MYSTERIES OF THANKSGIVING

 

MYSTERIES OF THANKSGIVING

BY Apostle Dr Patrick Osondu

 Colossians 3:16

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

I Chronicles 16:25-26

For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised: he also is to be feared above all gods.

For all the gods of the people are idols: but the Lord made the heavens.

INTRODUCTIONS:

One of the obligations that awaits humanity is to give God thanksgiving...

And this very ministry will continue until the coming back of Jesus Christ...

What then is this Mystery?

The word mystery...

...is something that is beyond human knowledge and understanding...

...Hebrews 1:10...

And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:

...Isaiah 48:13...

Mine hand also hath laid the foundation of the earth, and my right hand hath spanned the heavens: when I call unto them, they stand up together.

Psalm102:25-27...

Of old hast thou laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of thy hands.

They shall perish, but thou shalt endure: yea, all of them shall wax old like a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed:

But thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.

THANKSGIVING:

...Is the total heartfull gratitude to God for what He has done for man...

...MYSTERIES OF THANKSGIVING...

...mean nothing else but-the-activities-or-manifestations that take place at the point of rendering thanksgiving to God...

Reasons why it is called mysteries:

1.THANKSGIVING  IS CONNOTED TO BE THE SPIRITUAL PURCHASING POWER OF THINGS THAT ARE ALREADY GIVEN:

It must be noted that our lord Jesus Christ is the all-sufficient God...

He can never think of what to do, neither can He think of how to go about it...

He does as it pleases Him because He is the Master of all things...

It is what is given out that can attract thanksgiving and JESUS remains the only One God gave out for the salvation of mankind out of His infinite love for us...

...John 3:16...

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

This is the highest sacrifice and hence man owes God thanksgiving through out life..

John 1:12…

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

The problem man has is the inability of him to embrace this truth that is always for his own good...

Thanksgiving reminds the believers what they have gotten and who they are...

knowing fully well that without God, they can do nothing...

2 THANKSGIVING DEFINES OUR BELONGINGS...

...Micah 4:5...

For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever.

Gratitude is expected to be rendered to God, because whatever we have come from what is bigger than us...

Your thanksgiving therefore, tell people where you actually belong...

The senero that happened in the life of Jonah is a typical example...

...Jonah 1:1-6...

Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,

Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.

But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the Lord.

But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.

Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.

So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.

The bible further told us how praise can define our belongings too...

...When Elijah summoned the prophets of other gods to mount Camel.

1 king 18:23-38...

Let them therefore give us two bullocks; and let them choose one bullock for themselves, and cut it in pieces, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under: and I will dress the other bullock, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under:

And call ye on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the Lord: and the God that answereth by fire, let him be God. And all the people answered and said, It is well spoken.

And Elijah said unto the prophets of Baal, Choose you one bullock for yourselves, and dress it first; for ye are many; and call on the name of your gods, but put no fire under.

And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made.

And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked.

And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.

And it came to pass, when midday was past, and they prophesied until the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that there was neither voice, nor any to answer, nor any that regarded.

And Elijah said unto all the people, Come near unto me. And all the people came near unto him. And he repaired the altar of the Lord that was broken down.

And Elijah took twelve stones, according to the number of the tribes of the sons of Jacob, unto whom the word of the Lord came, saying, Israel shall be thy name:

And with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord: and he made a trench about the altar, as great as would contain two measures of seed.

And he put the wood in order, and cut the bullock in pieces, and laid him on the wood, and said, Fill four barrels with water, and pour it on the burnt sacrifice, and on the wood.

And he said, Do it the second time. And they did it the second time. And he said, Do it the third time. And they did it the third time.

And the water ran round about the altar; and he filled the trench also with water.

And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.

Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the Lord God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.

Then the fire of the Lord fell, and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench.

3. THANKSGIVING ANNOUNCES OUR SEPARATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF JESUS CHRIST...

Colossians1:12-13...

Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son

Thanksgiving is a dangerous bullet that will any time put the devil off balance and get him defeated...

...Mathew 4:8-10...

Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.

Thanksgiving to Jesus Christ remains the sincer honor to God and God doesn't joke with it...

...A thankful man can never and will never regret for being thankful to God...

Prayer...

My lord and My God,

Whatever that can make me to become ungrateful to You,

...may I never have it to Eternity in Jesus Mighty Name!!!