Thankful for God’s Word

Thankful for God's WordText: Psalm 119:164

There are many things for which we can be thankful. In this lesson, we are going to talk about being thankful for God’s word.

To Be Thankful, There Must Be…

  1. A giver – the giver of all good things is God (James 1:17)
  2. A recipient – one who is to receive the gift
  3. A gift that is accepted – not rejected, neglected, or discarded
  4. An appreciation of the gift – recognize its value; the greater the value attributed to it, the more grateful we will be for it
  5. A demonstration of gratitude – spoken or active; done with sincerity

The Gift of God’s Word

  • The knowledge and wisdom of God is beyond human comprehension (Romans 11:33) – we cannot attain the knowledge of God (Psalm 139:6); His ways are infinitely higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9)
  • We cannot demand answers from God (Job 31:35) – the “secret things” belong to Him (Deuteronomy 29:29)
  • Yet we have what He has revealed to us (Deuteronomy 29:29; 2 Timothy 3:16) – it contains the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:16), reveals the truth (John 17:17), and leads to life (John 6:63)

We Must Accept God’s Word

  • Jesus said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Luke 8:8) – be quick to hear (James 1:19)
  • Yet not all who hear will accept it – on Pentecost, those who were cut to the heart received the word and obeyed it (Acts 2:36-41); at Stephen’s defense, the ones cut to the heart rejected the truth and stoned Stephen (Acts 7:51-58)
  • However, we need to be sure we accept this as God’s word, not man’s (1 Thessalonians 2:13) – be eager to hear, but examine everything carefully according to the Scriptures (Acts 17:11)

We Must Appreciate God’s Word

  • God’s word is more desirable than gold (Psalm 19:7-10) – because of what it contains
  • Contains everything pertaining to life and godliness (2 Peter 1:3)
  • Contains the words of eternal life (John 6:68) – we cannot put a price on our souls (Matthew 16:26)
  • If we do not love the truth, we will not be saved (2 Thessalonians 2:10) – if we do not appreciate it, we will reject it

We Must Demonstrate Gratitude

  • Praise God and thank God for His word (Psalm 119:171-172, 62)
  • Spend time reading and studying His word (2 Timothy 2:15; Psalm 119:30)
  • Spend time meditating upon His word (Psalm 119:97, 148)
  • Receive it with a view toward obedience (James 1:21-22)

Conclusion

  • God has given us the gift of His word so we can know about Him, His will, and His plan
  • By giving us His word, He has also shown us what we are to do to please Him
  • Let us show gratitude for this – receive His word, value it for what it is, and shape our lives by it