Psa 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.
Phil 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Psa 100:4-5 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.
Many years ago the Lord spoke to me in a time when I could not see His Hand. To be frank, I was uncertain of myself and the direction of the ministry. It was in that moment that I discovered how to unlock the prison of doubt and fear. Gratitude was the key. The key came with verbal rehearsals of God’s goodness in my past. Everything I could remember was spoken. Gratefulness, recognition, appreciation, and yes, Thanksgiving.
The scripture is replete with the use of this necessary disposition. The magnification of God must be done with Thanksgiving which indicates a reflection of the Lord’s mighty acts. God has done great things and it is “marvelous in our eyes.”
We are able to enter His presence and make our petitions known. No longer are we reliant upon a high priest robed in the trappings of human design. Jesus is our High Priest and when we seek Him, we are to ask with Thanksgiving. It might go something like this: “I have a need and I thank you for hearing me and answering my request.” “Thank you Lord for all you have done and what you are about to do!”
And finally, when we come to this house for worship, we need to walk into the outer doors with Thanksgiving. We are blessed to have a place designated and designed to entertain the Lord and bring our worship together. Enter His gates with Thanksgiving – sounds like a command, but I want to receive it as a gift.
To this end, I hope that we do not treat this coming Thursday as a day of entertainment and food. We are Children of the Most High God and our thankfulness stems from the knowledge that come what may, our future is Heaven; our salvation is by the Blood; our joy is in His resurrection; and our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
Luke 10:20 Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven.
Pastor Jeffrey Harpole