Here's Why Sincere Gratitude Changes Everything.

 THE HOLY HABIT OF THANKFULNESS IS SO BENEFICIAL - FOR HEALTH!

I never wanna forget and be a part of those other nine!

You remember. Jesus asked, 'Were not ten of you cleansed? Where are the other nine?

Am thinkin' about Thanksgiving. 

You and I Can Express Thanks All Year Long!  Q: How'd It Go; How Was Your Holiday? Next up, thanks at Christmas! 

What's that day remind me of? This: Psalm 63. Of all the psalms that flowed from David’s heart and harp,  this psalm always feels like a sunrise over my soul no matter the time of year.  

“Your unfailing love is better than life… I will lift my hands to You… You satisfy me more than the richest feast” (vv. 3–5 nlt). 

These words should’ve been written on a day when every prayer was answered and every burden was lifted. But they weren’t.

David expressed.. yep, penned this gratitude of worship while hurting and wandering in exile, an old man chased from his throne by his own son. His kingdom was shaken, his family splintered, his heart aching, such brokenness was felt—yet his lips were still blessing the Lord. Somehow, thanks and praise rose from his desert time.

How could he do it or continue on? David had learned that sincere gratitude isn’t anchored to any earthly circumstances; it’s anchored to God Himself. 

A thankful spirit isn’t born from calm seas but from trusting the Captain of the entire ship so to speak.

We often misread our own moments. When we’re young, we assume that what the world calls success is always good and struggle is always bad. But with time—and with Jesus (God) as our leading Lord—we begin to see things differently. 

You know that's true! Sometimes prosperity robs the soul while hardship helps to restore it. Where do you run when hurting or blessed? Do you get closer or farther away when hurting.. or when blessed with good things? Please run to God, and run to a healthy church as well no matter what happens in your life. Get closer to Jesus. Life in Him is God the Father's will for you. 

What we once labeled “blessing” can prove to be a curse.. or empty, especially if we start to live for the blessings instead of for the Blesser, and what we feared would break us apart. And that can become what God uses to make us whole. The Bible says...

"Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." Matthew 6:33 nlt

Believer, through every season, we can still give thanks to God and to people—not because every circumstance is so nice and pleasant, not because we feel so good, but because every circumstance is held by a faithful, kind, sovereign God. Our emotions shift like the sand at Salt Creek in Dana Point; situations turn, but Jesus remains the same: steadfast, loyal, unchanging God. As A.W. Tozer said, “What God is, He is eternally.”

Romans 8:28 reminds us that the Lord weaves not some.. but all things—the joyful and the jagged—into good for those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. 

Corrie ten Boom who went to my Costa Mesa church for a time, said: “Every experience God gives us.. is the perfect preparation for a future only He can see.” 

Man, that’s why gratitude is always fitting and appropriate. There is always something God is shaping, redeeming, strengthening, or restoring. He is the only one who saves. We witness, tell our story, and do our best.. as we commit the rest..

..to Him who changes lives. 

So where are you at today spiritually?

If you’re tasting answered prayer, give thanks to God—His kindness is real.

If you’re carrying heavy burdens or waiting in silence, give thanks to God—He’s at work in the unseen. There is only One (a trinity). 

Scripture doesn’t tell us to celebrate every circumstance, but to give thanks in every circumstance, because nothing is to get wasted in the hands of a sovereign God. Don't even waste your sorrows. 

And so we echo the apostle Paul: “We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

In every season of the year, at ever holiday—when in the desert or at a feast, during triumph or trial—there is always a reason to lift our hands and whisper, “Thank You, Lord Jesus.”

Gratitude is not merely a polite gesture—it can be worship. In fact, it is like the oxygen of acceptable Christian worship. Scripture repeats the command like a holy drumbeat: “Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever” (Psalm 106:1; 107:1; 118:1; 136:3; 1 Chronicles 16:34). Thanksgiving is the way the redeemed choose to breathe. We appropriate His grace by faith, and then we wholeheartedly praise Him. Without gratitude in your praise.. It's like an  icy cold heart with no heartbeat.

Every good gift—from breath in your lungs to mercy on your soul—comes “from above, from the Father of lights” (James 1:17). Even Jesus, God the Father's greatest blessing to us came from above. Jesus is 100% Good. He's been the Father's caring missionary to us. 

Gratitude keeps us from the lie that we are self-made persons. Ingrates tend to drift toward arrogance more and more if they don't repent, but thankful hearts drift toward God.

