February 22, the healing power of thankfulness, Lev. 3:1-17, 3:12-17, 7:11-36, 17:1-7, 4:1-35, 5:1-13, 6:24-30, Num. 15:29-31
Leviticus 7:11-15
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11 And this is the law of the sacrifice of peace offerings which shall be offered to the Lord:
12 If one offers it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the thank offering unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil, and cakes of fine flour mixed with oil.
13 With cakes of leavened bread he shall offer his sacrifice of thanksgiving with the sacrifice of his peace offerings.
14 And of it he shall offer one cake from each offering as an offering to the Lord; it shall belong to the priest who dashes the blood of the peace offerings.
15 The flesh of the sacrifice of thanksgiving presented as a peace offering shall be eaten on the day that it is offered; none of it shall be left until morning.
THE SACRIFICE OF THANKSGIVING
One of the most important verses in all of Scripture is found in Peter’s first epistle. The apostle speaks of the necessity of having our faith tested: “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 1:7).
In this same passage, Peter tells us what we can expect to face in such tests of faith: “…though now for a season…ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations” (v. 6).
The Greek word used for temptation here means “proving, examining, testing with difficulties and adversities.” Peter is saying, “If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, then you are going to go through many heavy trials and temptations. You will be tested severely!”
This passage suggests God is saying, “Your faith is precious to me—more precious than all the wealth of this world, which will one day perish. And in these last days—when the enemy sends all manner of evil against you—I want you to be able to stand strong with an unshakeable faith.”
He says further, “I will keep you and bless you through every dark day! Your part is to simply have faith in me. You will be kept by my power, through faith!”
“[You], who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (v. 5).
Peter tells us: “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations…” (2 Peter 2:9). The Greek word here that is used for temptation means “putting to proof adversities.”
Paul writes: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Clearly, God does not want to keep us in our trials. Why would he be interested in keeping us in the midst of temptation and affliction? He doesn’t get any glory from testing his children—but from the results of our testings!
There is only one way to escape our trials—and that is by passing the test. Think about it: When you were in school, how did you finally escape? You passed the final exam. And if you didn’t pass, you were sent back to class.
That was the case with ancient Israel, when God brought them to the Red Sea. God was testing his people, trying them, proving them. He brought them to the very brink of destruction—surrounding them by mountains on two sides, a sea on another, and an approaching enemy on the other.
Yet the Lord put Israel in that circumstance expecting a certain reaction. He wanted his people to acknowledge their helplessness. He wanted to hear them say, “We remember how God delivered us from the plagues. We remember how he brought us out of the furnace of affliction where we made bricks without straw and had no rest. God delivered us then—and he will do it again! Let us rejoice in his faithfulness. He is God—and he has given us promises he will keep. He will protect us from every enemy who comes against us.” (David Wilkerson Devotionals)
In this same passage, Peter tells us what we can expect to face in such tests of faith: “…though now for a season…ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations” (v. 6).
The Greek word used for temptation here means “proving, examining, testing with difficulties and adversities.” Peter is saying, “If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, then you are going to go through many heavy trials and temptations. You will be tested severely!”
This passage suggests God is saying, “Your faith is precious to me—more precious than all the wealth of this world, which will one day perish. And in these last days—when the enemy sends all manner of evil against you—I want you to be able to stand strong with an unshakeable faith.”
He says further, “I will keep you and bless you through every dark day! Your part is to simply have faith in me. You will be kept by my power, through faith!”
“[You], who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (v. 5).
Peter tells us: “The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations…” (2 Peter 2:9). The Greek word here that is used for temptation means “putting to proof adversities.”
Paul writes: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13).
Clearly, God does not want to keep us in our trials. Why would he be interested in keeping us in the midst of temptation and affliction? He doesn’t get any glory from testing his children—but from the results of our testings!
There is only one way to escape our trials—and that is by passing the test. Think about it: When you were in school, how did you finally escape? You passed the final exam. And if you didn’t pass, you were sent back to class.
That was the case with ancient Israel, when God brought them to the Red Sea. God was testing his people, trying them, proving them. He brought them to the very brink of destruction—surrounding them by mountains on two sides, a sea on another, and an approaching enemy on the other.
