December 22, 2024

Pray

October 11, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

I bow my head to pray
I don’t know what to say
I’m not sure how to fix
The things I’m dealing with
I’m in a desperate place
I need to share the weight
But I just don’t know how
To let it all pour out
And though I’m silent
My heart is crying
‘Cause I was made to
Come to You

So I pray
God, I need you more than words can say
Right here in this moment
You know my heart
You know my need
You know every part of me
So even if it’s just to speak Your name
I’m gonna pray

I failed to find the time
But You’ve been calling out
I let the days go by as if I could live without
But it’s gotta be here and now
I won’t be pulled away
‘Cause it’s just You and I
So let the world around us fade

Father, will You meet me here right now
Father, I surrender, lay it down
Father, and every time I close my eyes I know that I was made
To lift my hands and pray

I lift my hands and pray
You know my heart
You know my need
And every single part of me
So even if it’s just to speak Your name
I’m gonna pray
I’m gonna pray

You know my heart
You know my need
You know every part of me
and more than words
You want my life
Take it as an offering

Sanctus Real
songwriter: Mark Everett

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

If you don’t pray, you’ll fall prey to the enemy at some point in your life. Prayer is so important to my relationship with the Lord.  I begin in the morning by just talking to Him.  First thing after I open my eyes, I say,”Dear Lord…” and I don’t stop until my eyes close at night.

Sometimes life gets chaotic and other things are so loud that I can’t hear His voice.  That’s when I know that I need to be intentional about my prayers.  I make hard stops and hit my knees and cry out to my Creator. Just looking up at Him and saying His name can silence the enemy immediately.  And when He feels far away, I whisper His name and He comes close.  I start my prayer with hands open to receive and end my prayer with my hands reached up high in praise for all that He is about to do.

And remember, just because He is quiet doesn’t mean that He isn’t answering your prayers.  Just keep praising Him for the answer and show that You trust Him in this season.  He will reward your faith.  Your life will be so full of joy and it will be because of constant communication with God!

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances;
for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Pray continually…

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
Romans 12:12

Give thanks in all circumstances….

Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.
Colossians 4:2

Rejoice always…

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Philippians 4:4

Because He always love you!

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Let us pray:  Dear Lord, thank You that we can come straight to You and talk to You.  We don’t need priests or saints or temples…we just need You. You promise that when we pray, that You hear us and You will answer us. You come near when we press in!  Help us to stay in constant prayer and to believe even when it looks like all is going wrong.  You never let us down and You are always on our side.  Grant us joy and peace, oh Lord!  In Jesus’ name, amen.

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Thank You (for the things I have never thanked You for)

July 16, 2015 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Thank You for the things
That I never thanked You for
You’ve given everything I need
And still I asked for more
It’s not that I’m ungrateful
I’m just forgetful, Lord
So I thank You for the things
That I’ve never thanked You for

There are so many blessings that You have given me
Things I take for granted everyday
The beauty of creation and the promise of my salvation
Lord, help me to remember when I pray

Now when my way grows weary
And rest is hard to find
And sometimes I can’t see
My way through
And when it seems that I am blinded
That’s when I need to be reminded
That the strength I thought was mine
…It came from You

~  The Isaacs  ~

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

The simple words of this bluegrass ballad are, sadly, so true: we do forget to give God thanks and we do take for granted oh-so-very-many things that God has done for us.  I am ashamed that I can sing the line ‘You’ve given everything I need…and still I asked for more’ right along with the Isaacs Family.  Oh, it’s not that I am not thankful—I am SO thankful!  Or that I don’t voice my thanks and praise to my heavenly Father.  And I am SURE you do, too!  But truly our mouths should be filled with thanks and not petitions.

Here is just one short passage full of incredible blessings (I’ve counted more than ten things to praise and thank Him for):

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

1 Peter 1: 3-7

And another:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.

Ephesians 1:3-12

“Thank You for the things that I’ve never thanked You for!”  Have we intentionally thanked God for being ‘blessed…with every spiritual blessing…in Christ’? Or purposefully thanked Him for being ‘predestined according to His purpose…to the end that we…would be to the praise of His glory’?  Or thanked Him from the depth of our hearts for the truth that ‘He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world that we would be holy and blameless before Him’?

