Giving Thanks Always - Capitol Commission
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Capitol Commission state directors are missionaries who teach weekly verse-by-verse Bible studies for legislators, lobbyists, and staff members. These Bible studies are hand-distributed to each legislative office, emailed, and made available throughout the Capitol community. The love and grace of God compels us to proclaim the truth of the Gospel with a heartfelt compassion for the Capitol community, to faithfully teach and apply the Word of God, and it is our desire to build meaningful relationships that bear fruit for an eternity to come. With the Bible as our foundation and authority, the mission of Capitol Commission is obedience to the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20) within the Capitol communities of the world. We are not a lobbying group attempting to garner votes or reform society. Our mandate is to see the hearts and lives of elected officials transformed with the Word of God. Capitol Commission is a ministry of the church seeking to proclaim the gospel message, and to help believers mature through the verse-by-verse teaching of Scripture. In the Bible, we see God’s great love for the world, especially for those who have been placed in authority. This is the foundation for our ministry to you. The church is instructed to submit and to honor government leaders (Rom 13:1-7), and as a matter of first importance, to pray for their salvation (1 Tim 2:1-4). The desire of Capitol Commission is to witness God transform the hearts and lives of elected officials, lobbyists, and staff members. We apply this mandate to four major areas of making disciples: (1) evangelize those who have not experienced saving faith in Jesus Christ; (2) establish those who desire to grow in their faith and knowledge of Scripture; (3) equip those called to spiritual leadership; and, (4) encourage churches to participate with us in ministry.
opportune time to contemplate upon the mercies of God. For instance, the colonies were developing in sufficiency, which was evident by the delightfulness of the atmosphere, the increased harvest of the fields, the plentiful supply of fish in the rivers, and abundance of game in the woods. Additionally, the wives of the settlers were healthy, the children were dutiful, and the colonies now experienced civil and religious liberty, which was the reason they came to the New World. The recommendation was an amendment to the resolution for a day of fasting, and to instead celebrate a day of thanksgiving. As all should know, that Thanksgiving Day was to become an integral competent of the express culture and life of the American people. Of course, for believers, one day a year to give thanksgiving to God for all His blessings is far from satisfactory.
'0&1234&'526726!&,68&'5,6726!& Scripture exhorts every believer to make melody in his or her heart, “always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father” (Eph 5:19-20). Indeed, the Apostle Paul learned to always give thanks, even in his Roman imprisonment where he wrote the (Prison) Epistles of Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. Even in the distressing imprisonment of a Philippian jail, Paul (and Silas, his fellow laborer) expressed that same attitude of heart and mind. For this reason, Paul could write to the Ephesians, “Be filled with the Spirit . . . always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” $
Introduction The settlers who founded the New England colonies experienced many difficulties and hardships. As their inclinations were thoroughly Christian, they fasted before God and prayed to Him as those who were utterly dependent upon Him. The early settlers declared their supplications to God alone for only He could assuage their anguish. Continual thought upon their difficulties and hardships fixated their minds in distress and restlessness, and the settlers even thought about returning to their homeland with all its religious persecution of them. The settlers convened to decide upon a community response. When someone recommended another day to be designated for fasting and prayer, an ordinary man with some sanctified sense stated his thoughts that they had agonized sufficiently regarding their difficulties and hardships, and recommended that it was the
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“Always giving thanks” is a distinctly biblical standard for living. The reason is that the word “thanksgiving” is literally the idea of the good grace (Gk. eucharistia) of God. The unbeliever (natural man) is void of the grace of God, and consequently does not honor God or give thanks to Him (Rom 1:21). Having experienced the free and sovereign regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, the believer expresses faith in Christ and repentance to God, and lives as one enraptured with a life of gratitude and humility by “always giving thanks” to God. A life of thanksgiving is truly exalting to God, or literally “giving thanks . . . to God, even the
CAPITOL COMMISSION BIBLE STUDIES -- GEORGIA LEGISLATORS AND LOBBYISTS: TUESDAYS @ 7:30AM, 514 CLOB (DURING GENERAL ASSEMBLY) STAFF: TUESDAYS @ NOON, 514 CLOB (DURING GENERAL ASSEMBLY)
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Georgia
Father.” The Christian life is that of thinking and thanking. “To think” in the old Anglo-Saxon language was seen also in thanks; literally, thinkfulness is thankfulness. $
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'0&1234&=2'5&>?,2@4&,68&!10?:& Genuine thanksgiving means one is “filled with the Spirit.” The fullness of the Holy Spirit requires the incoming of the Holy Spirit. The incoming is only when one who is dead in sins and trespasses (Eph 2:1) is regenerated, that is, born again (John 3:3) by the free and sovereign Holy Spirit (John 3:8). The Holy Spirit first enters one’s life through the new birth by raising those who are dead in sins and trespasses alive together with Christ. The incoming of the Holy Spirit is the prerequisite for being “filled with the Holy Spirit.” When the Holy Spirit fills the believer’s life, then genuine thanksgiving is natural. Genuine thanksgiving is not a work of the flesh, but is the inevitable and irresistible activity and mindset, as the Holy Spirit fills the life of those redeemed by Christ and belonging to Him, to the praise and glory of the Father.