Yet the Lord put Israel in that circumstance expecting a certain reaction. He wanted his people to acknowledge their helplessness. He wanted to hear them say, “We remember how God delivered us from the plagues. We remember how he brought us out of the furnace of affliction where we made bricks without straw and had no rest. God delivered us then—and he will do it again! Let us rejoice in his faithfulness. He is God—and he has given us promises he will keep. He will protect us from every enemy who comes against us.” (David Wilkerson Devotionals)
Here are some thankfulness scriptures. I like to pray scripture! If you haven't prayed this way before, I invite you to try it and find out how empowering it is! Sometimes we are in a fog of confusing trials, and we really have no words. Maybe we've already laid everything out to God time and time again and we are starting to focus on the trial during our prayer time instead of Jesus. Praying scripture enables us to see the big picture! We are commanded to have a thankful heart!
Psalm 50:14
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14 Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High,
Colossians 1:12
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12 Giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified and made us fit to share the [a]portion which is the inheritance of the saints (God’s holy people) in the Light.
1 Chronicles 16:8
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8 O give thanks to the Lord, call on His name; make known His doings among the peoples!
1 Thessalonians 5:18
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18 Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will].
Isaiah 12:4
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4 And in that day you will say, Give thanks to the Lord, call upon His name and by means of His name [in solemn entreaty]; declare and make known His deeds among the peoples of the earth, proclaim that His name is exalted!
Psalm 68:26
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26 Bless, give thanks, and gratefully praise God in full congregations, even the Lord, O you who are from [Jacob] the fountain of Israel.
Ephesians 5:4
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4 Let there be no filthiness (obscenity, indecency) nor foolish and sinful (silly and corrupt) talk, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting or becoming; but instead voice your thankfulness [to God].
2 Corinthians 4:15
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15 For all [these] things are [taking place] for your sake, so that the more grace (divine favor and spiritual blessing) extends to more and more people and multiplies through the many, the more thanksgiving may increase [and redound] to the glory of God.
2 Corinthians 9:11
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11 Thus you will be enriched in all things and in every way, so that you can be generous, and [your generosity as it is] administered by us will bring forth thanksgiving to God.
2 Corinthians 9:15
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15 Now thanks be to God for His Gift, [precious] beyond telling [His indescribable, inexpressible, free Gift]!
Psalm 7:17
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17 I will give to the Lord the thanks due to His rightness and justice, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord Most High.
Psalm 142:7
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7 Bring my life out of prison, that I may confess, praise, and give thanks to Your name; the righteous will surround me and crown themselves because of me, for You will deal bountifully with me.
1 Timothy 1:12
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12 I give thanks to Him Who has granted me [the needed] strength and made me able [for this], Christ Jesus our Lord, because He has judged and counted me faithful and trustworthy, appointing me to [this stewardship of] the ministry.
1 Timothy 2:1
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2 First of all, then, I admonish and urge that petitions, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be offered on behalf of all men,
Ephesians 5:20
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20 At all times and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.
Philippians 4:6
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6 Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition ([a]definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.
Colossians 2:7
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7 Have the roots [of your being] firmly and deeply planted [in Him, fixed and founded in Him], being continually built up in Him, becoming increasingly more confirmed and established in the faith, just as you were taught, and abounding and overflowing in it with thanksgiving.
1 Timothy 4:4
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4 For everything God has created is good, and nothing is to be thrown away or refused if it is received with thanksgiving.
Psalm 75:1
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1 We give praise and thanks to You, O God, we praise and give thanks; Your wondrous works declare that Your [a]Name is near and they who invoke Your Name rehearse Your wonders.
Psalm 79:13
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13 Then we Your people, the sheep of Your pasture, will give You thanks forever; we will show forthand publish Your praise from generation to generation.
Revelation 11:17
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17 Exclaiming, To You we give thanks, Lord God Omnipotent, [the One] Who is and [ever] was, for assuming the high sovereignty and the great power that are Yours and for beginning to reign.
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