George Barna reports that believers who practice daily sincere gratitude experience 40% higher joy and long-term resilience compared to those who don’t. Science merely confirms what Scripture has preached to us for centuries: thanksgiving really does renew the soul (Philippians 4:6–7). God does that inside. 

Thank and seek the Lord first, then thank the people around you. Expressed Thanks Changes Things. 

Sincere thanksgiving turns our eyes from what we lack to what God has or is about to lavish upon us.. as we believe. That old fleshly human nature inside leans toward coveting (not good), but thanksgiving redirects us toward contentment in Christ. 

"Yet true godliness with contentment is itself great wealth." 1 Timothy 6:6 nlt

When gratitude fills the heart up, then bitterness cannot. A thankful Christian may hurt, grieve, or struggle—but they can never be poisoned by despair.

And Scripture pushes deeper: “Give thanks in everything” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Not for everything, but in everything. Even pain. Even mystery. Even loss.

Job proved it when his world collapsed: “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21).

David proved it when he said, “You turned my wailing into dancing… I will give thanks forever” (Psalm 30).

Paul proved it while bruised and hunted: “Thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:14).

Peter proved it by calling fiery trials the furnace that makes faith shine.

"So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world." 1 Peter 1:6–7 nlt

And that day will soon be here. Let's be grateful realists--I like solid facts, but feel like an optimist cuz of the Cross and the empty tomb.  I don't feel like a pessimist--His resurrection and abundant life can be experienced daily! 

Hey, thankfulness is not denial. It is a good defiance—it is a holy refusal to believe that darkness gets the last word.

It was so cool sitting in our Sunday school class with my oldest son Stephan John yesterday... hearing him tell us repeatedly after that time, and after the service at lunch too. how grateful he was for us.

I have two sober parents in San Clemente, California. They go by Kim and Betty and are about to celebrate their 71st anniversary together at the end of December ('25).

Thank you, Lord, for letting them be around still - and their marriage seems better than it's ever been. 

Liney and I have two sons left. They both live in North Texas and like to hang out with us. Glad, I've been a hard worker for years, so I've missed some holidays, but I don't put work first or ahead of the family. That'd be worse than lame. Thank you, Lord, for our sons and your strong grace.

Half full, half empty.. my glass is more than half full ..always.. because of Jesus and His Cross. He said he'd meet all my needs, and He's never let me down once. 

Where are the other 9? I never want to be a part of any group that isn't expressing gratitude to God's living Word.

"A survey was taken among 50,000 people, and guess what! The results revealed that gratitude-expressed will lower a person's blood pressure, and it will extend one's life." ~ David Marvin 

* Gratitude greatly strengthens relationships. 

"While Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem, He was passing [along the border] between Samaria and Galilee. 12 As He entered a village, He was met by ten lepers who stood at a distance; 13 and they raised their voices and called out, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14 When He saw them, He said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were [miraculously] healed and made clean. 15 One of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, glorifying and praising and honoring God with a loud voice; 16 and he lay face downward at Jesus’ feet, thanking Him [over and over]. He was a Samaritan. 17 Then Jesus asked, 'Were not ten of you cleansed? Where are the other nine? 18 Was there no one found to return and to give thanks and praise to God, except this foreigner?' 19 Jesus said to him, “Get up and go on your way. Your faith [your personal trust in Me and your confidence in God’s power has restored you to health.” Luke 17:11-19 amp

It sort of fuels humility and kills off hubris. I feel proud of my country, but any other sort of pride is not needed. 

* Ingratitude literally hinders relationships. 

If the gratitude is not sincerely expressed, then it is not experienced on either side of the equation. 

You want to experience the grace of gratitude firsthand by passing it on ..by receiving.. and you want those you love to experience it too. Like when it is genuinely expressed from you to them face-to-face. Yes, when you noticed! 

A missionary once spoke of a weary widow in a village they met.. who had lost nearly everything. She wasn't all alone! When asked what she was thankful for, the hurting, grieving widow still smiled and whispered, “For Jesus—and for the strength to praise Him until the morning.” That night, revival broke out in her tiny chapel. Why? Because gratitude—real gratitude—draws God near (Psalm 22:3). Gratitude won! Jesus is the best Friend who sticks closer than a brother. His strong grace is sufficient. 

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good” — Psalm 107:1

Gratitude is more than good etiquette and manners—it’s about this spiritual discipline that shapes our soul and character. Scripture calls us again and again to give thanks to God (Psalm 106:1; 118:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:18), not because God feels insecure and needs to hear it, but because we need to say it. God doesn't need us or anything, but He delights to see His kids blessed. 

