Realizing The Power of Thank You

Saying thank you is the best give that you can give yourself and to your future. “Thank You” is two simple words that pack unlimited power to unlock every closed door where you stand. They are words that will redefine your relationships, restructure your mindset and revitalize the dry areas in your life. Saying “thank you” has benefits both spiritually and naturally. God’s says that he loves a cheerful giver: that means a person who is willing to have an attitude of gratitude that gives birth to a giving heart.

God has much to say about gratitude throughout scripture. Throughout the Old Testament there are stories after stories of the tragic end to those who complained and criticized God. Take for instance the children of Israel. God delivered them from the chains of slavery, gave them food to eat in the desert (a place that has no nourishment) and protected them day and night while on their journey and all they could say in response to God’s goodness was, “this is not enough. The children of Israel lost their lives, their present peace and their future because of a bad attitude. If we were to examine their lives, then we would be wise to refrain from using our tongue to release ingratitude.

Criticism is in opposition to giving thanks or praise. For many believers or people in general have a hard time being truly thankful. At times we can get so overwhelmed with the trials of life (bills, job, kids, family conflicts and even being generous) that we fail to see God (the good in life and we tend to focus on all that is wrong) for who he is and we rely on what we can see and how we feel to determine our praise.

If you aren’t experiencing the best that God has for you, I want you to consider your praise. We are encouraged to Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture." (Psalms. 100:2-3, New King James Version).

When was the last time you considered the works of God? When was the last time you thanked God for the good and the bad? Have you checked your tongue lately? Have you examined the words of your mouth?Gratitude opens the door for God’s immeasurable goodness. It unlocks your destiny and paves the way for you to be the woman God created you to be. IF you want to break free from the rut you’ve been in, then I challenge you to begin to praise God with all that you have. Give him all you got. Psalm 100 challenges us to enter God’s gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name.

If you want to see God move in your life, you must

      Believe that God is big enough

      Remember that He has delivered you from past failures and pains

      Refuse to allow your tongue to agree with the enemy

      Refuse to criticize God in your situation

      Let the words of your mouth and the meditation of your heart be acceptable (Psalm 19:14).

      Think upon God’s goodness (Phillipians4:18) Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

      Choose to trust God and his timing in your life.

God needs knees more than he needs hands. Let us honor God with the words of our mouths and the meditation of our hearts.

Your Greatest Fear

If I were to ask you to tell me about your greatest fear, what would be your story?

 What if I told you that the only way your fear will be realized is if you bring it to pass.

Our words have more power than we realize. We don’t pay much attention to how things happen in our lives, but most of our situation and circumstance is evident because we spoke it into existence.

Let’s take a look at Job for a minute: Job 1 reads that Job was blessed beyond measure. He loved the Lord so much that he feared that his children, who would party on a daily basis, would curse God in some way. So, Job had a regular custom of making burnt offerings every morning for his children.

Job definitely lived with sin consciousness. Job tossed and turned all night in fear that his children would offend God. As soon as he could, he'd arise every morning and offer sacrifices.  It was customary for the Israelites to offer burnt offerings for many reasons, including sin, but most importantly it could be conducted to cleanse from SINFULNESS.  Job didn't know if sin was committed, but he wanted to leave no sin uncovered.

 In the first chapter of Job we see that God has allowed the enemy to take everything that Job possessed. 

What is Jobs response? Job 20:1 “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.”

Huh? I'm not sure I would've praised God at that moment. I'm just keeping it real.

Anyway, as we further read, these tragedies didn't come upon Job because he was sinful.  Job 1:8 reads: "Then the Lord said the Satan, "Have you considered my servant Job?. There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." 

This tells us that God allows situations to manifest in our lives that have nothing to do with our behavior. How many times have we blamed ourselves for the pain we've experienced? How many times have others blamed us for tragedies? Isn't it good to know that everything that happens isn't always our fault?

Initially, Job was very humble during this time. He fell to his knees and praised God..that was until he couldn't take it anymore. Job held his peace until Chapter 3. Job then begins to curse. Job 3:25 He states, “What I feared has come upon me; what I dreaded has happened to me.”

Did we just read that correctly? Yes, Job states that what he feared the most has happened to him. We can assume that perhaps it wasn’t jobs BEHAVIOR that brought about the turmoil but rather his BELIEF. Now we see the truth.

Job’s friend Eliphaz immediately chimed in with his observations. Job 4:1

“If someone ventures a word with you, will you be impatient?

But who can keep from speaking?

Think how you have instructed many, how you have strengthened feeble hands. Your words have supported those who stumbled; But now trouble comes to you and you are discouraged; it strikes you and you are dismayed.

Should not your piety (being religious) be your confidence; and your blameless ways your hope?”

I read this and immediately wanted to slap Eliphaz. Isn’t it just like people though to tell you what you should be doing? They question your motives and behaviors. This digs deeper into the wound. Right when you need comfort...you get a accusation. Job just couldn't get a break.

I wonder what would’ve happened to Job is his fear had been in another area of his life. The enemy knows just what area to attack us in. As we read earlier, Satan knew how Job was protected and in what areas he was protected in. He had studied Job and watched Jobs words and actions.

John 10:10 says that satan’s job is to steal, kill and destroy. Satan is attacking you in the very area that you fear because it’s your weakest point. He wants you to curse and accuse the God you serve because you can’t serve a God whom you curse. .

So, let me ask you again, what area of your life do you have the most fear?

What do you believe will happen in that area if you don’t DO SOMETHING, because after all you are the one holding it all together!

On a scale of 1-10 how strong is your fear?

What efforts have you put into making sure that fear NEVER comes to pass?

What would you be willing to do in order to never feel fear again?

Challenge: Take your fear to the Lord and release them into his care.

The "C"s of Change

Lately, I've been hearing people state the need or desire for change in their lives. While, they make these statements, I rarely see any action behind those desires. You know what I'm talking about: "I need to lose weight...yet I can't resist this big fat donut with a large cup of coffee" or better yet "I want to make more money...but I am just too afraid to make a move". The actions or lack thereof contradict what is perceived as a strong want or desire. What I'm trying to say is that most of us desire change but don't desire the work necessary to make the changes. Nothing just happens! Change just doesn't happen. If you desire to have a better this or more successful that, then we must be willing to sacrifice this or resist that.

I would argue that we need more than just change.

In the Webster's Dictionary, change means to cause to be different and transform means to change the appearance of. That is powerful! We don't need change - we need transformation. God commands us, "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable (Romans 12:2). In order for you and me to know God's will we must renew our minds so that we depend on God to lead us.

Change can be superficial...inconsistent...unreliable. Change is subjective. Change is in the eye of the beholder. However, transformation is lasting because God is changing the way we look at a situation.

We don't need change in our lives - we need transformation. We need to have our lives radically turned in a new direction.  There is only one person who can do that and that is GOD.
I challenge you to see as God sees. We can tend to move too fast when things are painful, but you might just be exactly where God has placed you. While you're in the storm, don't wait on change...wait on God!