Tag: Thankfulness

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Ponder His Love

1  The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, 2 for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. 3  Who shall ascend the hill of the Lord? And who shall stand in his holy place? 4  He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. 5 He will receive blessing from the Lord and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah ~ Psalms 24:1-6

The Psalmist asks, “Who will ascend the hill of the LORD?” Then he answers himself and doesn’t leave us hanging, helpless, and without hope. He says, “Those with clean hands, pure hearts. Those who don’t desire what is destructive to themselves. Those who don’t put their hand to the plow and then turn back.”

The Psalmist doesn’t leave us hopeless. No. He gives us a standard that we have to reach in order to enter the presence of God. A standard that we need the Holy Spirit to change us. To guide us in order to achieve. Something only achievable in the LORD, lest any man could boast.

That I find interesting, mind-blowing almost when I think about it. God made it so that we could ascend to His holy hill, but only through Him. Only with His help could we ever make it into His presence. That’s just so mind boggling to me. God, the Creator of the Universe, really loves us. Like He really makes a way where there is no way. The God of the Universe helps us to enter His presence because He loves us. That is so crazy, it is only found in one religion. Ours.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Ponder His Love.

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Let Thanksgiving Be Your Default

4 Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise: Be thankful unto Him, and bless His Name. 5 For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting; And His truth endureth to all generations. ~ Psalms 100:4-5 (KJV)

One of the most repeated lines in the entire Bible is “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His steadfast love endures forever,” or some variation of it. It appears over 30 times in the Old Testament alone—more than almost any other refrain. That tells us something: God wants this truth drilled deep into our souls, one for every day of the month… it would seem.

It is a major biblical theme that teaches that God is always good in all circumstances and that His goodness calls His people to respond with a heart of thanksgiving. Neither God’s love nor His goodness is based on any circumstances, nor on our behavior, nor on our emotions. God’s steadfast love and His enduring goodness are a part of His own Character.

God’s character is perfectly consistent. He cannot act contrary to His own nature because His integrity, His mercy, and His faithfulness are all absolute. Therefore, even if people fall away, God’s plans and purposes remain intact. God is unchanging, immutable, and cannot contradict His own essence.

Think about that for a moment. The eternal, all-powerful God—who said, “Let there be light,” and there was light, and that light has never stopped shining, who holds every atom together by the word of His power—chooses to be good to us – to you and to me. Not because we deserve it. Not because we earned it, but because goodness is who He is.

When the sun rises tomorrow morning, it will rise because God is faithful. When your heart beats another 80,000 times today without you even thinking about it, that is God being good. When you woke up this morning and your family was still safe under your roof, that is God’s mercy on display.

Thankfulness is not an optional emotion for the Christian—it is the only rational response to a God who is this good all the time. The Bible commands… encourages… and prompts us to be thankful. And when we begin to truly think about all that God has done for us, how can we be anything but thankful.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Let Thanksgiving Be Your Default.

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Thankfulness Is Good Medicine

Thanksgiving is a time that we take a moment and give thanks for all that we have. We go out of our way to be thankful, or at the very least, say something we are thankful for. But what if we weren’t only thankful on Thanksgiving Day right before we enjoy our deliciously prepared turkey? What would happen? Join Reverend Kenny Yates as he explains the necessity of thanksgiving in his Thanksgiving message, Thankfulness Is Good Medicine.

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Be Thankful Like A Thessalonian

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

This is the end of Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians. It was a letter of encouragement to them, as they had received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia (1 Thessalonians 1:6-7). They were a sounding gong to all around them. Paul even goes as far as to say that he and his companions didn’t need to speak a Word because they (the Church in Thessalonica) had already spread the Word so well. So, he just reminds them of the teachings he has already taught them and ends his letter with encouragement to continue in the faith.

This is where he states his famous words “give thanks in all circumstances” a phrase often taken out of context and/or misunderstood. See, Paul encouraged them with these words not because God’s will was for them to suffer, but because they were suffering persecution and God’s will was (and always will be) for His people to overcome the persecution and tribulation of the world. The tools he gave them to do this? Rejoice Always. Pray without ceasing. Give thanks in all circumstances.