1. Thankfulness Turns Our Eyes Back to the Living Word of God

Every blessing in our lives—large and small—is a gift from His hand:
“Every good and perfect gift is from above” (James 1:17).

Charles Spurgeon wrote, “Gratitude is the perfume of the heart when the grace of God has crushed the selfishness within.”

Without thanksgiving in our hearts, we will drift toward pride and forgetfulness. The Isralites did that before. With thanksgiving, we remember who is truly helping and sustaining our lives.

Mr. George Barna reports that Christians who practice daily gratitude experience higher joy (40% increase) and lower chronic stress than those who don’t. Gratitude literally rewires the brain toward peace—just as God in Philippians 4:6–7 promises believers.

2. Gratitude in All Circumstances

Scripture doesn’t say “Give thanks for everything”—it says, “Give thanks in everything” (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

God doesn’t ask us to celebrate tragedy. He asks us to trust Him in it.

David declared,
“You turned my wailing into dancing… I will give thanks forever” (Psalm 30:11–12).

Job whispered through tears,
“The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21).

Paul, beaten and weary, still proclaimed,

“Thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ” (2 Corinthians 2:14).

Gratitude does not deny pain—it anchors us to God’s character in the middle of it.

3. Gratitude Changes Us from the Inside Out

When we focus on blessings, we become more joyful and less anxious. Studies from UC Davis show that people who record daily gratitude sleep better, stress less, and show 25% stronger resilience in adversity.

The Bible said it long before research confirmed it:

“In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving… the peace of God will guard your hearts” (Philippians 4:6–7).

Amy Carmichael once said, “We must give thanks with our lives, not just our lips.” 

Gratitude shapes inner character as we allow the Spirit to work, and that's important. It turns us from gripey grumbling to biblical worship, from entitlement to humility, and from fear to sound faith.

4. Thanking Others Honors God Too

Thankfulness isn’t only vertical—Scripture encourages it horizontally too. People need to hear it. 

Paul constantly thanked people by name (Romans 16).
He opened letters by expressing appreciation for believers:

“I thank my God every time I remember you” (Philippians 1:3).

A simple “thank you” builds unity, strengthens relationships, and reflects God’s love.

Research confirms this: According to Harvard studies, people who are thanked and receive another's genuine appreciation experience increased motivation, belonging, and emotional well-being—and the one expressing gratitude experiences a boost too. Everyone is lifted.

Remember the hymn line?:

“Praise God from whom all blessings flow,”
but also,

“Bless the people He uses to show those blessings.”

5. Gratitude Expressed Can Be Worship To God

The writer of Hebrews makes it simple:

“Since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful” (Hebrews 12:28).

Thankfulness to Jesus is indeed heart-to-heart worship. It’s obedience. It’s the mark of a believer whose eyes are dead-bolt-fixed upon Christ. And it’s one of the clearest signs of spiritual health. 

Do you attend a healthy local church that's grateful? You can! It will rub off on you too. 

Paul warned that the last days would be characterized by people who are “ungrateful” (2 Timothy 3:2). Gratitude sets God’s people apart.

6. Lord, I love You. Thanks for bringing me this far. What am I to learn and go do today? Please lead me onward.. all the way Home. Help me bring my friends and theirs with! Even others as well.  

Lord God, help me see Your goodness in both the big and small.
Teach me to live all in with Christ. Teach me to give all of me to You.. to give thanks to You and to others in all kinds of circumstances.
Make me quick to praise You, to encourage people, and quick to express appreciation to others. They need that. Let thanksgiving soften my heart today, deepen my faith today, and draw me closer to You today.
Amen.

Why are we supposed to give thanks in (not for) everything?

What are some Bible verses about thankfulness?

What is the indescribable gift in 2 Corinthians 9:15?

What should be the focus of Christians on Thanksgiving Day?

Are you unthankful? What does the Bible say about ingratitude?

Why doesn't the Lord's Prayer include thanksgiving?

NEED A WISE APPLICATION OF THE WORD?

I dare ya to. Before the day ends, do two things:

1. Thank God for five blessings you usually overlook.

Your breath. Your salvation. Your Bible. Your friendships. Your future hope.

2. Thank one person who has blessed your life in a practical way.

A text, a note, a call, a verse, and a word of encouragement.
Your gratitude could be the encouragement they quietly prayed for. Many feel desperate for that. 

