LESSON 2:

Paul, in the latter half of Romans chapter one, is giving his most detailed "vice list" ever! That's a compilation of "sins" one must avoid.

And the most interesting thing about the Romans Paragraph is the fact that the sins seem to be listed in some sort of order. Literally Paul is tracing the "downward spiral" of iniquity, so say many Bible teachers anyway.

Near the "bottom" of the digression sins are found that embody the worst of human perversion.

But, and here's the point of today's Lesson, "unthankfulness" is listed on the chart. Near the top, too.

It seems that the first step "away" from God, in "suppressing" knowledge of God ... is an absence of thanks to him for all His Blessings!

Here begins the slippery slope into perdition. "Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened." Romans 1:21

Wow!

Is Paul saying that unthankfulness leads, quickly so, into other forms of ungodliness?

Yes, I believe he is.

Not being grateful!

Filled with gratitude to the great God Who is the Source of all things, so says James 1:17. "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."

Let's all today look heavenward and say, "Thank You Lord!" If we do this and mean it, we will probably enjoy a far more godly life. At least if this thankfulness becomes a heartfelt habit.

       --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 3:

Paul used the word "thanks" or one of its relatives such as "thankful" forty-nine times in his New Testament writings!

But none is any sweeter than his first mention of the word in Philippians. Really I think the Church at Philippi was Paul's "favorite!" His most trouble free Assembly!

Here's what the great Apostle said in his opening paragraph. "I thank my God upon every remembrance of you." Philippians 1:3

The verb "thank" is "eucharisteo" in Greek. It incorporates two other smaller words, "eu" which is a prefix and an adjective plus "charis" which is a noun. And what do they mean, imply? "Good" and "Grace," when Paul remembers something or someone who reflects the "good grace" of God ... he bursts into thanksgiving!

Wow!

How very practical for each of us.

Let's try this. Anytime today or tomorrow you "think" of a person, "remember" them in passing ... thank God for them!

For putting them in your life!

For building godly character into their personalities!

For saving their lost souls!

For the encouragement they have been too you!

Then, as Paul does in the next verse ... pray for them as well! For him or her, the particular person you're "remembering."

"I thank my God upon every remembrance of you, aways in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy." Philippians 1:3-4

Amen!

Thinking of someone?

Thank God for him or her, right now.

Then breathe a prayer for him too!

What a way to live!

What a godly way to live!

And what a friend you would have become to your acquaintance!

       --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 4:

Paul is  far more thankful man that I ever realized. Any Bible student with a handy concordance can spot dozens of different ways the great Apostle expresses gratefulness.

Here's one, early in the Epistle of Romans, called by many the greatest Epistle ever written.

"First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world." Romans 1:5

The adverb "first" translates the Greek word "proton," meaning "highest in priority!" Or, first in time or place." Or, "principal, chief!"

Paul, before writing anything else to the Churches of Rome, wants to begin with the theme of thanksgiving!

It's a priority with him!

Then note that Paul thanks God, "God the Father" here, but does so "through" Jesus! "Dia" means "by means of" or "via the channel of."

Not only are we to pray in Jesus' Name ... but here Paul seems to be teaching us, setting an example, that we are to "thank" the Lord God "in Jesus' Name" too.

Wow!

But why is he expressing such gratefulness, for these Roman Believers? Even apparently without ever visiting them, not yet anyway.

Because their faith has been broadcast, advertised, witnessed "throughout the whole world."

Sharing with everybody they met ... what Jesus had done for them at the point of salvation and even thereafter!

"First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world."

Thanking God in Jesus' Name for friends who have been influential in spreading the Word of God near and far.

Know what, folks?

This very day, a Sunday as I prepare this Lesson for the Website, each of us can obey this verse. Follow this example, Paul's.

At Church, even while he's preaching, we can thank God via Jesus that our Pastor is a herald of the Truth! That he has faithfully broadcast the Word of God for however many years he's been filling a pulpit!

Obey the spirit of Romans 1:5 today.

Amen!

       --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 5:

We are looking at Thanksgiving in the life of Paul, especially during these last days of November. He was indeed a grateful man. Of the 49 times he mentions giving thanks, in all fourteen of his New Testament Epistles, literally dozens of themes appear!

For example, First Corinthians 1:4, where Paul is thrilled because God has saved a little handful of people in the busy city of Corinth, ancient Corinth. Let's read his words: "I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ."