We are to give thanks IN all circumstances, not FOR all circumstances. It’s our weapon for overcoming. It’s our tool to make it through to the other side of persecution. Thanksgiving is how we enter into the gates of the LORD (Psalms 100:4). Entering the gates of the LORD is how we get renewed in our spirit. It’s how we are refreshed. It’s how we soar on wings like eagles, so that we can run and not be weary, walk and not be faint.

Giving thanks in all circumstances isn’t for God, but for us. It isn’t a cruel instruction by Paul from God. It’s a tool given to us to not only survive this world and all of its woes, but a tool to overcome this world and live a life more abundantly, regardless of our circumstances. Regardless of what may come. Our joy will never be stifled as long as we give thanks.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Be Thankful Like A Thessalonian.

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Show Your Thankfulness

Romans 5:8 (ESV)

But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

There is nothing that we can do to cause God to love us more. He loved us so very much that He gave His only begotten Son as a sacrifice so that we might be saved.

As Charles Finney taught, God’s love and grace are gifts that are not earned, but they demand a response of faith and obedience, aligning with the humility of being “poor in spirit” and Jesus’ fulfillment of the Law (Matthew 5:17-19).

Therefore, show God how grateful and thankful you are for His love, mercy, and grace by honoring Him with your actions. By loving by the law of Christ: loving God with all your heart, mind, and soul, and loving your neighbor as yourself.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Show Your Thankfulness.

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Lean Into Thanksgiving Power

4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise; give thanks to Him and praise His name. ~ Psalms 100:4

We are called to come before God with hearts full of gratitude. Thankfulness is not just a suggestion; it’s a key that opens the gates of God’s holy presence. When we give thanks, we acknowledge God’s goodness, His faithfulness, and His love. It’s a reminder that no matter what we’re going through, there is always something to be thankful for, and that thankfulness can lead us into deeper intimacy with God.

When we take the time to express gratitude, we shift our focus from what we lack to the abundance of God’s provision and care. It aligns our hearts with His heart, allowing us to experience His peace and joy. It allows us to apart anxiety, stress, and doubt. It allows to put our trust and faith in the LORD our provider.

We don’t give thanks to God because He’s an egotistical God. No. We give thanks because it changes us. The more thankful of a person you are the softer your heart is towards God and your fellow man. Therefore, use the tool of Thanksgiving to soften your heart. To block our anxiety and stress. And to refocus on all that God has done for you.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Lean Into Thanksgiving Power.

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Be Thankful For Something

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

The Apostle Paul gives us a powerful reminder in these verses—give thanks in all circumstances. I want you to notice something. Paul doesn’t say “give thanks for all circumstances.” No. Paul says, “give thanks IN all circumstances.” This is important. It’s not about being thankful for every difficulty but about maintaining a heart of gratitude in those difficulties.

The Greek word for “give thanks” here is eucharisteō, which means:
• To express gratitude
• To offer praise to God
• To be thankful for God’s blessings, even when life is tough

So, how do we give thanks in all circumstances? We choose to look at the glass being half full instead of half empty. We choose to look at God who makes a way where there is no way. We choose give thanks—even when things don’t look the way we hoped. Thankfulness is a choice. It’s a decision to focus on what God has done, rather than what is lacking.

So, no matter what today brings, let’s choose to be thankful. There’s always something to be grateful for when we see the hand of God at work in our lives.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Be Thankful For Something.

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Honoring Sacrifice, Finding Strength

Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends (John 15:13).

On this Memorial Day, we pause to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice, giving their lives in service to others. Their courage reflects a profound truth Jesus spoke in John 15:13—there is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for others. This holiday invites us to reflect not only on the sacrifices of service members but also on the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who gave His life for our salvation. Both remind us that love, at its core, is selfless and sacrificial.