Thanksgiving is almost here — let’s pray. Let's express some honesty and gratitude!

Right now, I feel grateful inside for what God has done at Calvary and is still doing in my life. Lord, You are so good. Am grateful for You goin' to that lonely Cross for me -- danke Herr!

We can thank Him during the good times, as well as in the bad times, “giving thanks always for all things..” (Ephesians 5:20). We’re also to make our requests known to God “with thanksgiving” (Philippians 4:6). Pray and thanks pair well. They go good together.

You know, simply pausing to spend some time alone with Jesus is one way to say "Thank you.  I appreciate and love you Lord!  Help me live this out by prayin' and obeyin' daily." 

Photo by Samuel Martins

- Longest prayer in Bible - 7 minutes by Nehemiah

- Longest NT prayer - 5 minutes.

- The High priestly prayer - 3 minutes.

- Moses' prayer = 4 verses.

- Elijah taunted the false doctrine and prayers to Baal back then. he offered up a 2 verse prayer and God's fire fell.

- All of Paul's recorded prayers are pretty simple and short huh! Go check em out in the Bible.

Isn't prayer something that we offer up to some cosmic force out there just hoping that Karma or something sort of electric-like will help make things better here? Nope, ain't like that.

What is effective prayer, and what is it not? It's not stiff and religious, it is about blunt honesty.

Thanksgiving is almost here — let’s express some frank honesty and gratitude! I challenge you to!

Types of Prayer?

1. Prayer of Thanksgiving 

Got another day to know and serve the Lord! So let’s express vertical gratitude when God answers a prayer, gives deliverance, or there’s a recognition of how GOOD He is and has been to you. 

“for he is good; his love endures forever. Cry out, ‘Save us, God our Savior; gather us and deliver us from the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name, and glory in your praise’” (1 Chronicles 16:34–35).

“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, And into his courts with praise: Be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; And his truth endureth to all generations.” (Psalms 100:4–5).

2. Prayer of Adoration

This is focusing on worshiping Jesus the Lord out of deep love, respect, and simple admiration.

“Let them praise the name of the Lord, for his name alone is exalted; his splendor is above the earth and the heavens” (Psalm 148:13).

3. Prayer of Confession

Calling sin what it really is for repentance (cleansing)-sake and specifically confessing our sins is important. This keeps the lines of loving fellowship open, believer. We ignore the overly tolerant world that says “Calling sin.. sin.. is the worst sin imaginable.” 

“Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the Lord.’ And you forgave the guilt of my sin” (Psalm 32:5).

4. Prayer of Vows

We always want to keep our promises to God and people! It’s a good witness. We want to underpromise and over-deliver on those, but praying an honest promise to the Lord is indeed a prayer.

“In her deep anguish Hannah prayed to the Lord, weeping bitterly. And she made a vow, saying, ‘Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head’” (1 Samuel 1:10–11).

5. Prayer of Quiet Meditation with Reflection

Let’s learn to hear from our “Lord of all” and allow Him to guide our steps. Meditation in the world is about emptying minds, but we believers meditate filling our minds with solid truth. Prayers of stillness with listening and silence draw us away from prayers filled with our own words and human opinions as we call God’s Word and promises to mind.

“On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night” (Psalm 63:6).

6. Simple Prayer for Healing

When you hurt, are sick, or diseased you ask for healing — you go to the right Source (to God in Jesus’ Powerful Name). You don't need some religious televangelist on telethon-Tuesday who asks you to dig deep for your credit cards. All of God's blessings (including salvation) are totally free. And He knows all of you (physically too) better than you do. Too many run in stupid, wrong directions for a lame solution. 

“Heal me, O Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for you are the one I praise” (Jeremiah 17:14).

7. Prayer and Praise for Deliverance and Help

Do you have some challenges, hardships, unfair unrighteous opposition, hurts, or oppression and need a breakthrough?

“Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress” (Psalm 107:6).

8. Prayer of Intercession

This is for others in need. Jesus often prayed for others. The Bible instructs us believers to pray for one another and to intercede on someone else’s behalf. JOY = Jesus first, Others second, and then Self 

“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light” (Colossians 1:9–12).

“Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed” (Luke 5:16).

“Jesus said, ‘For where two or three gather together in my name, I am there with them’” (Matthew 18:20).

“[Jesus said,] ‘This, then, is how you should pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one’” (Matthew 6:9–13).

“Devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word” (Acts 6:4).