The adverb "always" is significant here. Always thanking God! As in Paul's great exhortation "Pray without ceasing." This man of God has a constant habit of thanking God for things, for individuals! In Greek "pantote" means "all whens," or "all whiles." At every single opportunity!

"On your behalf" is "peri su" in Greek, with the idea of thanking God for everything "surrounding" a person. All which "encircles" him or her, a list that presumably could total dozens of things.

But especially Paul thanks God for the Corinthian Christians' salvation. For the "grace" God had given them, grace that led first to their believing on Jesus Christ.

The reason we think Paul has in mind their, the pronoun "humin" here is plural, their salvation experiences is that the verb used concerning grace, "is given," translates an aorist of form of "didomi." That indicates action already completed.

Wow.

Now let me give you an idea today, something we all can practice as we near our own day of Thanksgiving. Then maybe it will extend into our everyday lives indefinitely.

Sit down.

Think of someone you know, a follower of Christ who has been an encouragement to you ... and thank God for the fact that His Amazing Grace saved him or her, your acquaintance.

That's a practical assignment.

Doing such will keep us loving the folks around us.

And maybe even more importantly, it will keep us before the Throne of God, thanking Him again and again.

Paul, tell us again please. "I thank my God always on your behalf, for the grace of God which is given you by Jesus Christ."

Thank you.

           --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 6:

There are four times Paul uses the expression "without ceasing" in his corpus, the body of his New Testament literature. The Greek word is "adialeiptos," which actually blends three short words into one.

The initial "a" or "alpha" is merely the first letter of the Greek alphabet. Yet grammatically it often "negates" the meaning of a word. It does here in fact. Here's an example, a man who believes in Jesus' future thousand year reign on earth is a "millennialist." A man who does not believe so is an "amillennialist." See the reversal?

The "dia" in "adialeiptos" is a preposition simply meaning "through" something. "By means of" something.

And "leiptos" is derived from the verb "leipo" which means "to leave behind, to lag, to fail, to come up short."

Put it all together now: "adialeiptos" is best defined as doing something "without" (the "a" alpha) ever "slacking off" ("leiptos") and doing it "thoroughly, all the way through" (the dia" preposition). Hence our meaning, "constantly." Or truly "without ceasing!"

Wow!

But what are the things Paul does like this, in this manner, without ceasing?

In three of his four verses the activity is the same! And it is praying! See Romans 1:9 as an example. "For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers." Add to this sample First Thessalonians 1:2-3. Then next comes the famous First Thessalonians 5:17, "Pray without ceasing." Paul, a man of constant prayer.

But there's one last verse!

And it centers not on prayer, but on thanksgiving!

Paul tried to be a thankful Christian without ceasing!

Constantly, habitually, perennially!

And here's the verse, today's text on the Website: "For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe." First Thessalonians 2:13

Thankful forever!

Why?

Because a group of saved folks accepted ("paralambano") the Word of God as Truth, as divinely inspired! Not as a humanly devised document!

And thankful too, at least in part, indirectly perhaps, that God's Word is powerful, mighty, ("effectually worketh" in Greek "energeo") as it ministers in us who believe!

Two good reasons to be thankful.

All the time!

        --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

Am I thankful about anything ... without ceasing? Are you? But what a worthy goal that is for our lives! Especially being thankful for the Bible, God's Revelation to mankind! And for its mighty power to do God's Work in our hearts and souls and minds, totally!

LESSON 7:

Do we "owe" God anything?

What a question.

Yet the Apostle Paul gives an unexpected answer to it in Second Thessalonians 1:3. Where he writes: "We are bound to thank God always."

On the surface each of you is probably saying, "No where in this verse does it say we 'owe' God!"

But the verb Paul used in his own language, Greek, is "opheilo." It is rendered "are bound" in our little Text for today. And it actually means "to be in debt!"

It also means "to be one's duty!"

Yet again, "to pay what is due!"

And "opheilo" here is a present tense verb. We are constantly bound to thank God! This very minute ... and when they come, the next few minutes too. In other words, "from now on."

It's an active voice verb too. Meaning that we are the ones to be doing it, to be thanking God. No one else can do it for us. Even the Holy Spirit can't. This must rise, this gratitude, from our hearts!

Yes, "We are bound to thank God always."

And this little verb is plural too, grammatically matching the "we" that precedes it. Thanksgiving is good when only one person offers it to God. We must. But it's perhaps even better when we do so collectively, as a group, as the Body of Christ. In Church on the Lord's Day!

