Thought 331
Daily Count Your
Blessings
Encouraging notes, faithful friends, and how
God still working in the “small,” profound stuff—Lord, Thank You that I
have You!
“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into
his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.” Psalm 100:4
KJV
Have you ever struggled to pray,
intercede, and thank the Lord because you viewed those things as something you
must check off every day even though your heart wasn’t in it? Thanking the Lord
for what He has done for us can be a struggle if we think of it as an item on a
checklist that we must do every day; however, when we simply live a Matthew
6:33 life, seeking first His Kingdom and His Righteousness, everything seems to
fall into place. The secret I’ve discovered is really no secret at all, and it
is very simple: to develop a heart of thankfulness live a quiet and peaceable
life—Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Don’t be a fool and ramble off
words because in the multitude of words is sin (Proverbs 10:19), but rather
invest time in focusing on the Lord, going for a quiet prayer walk, reading
your Bible, and watching/listening to anointed and Bible-based teaching. As you
spend time in quietness, trusting and relying on the Lord to direct you by His
Holy Spirit, you will find your entire life changing as the Spirit is given
place to direct your life. It is thrilling and peaceful to have contentment as
you cast everything and the Lord. Out of that state of heart, you naturally
begin to thank the Lord and become aware to the Spirit’s gentle leading to intercede
for someone, pray about that decision or follow a prompting.
Scripturally, we praise the Lord out of
the overflow of our hearts (Luke 6:45, Matt. 12:34): the Psalms repeated show
David letting out his frustrations and crying out to the Lord, yet his
attention (the focus of his heart) always seems to turn back to the Lord and
out of that heart posture, David praises the Lord. It is not how many words you
use which get God’s attention— pagans think that they will be heard because of
many words (Matthew 6:7)! It is whether your heart is properly positioned or
not.
I am amazed at the Lord’s Awesomeness
and thankful that I don’t have to worry! Evil men may rule my country (Saul
ruled over David, Nebecunezzar over Daniel, Ahab over Elijah) but the Lord is still
sovereign! He will take care of His people: He preserved a remnant of 7,000 in
Elijah’s day and He is preserving a remnant today. The Lord is perfectly
balanced: a God of justice and of forgiveness; a God of love and of wrath; a
God of grace and of truth and my Father as well as my Savior and Lord. Praise
the Lord for He is Good: the Maker of Heaven and earth, the Giver and Taker of
Life; the only One worthy of praise!
Make a joyful noise unto the Lord,
all ye lands.
Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. Psalm 100 KJV
Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.
Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations. Psalm 100 KJV
Meditate on your blessings. . . .and thank Him
for them.
