Thanksgiving To God
It seems that the Lord is not finished teaching us about praising Him and thanking Him for all He has done, as we enter into prayer. I am learning as much as you are. Once again, I am reminded of the importance of thanksgiving.
Psalm 100
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come before His presence with singing! Know (perceive, recognize, and understand with approval) that the Lord is God! It is He Who has made us, not we ourselves [and we are His]! We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and a thank offering and into His courts with praise! Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His name! For the Lord is good; His mercy and loving-kindness are everlasting, His faithfulness and truth endure to all generations.
Look at those verses. Come, come, come, come before Him with singing. Know that He is God. He is the one Who made us. We are His. Come on, come on, come on and enter His gates with thanksgiving and enter His courts with praise. Be thankful. Praise His name! Why? He is good and His mercy endures forever.
Now look at the New Testament in Philippians 4:6, Amplified Bible.
Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.
Even when we make petitions before God for our needs, we are to do it with thanksgiving. Why thanksgiving? Thanksgiving precedes the receipt of a gift given. Thanksgiving is saying to God: I know that You are taking care of me, and I don’t have to worry about it. Then God’s peace is ours. This peace builds a wall of protection around our heart and mind to guard us when thoughts come to us that are contrary to results—thoughts like: You’re not going to make it. You don’t really think you are going to get results. Look at all the times you didn’t receive anything. You might as well give up. It will be the same this time.
Thanksgiving overrides negative thoughts because you can’t think on two things at the same time, especially if you voice thanksgiving. Try it. Give voice to thanksgiving for everything you can think of and notice where your thoughts go. Your thoughts go in the direction of your mouth. What are we saying here? When negative thoughts bombard your mind, start speaking and singing thanksgiving to God. It works. Ask me how I know!
The greatest words expressing faith are two little words: THANK YOU! Thank you means that I take it. It is mine now. Thank you for it. I am grateful.