Let’s talk some more about prayer. It is not some type of “energy” that can heal us in and of itself. We never need any crystals or religious beads to work in this respect. Rather, prayer is the means of heart-to-heart candid communication whereby we receive what we need from God.. whereby we express ourselves and hear from the Lord. Having Jesus, being close is better than having everything else. God Almighty can still speak and He keeps all His promises with perfect timing. Do you ever remind him of His Bible promises?

A person who has spent some time alone with Jesus Christ will be a person of prayer -- YES, and regarding God's promises.  How can we not become like that?

How can any two persons here on earth be best friends unless they spend a lot of time together.. unless they share what's on their hearts and minds together? 

It's just like that with the Person of Jesus Christ. It's about close relationships this Christianity, not religion. I don't need to earn anything--I don't need any beads. 

"Prayer is not informing God; prayer is inviting God. When I call out to the Lord in prayer and offer my petition, I’m not informing God of something He doesn’t already know. I’m inviting God into my situation, into my challenges, and into my problems." ~ Greg Laurie

“Is prayer your steering wheel or your spare tire?” ~ Corrie Ten Boom 

“Jesus never taught His disciples how to preach, but only how to pray.” ~ D.L. Moody

“Prayer is the idea of wishing for something from the depth of our hearts and bringing that desire forward to the throne of God.” ~ Greg Laurie 

Can we learn how to do both better? We can prayerfully learn allowing Jesus to be Lord by His Spirit. They are praying Persons. With the Trinity we learn by doing. I say we let this God of love pray and preach through us!

Does Jesus really pray for us? Yes.

Believer, Jesus is our “Advocate with the Father” (1 John 2:1). An advocate is one who pleads a case for another. Jesus is now at the right hand of the Father and He is interceding for us.” See how in John 17, Jesus prayed for His followers, and from that prayer we can learn the kinds of things Jesus might be praying for us now. Jesus prays for us that we would do and be these things:

• Know God and His Son, Jesus Christ (verse 3)

• Be protected from apostasy (verse 11)

• Be one in spirit as the Father and Son are one (verse 11)

• Be filled with His joy (verse 13)

• Be kept from the evil one (verse 15)

• Be sanctified through God’s Word (verse 17)

• Remain unified in Christ throughout the generations (verses 20–21)

• Let our love convey Christ’s message to the world (verse 23)

• Join Him in heaven for all eternity (verse 24)

• Experience the same kind of love for each other that the Father and Son share (verse 26)

Hebrews 4:14–16 describes Jesus as our great High Priest. It's because of His intercession for us, we have access to the Father ourselves: “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

Does the Holy Spirit pray for us too? The Bible says, "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.mAnd he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people by the will of God." Romans 8:26-27 niv 

What is a morning prayer? What is an evening prayer?

Okay, so are there different types of prayer?

What does it mean to pray for your enemies? .. got more prayer questions?

Can people in heaven pray for us? ..can those in heaven look down and see us let alone pray for us?

I don’t know if people in heaven can or cannot look down on us. I won’t be dogmatic. None of us can biblically know for sure if they can see us. However, it is unlikely that they can see us. People in heaven are likely preoccupied with other important things such as worshiping God and enjoying the glories of heaven. I don’t want them feeling sad about all the sin going on down here in my city. 

We are not running our race for them to make them happy. I hope they are happy with me later when I arrive there. We are not hoping for their approval or listening for ..or living for their applause. We want the applause of One — Jesus. (Focus on the Lord. Hebrews 12:2)

What is Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer?

What is intercessory prayer?

To whom are we to pray, the Father, the Son, or the Holy Spirit?

What is prayer walking? Is it biblical to go on a prayer walk?

Is corporate prayer more powerful than an individual praying alone?

What are some Bible verses about intercession?

What does it mean that Jesus is our Advocate?

Got some more Bible verses about intercession?

What does it mean that Jesus is our mediator before the Father?

How does the Spirit intercede for us with groanings that cannot be uttered (Romans 8:26)?

What is the purpose of Jesus interceding for us in Heaven?

Is it right and biblical to repent and pray.. asking Jesus into your heart? Yes, here and now is good. 

When we pray, we admit our need for God and our utter dependence on Him. Only through a relationship with Jesus Christ do we have access to God (see 1 Timothy 2:5). We approach God in Jesus’ name, not our own.

Prayer is not a means of trying to get from God what we want, but rather a means by which we enable God to give us what He wants.

