The psalmist said in Psalm 35:18, " I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people." You can be sure that the Bible encourages and commands the people of God to give thanks to our blessed and glorious Lord. There is something about the grateful heart that brings pleasure and satisfaction to the heart of the holy and righteous God. I know that is so because it is clearly the will of God that His chosen people give much thanks unto him (1 Thess. 5:18). So many folks want to grumble, groan and gripe instead of thank God for what He has already given to them. Rendering thanks to God is not to be an occasional act of God’s people, but it is to be a way of life. How do I know? The word "give" used in regard to thanks in 1 Thess.5:18 is in the Greek "present tense" in the New Testament. That suggest that thanksgiving is to be an ongoing and continual thing in the lives of God’s dear people. Why are we to give thanks unto the Lord?

I. It Pleases The Lord (1 Thess.5:18). The practice of giving thanks to the Lord is clearly His divine will. Rest assured that God is pleased hen we do what He desires us to do in regard to any matter. Compare 1 Sam.15:22. It delights God when we appreciate Him enough to render our thanks unto Him.

II. It Proclaims Our Gratitude. If you recall in Luke 17, the Lord Jesus cleansed ten lepers. Only one of them came back to thank the Lord for the miracle of their cleansing. One out of ten is 10 %. I wonder in our churches if that percentage is really thankful to God.

IV. It Produces Contentment. As we are thankful to God for what He has given us, we become more and more contented with what is already ours through and from Him. Refuse to live restlessly.

V. It Portrays Christ. As you read of the life of Christ, He was repeatedly thankful to His Father for His goodness. See Luke 10:21 and Jn. 11:41. We properly picture Jesus when we are thankful.