Our giving of thanks to God should fill our days!  When we get up, we have much to be thankful for (breath, life, new day, new mercies…).  As we go throughout the day, we have much to be thankful for (protection, guidance, forgiveness, peace, comfort…).  As we lay our heads down at night, we have much to be thankful for (provision, joy, trials gotten through, loved ones…).  And even as the Psalmist wrote,

At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You because of Your righteous ordinances.
Psalm 119:62

So let’s not be forgetful but thankful.  Truly, we should

Rejoice always; pray without ceasing;
in everything give thanks;
for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Every day, throughout each day, speak and sing out your thankfulness to your heavenly Father!

To the end that my tongue and my heart
and everything glorious within me
may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.
Psalm 30:12

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Give Thanks

November 25, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Give thanks with a grateful heart
Give thanks to the Holy One
Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son

And now let the weak say, “I am strong”
Let the poor say, “I am rich
Because of what the Lord has done for us”

Give thanks, give thanks
We give thanks to You, oh Lord
We give thanks


Songwriter: Henry Smith / Performed by Don Moen
*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *
Having a thankful, grateful heart is one of the most powerful tools we have in the Kingdom.  Did you know that the word, thanksgiving, is mentioned in the Bible 69 times? **  According to Paul, only where gratitude is present is there true faith (Romans 1:21).  Paul was heavily persecuted, yet he wrote,

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:57

The people of God are thankful people, for they realize how much they have been given.  Even in the most dire of circumstances Paul was always thankful.  A thankful heart is a heart that says “I trust God more than the circumstances around me and I KNOW that He will work them out for good no matter what things look like around me!”

“Thanksgiving breaks the power of the enemy. Whenever you give thanks to God, despite the most difficult circumstances, the enemy loses a big battle in your life. When you give thanks in the midst of difficulty, you bring pleasure to God’s heart. He is looking for Christians who live in a realm of praise and thanksgiving where the enemy no longer has an ability to hold or manipulate that person. Satan is defeated when we have a thankful heart because thankfulness during difficulty is a sacrifice pleasing to God.”

(Quoted from ‘Thanksgiving: The Power of a Thankful Heart’  Read the entire article here.)

Be joyful always;
pray continually;
give thanks in all circumstances,
for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

Heavenly Father, I pray that I will choose to be thankful in ALL things no matter what things look like around me… that I will always be looking for the good that You are doing in the midst of it. Help me to be like Paul and live with a heart of thankfulness and thanks giving in ALL things. So that my sacrifice may be pleasing to you….In Jesus’ name AMEN!!!

**  http://trinitycleveland.org/biblechallenge

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Be Joyful Always

November 22, 2014 by

seekingHimthanksgivinggraphic

Be joyful always
Pray continually
Give thanks in all circumstances
For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

be joyful always
pray continually
give thanks in all circumstances

for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus

Composed and performed by Seeds Family Worship

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This Week…1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

November 21, 2014 by

seekingHimthanksgivinggraphic

Rejoice always
Pray without ceasing
In everything give thanks
For this is God’s Will for you in Christ Jesus
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

I have simply loved meditating on this passage this week…how about you?  These truly are simple actions to take…let alone that they are ‘God’s Will for you in Christ Jesus!’  And the perspectives shared by Ahmee, Ann, and Cynda have absolutely broadened the scope of my understanding…and my obedience to God’s Will. (Thank you, dear sisters!)

Cynda graciously shared the revelation that God gave to her in Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks, Repeat.

” Prayer changes our perspective and helps us find joy. ⇨
⇨ Joy causes us to rejoice. ⇨
⇨ Rejoicing makes us thankful. ⇨
⇨ When we are thankful we offer up prayer and praise. ⇨
⇨ Praying reveals and restores our joy…and round and round we go!
It is cycle…a circle of behavior…that never ends. “

~   ♥   ~

In Thanks Giving, Ann encouraged us with some strong, vital words…

“My dear sisters, anything that is God’s Will…I will do it! For it means I have no choice but to obey. Acts of disobedience will lead to destruction. And, in fact in this case, thanks giving is an act of love. Already it is His Will for us to do so.