We pray to connect with the most powerful Person in the universe! We’re to pray because God commands it (see 2 Chronicles 7:14; Luke 18:1). Through prayer, we receive things (see James 4:2), experience fullness of joy (see John 16:24), and find help in times of trouble. Prayer is the cure for worry (see Philippians 4:6) and also helps us resist temptation (see Matthew 26:41).

“Let your prayer be completely simple. For both the publican and the prodigal son were reconciled to God by a single phrase.” ~ John Climacus

How often pray.. when do we do this? We are to pray always (see Ephesians 6:18). The Bible instructs us to “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).

There are 651 prayers recorded from Genesis to Revelation.

2,451 Psalms -- 28% of the Psalms are laments (prayers). Yup, 60 chapters.

Psalm 119 -- that is the language of prayer.

Long one? See that 5 minutes is thee LONGEST New Testament prayer prayed. See John 17-26 verses.

The quality of your prayer is more important (got some trust, what's your faith like?), not the quantity of prayers. I'm not talking about some religious or highbrow-eloquence of higher educated type of language in prayer. See Elijah's four-sentence prayer (below) and God's response. Elijah was livin' the life and being a decent witness for the only God that loves people. Elijah didn't get a "No" or "Wait" did he?:

Just one guy with one short prayer! "At the usual time for offering the evening sacrifice, Elijah the prophet walked up to the altar and prayed, “O LORD, God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, prove today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant. Prove that I have done all this at your command. O LORD, answer me! Answer me so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God and that you have brought them back to yourself.” Immediately the fire of the LORD flashed down from heaven and burned up the young bull, the wood, the stones, and the dust. It even licked up all the water in the trench! And when all the people saw it, they fell face down on the ground and cried out, “The LORD—he is God! Yes, the LORD is God!” 1 Kings 18:36-39 nlt

"Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops." James 5:13-18

Want to read the whole article (click)?  

Happy Thanksgiving!

How wonderful it is to really feel grateful inside and say thanks! We can give thanks every day and all year long! 

Thank you gobs Lord for everything, to sing His praises, to worship Him acceptably. There's never a day not to! This is always appropriate.  

I'm convinced that you can do that 100% reverently and in your own way! It blesses the Lord and is good for you too. 

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you" (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, nkjv).

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God" (Philippians 4:6, nkjv).

"Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men" (1 Timothy 2:1, nkjv).

 

Of all of God’s gifts, the greatest one He has given is the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. On the cross of Calvary, Jesus paid our sin debt, so a holy and just Judge could forgive us our sins and give us eternal life as a free gift.

 

Let’s live grateful. We, like the early Pilgrims who long ago landed here, have a choice to make.

 

In life there will always be those things that we can complain about (the Pilgrims had lost many loved ones), but there will also be much to be thankful for. As our society becomes increasingly secular moving away from God and the Bible we can do the opposite with the “giving of thanks to God.”  During our annual Thanksgiving holiday, God is often overlooked but we don’t have to. Why merely enjoy a nice temporal feasting?

 

God is good, and every good gift comes from Him (James 1:17). For those who know Christ, God also works everything together for good, even events we would not necessarily consider good (Romans 8:28-30). 

"..He heals the brokenhearted, binding up their wounds. He counts the stars and calls them all by name. How great He is! His power is absolute! His understanding is unlimited." Psalm 147:1-5

Personally, I thank God for the...

1.) inheritance,

2.) deliverance and

3.) transference..

..from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of light and real life in the Son! Thank you Lord for the Bible narrative of King David as well. Helpful!

"May you be filled with joy, always thanking the Father. He has enabled you to share in the inheritance (yes, inheritance from a very generous Father that doesn't change) that belongs to his people, who live in the light. For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness (complete not partial deliverance) and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son (full transference forever, not temporary).." Colossians 1:11b-13 nlt #emph.mine

Photo by Tim Eberly

In a twisted, corrupt and very confused culture that's struggling just to get it.. in this culture that currently is having an identity crisis, it's time for men to simply man up, to give thanks to their Creator, and to be who He designed them to be. Let's all give thanks and be who God designed us to be!  

Every day, let's give thanks to the Father, to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit for His great love! The fruit of the Spirit is love--thank You. God is love--thank you for being who You are! So SO worthy! 

