Tuesday 2 January 2018

Gather Strength Through Thanksgiving

Hello everyone,

It’s the second day of the New Year, how well are we being grateful to God? Those who read my last write-up would know what I’m talking about. If you’ve not read it, I’ll advise you do.

Thanksgiving is a very important thing that we should always do, as I said yesterday, it shouldn’t be a routine, rather it should be a lifestyle. By it being a routine doesn’t make it part of you, in other words, it is like being forced to do a thing, but by it being a lifestyle is what you are known for, how you live your life.

Apostle Paul in his first letter to the Thessalonians in chapter 5:18, he said, “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” By giving thanks, we live the will of God for our lives, but the sentence didn’t start from verse 18, the full sentence started from verse 16 to 18, and it says, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” The Amplified puts it thus:
“Be happy [in your faith] and rejoice and be glad-hearted continually (always); be unceasing in prayer [praying perseveringly]; 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].”
So apart from giving thanks, we should rejoice, be happy in faith over everything. Also, we are to persevere when we pray, now prayer here doesn’t mean the demanding kind of prayer, but what it means is that our minds should be in tune with God at every moment, which really is prayer, it is there and then that we would be able to give thanks in all things, because you rejoice always in faith, and your mind is in tune with the Lord for communication with God at every moment and vice versa.

Why is it that we don’t always give God thanks and show gratitude to Him? It is because we entangle ourselves in situation and circumstances that negate the giving God thanks. We may go trials in our lives such the death of a loved one, financial issues, health issues, marital issues, and so on; but in all these let us not forget that dwelling on these things does not change anything, they are only detrimental to our lives, it is only in Jesus that we can find the strength to move on. And as we look unto Jesus, we find how the miraculous happen in our lives.

Giving thanks is what builds our faith in God even in tough times. Yes, it may appear tough, but why dwell in a place that benefits you nothing, rather than getting strength from Jesus to move, looking at His love for us, all that He went through on the cross just for you, He died that you may live. Let us focus on what He obtained for us in His resurrection, it is when we focus on this that we can rejoice always, pray without ceasing and give God thanks in everything, and open the doors of grace over our lives. Remember, it’s not about you, but it’s all about Him so that He may strengthen us in all aspect.

May the LORD bless you and keep you, make His face shine upon you. May the LORD be gracious to you and lift up His countenance upon you, and give you peace. AMEN.
                    

Why not accept Jesus today if you haven’t. Pray out loud, “Jesus, I confess that You are my Lord and Saviour. I believe in my heart that God raised You from the dead. By faith in Your Word, I receive salvation now. Thank You for saving me!” Congratulations, you’re born again, you are now brand new!

Log on next time.

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GOD BLESS YOU.

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Unless otherwise stated, the following scriptures are gotten from New King James Version (NKJV)


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