Reflections4Life: "Thank You Lord"

Reflections4Life December 1^st, 2013

“Thank You Lord”

“You are my God, and I give thanks to You; You are my God, I extol You.” Psalm 118:28

Scripture Contemplation: Psalm 118; Psalm 138; Philippians 4:6; Colossians 3; 1 Thessalonians 5:18

This will probably be one of the shortest Reflections I have written to date. Not because I do not have much to share, but the simple fact that I just want to remind you to give God some praise. To take the time out and say, Thank You Lord.

I declare and decree that this week's Reflection will be a continued source of encouragement and inspiration for your heart, mind, and soul. May your heart and mouth be filled with thanksgiving to the Lord for all that He has done. May your spirit be filled with continuous praise, that would bubble up and come forth from your spirit.

Yes, I already know. Sometimes you feel as though you have nothing to be thankful for. What? Are you suppose to be thankful for some bills that keep piling up? You can thank God for His provision, making a way for you to take care of those bills. What? Are you suppose to be thankful for being sick? You can thank Jesus, for by His stripes you are healed. What? Are you suppose to be thankful for poverty? You can thank God that He shall supply all your needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus. You can thank Him that He's never seen His righteous forsaken, nor their seed begging bread. You can thank the Lord that whatever He has spoken concerning you, His word will not return to Him void, but will accomplish what He sent it to accomplish.

Still not so sure what you have to thank the Lord for? You're alive. You're reading this, or hearing this. You have breath in your body, another opportunity to repent. Another chance to come to God. Another opportunity to get things right in your life and perhaps make amends or repair broken relationships. You decide. But you cannot tell me you don't have at LEAST one thing to thank the Lord for this day.

I am the first to admit that I have been guilty at looking at what I do not have as opposed to what I do have. I have overlooked the blessings that were already manifested, because I was too preoccupied with what I did not have or wanted at the time. I have learned that when you are thankful for what you have right now; when you give the Lord thanks for the blessing that He is in your life; when you open your mouth and praise Him in the midst of hard times, or when something horrific takes place—praise certainly does make a world of difference.

No matter what you are facing today, no matter your circumstances, give God the praise. Thank the Lord today. Give Him the glory of and not just because of. There is power in your praise. There is power when you thank the Lord. Your thanksgiving opens up doors. It releases the blessings of heaven in your life. It breaks the chains and gives power to the angels that God has assigned over your life. What do you have to lose, but heartache and pain? Let your chains be loosed today by opening your mouth and giving the Lord some praise! Be the catalyst for someone else life to be changed.

Acts 16:25-30 “25 But about midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God, and the prisoners were listening to them; 26 and suddenly there came a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison house were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. 27 When the jailer awoke and saw the prison doors opened, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here!” 29 And he called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas, 30 and after he brought them out, he said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

You want your life to change? Give God the praise. You want the life of your loved ones to change for the better? Give God the praise. You want your community, family, friends to change? Then let them witness you giving God the praise even whilst in the midst of hardship and pain. Go on, and thank the Lord today!

I decree that the spirit of peace and of prosperity has found permanent rest in your life spiritually, physically, emotionally, mentally, socially, and financially. Open your mouth and give God praise. Let the Lord know that you love Him. That, you are thankful. Let your praise be the catalyst for change in another person's life. No matter what you are facing, don't allow the enemy to shut your mouth. You give God the praise, no matter the situation, and watch what praise will do for you! You are Blessed. Now go...and Be a Blessing!

©2013. Ruthe McDonald. All Rights Reserved.