Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. Psalm 100:4 (NLT) Let’s pretend you have two friends who always ask to borrow your car. One is always complaining. He lets you and everyone else who will listen know about all the problems and issues he had with your car the last time you loaned it to him. He complains that it wasn’t washed, the windows were streaked and the tank was only half full. The other friend also borrows your car, but he always brags about you. He tells everyone what a great friend you are, and he always tells you how grateful he is for your help. Which of these two best represents …

Rejoice in the Lord always…with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God…will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4–7 (NKJV) Have you ever thought about the word “thanksgiving”? It’s made up of two words: thanks and giving, so it involves more than just the feelings of gratitude. Thanksgiving is expressing it. In Philippians 4:4–7, Paul mentions thanksgiving, and he also mentions another word: rejoice. This word is similar to thanksgiving because it also involves action. When you rejoice, you do more than feel happy or joyful. You express that joy in an outward way. So what Paul was really teaching was this: express the joy you have because of Jesus, your gratitude for what He’s …

And He took the seven loaves and gave thanks, broke them and gave them to His disciples to set before them; and they set them before the multitude… So, they ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets of leftover fragments. Mark 8:6,8 (NKJV) Traditions surrounding Thanksgiving date back centuries. After harvest season ended, communities gathered for special ceremonies to thank God for the harvest. But I can’t help wondering—what happened during years of drought and disease? Did people still gather together and give thanks when their needs weren’t met? You may be going through a rough time right now, and while those around you are gathering together to celebrate Thanksgiving, you may be wondering how you could possibly give thanks. But …

Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me. Psalm 103:2 (AMPC) Parents love their children’s little expressions of thanks: a little homemade card and a big hug with a “Thank you Mommy and Daddy!” It melts their hearts when their kids show them appreciation. But have you ever noticed what being grateful does for them? Their eyes light up and they seem to bubble over with love. They are so excited to give their little gift and they seem to get back more than they give. God loves our thanks, but when we thank Him, we benefit. Our hearts open up to His love in an expansive way and we become more aware of …

Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (MSG) When you read today’s verse, it may not seem realistic at first. Can we really be cheerful ALL the time? Do we have to thank God for everything? No, we don’t give thanks for everything that happens. We live in a world that is far from perfect and terrible things happen. God doesn’t send bad things our way so He certainly doesn’t expect us to thank Him for them. Several other versions of the Bible translate this verse to say that we should give thanks “in everything,” meaning that even if you’re in the midst of a crisis, you can find something you’re grateful for. But …