Give Thanks
Sometimes, we become so consumed with seeking God for the next step for our lives that we forget to thank him for everything he has already done for us. We all have our requests, and we all want to know God’s direction for our lives as we enter a new year, but the Bible tells us to “…give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NIV). If you don't know the next step for your life, thank God because that is his will for you.
Take a moment to praise God for everything he has done for you this year. Thank him for life, for your family, for health, for salvation. You may not have everything you want right now, but you have everything you need because you have Jesus. “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever” (Psalm 107:1 NKJV). The Bible says his mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23). Great is his faithfulness!
No Matter What
David said, “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalm 34:1). All times! David didn’t just praise God when everything was working out. He learned to praise God on the run from King Saul, when he was mistreated and misunderstood. He learned to praise God when he didn’t know how God was going to come through for him. It's easy to praise God when everything is working in our favor, but the true test of our character is how we respond when we face challenges we don’t understand.
When Paul and Silas were wrongfully beaten and imprisoned for preaching the Gospel in Philippi, what did they do? They didn’t complain. The Bible says, “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them” (Acts 16:25 KJV). Their praises reached the throne of heaven, and God got to tapping his feet. “Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed” (Acts 16:26 NKJV). That is the power of thanksgiving!
Later, Paul wrote a letter to the church at Philippi. “For I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:11-13). We all love to quote Philippians 4:13, but if we study the Scripture in its context, Paul was talking about having an attitude of gratitude. “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content,” he said. “I have learned the secret of living” (Philippians 4:12 NLT).
Power of Praise
You may not understand how everything is going to work out, but God did not call us to figure everything out. He just asks us to trust him, to praise him for everything he has done for us. The same God who worked for us before will do it again. As a result of Paul and Silas’s thanksgiving, the jailor and his entire family were baptized, and Paul and Silas were released. Don’t underestimate the power of your praise.
Remember King Jehoshaphat and the children of Judah? When three nations came against them to destroy them, King Jehoshaphat put the praise team in front of his army. “And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten” (2 Chronicles 20:22).
Focus On What You Have
Before Jesus performed the miracle of the five loaves and two fish, he asked his disciples what they could feed the large multitude. “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish,” Andrew said, “But what are they among so many?” Andrew was focusing on what they didn’t have, but “Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted” (John 6:11). Jesus thanked God for what they had, and God worked a miracle.
Don’t be so consumed with the problems you face that you forget to thank God for the small blessings he provides. You may only have five loaves and two fish, but give thanks because little is much when God is in it.
Whether you are facing challenges or experiencing abundance, choose to praise God. Your praise has the power to break chains, transform your circumstances, and draw you closer to God. So, give thanks, trust in God’s faithfulness, and watch him work miracles in your life.
To give and help support this ministry, you can visit the platform of your choice:
Take a moment to praise God for everything he has done for you this year. Thank him for life, for your family, for health, for salvation. You may not have everything you want right now, but you have everything you need because you have Jesus. “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever” (Psalm 107:1 NKJV). The Bible says his mercies are new every morning (Lamentations 3:23). Great is his faithfulness!
No Matter What
David said, “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalm 34:1). All times! David didn’t just praise God when everything was working out. He learned to praise God on the run from King Saul, when he was mistreated and misunderstood. He learned to praise God when he didn’t know how God was going to come through for him. It's easy to praise God when everything is working in our favor, but the true test of our character is how we respond when we face challenges we don’t understand.
When Paul and Silas were wrongfully beaten and imprisoned for preaching the Gospel in Philippi, what did they do? They didn’t complain. The Bible says, “And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them” (Acts 16:25 KJV). Their praises reached the throne of heaven, and God got to tapping his feet. “Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed” (Acts 16:26 NKJV). That is the power of thanksgiving!
Later, Paul wrote a letter to the church at Philippi. “For I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:11-13). We all love to quote Philippians 4:13, but if we study the Scripture in its context, Paul was talking about having an attitude of gratitude. “I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content,” he said. “I have learned the secret of living” (Philippians 4:12 NLT).
Power of Praise
You may not understand how everything is going to work out, but God did not call us to figure everything out. He just asks us to trust him, to praise him for everything he has done for us. The same God who worked for us before will do it again. As a result of Paul and Silas’s thanksgiving, the jailor and his entire family were baptized, and Paul and Silas were released. Don’t underestimate the power of your praise.
Remember King Jehoshaphat and the children of Judah? When three nations came against them to destroy them, King Jehoshaphat put the praise team in front of his army. “And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten” (2 Chronicles 20:22).
Focus On What You Have
Before Jesus performed the miracle of the five loaves and two fish, he asked his disciples what they could feed the large multitude. “There is a lad here who has five barley loaves and two small fish,” Andrew said, “But what are they among so many?” Andrew was focusing on what they didn’t have, but “Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted” (John 6:11). Jesus thanked God for what they had, and God worked a miracle.
Don’t be so consumed with the problems you face that you forget to thank God for the small blessings he provides. You may only have five loaves and two fish, but give thanks because little is much when God is in it.
Whether you are facing challenges or experiencing abundance, choose to praise God. Your praise has the power to break chains, transform your circumstances, and draw you closer to God. So, give thanks, trust in God’s faithfulness, and watch him work miracles in your life.
To give and help support this ministry, you can visit the platform of your choice:
By Mail:
Sean Pinder Ministries
P.O. Box 2726
McKinney, TX 75070
God Bless,
Sean Pinder Ministries
P.O. Box 2726
McKinney, TX 75070
God Bless,
Pastors Sean and Aimee Pinder
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