A verb can be studied almost indefinitely.

But the message of the sentence remains the same.

We must thank God ... as a lifestyle.

We owe it to Him.

Amen.

         --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

Anyone going to make a payment today?

LESSON 8:

Not everyone believes Paul wrote the Book of Hebrews. But if you do, Hebrews 13:15 is one of the Apostle's greatest statements of all concerning thanksgiving.

He links our giving thanks to God to the very activity of worship! Worship, as in praying. Worship, as in attending God's House. Worship, as in giving financially to the cause of Christ.

Now here's the verse. "By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name."

Here's sacrifice, but not that of bulls or goats or lambs. Not sacrifice in the Old Testament sense of the word.

Rather Paul is recommending something our lips can give to God!

The sacrifice of "praise!"

The noun "praise" in Greek is spelled "ainesis" and means at its most basic level "story." A story of adoration!

Telling Jesus how great He is!

How much He means to you!

What He's done for you!

Telling others those things too!

But Paul himself defines this "sacrifice of praise" best of all. He uses a parallel phrase to restate it, "giving thanks to his Name!"

As we express sincere thanks to our dear Lord, today or any day, we are sacrificing to Him in worship.

We are loving Him.

We are exalting Him.

Take some time and tell Him how grateful you are. He will be pleased!  "Offer the sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name."

Enough has been said.

              --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 9:

As most of you know, we've been discussing the life of Paul the last few days. One aspect of his life and ministry anyway, that of his awesome spirit of thanksgiving.

Paul was a supremely grateful man.

Today I feel led to use what might be the most unusual Verse Paul ever wrote about giving thanks!

But we must look at the whole paragraph in which this little thought sets, Second Corinthians 4:13-16. "We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak. Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you. For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God. For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day."

Some in Corinth, likely Paul's own "little children" spiritually, had been disagreeing with their mentor. Slandering him really.

So Paul in our Text is teaching them further. And trying to identify with them as well. Notice that the Apostles reminds the Church that all saints possess "the same spirit of faith." Ass who are genuinely saved ... are saved by faith in Jesus.

Both entities, Paul and the Corinthians Believers have believed and testified about the Lord.

And when Jesus comes again, the Resurrected Jesus, He will "present" (a Greek verb meaning "stand by your side") all His followers to the Father! He will vouch for us!

In fact, Paul asserts, God through Christ has given us all things! That means everything we need to serve Him ... with all needs provided!

And God has done all this, through His marvelous Grace, might cause many to "thank" God. Literally, "That the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God."

God's goodness to us should spawn "thanks" in our hearts to the Lord!

Here's a man looking at a godly crowd and observing God's Grace being showered upon them day by day, if not hour by hour, and longing for them to "thank" God for all those blessings!

Knowing that such thanksgiving will "overflow" (Greek for "redound") to the Glory of God!

Look ... my giving thanks, your giving thanks ... bringing cupfuls of Glory to God! Uplifting and delighting our precious Saviour!

So today, the day after the Thanksgiving Holiday, keep being grateful! To do so brings glory tot he One Who saved you!

              --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

By the way, notice that these floods of thanksgiving bringing Glory to God keep Paul faithful! They motivate him. They keep him from fainting! They refresh and revive his spirit day after day!

May we all be "redounders" then!

LESSON 10:

I want to do one or two more lessons on "Thankfulness in the Life of Paul." He was such a magnificently grateful man.

Our prayer is that this type attitude, this spirit of thanks, will impact each of us who reads here these days. This is the tenth Lesson in the Series, all of which have been archived here on the Website.

Writing to a young preacher, teaching him really, Paul once said: "For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving. For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer." First Timothy 4:4-5

Here is a statement concerning Paul's mealtime habits, apparently. The word "creature" means anything "owned" by a proprietor! The picture here is that of God Who, having created us, now owns us as well! He is the Lord of all! Claiming all the cattle on all the hills, according to the Psalmist.

Obviously Paul has in mind the next "lamb chop" he plans to eat! Or a "beef steak," anything in the meat family likely. In fact, looks like he is close to saying, even to Jews, that the Old Testament restrictions on certain kinds of meat really no longer apply.  "Nothing to be refused," spelled "apoballo" in Greek, is best defined as "to be thrown away!" Timothy, you may even eat bacon or sausage now!  "For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused ..."

