Philippians 4:6-7
‘Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God…shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
DAILY READING Mark 6:30-56; 2 Samuel 16; Daniel 10:1-21
The first settlers and founding fathers of America, were a group of English pilgrims. In the 1500s, England broke away from the Roman Catholic Church and created a new church called the Church of England. Everyone in England was mandated to belong to this church. But some group of pilgrims, rebelled against this law. Preferring to practice religious freedom they decided to leave England and start a new settlement of their own. So these group of 102 Pilgrims, set sail on a ship called the Mayflower in September 1620. Their destination was new area of lands discovered by Columbus in 1492 called the New World. Here they hoped to start a new city and serve God freely without interference. Their journey was filled with uncertainty and peril. But after two months of braving the harsh elements of a vast storm-tossed sea, they arrived in Massachusetts. After a prayer service, the Pilgrims began building hasty shelters. However, they were unprepared for the harsh New England winter. Faced with the devastating weather, half of them, about 50, died from sickness and starvation. Although their hearts were still heavy from these losses, they remained grateful and thankful to God. And as a show of their appreciation of God’s faithfulness, they set aside a certain day as first thanksgiving day, to show gratitude to God. They called together their Indian neighbours, and spent 3 days in celebration of praise to God. And year after year it became a tradition to set apart a particular day of thanking God for His faithfulness. And God indeed showed these pilgrims many miracles to prove He was with them. Though they lost half of the members of their community, but because they chose to keep praising God, today God has multiplied the remnant, into the great American nation. And this pilgrim’s thanksgiving day, has become entrenched in the American tradition. Yearly, in America, the last Thursday in November is set aside as thanksgiving day. And in 1941, the American Congress permanently established the fourth Thursday of each November as a national holiday.
There was no way those pilgrims could have foreseen the greatness of their future generation, but for praising God despite their losses, God has made them a great nation.
Philippians 4:6-7 says ‘Be careful for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God…shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
It doesn’t matter what you think you may have lost, when you thank God for what is left, He will surely multiply it beyond your wildest expectation.
To feed five thousand men, Jesus had just five loaves and two fishes, but when He lifted up the little that was available in thanksgiving to God, great multiplication came.
A wise man said if you have lost anything God is the reason why you have not lost everything. So let’s thank God for what is available. When you thank God for His finger, He will unveil His arm for you. Thanksgiving is a multiplier. It also brings perfection and wholeness.
When the one leper came back to thank Jesus, his healing was perfected.
In everything we are to give thanks. When we trust God we thank Him in everything. We trust that He is indeed working out all things for our good.
When one door closes we trust He will open another. We don’t keep crying over the closed door. What if it was a death trap, which God delivered us from?
Ephesians 5:20 says “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”.
In every situation we give Him thanks. We do not look at what is happening we look at what is written. Psalm 30 says though weeping may endure for a night joy is coming in the morning. Every problem has an expiry date, every storm runs out of rain. When you get into a tight place and everything seems to be against you, never give up. That may just be the place and time that the tide will turn. Remember it is always darkest just before the day breaks. When you are closest to your breakthrough is when your worst temptations come. This is why we praise God at all times, knowing that He is turning it all around for our good. When you praise God, He will raise you out of the valley. He will turn your mourning into dancing. He will turn your darkness into light.
Yes, you can be in the storm, but don’t let the storm get in you, don’t let the happenings around you tamper with the joy within you.
Be radical. Praise God even in the storm. If you can do the ridiculous, you will see the miraculous.
God will arise for you. And when God arises all His enemies will be scattered. Your guarantee for victory is God’s presence. And praise is what it takes to get God on the scene. He inhabits the praises of His people.
Like the American pilgrims do not look at what you may have lost, rather bless God for what remains. And when you do, He will multiply that remnant beyond your wildest expectations. God is too faithful to fail! So let us keep giving Him thanks in all things. Indeed He is working it all out for us.
PRAYER: Lord, please help me to praise You, despite any contrary situation, let nothing ever stop the continual flow of your praise from my mouth. You are forever faithful and I know that indeed all things are working out together for my good in Jesus Name.
QUOTE
Praise always guarantees you power for a raise, learning to praise God in season and out of season is key to fulfilling destiny. – WORDBITE 222.
[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK REJOICE]