"..wear love. It’s your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it. Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way." Colossians 3:14b-17 msg

Did the pilgrims come to this land to obtain religious freedom, freedom of worship? No they already had it in Liden Holland. 1620 was an important year. They said they were coming to the Americas to evangelize the Indians (as missionaries for the Lord) yes, to help fulfill the great commission. In schools 1/5 of American students don't even know the country the pilgrims originally left from. Issues in education. Csn 11-04

Giving Thanks Oughta Be An All-Year Kind Of Thang. Sure, It's Never Been A Time-Waister For Anyone To Simply Express Gratitude!

Prayerfully muse on...

Ps 100:4 nkj - "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. 5For the Lord is good"

Rom 1:21 nkj - “although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.”

Ps 107:22 mess - “Offer thanksgiving sacrifices, tell the world what he’s done—sing it out!”

Ps 116:17 mess - “I’m ready to offer the thanksgiving sacrifice and pray in the name of GOD.”

Ps 147:7 mess - "Sing to GOD a thanksgiving hymn, play music on your instruments to God”

Col. 2:7 mess - “let your living spill over into thanksgiving.”

Col 1:2-3 mess - “May everything good from God our Father be yours! 3Our prayers for you are always spilling over into thanksgivings. We can’t quit thanking God our Father and Jesus our Messiah for you!”

Eph 5:4 mess - "Thanksgiving is our dialect."

Jonah 2:8-9 mess - "Those who worship hollow gods, god-frauds, walk away from their only true love. But I’m worshiping you, GOD, calling out in thanksgiving!"

Photo by Joseph Gonzalez

Did you know that our holiday celebration - Thanksgiving - actually has an Old Testament precedent? Yep, it sure does.

It certainly does. The Israelites way back in the day expressed their gratitude vertically. And they offered pure worship to the only God existing through a series of five different offerings: 

1.) The burnt offering, 

2.) The grain offering, 

3.) The peace offering, 

4.) The sin offering, and 

5.) The trespass offering. 

And guess what.. the last two were compulsory, y'all. If you were Jewish back then, you had to do this. 

But the first three were totally voluntary; you did them only if you really wanted to. And so those three types of offerings were important to God; He called them "a sweet-smelling aroma to the Lord."

The meaning of the burnt offering was the full consecration of one's self or person to God, and the grain offering was all about the dedication level of one's service as unto God.

The peace offering is my very favorite of em all; it's the celebration of true salvation. Like our Thanksgiving holiday, the people gathered together to rejoice and share a meal with fellowship. They brought a portion of it as a sacrifice, and a portion of it went to the priest. The rest of it they took with them home, they cooked it up, and then had friends and family members over to their homes to thank the Lord for what He had done for them.

Am bracing. Feelin' concerned for a rending that often happens.. ouch. I feel it too. It's from a bonding together. Didn't ask for, or seek this -- didn't even want this. Tried to put it off multiple times.

There's indeed a nurture-aspect that is real and often needed. So many have hurts in our fallen sin-cursed world today. Sorry that Liney and I work jobs still. Some have a gift and constantly get out there and use it. They encourage and make people feel special. How many get much attention these days when they need some. With others it's from a political campaigning via sham-kindness to gain numbers of devotees. Perhaps they've seen and caused the change coming, and they want to come out on top as king of the hill so to speak.

Let's do this as Jesus leads for His glory! Personally, just want to be in the will of God don't you.. and I won't tell anyone where that is for them. Inquire of God for yourself please. My close friends have gotten some unwanted calls, it's hard for them.

Keep your eyes on Jesus -- cling to Him. Get in, or continue on in fellowship with Him, believer. He's the ultimate Solution for all, not any of us mere humans. Am grateful that Romans 8:28 is still in the Bible!

Really wish I had more fitting words to help them with.

"For the sake of each of us he laid down his life—worth no less than the universe. He demands of us in return our lives for the sake of each other." ~ Clement of Alexandria

Photo by Todd Diemer

If you're currently out of fellowship with God, "'..rend your hearts and not your garments.' Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster." Joel 2:13

"Rip your hearts in sorrow and contrition and not your garments.” amp

Are our priorities in proper order? May I say this.. as simply and gingerly as I can.. you have to focus yourself away from yourself. Me too, away from the toxic 1 on 1 communication you've heard.. up to the living Word of God instead. 

