Good morning thankful ones!

When we give God our THANKS and praise the way the Bible tells us to, we release supernatural authority over whatever situation we are facing. Biblical THANKSGIVING is not just a worldly holiday tradition or a religious activity, but rather an everyday spiritual tool. It frees us from stress and pressure while God is getting personally involved on our behalf. When we are grateful, THANKFUL sons and daughters of God, supernatural forces from heaven are unleashed that cause things to work for us the way they should.

It pleases God when we ABOUND IN THANKSGIVING.  1 Thessalonians 5:18 (AMP) says,

• THANK [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be THANKFUL and give THANKS], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will].

It is God’s will for us to give THANKS in every situation. We do not give THANKS for bad things happening, but we do THANK God for delivering and protecting us, and showing us His goodness. We can be THANKFUL regardless of circumstances. I love what the 20th Century Translation of Philippians 4:11 says,

• I have learned in whatever state I am, therein to be independent of circumstances.

See, we can be THANKFUL regardless of circumstances. Jesus gave THANKS before He fed the multitudes. John 6:11 says,

• And Jesus took the loaves, and when He had given thanks, He distributed them to the disciples, and the disciples to those sitting down; and likewise of the fish, as much as they wanted.

Jesus turned a “not enough” situation into a “more than enough” situation by giving THANKS.

When Jesus raised Lazrus from the dead, He began by THANKING GOD first for always hearing Him (see John 11:41-42).

Family, we get heaven’s attention when we ABOUND IN THANKSGIVING. There is a connection between THANKSGIVING and faith. When we THANK GOD, He always shows up. God promises us in Isaiah 65:24 that when we praise and THANK HIM, He will answer us before we call, and He will hear while we are still speaking.

When we ABOUND IN THANKSGIVING and praise, God in turn promises to bless us. Psalm 67:5-6 (NLT) says,

• May the nations praise You, O God.  Yes, may all the nations praise You..  Then, the earth will yield its harvests, and God, our God, will richly bless us.

ABOUNDING IN THANKSGIVING today,

Lisa Gordon

Jesus City Church