying, What mean these stones?
Jos 4:22 Then ye shall let your children know, saying, Israel came over this Jordan on dry land.
Jos 4:23 For the LORD your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until ye were passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red sea, which he dried up from before us, until we were gone over:
Jos 4:24 That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever.

Lev 23:39 Also in the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when ye have gathered in the fruit of the land, ye shall keep a feast unto the LORD seven days: on the first day shall be a sabbath, and on the eighth day shall be a sabbath.
Lev 23:40 And ye shall take you on the first day the boughs of goodly trees, branches of palm trees, and the boughs of thick trees, and willows of the brook; and ye shall rejoice before the LORD your God seven days.
Lev 23:41 And ye shall keep it a feast unto the LORD seven days in the year. It shall be a statute for ever in your generations: ye shall celebrate it in the seventh month.
Lev 23:42 Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths:
Lev 23:43 That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.
Lev 23:44 And Moses declared unto the children of Israel the feasts of the LORD.

Rev 2:3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted.
Rev 2:4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.
Rev 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

Psa 16:5 The LORD is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot.
Psa 16:6 The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.
Psa 16:7 I will bless the LORD, who hath given me counsel: my reins also instruct me in the night seasons.

Psa 139:13 For thou hast possessed my reins: thou hast covered me in my mother’s womb.
Psa 139:14 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.
Psa 139:15 My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.
Psa 139:16 Thine eyes did see my substance, yet being unperfect; and in thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them.
Psa 139:17 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
Psa 139:18 If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

Act 17:23 For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.
Act 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;
Act 17:25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;
Act 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
Act 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

Isa 42:5 Thus saith God the LORD, he that created the heavens, and stretched them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein:

Job 12:7 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:
Job 12:8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
Job 12:9 Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?
Job 12:10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

Job 33:4 The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.

Psa 68:19 Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah.
Psa 68:20 He that is our God is the God of salvation; and unto GOD the Lord belong the issues from death.

This week Bro. Leo continues us on a Biblical definition of Christianity study by defining Biblical truth.

In John 14:6 the word “life” is translated from the Greek word “zōē” which means the principle of life concerning the spirit and the soul, the inner man.  The inner man is the ability to reason, free will and the capability to know and understand God.  Jesus is telling us that He is the Holy Spirit that indwells us at the point of our salvation (Rom. 8:15-16, Gal.4:6).

Jesus is the source of eternal life and His eternal life (“zōē”) is manifested in us at the point of our salvation and we will know we have eternal life (1John 1:1-2, 1John 2:24-25, 1John 5:13, 11-12, 19-20).

The Biblical truth is that Jesus is the only way to eternal life (“zōē”), which is eternal life with God, and without Jesus we will spend eternity without God (John 11:25-26).

Based off of this Biblical truth we can see that the world is speaking a lie when it says there are more than one way to God and we are all worshiping the same God and are all children of God (Eph.2:2-6, Rom.8:14-16).

Scriptures used in today’s study:

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Rom 8:15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.
Rom 8:16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:

Eph 2:1 And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;
Eph 2:2 Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Eph 2:3 Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)
Eph 2:6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

Gal 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

1Jn 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
1Jn 1:2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)

1Jn 2:24 Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
1Jn 2:25 And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.

1Jn 5:11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
1Jn 5:12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
1Jn 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
1Jn 5:19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
1Jn 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

Joh 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
Joh 11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?