Christ is building his church, I pray He'll use me in that. Building a man-centered church is unsound and unwise. Building around felt-needs is utterly contrary to Scripture. Yes, and hyperfocusing on you, and on your problems, and on your dilemmas, and on your circumstances, and on your situations is simply counterproductive. And while it may intend to help you for a time, the unintended consequence becomes you are the one being worshiped.. and you shouldn’t be worshiped. This is a big problem in our society today. You are the center of attention.. constantly ..not Him who should be. You are the center of the focus. And then the unintended consequence is when you feel like you don’t have any particular needs, or they’re not doing a very good job of meeting those needs, you don’t need a church. If they fail to deliver what you think you need, you check out. You bolt on down the road.

So we need to get back to what the really important matters of the church are. As the hymn writer said, "You want to go to church to get lost in wonder, love and praise. You want to go to church to forget about yourself, to set yourself aside, and to lose yourself in the glory and wonder of God."

Let's forget about the constant bad emotions, let's forget about ourselves and concentrate on Jesus and worship Him! A God-centered preacher, a God-centered teacher and or a co-teacher focused on the Lord.. a God-centered worship is what you really want in a church. That's what we need! When you look for a local church and life group, that’s exactly what you want.

You want to see people consistently being brought before God in His word. You want those who are being brought into the very throne room of heaven to see His glory, and His majesty, and the wonder of who He is.. and His blazing righteousness, and His holiness.

Trials arrive, ouch!!.. the toxicity might go or just leave it. Chin up, it'll pass. Get in, stay in a healthy group for fellowship.  

Me, see it as a gift right now, really? No, me? As if! Can I quickly re-gift it away? 

I didn't, we didn’t ask for it. Ouch.. hurting! God allowed it, therefore we can thank and praise God in it. Not for it per se, but in it and through it. 

Rejoice in the Lord away! "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

In Him, and "in" it. Not for it. Dietrich Bonhoeffer saw and experienced suffering during the reign of Nazism in Germany. I was told by my dad that my great Uncle Chancler Kurt von Schleicher fought against it and suffered too (from the SS). Both died because of this horrendous evil. 

Bonhoeffer was a saved pastor, and he loved the Scriptures. He prayed in faith but God allowed it there in Germany. He gratefully wrote letters and notes. 

Bonhoeffer’s solution to the problem of pain and suffering was basically crafted during his solitary confinement ward at Berlin-Tegel Military Detention Center where Bonhoeffer was imprisoned for his participation in a failed plot to assassinate Hitler. Tegel was the place where he spent his last eighteen months and then he was sadly executed on April 9^th 1945. So many needlessly died! So many wonderful Jewish people suffered and were killed as well. How do you feel when egotists oust you for no wrong you've done or taught? There are some in every era (only God can judge their heart and motives. We can evaluate their message.)

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:12-18 esv

“Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoiced in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:1-5 esv

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a man who loved the truth and knew how to suffer joyfully like his Savior. He’d learned. Yes, while staying in fellowship with Christ. He didn’t seek for suffering. He didn't cause himself pain, and didn’t pray for suffering. Why?, Well, because he was a normal human, not some religious person thinking he could gain brownie points with God for voluntary suffering. 

The glory of God is my hope. I need that hope. I sing of that hope. I smile at that hope. I rejoice in that hope. But up to this point I have never counted it a joy when I have suffered for that hope. (James 1:2-4) I know that if I am a Christian I will suffer (John 15:20; 2 Timothy 3:12). But I always saw that suffering as a necessary evil and not a necessary joy. Yes, suffering is rooted in much evil. But if my savior was most glorified through suffering, then how can I call him my Savior if I reject the very suffering that He appointed to me to bring him more glory?  Further, that suffering produce more hope than without out that suffering. And I need more hope.

Christian suffering isn’t minimized compared to the rest of the world. Christian suffering is purifying. The suffering that is senseless and degrading for the unbeliever (non-Christian) is hope-building and God glorifying for the Christian.

Oh, may I ever rejoice in the sufferings that I am called to endure for the name of Jesus Christ. Not so that I might be a silently-smiling-masochist. But so, that my great Savior, Jesus Christ, might be seen as more glorious to those who suffer without hope.[1]

I say do all things without gripey grumbling or disheartened disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a very crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast to the word of life. Cling to the living Word of life, He’s been through suffering and came out victorious. 

The God of the Bible according Bonhoeffer, is not deus ex machine, a being that mechanical appears to solve our insoluble problems. He is not a being that we evoke as an explanation of unexplainable due to our epistemic limitation. He is not a being that we call upon to offer us strength in our powerlessness and weakest moments. No. If God was such a being, then He is no longer needed in this world. 

[1] The Secret of Suffering, Finkenwalde, March 1938, Dietrich Bonhoeffer