Aug 28 ~ KEEPING AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE IN PRAYER: THINK AND THANK

Psalm 116:17 “I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord.”

When we think of how God gave his only begotten Son for our sins, we should thank Him. When we think about the Lord bringing us out of darkness into His marvelous light, we should thank Him. If we think on how God gives us brand new mercies everyday, we should thank him. When we think on the scripture Psalm 116:12, “What shall I  render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?” The answer should be, “I shall live Holy, and give thanks.”

Ocie Nelson, Sr.

Aug 27 ~ KEEPING AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE IN PRAYER:  A HEART OF THANKSGIVING AND GRATITUDE ALWAYS

Psalm 30:1 “I will extol thee, O Lord; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.”

God’s loving kindness is unfathomable and can not be measured. There are times in our lives that the enemy desires to have us, that he may sift us as wheat, but God protects us. How many times did God protect you and not let the enemy overtake you in the past or even now?  I’m a living witness that every negative plan the enemy thought he had for my life was overturned by our Great God!  Just the thought of how merciful He is, is enough to always keep a heart of thanksgiving and gratitude! 

Deidre Haywood

Aug 26 ~ KEEPING AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE IN PRAYER:  GOD WILL PROVIDE

Psalm 42:1 “As the hart panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God.”

What does “panteth” really mean?  It means longing for or craving.  We have to continually seek after the Lord and His will for our lives. Sometimes, God allows heartache and pain to arise in our lives so that we can trust and depend on Him, even when we feel there is no hope. We have to trust the Lord with our heart, body, and soul, no matter what the circumstance, for God is always in control.

Jesse Coates

Aug 25 ~ KEEPING AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE IN PRAYER:  LET PEACE RULE

Colossians 3:15 “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.”

In the midst of a pandemic and trying times, we have to let God be our foundation.  As a benefit of Him being our foundation, peace then, shall be our substratum.  When we keep our minds on our Saviour, there is a tranquility that overtakes us and commands health, welfare, prosperity, and unthinkable goodness.  It is a peace that causes us to praise Him even in a pandemic, it unifies us through prayer, and it causes us to be grateful regardless of what we may currently face.  The peace of God will rule over all those who allow; He is Lord of all and gives to all who come to Him. 

Benjamin Bivins

Aug 24 ~ KEEPING AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE IN PRAYER:  PRAISE FOR HIM BY HIM

Hebrews 13:15 “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”

Only by Jesus Christ can one offer the sacrifice of praise to God.  He, being GOD in flesh and the ultimate example of humility, sacrificed His life to save ours. His willingness to be obedient until the end brought glory and praise to God! Let’s follow HIS example and praise his name by demonstrating a willingness to be obedient unto death, which guarantees us a home beyond the sky!  Obedience to HIM and being led by HIM is the ultimate praise of HIM.  

Christy Christian

Aug 23 ~KEEPING AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE IN PRAYER:  BE DELIBERATE WITH YOUR PRAISE

Psalm 107:8-9 “Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!  For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.”

Do you find yourself sometimes murmuring and complaining about life’s challenges?  The children of Israel were made to wander in the wilderness for forty years as a result of their murmuring and complaining.  Take this day to examine your way of thinking and the words you say.  Develop a relationship with God that is built on gratefulness along with a desire to know Him and to be in His presence, rather than just asking Him for things.  It was God who kept us alive even as we slept through the night; let’s be intentional with our praise!

Eugenia Debardlabon

Aug 22 ~ KEEPING AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE IN PRAYER:  BE HUMBLE AT ALL TIMES

1 Peter 5:6 “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:”

Now more than ever, as we see the state of our world, we must come before God humbly, with a repentant heart.  He hears the prayers of the righteous (Prov. 15:29).  Moments of gratitude come easily when we have the things we want.  But keeping an attitude of gratitude in times of need and uncertainty will put us in God’s favor.  Going to God in humility allows us to receive the blessings of the Lord in His timing.

Elisha & Teon Miller

Aug 21 ~ KEEPING AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE IN PRAYER:  GOD’S FAVOR

Psalm 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.”

We must willingly and joyfully enter into the presence of God. Sometimes situations happen and they’re not what we want.  But trust God because the Lord is good and His mercy is everlasting. Give God the praise and honor that He deserves. Great benefits come with having a relationship with Him through prayer.

Donald Barker

Aug 20 ~ KEEPING AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE IN PRAYER:  A MERCIFUL GOD DESERVES AN INCREDIBLE PRAISE!

Lamentations 3:21-22  “This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.  It is of the Lord’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.”

In this passage of scripture, the writer is detailing everything that was done to him. He was beaten, put into darkness, and even enslaved. He tried to pray but the enemy tried his best to extinguish his prayer life. Often times in life, the devil tries to shut us out, beat us down, and make us think God has forgotten about us, but like the writer, we have to remember that God’s Mercy is the reason we’re still standing. The writer had a flashback of all the GREAT things God had done for him and he had Hope that God will bring him out!

Donovan Rooks

Aug 19 ~ KEEPING AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE IN PRAYER:  GOD GETS THE GLORY OUT OF THIS

Psalm 28:7 “The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and” with my song will I praise him.

What does beauty look like when you have been in the ashes?  Beauty is God’s love that fights your battles.  Beauty is God’s love that shields you.  No one can pluck you out of His hand.  Beauty is God’s love that allows your heart to trust Him to carry you through life’s failures, hurt and shame.

Bridget Johnson