A CANOPY OF PROTECTION
Warning! Ingratitude brings destruction! The Israelites were punished over and over again for their grumbling, and these things were written as examples for us. When Israel praised God, they were able to defeat their enemies. When they complained, they lost the battle.
If murmuring opens the back door to the enemy, perhaps the opposite is also true. Thanksgiving shuts the back door on the enemy. A thankful heart establishes a protective covering over us. It reminds me of the two choirs that sang on opposite sides of the walls of Jerusalem. Their voices could be heard far away, and God gave them rest from their enemies. A canopy of protection was formed by their praises.
This is not a magic formula for blessings but I believe we crown Him Lord over all that concerns us when we thank Him. He is Sovereign. He reigns over every situation we encounter and that in itself is enough reason to thank Him.
The giving of thanks is a powerful tool, a weapon of warfare. It brings a covering over our lives. It shuts the door to the enemy. Let’s practice it in every situation we encounter. Hopefully, the following verses will encourage us in the process.
Read each week’s passage in two or more versions of the Bible. It’s a good idea to write your answers in a notebook and then post your comments on Facebook. It will hopefully prompt a lot of good discussion from those participating. Suggestion: download an app from Bible Gateway to bring up three different versions on the screen at one time. It’s a great tool.
Read about two miracles in John 6:11 and John 11:41-44
1. What were the miracles and what preceded them? What can you thank God for today as you present your requests to Him?
Read Psalm 100:4, Psalm 95:2 and Psalm 50:23
2. What do these verses tell us to do with thanksgiving and praise? What results from our thanks in Psalm 50:23? Why is it called a “sacrifice?”
Read Job 1:20-22
3. How did Job respond to the tragedy of loss in his life? What did he not do?
Read Roans 1:21-22
4. What did the people fail to do and what happened to their “thinking” as a result? What does this verse say to you personally?
Even those of us who know God can fail to glorify Him and neglect to thank Him for His goodness. This verse tells us that ungratefulness will pervert our thinking. It takes us into an arena of darkness that prevents us from seeing the way God does. What a challenge for us believers. I believe that “thanking” changes our “thinking.” Are you thinking (about fears and projecting your own solutions) or thanking God for all He is and does? It’s a challenge we all need to take!
Read Ephesians 5:4 with Psalm 35:28
5. What should not come out of our mouths? What should we voice?
Personal application: how do these verses apply to your present situation?
As you study these verses and read what others have shared, take note of who is struggling. Do you identify with their comments? As you post your own honest struggles, let that person know you understand and are praying for them. They just might pray for you. It’s what the Body of Christ is all about!
Remember, I hope you will respond and interact with me and with others on our Facebook page. May God bless us as we study and interact together around His Word.
Oh my… another great study! Praise and thanksgiving first is what Jesus did before the miracles. Why? He is God in the flesh, but He did it for those who were near to hear Him praise and thank our Heavenly Father. Not that we are to do that for our own glory BUT for HIS! Sacrifice means to “give up” therefore we must take and give up our time, our energy, our effort and what we might want to do first…to rightfully thank God. The beauty in Job is that Job even in his heartbreak recognized God’s gifts (nothing he earned or deserved) are given and taken by God, because they are His! Job worshipped and did not sin. We must keep our minds and hearts fixed on Him! If we do so in thanksgiving and praise we won’t be given to foolish, empty thinking. Thankful for so many things!
Such a wonderful lesson for each one of us – when this class is finished we will all be praising the LORD all the time.
1. Fed 5,000 people with just 5 loaves and 2 fishes – wonderful. I thank and praise GOD for everything – feast on HIS word for each one of us to read and study – HE is everything in my life. He raised Lazarus from the dead just by saying COME FORTH.
2. Enter into HIS gates and courts with praise – Joyful noise with Psalms and Thankful – Praise glorifies HIM.
3. Job sinned not – nor charged God.
4. The people failed to glorify HIM as GOD – they were not thankful- they professed to be wise and became fools.
5. We should have much THANKS AND RIGHTEOUSNES AND HIS PRAISES SHOULD BE IN OUT MOUTHS ALL DAY LONG.
OH – to be thankful and praise the LORD OUR GOD should be in our mouths at all times – it should be the words that people around us hear coming out of our mouths – OH just to PRAISE HIS NAME at all times and rejoice in HIS love and wonderful MIRACLES that are given to each one of us every day – HE is our soon coming KING – what a wonderful thought. Wonderful lesson – love it very much – I am enjoying all of these lessons so very much – we cannot study HIS WORD too much in our lives. GOD is still on the throne. Thanks – Karen
On a personal application…I must say that as I study about thankfulness and the consequences of grumbling, I do think and work on being more thankful and not complaining. But, in all honesty, I am afraid that I will lapse back into a complaining child of God just like the Israelites, so with that said I covet your prayers for me to continue to see WHAT I am thankful for and to WHOM I should be thankful! To give HIM ALL THE PRAISE AND GLORY IN ALL THINGS!
Oh Anita, how I identify with your concern about relapsing into complaining! It’s so easy to forget, but I am encouraged that even as I am speaking something negative lately, I feel an immediate conviction and have to repent. Let’s take that as progress, while we continue to ask the Holy Spirit to nudge us when we are tempted to complain. He is the Only One who can help us.
Our entire family is going to be together for Spring Break, but the weather forecast doesn’t look too good for Florida. My first response was disappointment and complaining. But then I thought of Israel whining in the desert even after all of the miracles they had witnessed. So I am deliberately thanking God that He is Sovereign over everything, even the weather. He is all powerful and rules the jet stream, fronts and temperature. He is the One giving us this vacation. He is for us, not against us having a good time. I am thanking Him for the joy of His presence in our family time and that He alone can turn this week into one of wonderful memories. Isn’t it interesting how the Lord takes us through life experiences to teach us the power of His Word.
I really got a lot out of this study. The trend is ungratefulness in all these passages. I believe and often think I deserve to be treated better, have more, have better, etc., rather than thank God I even exist. I am seeing the root of it all is that we think we are sovereign instead of Him. After all He created me. Chose where I would be born, country, state, the era in history I would be born into, the family I was born into, the purpose I was born for. When I question how He is dealing with me, I become ungrateful, and make myself the sovereign of my life. Some really big issues were brought out here in this lesson. Grumbling says we know better than God in how he’s dealing with me. Then we become fools. Lord, help me with this as it’s so easy to see the glass half empty rather than half full. I pray we can all be checked in our spirit when the inner voice of ours starts down that path to complaining.
Thanks for joining in, Darlene. Great wisdom about thinking we are sovereign rather than God. That seems to explain a lot because that’s when we stop trusting God knows all, and that we know better than He does. Lord help us to trust and rest in Your sovereignty. Help us to be thankful You are in control and do all things well. He is for us not against us and He alone is able to work everything in our lives out for good. That’s enough reason right there to thank Him! Great insight into why we fail to thank and praise God and why we fall into complaining. Love these comments, Darlene! May we be intentional in cultivating a grateful heart!