What do you think? Is gratitude another chore on your to-do list or is it something that blesses you? It might feel it takes more than you have but once we learn to count our blessings, it starts giving instead of taking. I’ve learned that gratitude blesses you. And when we learn this, we can’t live without it. First of all, it teaches us to pay attention to our lives. How else could we find things to be grateful for,…
Gratitude is the most underused spiritual weapon. Often we don’t even realize gratitude or thanksgiving is a spiritual weapon. But it is. A powerful one. Let’s find out why we should use it. And then use it for the rest of our days. Not just for the benefits but because it’s fun and easy and it will bless us more than we can ever know. And the alternative is awful: For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as…
I love different Bible translations. Years ago I wrote a thanksgiving post based on the Message version of this verse and thought it was so inspiring. Today I read the same verse from the Amplified Bible and saw it in a totally different light. So here’s my this year’s thanksgiving post. Praise God for the peace of Christ. Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding…
Whenever something is repeated many times, it’s usually worth of paying attention to the matter. Today I found the same verse repeated four times in one psalm. Time to pay attention. What could be so important? Could it have anything to do with my life? Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind. (Psalm 107:8/15/21/31, NIV) Thanksgiving is so important. God’s love is so magnificent. God’s care is so wonderful. I…
Am I the only one that has ever wondered what ‘offering a sacrifice of thanksgiving’ means? And if that really honors and glorifies God, how could we do it in today’s world? He who brings an offering of praise and thanksgiving honors and glorifies Me. (Psalm 50:23, AMP) The sacrifice of thanksgiving is mentioned many times in the Old Testament. It is a voluntary sacrifice that is motivated by thanksgiving. It was also shared with all the worshipers. Because of…
I just love how Jesus fed 5000 people with two fish and five loaves of bread. We think 5 plus 2 is 7. But God’s way of thinking is way different, way bigger, and way better. What was the secret of Jesus? Then Jesus took the bread. When he had given thanks, he distributed it to those who were sitting there. He did the same with the fish, each getting as much as they wanted.When they had plenty to eat,…
“Gratitude follows grace like thunder lightning”, writes Karl Barth. I think so, too. There is nothing bigger or better in life than receiving grace through faith in Jesus Christ! G.K. Charleston has said “I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.“ If we take time to wonder God’s mysteries in our lives we start to see God’s handiwork all around us. We need to cultivate wonder because wonder leads…