Let us “…be doers of the Word, and not hearers only…” James 1:22 ESV

~   ♥   ~

Ahmee reminded us of the Truth regarding being thankful in Thankful to a Good God.
“…Thankful in all circumstances.  I think sometimes we get this mixed up with thankful for all circumstances.  This also corresponds with being content in all circumstances—not content for all circumstances.  We are going to go through some things in our lives that we should not be thankful for, but we can be thankful during the process.”

~   ♥   ~

Lord, we do give You thanks in all things, in all circumstances, for ALL that You have blessed us with!  We give voice to our deepest gratitude acknowledging Your provision and perfect supply for each need that we have.  You are such a good and gracious and kind and compassionate and loving Father!  We love You and adore You…and we praise and thank You!  In Jesus’ name, amen.  HalleluJAH!   ♥  

 

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Giving Thanks In EVERYthing

November 20, 2014 by

seekingHimthanksgivinggraphic

Rejoice always
Pray without ceasing
In everything give thanks
For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

As our sisters have already reminded us this week—IN everything give thanks (not FOR everything)!

Y’know…there is a certain man whose dedication and commitment to God IN every situation and circumstance is recorded in the Old Testament.  I’ll give you a hint or two, ok?

  1. His friends tried to DISsuade him from giving thanks IN everything….
  2. His wife clearly told him the situation was so bad that he should just ‘curse God and die’….

Oh, I am SURE you recognize this man; yes?  Of course, it was righteous Job.  If ever there were someone who perceivably had nothing left for which to give thanks, it was Job.

Job was abundantly blessed by God: he had houses, and flocks, and herds of animals, and servants, and a great big family. One dreadful day, his 10 children were killed in a house collapse, his sheep, camels, oxen, and donkeys were stolen away, and all his servants (save the three who escaped and brought him the terrible news) were captured.  He could have complained to God bitterly. But he said,

Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.
Job 1:21

In all that Job went through, his attitude never wavered.  He knew that God is sovereign, that all that he had (or didn’t have) was in God’s hand.  And, like righteous Job, we too, should have this unwavering attitude of giving thanks to Almighty God IN all situations and circumstances.  Paul also reminded the 1st century Christians ( and us!) to do the same.

At all times and for everything giving thanks
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.
Ephesians 5:20

Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
Colossians 3:17

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father,
Who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.
James 1:17

Truly, we should rejoice always  ♥  pray without ceasing  ♥  give thanks in everything!

Every day, throughout each day, let’s speak and sing out our gratitude and thankfulness to our heavenly Father!  May our prayer be as David’s…

To the end that my tongue and my heart
and everything glorious within me
may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.
Psalm 30:12

 

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Thanks Giving

November 17, 2014 by

seekingHimthanksgivinggraphic

Be joyful always,
pray continually,
give thanks in all circumstances
for this is Gods will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

My dear sisters, anything that is God’s Will…I will do it!  For it means I have no choice but to obey.  Acts of disobedience will lead to destruction.  And, in fact in this case, thanks giving is an act of love.  As a child, you do thank your parents for buying you shoes (even when you don’t love the shoe).  You always thank them for the nice shoes as a token of your appreciation.

This is the same way we are to treat God.  Already it is His Will for us to do so.  Let us “…be doers of the Word, and not hearers only…” (James 1:22 ESV).

Thanks giving should be our lifestyle not an option.  See the following and meditate on these Scriptures.

When you have eaten and you are satisfied
praise the Lord your God for the good land He has given you.
Deuteronomy 8:10

Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise
Give thanks to Him and praise His Name.
Psalm 100:4

Let them sacrifice thanks offerings and tell of His works with songs of joy.
Psalm 107:22

Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified you to share
in the inheritance of the saints in the Kingdom of light…
Colossians 1:2

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts.
Since as members of one body you were called to peace and be thankful.
Colossians 3:15

So being thankful is a calling; do not despise it.  Let us do it diligently always for we are called to do this.  Let us please the Heavenly Father in this, dear sisters and friends. Since it is His will we will be measured according to that.  How have we faired in this area?  Where you are and how are you doing it?  All of these matter.  Meditate on the Scriptures shared and make a choice to give thanks always…as per the calling.

 
Father, I thank You for calling me/us to this noble duty!  Father, sometimes we have not done Your Will…forgive us.  And I pray for Your grace to abide in us and cause us to do those that which You require us to do.  The grace should instill in us the spirit of thanks giving through our works, words, deeds, clothing, personality (and even those areas that I have missed).  May You do it, Lord, for You know us very well.  Thank You for what You did for us over 2000 years ago—sending Christ to die for us a shameful death and providing a rewarding life to the lost.  We give You praise and honor always!   In Jesus’ name, I pray, AMEN!

