The Worship Quote of the Week for (11/25/2008):

Thanksgiving in the Scriptures "Thanksgiving" to God is a significant biblical theme. Today’s WORSHIP QUOTE gathers in a small fraction of the scriptural references to giving thanks. If you go to www.biblegateway.com and do a text search for "thanksgiving" or "give thanks," you'll see the overwhelming evidence that the believer's life and prayer should be marked by expressions of thankfulness to our gracious Lord. You'll also notice, especially in the Old Testament, that singing and giving thanks often go together. Lastly, most of biblical references to thanksgiving are specific as to the recipient of our "Thank You." God gets the thanks; God gets the praise. Thanksgiving cannot be fully accomplished without acknowledging the divine source of our many blessings. THANKSGIVING IN THE SCRIPTURES PSALM 17:7 I will GIVE THANKS to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High. PSALM 28:7 The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will GIVE THANKS TO HIM in song. 1 CORINTHIANS 15:57 But THANKS BE TO GOD! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. PHILIPPIANS 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, WITH THANKSGIVING, present your requests to God. COLOSSIANS 3:15-17 (ESV) And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be THANKFUL. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, WITH THANKFULNESS in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, GIVING THANKS TO GOD THE FATHER through him. 1 THESSALONIANS 5:16-18 (ESV) Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, GIVE THANKS in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. HEBREWS 13:15-16 (NASB) Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that GIVE THANKS TO HIS NAME. And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. REVELATION 7:11-12 (Even in heaven) And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and THANKSGIVING and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen." [Just today someone e-mailed me and ask for my favorite Thanksgiving hymn. There is no doubt about it: The winner is "My Heart Is Filled with Thankfulness" by Stuart Townend and Keith Getty." Piano score and recordings can be found at www.gettymusic.com. See the worship quote at www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2005-10-04.] OTHER THANKSGIVING QUOTES www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2007-11-20 www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2006-11-21 www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2004-11-23 www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2002-11-26 www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=2001-11-20 www.wqotw.org/quote.php?date=1999-11-23 Happy Thanksgiving. Have a great week. Chip Stam Director, Institute for Christian Worship School of Church Music and Worship The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Louisville, Kentucky www.wqotw.org www.sbts.edu/icw =========================== WORSHIP QUOTE OF THE WEEK: To subscribe, unsubscribe, or view a complete index of worship quotes, please visit http://www.wqotw.org. ===========================