First of all, give thanks Part 3

This week I have been posting excerpts from my book, First of All, Pray. Paul urged in 1 Timothy 2 that the people of God top their to-do list with praying for others. Thanksgiving is included in that list of “first of all” ways to pray.

Excerpt from Chapter 1:

A Warning Concerning Thanklessness

“It is absolutely essential that you maintain an attitude of thankfulness. Romans 1:21-23 delivers a clear warn­ing: ‘For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incor­ruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling crea­tures’ (emphasis added).

“What is the outcome if you believe in God yet neglect to give thanks to Him? You gravitate toward anything except Him! You become futile in your speculations and your heart becomes darkened. Without realizing it, you start worshiping material things and slide into folly. The Word says you become good for nothing, self-serving, and ignorant of your own dangerous stupidity. On the other hand, when you cultivate a thankful heart, you protect yourself from falling into the foolishness of self-absorption and delusion. Indeed, gratefulness sur­rounds you with a deception-resistant shield.

“The challenge in 1 Timothy 2:1 is to offer thanksgiv­ing to God even when you are praying for someone with whom you have fundamental disagreement. If you in­corporate thanksgiving into all of your prayers, then the grace of God will meet and overtake you in your endeav­ors. Thanksgiving: don’t let yourself pray without it!” (Excerpt taken from pages 23-24; First of All, Pray: Prescription for a Nation in Crisis; © 2013–Dorothy Frick)

This Thanksgiving and throughout the Christmas season, I challenge you to be aware of the flow of your heart, your mind, and your mouth. Despite the circumstances, the stress, the conflict, the disappointment, or any general sense of heaviness or oppression you may be encountering, make it your cause to give thanks to God. Give thanks for all that is good in your life—make it your daily holiday habit—and give thanks in spite of all the “stuff” that may be piling up and weighing you down. Give thanks for the good; give thanks despite the bad.

As a former eighth grade teacher who taught the scientific method to her science-fair weary students, I learned the value of testing hypotheses against variables. Here is your two-fold assignment from now until the New Year:

1. Perform a scientific experiment. Enforce the flow of your mind and your mouth. When pressure or bad news arises, bring your mind and your mouth back to the good report, i.e., what does the Bible say? Where is the miracle in this madness? God will provide it, and I will give Him thanks before I see it, now, even though I don’t feel like it. Remember, you won’t be able to control the circumstances that come your way, but you can control the thermostat of your mind and heart with gratefulness—and you can curb what you say. Stick with it throughout the holidays, and then, on New Year’s Eve or Day, look at the outcome. You will find that the scientific method and the Bible go hand in hand.
2. Give thanks consistently to the Lord as your birthday present to Jesus. Not only will you be performing a scientific investigation of meritorious value, but you will also be delighting the heart of your Savior. Honor Him with your thoughts and words this holiday season; make it your ambition and aim daily to please Him with your hour-by-hour, minute-by-minute inner and outward conversation, and find out just how much you will thrill His heart as you minister to Him in this way!

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 1 Timothy 1:17

Happy Turkey Day, and may your thanksgiving to the Lord be glorious! See you on Monday, December 2, when I return by the grace of God to the First of All, Pray blog.

Dorothy