Yet apparently Paul had two little habits at each meal. And he delineates them for us here. The food is to be "received," in Greek "lambano" (to reach out and take with one's hand), with "thanksgiving."

Being grateful to God for His provision in our lives.

The noun "thanksgiving" has at its heart the little noun "charis," the standard New Testament word for "grace!" (Literally "thanksgiving" is "eucharistia.") In other words, offering thanks means "mentioning the grace of God," acknowledging and honoring God as the real Source of our food, ultimately. Yes, our food is "to be received with thanksgiving."

Then the two things Paul always did when he ate. He "sanctified" the food ("hagiazo" meaning "set apart, dedicated, given back," and in that sense "made holy") by the Word of God then by Prayer!

At each gathering for fellowship, if food was involved ... first Paul read some Scripture, over the meat and potatoes or whatever. Then secondly, Paul prayed over the meal.

That's how the man of God taught young Timothy to "ask the blessing" on his daily nourishment!

 "For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving. For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer."

Wow!

A good thing to learn, a good procedure to adopt, any day of the year. But especially the day after Thanksgiving!

              --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

"Everyone come to the table, food's ready! Now let me read a verse of the Bible to you, this month from Psalms (or wherever). Next let's pray and thank God for his good Grace in providing our meal, dedicating it all to the One Who owns us and loves us and died to save us!"

LESSON 11:

We all know this, but it bears repeating anyway. It's such a vital truth, emphasizing a great quality of the Christian life.

As we pray, really as a major ingredient in our prayers, we must include thanksgiving! Gratefully supplicating our great Lord.

Here's the Text, Paul teaching the Colossians. "Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving." Colossians 4:2

The verb "continue" translates a Greek word that means "to be strong" in an activity. Don't faint in your prayer life! Don't even be weak in that area of spirituality.

"Prayer" is a little compound noun that means "expressing one's desires ... face to face" to an Almighty God!

And "watch" is a verb that means "to be awake," really "to be aroused" from sleep or lethargy of any kind.

The preposition "with" is "en" in Greek, "among" one's prayer emphases ... thanksgiving must be included. It's critical!

And, if you remember, "thanksgiving" is a noun calling upon the "good grace" of God!

Thank Him every time you pray. For multiple things if you choose.

Oh, how good He is!

               --- Dr. Mike Bagwell

LESSON 12, CONCLUSION:

Paul wrote in Second Corinthians 9:15 these words: "Thanks be unto God for His Unspeakable Gift."

Obviously I'm still talking about the theme of Thanksgiving, one of the major driving forces in Paul's spiritual life.

The noun here "thanks" is a translation of the major Greek word "charis." Except it is rendered "grace" most often in the New Testament. In fact it's "grace" in 130 of its 156 appearances in the Bible.

Expressing appreciation and pleasure and favor to God! Delighting in God for His Gift!

The word "God" is "theos" in the dative case, meaning that our "thanks" is dedicated either "to" God or "for" God. We love Him and want to bring something pleasing "to" Him. Or we love Him and want to say something "for" Him.

The noun "gift" is "dorea," carrying the idea of an "offering." A "present" literally! There are 19 New Testament Verses that use the word "dorea," 18 of which express it as "gift," and only once naming it "offering."

God has given us something! A "present" from Him to us! If "dorea" has a particular significance other than its definition, it suggests a "gift" that it totally free. No strings attached! Often from a King to a pauper!

Yes!

"Thanks be unto God for His Unspeakable Gift."

Indeed!

Now to study the adjective, "unspeakable." It's "anekdiegetos" in Greek. It means "not" (the privative "a," its first letter, the "alpha") "leading out" the meaning of a word! "Hegeomai" is the root verb, "to lead, to go before."

It's a gift that cannot be exegeted! Cannot be explained! Exposition will not be adequate to reveal its beauty and glory and significance! Its shades of meaning are beyond full explanation!

Wow!

Paul in today's Verse is worshipping!

Delighting and loving God above!

For His Gift to us!

And the Gift is?

It's Jesus.

It's Salvation.

It's Heaven.

It's answered prayer.

It's the Holy Spirit Who indwells us!

And that's a great Verse to end our Thanksgiving Series this year. But I just must print it one more time. It's just that grand! "Thanks be unto God for His Unspeakable Gift."

Now, let's all go live it, a lifestyle of gratefulness.

             --- Dr. Mike Bagwell