Text: Ephesians 5:18-20
Memory verse:
āEnter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.ā āāPsalms 100ā¬:ā4ā¬ NKJV
There is an adage which says, āIf you donāt know how to think, you will not know how to thankā. Some years ago, as I opened the bath tap with water gushing out, it just occurred to me that so many people suffer to get water which is running freely in my tap yet I had never intentionally thanked God for the provision of water. Do you know that about 703 million people lack access to clean water in the world, and some people walk for over 6 hours daily to haul for water? Since then, even under the showers and while washing my hands in the basin, I habitually say, āThank you, Jesus, for this waterā.
Likewise, how many times have you thanked God for your forgiveness? Do you know that forgiveness is the greatest miracle we ever received? (Matt 9:5). God first forgave us to be able to relate with us, without which the Holy God wonāt associate with the sinful man. Forgiveness was free for us but costly for Him. It cost Him the life of His Son. Thankful people are deep thinkers, and they enjoy the mysteries of thanksgiving.
Another adage says āThe child who expresses thankfulness for the benefits of yesterday will receive a new one today.ā God reloads us with new benefits every twenty-four hours” (Psa 68:19). Thanksgiving is the mechanism that sustains that cycle of benefits. The easiest way to stop that reloading cycle is to live a thankless life. If you thank God for what you have, then you can ask Him for what you donāt have.
āIt is good to give thanks to the Lord, And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;ā (āāPsaā¬ ā92ā¬:ā1ā¬).
Thanksgiving is so important that no one can gain access into Godās presence without it. Thanksgiving is the password into His presence.
āEnter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.ā āā(Psaā¬ ā100ā¬:ā4ā¬).
āEnter with the password: āThank you!ā..ā (MSG).
āYou can pass through His open gates with the password of praise. Come right into His presence with thanksgivingā¦.ā (TPT).
God counts it as gross insult to come before Him without thanking Him for past benefits.
In divine order, thanksgiving precedes praise. You canāt be āpraisefulā when you are not thankful.
Friends, donāt let your thanksgiving take place only in the church but make it a lifestyle. Thank God for everything, in every place and in all situations.
Praise points
1. Spend more time to itemize those benefits that you have been taking for granted, and thank God for them.
2. Thank God for forgiving you all your sins and for giving you access into His presence.
Todayās declarations
1. āThank Youā is my password into Godās presence.
2. Thankful people neverĀ lackĀ supplies.
Contact: pastor@thf.org.ng