Pastor Cheri
PRAYER
Thank you Lord for the entrance of your Word brings light and understanding, we receive insight, wisdom to guide our daily lives and bring us to the place planned for us by the Spirit, in Jesus' Name. Amen.
“And out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of them that make merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small” (Jeremiah 30:19).
If you look into your life and the receding year in retrospect, you’d find that the Lord has been so gracious and kind; His love, mercy and grace have seen us through a very remarkable year. Therefore, in celebrating all that He’s done for you and as we prepare for our Thanksgiving Service next Sunday, there are four important things to do in your gratitude and appreciation.
4 IMPORTANT THINGS CONCERNING THANKSGIVING
1. PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
The first is the prayer of thanksgiving: Pray a prayer of thanksgiving from your heart to the Lord today, appreciating Him for a most successful year. As you pray, express yourself in thanksgiving; let it flow freely from your heart.
“I thank my God for you every time I think of you; and every time I pray for you all, I pray with joy” (Philippians 1 :3-4 GNT).
2. WORSHIP AND PRAISE OF THANKSGIVING
Secondly, offer Him the worship and praise of thanksgiving. There's a prayer of thanksgiving, and there's also a worship of thanksgiving, where you're full of praise, exuberant and ecstatic with praise from your spirit.
“And the four and twenty elders, which sat before God on their seats, fell upon their faces, and worshipped God, Saying, We give thee thanks, O Lord God Almighty, which art, and wast, and art to come; because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned.” (Revelation 11:16-17)
3. TESTIMONY OF THANKSGIVING
The third is your testimony of thanksgiving, where you tell of what He’s done in your life. Here, you're not thinking about what you seemingly “didn’t get” or the goal you set to achieve by the end of the year that didn’t quite pull through; rather, you’re grateful for the joy of the Lord that’s in your heart. You’re thankful for the foundation of your spirit; the foundation of faith that God gave you! You're thankful for the hope in your spirit. There are people who are never hopeful for the future, but God gave you hope. So, testify in thanksgiving of these and other blessings of God in your life.
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death” (Revelation 12:11)
4. OFFERING IN THANKSGIVING
The fourth is to give an offering in thanksgiving. Prepare your special thanksgiving offering, and project yourself into the greater future He's planned for you. Make your mark today in thanking Him specially, and let the whole day be full of joy for you. Carry the atmosphere of thanksgiving with you home from the Church.
”And the king said unto Araunah, Nay; but I will surely buy it of thee at a price: neither will I offer burnt offerings unto the Lord my God of that which doth cost me nothing. So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.” 2 Samuel 24:24
At designated times everyday, have praise and thanksgiving sessions on your own, or with your family. Make it an entire month of praise and thanksgiving, because you’re grateful for all that Christ is to you, and has accomplished on your behalf.
It's thanksgiving on Sunday, you should;
Prepare your prayer of thanksgiving
Prepare your praise and worship of thanksgiving
Prepare your testimonies of thanksgiving
Prepare your offerings/seeds of thanksgiving
We will thank Him as individuals, we will thank Him as families, cell groups, corporate bodies and as a church.
Live each day in an attitude of worship, an attitude of thanksgiving. This is the way to stay happy all the time, because you know that no matter the challenge you face, greater is He that’s in you than He that’s in the world. You always win. Praise God forevermore!