As we remember those who died for our freedom, we’re also called to consider how we live in response to such sacrifices. The freedoms we enjoy—whether to worship, to love, or to pursue our purpose—come at a cost that someone else paid. Similarly, the spiritual freedom we have through Christ’s sacrifice calls us to live with gratitude and purpose. Yet, living out this calling can be challenging. We may feel weary from daily struggles, uncertain about the future, or overwhelmed by division in our world. In these moments, we can draw strength from God’s presence, just as Isaiah 40:31 promises: those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength, soaring like eagles, running without weariness, walking without fainting.

Memorial Day is a time to honor, but also to recommit. How can we honor the fallen and Christ’s sacrifice all at the same time? It might be through acts of service, praying for peace, or extending love to those around us. But either way, it commands us to do something, say something, and be the light. As we place our hope in God, He equips us to live lives that reflect gratitude for both earthly and eternal sacrifices. Today, let’s hold space for remembrance and ask God to renew our strength to love sacrificially, as He does.

Father, thank You for placing me exactly where I was born and where I am now. It is because of Your grace and Your mercy that I heard the Good News of Hope in Jesus Christ Your Son. Thank You for Your grace and Your mercy, for without it, where would we be? Thank You for the freedom that we have in Christ, in Jesus’ mighty name I pray, amen.

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Honoring The Price of Freedom

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us … (Romans 5:6-11).

As we approach Memorial Day, we pause to honor two profound sacrifices: the death of Jesus Christ for our spiritual freedom and the lives of brave soldiers for our national freedom. Romans 5 reminds us that Christ died for us when we were weak, helpless, and even enemies of God. His love didn’t wait for us to be worthy—it met us in our brokenness. Similarly, our fallen heroes laid down their lives not for a perfect nation, but for the hope of freedom, justice, and a better future for all.

These sacrifices come at a great cost. Jesus gave His life to reconcile us to God, securing our eternal freedom from sin and judgment. Soldiers gave their lives to protect our nation, leaving behind families who carry the weight of their loss daily. Freedom—spiritual and earthly—is never free. It demands gratitude, responsibility, and action.

Yet, we see challenges today that dishonor these sacrifices: injustice, misuse of resources, and neglect of veterans and the vulnerable. As believers, we’re called to honor Christ and our fallen heroes not just with words, but by living out their values—standing for truth, caring for the hurting, and uniting in love against division.

Father, thank You for Your great love, that while we were still sinners, You sent Your Son Jesus Christ to die for us. Thank You that we can enjoy freedom in Him. In Jesus’ Name, amen.

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A Reflection of God’s Love

Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her. ~ Proverbs 31:28NIV

Today, we pause to honor one of God’s most beautiful gifts to the world: mothers. Whether biological, adoptive, spiritual, or chosen, mothers embody a unique reflection of God’s love—nurturing, sacrificial, and steadfast.

From the sleepless nights of infancy to the prayers whispered over grown children, a mother’s care speaks of a love that keeps right on giving. It reminds us of the way our Heavenly Father loves—tirelessly and unconditionally.

The Bible lifts high the role of a godly mother. Proverbs 31 paints the picture of a woman clothed with strength and dignity, full of wisdom and kindness. But beyond her deeds, it is her heart that shines—the heart that serves, that believes, that hopes.

Many of us can trace our faith journey back to a mother or grandmother who prayed us through trials, who brought us to church, who taught us to believe in God’s promises. Her faith became a foundation for our own.

But we also acknowledge that Mother’s Day can be bittersweet. Some grieve a mother now in heaven, some long to be mothers, and others carry wounds from broken relationships. Yet even in these places, God meets us with comfort. As Isaiah 66:13 says, “As a mother comforts her child, so will I comfort you.”

So today, let us:

  • Thank God for the mothers who shaped us
  • Encourage the mothers among us
  • Comfort those with heavy hearts
  • And honor the One whose image of love shines so clearly through a mother’s embrace

Heavenly Father. Thank You for we are blessed because of good mothers. Those mothers who put their family first and loved, and molded, and shaped their children. We are blessed most of all because of Your steadfast love. Thank You for all that You do, in Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

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