A life of thanksgiving is always a witness to the salvific work of Christ. Thanks to God is given “in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Believers alone are able to approach God boldly because of the redemptive work of Christ on their behalf. The Lord Jesus Christ is the crowning thought of thanksgiving. Genuine thanksgiving is confession and living with Jesus Christ as Lord of one’s life. Living a life “always giving thanks” demands that saints of God are to “be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil” (Eph 5:15-16). The believer’s life is living with thanksgiving; one is not a good steward of time when agonizing with regard to difficulties and hardships. Scripture exhorts believers to give thanks “for all things” (a solemn thought considering the man inspired to write those words was frequently imprisoned on behalf of his Lord Jesus Christ). Whatever experiences life may bring, the grace of God compels believers to express hearts and minds filled with thanksgiving. As the old hymn teaches: “Count your blessings, name them one by one; Count your blessings, see what God hath done; Count your blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.”
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Capitol Commission state directors are missionaries who teach weekly verse-by-verse Bible studies for legislators, lobbyists, and staff members. These Bible studies are hand-distributed to each legislative office, emailed, and made available throughout the Capitol community. The love and grace of God compels us to proclaim the truth of the Gospel with a heartfelt compassion for the Capitol community, to faithfully teach and apply the Word of God, and it is our desire to build meaningful relationships that bear fruit for an eternity to come. With the Bible as our foundation and authority, the mission of Capitol Commission is obedience to the Great Commission (Matt 28:18-20) within the Capitol communities of the world. We are not a lobbying group attempting to garner votes or reform society. Our mandate is to see the hearts and lives of elected officials transformed with the Word of God. Capitol Commission is a ministry of the church seeking to proclaim the gospel message, and to help believers mature through the verse-by-verse teaching of Scripture. In the Bible, we see God’s great love for the world, especially for those who have been placed in authority. This is the foundation for our ministry to you. The church is instructed to submit and to honor government leaders (Rom 13:1-7), and as a matter of first importance, to pray for their salvation (1 Tim 2:1-4). The desire of Capitol Commission is to witness God transform the hearts and lives of elected officials, lobbyists, and staff members. We apply this mandate to four major areas of making disciples: (1) evangelize those who have not experienced saving faith in Jesus Christ; (2) establish those who desire to grow in their faith and knowledge of Scripture; (3) equip those called to spiritual leadership; and, (4) encourage churches to participate with us in ministry.
opportune time to contemplate upon the mercies of God. For instance, the colonies were developing in sufficiency, which was evident by the delightfulness of the atmosphere, the increased harvest of the fields, the plentiful supply of fish in the rivers, and abundance of game in the woods. Additionally, the wives of the settlers were healthy, the children were dutiful, and the colonies now experienced civil and religious liberty, which was the reason they came to the New World. The recommendation was an amendment to the resolution for a day of fasting, and to instead celebrate a day of thanksgiving. As all should know, that Thanksgiving Day was to become an integral competent of the express culture and life of the American people. Of course, for believers, one day a year to give thanksgiving to God for all His blessings is far from satisfactory.