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Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks, Repeat

November 16, 2014 by

seekingHimthanksgivinggraphic

Rejoice always!
Pray constantly.
Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 HCSB

You know that feeling you get when you look at a Scripture passage and think “I already know this stuff!” and then God gives you a head slap and says ”Oh, yeah? Check this out!”…?

Yep, just happened to me.

This passage is one of the staples of Christian life.  We learn it at a young age.  It gets used in the hard times.  We offer it to others in times of distress.  It becomes a platitude and we cease to think about what it really means.

I have always looked at this passage as three separate verses— three different directives.  But today God showed me these are a cycle…meant be used together as stepping-stones.

Rejoice always

How on earth are we supposed to always have joy?  There are so many things to worry about or deal with.  Philippians 4:6 (NLT) gives us a clue:

Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.
Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done.

Only through prayer are we able to rejoice always. As Charles Spurgeon puts it “The more praying, the more rejoicing.”  Joy is not based on our circumstances or emotions.  Circumstances and emotions change as quickly as the weather.  But God doesn’t!

Pray constantly

And just how are we supposed to do that?  Praying doesn’t mean we have to use our voice, be on our knees, or bow our heads.  Anytime is the right time for prayer.  Think of prayer as having an ongoing conversation with your best friend.  Prayer can change our perspective.  Things we see as trials or struggles may actually be bigger blessings in disguise.  Prayer gives God the opportunity to help us see life from His perspective. Colossians 4:2 (NASB) tells us:

Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.

Prayer helps us to have an ‘attitude of gratitude.‘

 Give thanks in everything

Notice it doesn’t say FOR everything or in SOME things.  We don’t get to pick and choose what suits us.  We are to be thankful in everything.  I love this quote by Charles Spurgeon: “When joy and prayer are married, their firstborn child is gratitude.”

You may be thinking, “Well, this just takes the cake! How am I supposed to do all this?” Hebrews 13:15 (AMP) holds the key:

Through Him, therefore, let us constantly and at all times
offer up to God a sacrifice of praise,
which is the fruit of lips
that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name.

Through Jesus we are able to do this. It is not we MUST do it because it is God’s will for us; it is we CAN do it because it is God’s will for us. That one little shift in perspective changes everything. It is cycle…a circle of behavior…that never ends.

Prayer changes our perspective and helps us find joy.  ➛
➛ Joy causes us to rejoice . ➛
➛ Rejoicing makes us thankful. ➛
➛ When we are thankful we offer up prayer and praise.  ➛
➛ Praying reveals and restores our joy…and round and round we go!

Now that is one endless circle I don’t mind being a part of!

  *   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~   ♥   ~   *

Lord, thank You for revealing this passage to me in a new light.  Thank You helping me to see each part is a stepping-stone pointing the way to the next step.  I rejoice in You, for You have made me glad.  In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen – it is so!

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Shackles (Praise You)

May 3, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Whoo!
It sure is hot out here, Ya know
I don’t mind though
Just glad to be free
Know what I’m saying, uh!

Take the shackles off my feet so I can dance
I just wanna praise You
(What’cha wanna do?)
I just wanna praise You
(Yeah, yeah)

You broke the chains now I can lift my hands
(Uh feel me?)
And I’m gonna praise You
(What’cha gon do?)
I’m gonna praise You

In the corners of mind
I just can’t seem to find a reason to believe
That I can break free
‘Cause You see I have been down for so long
Feel like the hope is gone
But as I lift my hands, I understand
That I should praise You through my circumstance

Take the shackles off my feet so I can dance
I just wanna praise You
I just wanna praise You
You broke the chains now I can lift my hands
And I’m gonna praise You
I’m gonna praise You

Everything that could go wrong
All went wrong at one time
So much pressure fell on me
I thought I was gon lose my mind
But I know You wanna see If I will hold on through these trials
But I need You to lift this load
‘Cause I can’t take it anymore

Take the shackles off my feet so I can dance
I just wanna praise You
I just wanna praise You
You broke the chains now I can lift my hands
And I’m gonna praise You
I’m gonna praise You

Been through the fire and the rain
Bound in every kind of way
But God has broken every chain
So let me go right now

~  Sing this song with me as our prayer and worship today.  ~

Be joyful always;
pray continually;
give thanks in all circumstances,
for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Be joyful always?  Give thanks in all circumstances?  Seems like a tough one, doesn’t it?  When things are going really well for us, I hear folks saying “God is good!”, but are we saying that when things AREN’T going our way??  We should! God is good, friends, ALL THE TIME!

