Sunday, November 24, 2013

With A Thankful Heart

Reflections4life November 24th, 2013
With a Thankful Heart”
Enter His gates with thanksgiving And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name.” Psalm 100:4
Scripture Contemplation: Psalm 100; Psalm 118; Isaiah 12; Jeremiah 30:18-20; Philippians 4:6...
There is so much that we have to be thankful for; even if we do not see it or feel it. The fact of the matter is, our perception will determine our reality. What we perceive daily to be the truth; what we take into our hearts—will be become our experiences. It is a thankful heart that will see the open doors that the Father has ordained for us.
I declare and decree that this week's Reflections will be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart, mind, and soul. Let your hearts be filled with thanksgiving, in spite of anything you may be facing at this moment. Find at least one thing to thank God for, and praise Him for it each and every day, and see what changes will soon take place.
Dear Father,
It is my sincerest prayer today, that Your will be done in the lives of those that You have chosen and called. Let Your will be done in every person that reads this Reflection. May their hearts be filled with encouragement today.
Lord, I thank You for Your grace and mercy, I thank You for love, life, family, and friendship. Father, I pray that each person under this prayer, will receive all that You have ordained for them. Let there be no lack in their lives. I pray that You would meet their every need. That, You would expand their hearts, and fill it with Your joy and peace.
Father, I am thankful for their fellowship and their friendship. It has been like water for my soul. I have been blessed with the opportunity to meet some beautiful people. And I pray that You would bless them a hundredfold for all that they have blessed my life with. Thank You for meeting their needs, and for answering their prayers. Thank You for keeping them and their families safe and healthy. I ask that You would continue to do a good work in them, and that they would see You in every area of their lives. May their hearts be filled each day with thanksgiving, as You continue to pour Yourself into their expectant cups.
In Jesus' name.
Amen
You know what I've learned? Complaining is a sure way to block your blessings from manifesting. It is so easy to complain. And we can find ourselves with a complaining spirit rather quickly, if we are not careful. When we complain, it blocks us from seeing the good that is in our lives. We have a choice: we can either be thankful, regardless to whom or what life is throwing at us. Or, we can complain until we no longer see the good in anything.
A complaining spirit is very subtle in nature, and can easily lead to self-pity. We find ourselves in a whoa-is-me frame of mind. Once that mindset settles in, it can be difficult to release ourselves from. Complaining is far removed from who God is. We must have a spirit of thankfulness.
Sure, that's easier said than done—many might say. But is it? It is not hard to find something to be thankful for, and to replace the desire to complain with a word of thank you, to God. It is all how you perceive things.
If your daily perception is about how much things are wrong in your life, in this world, in your circumstances, then the greater your reality is that of pessimism. But, if you can perceive something good; even if it is only one thing, and you begin to thank God continually for that one thing, then soon, your reality is that of optimism.
It is easy to get into a spirit of complaining when you feel as though you have been hit on every side, and have experienced nothing but attacks and tests. However, you have survived those tests and attacks. Hopefully you have gained some knowledge and wisdom through your experiences, and you are still in the land of the living to give God some praise for bringing you through.
No one is saying you don't have a right to complain. But why complain, when you can give God praise, and see Him change your circumstances? God often waits on us to make up in our hearts and minds to praise Him in spite of our circumstance and situation. There is more sweetness to be had in the praising of God, than in complaining of those things we do not like.
When we constantly complain, we hinder our view of what God has for us. We cannot see the blessings before us, because our mind becomes clouded and jaded. It's time to switch it up. It's time to bring forth praise and thanksgiving in every situation. Yes, it may be difficult at first. But with consistency and with fellowship with the Father, you can praise God in the midst of the storms and see your circumstances change.
The choice is ours: thank God or complain. We cannot do both. I say, give thanks to the Father. Let the heavens hear your affirmations of gratitude. Create an atmosphere of praise, so that you can draw to you that which is good and pleasing of God. Whatever you project, you reflect, and you ultimately receive. Let thankfulness be projected, so you can reflect the goodness of God, and receive the manifestations of your blessings.
I decree that the spirit of peace and of prosperity has found permanent rest in your lives: spiritually, physically, mentally, emotionally, socially, and financially. Give God praise. Thank Him for life. Thank Him for the fact that you are here right now. All may not be the way you desire, but you can rest assure that there is someone, somewhere, praying they were in your shoes. Just say thank You. It will make all the difference between today and tomorrow. You are Blessed. More than you know. Now go...and Be a Blessing!
©2013. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.



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