'0&1234&'526726!&,68&'5,6726!& Scripture exhorts every believer to make melody in his or her heart, “always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father” (Eph 5:19-20). Indeed, the Apostle Paul learned to always give thanks, even in his Roman imprisonment where he wrote the (Prison) Epistles of Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. Even in the distressing imprisonment of a Philippian jail, Paul (and Silas, his fellow laborer) expressed that same attitude of heart and mind. For this reason, Paul could write to the Ephesians, “Be filled with the Spirit . . . always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” $
Introduction The settlers who founded the New England colonies experienced many difficulties and hardships. As their inclinations were thoroughly Christian, they fasted before God and prayed to Him as those who were utterly dependent upon Him. The early settlers declared their supplications to God alone for only He could assuage their anguish. Continual thought upon their difficulties and hardships fixated their minds in distress and restlessness, and the settlers even thought about returning to their homeland with all its religious persecution of them. The settlers convened to decide upon a community response. When someone recommended another day to be designated for fasting and prayer, an ordinary man with some sanctified sense stated his thoughts that they had agonized sufficiently regarding their difficulties and hardships, and recommended that it was the
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“Always giving thanks” is a distinctly biblical standard for living. The reason is that the word “thanksgiving” is literally the idea of the good grace (Gk. eucharistia) of God. The unbeliever (natural man) is void of the grace of God, and consequently does not honor God or give thanks to Him (Rom 1:21). Having experienced the free and sovereign regenerating work of the Holy Spirit, the believer expresses faith in Christ and repentance to God, and lives as one enraptured with a life of gratitude and humility by “always giving thanks” to God. A life of thanksgiving is truly exalting to God, or literally “giving thanks . . . to God, even the
CAPITOL COMMISSION BIBLE STUDIES -- GEORGIA LEGISLATORS AND LOBBYISTS: TUESDAYS @ 7:30AM, 514 CLOB (DURING GENERAL ASSEMBLY) STAFF: TUESDAYS @ NOON, 514 CLOB (DURING GENERAL ASSEMBLY)
!"#"$%&'()$*+&,-.)/+&
Georgia
Father.” The Christian life is that of thinking and thanking. “To think” in the old Anglo-Saxon language was seen also in thanks; literally, thinkfulness is thankfulness. $
&$ &$ &$ KLI$ 8!9MI$ 3Q$ 831$ M3J/IPO$ 'IPNIHI!O$ K3$ IU/!IOO$ LI9!KO$9G1$JNG1O$QNPPI1$WNKL$KL9GRO8NHNG8&$
'0&1234&=2'5&>?,2@4&,68&!10?:& Genuine thanksgiving means one is “filled with the Spirit.” The fullness of the Holy Spirit requires the incoming of the Holy Spirit. The incoming is only when one who is dead in sins and trespasses (Eph 2:1) is regenerated, that is, born again (John 3:3) by the free and sovereign Holy Spirit (John 3:8). The Holy Spirit first enters one’s life through the new birth by raising those who are dead in sins and trespasses alive together with Christ. The incoming of the Holy Spirit is the prerequisite for being “filled with the Holy Spirit.” When the Holy Spirit fills the believer’s life, then genuine thanksgiving is natural. Genuine thanksgiving is not a work of the flesh, but is the inevitable and irresistible activity and mindset, as the Holy Spirit fills the life of those redeemed by Christ and belonging to Him, to the praise and glory of the Father.
A life of thanksgiving is always a witness to the salvific work of Christ. Thanks to God is given “in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Believers alone are able to approach God boldly because of the redemptive work of Christ on their behalf. The Lord Jesus Christ is the crowning thought of thanksgiving. Genuine thanksgiving is confession and living with Jesus Christ as Lord of one’s life. Living a life “always giving thanks” demands that saints of God are to “be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil” (Eph 5:15-16). The believer’s life is living with thanksgiving; one is not a good steward of time when agonizing with regard to difficulties and hardships. Scripture exhorts believers to give thanks “for all things” (a solemn thought considering the man inspired to write those words was frequently imprisoned on behalf of his Lord Jesus Christ). Whatever experiences life may bring, the grace of God compels believers to express hearts and minds filled with thanksgiving. As the old hymn teaches: “Count your blessings, name them one by one; Count your blessings, see what God hath done; Count your blessings, name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.”
'0&1034&!08&,68&4690:&52A&;0?434?&
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