I have a playlist on my computer simply called “Praise.”  This song (Shackles) leads the group.  Whenever things seem to be a bit overwhelming or I’m having a particularly rough day, I crank that playlist and sing with all I’ve got.

Psalm 100 tells us:

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.  Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the Lord is good and His love endures forever; His faithfulness continues through all generations.

You see, it’s not about MY circumstance, it’s about HIM.  I know who I belong to, and the One who made me is good, He loves me and will be faithful to me!  So I praise him through ALL circumstances.  I don’t have to like the circumstance, but I do love God, and I trust that when He tells me that He works all things for my good (Romans 8:28), that He is able to turn anything around!  As an added bonus, when I focus on praising God, I take my attention off myself which then allows God to lift my spirits!

Why not try it today?  Crank up this song and sing and dance unto the Lord!

  • Praise Him for His greatness and love for you!
  • Praise Him for having all things under control!
  • Praise Him for loving you unconditionally and caring about the circumstance in which you find yourself – no matter how challenging!

Then feel how those waves of praise come back to you in the peace and love of Jesus.  Praise the Lord!!  😀  Have a wonderful day filled with the love of God!

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Thank You (for the things that I’ve never thanked You for)

February 23, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

~  Listen while you read, please!  ~

Thank you for the things that I never thanked You for
You’ve given everything I need and still I asked for more
It’s not that I’m ungrateful, I’m just forgetful, Lord
So I thank You for the things that I’ve never thanked You for

There are so many blessings that You have given me
Things I take for granted everyday
The beauty of creation and the promise of my salvation
Lord, help me to remember when I pray

Now when my way grows weary and rest is hard to find
And sometimes I can’t see my way through
And when it seems that I am blinded that’s when I need to be reminded
That the strength I thought was mine…it came from You

~  Sung by The Isaacs   (songwriter unknown)  ~

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

The simple words of this bluegrass ballad speak the truth: we do forget to give God thanks and we do take for granted oh-so-very-many things that God has done for us.  I am ashamed that I can sing the line ‘You’ve given everything I need…and still I asked for more’ right along with the Isaacs Family.  Oh, it’s not that I am not thankful—I am SO thankful!  Or that I don’t voice my thanks and praise to my heavenly Father.  And I am SURE you do, too!  But truly our mouths should be full of thanks and not petitions.

Here is just one short passage FILLED with incredible blessings (I’ve counted more than ten things to praise and thank Him for):

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, even though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been distressed by various trials, so that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

1 Peter 1: 3-7

And another:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely bestowed on us in the Beloved. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us. In all wisdom and insight He made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His kind intention which He purposed in Him with a view to an administration suitable to the fullness of the times, that is, the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth. In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.

Ephesians 1:3-12

“Thank You for the things that I’ve never thanked You for!”  Have we intentionally thanked God for being ‘blessed…with every spiritual blessing…in Christ’? Or purposefully thanked Him for being ‘predestined according to His purpose…to the end that we…would be to the praise of His glory’?  Or thanked Him from the depth of our hearts for the truth that ‘He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world that we would be holy and blameless before Him’?

Our giving of thanks to God should fill our days!  When we get up, we have much to be thankful for (breath, life, new day, new mercies…).  As we go throughout the day, we have much to be thankful for (protection, guidance, forgiveness, peace, comfort…).  As we lay our heads down at night, we have much to be thankful for (provision, joy, trials gotten through, loved ones…).  And even as the Psalmist wrote,

At midnight I will rise to give thanks to You because of Your righteous ordinances.
Psalm 119:62

Truly, we should “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18).  So let’s not be forgetful but thankful.  Every day, throughout each day, speak and sing out your thankfulness to your heavenly Father!

To the end that my tongue and my heart
and everything glorious within me
may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.
Psalm 30:12

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