Zephaniah 3:17
The LORD, your God, is in your midst,
a warrior who gives victory;
he will rejoice over you with gladness,
he will renew you in his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing

Look at Zephaniah’s words: God is in our midst, he gives us victory, he rejoices in us, renews us in his love, and exults over us with loud singing! God does that for us? Awesome, the least we can do is listen to Isaiah, which brings out another very important part of speaking God’s word. That is PRAISE! So it is just as important that we also spend time in thanksgiving for what God has done for us by praising him. He came to set us free from pain and suffering for by his stripes we are healed according to Isaiah 53:5, But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed. Then he says in Isaiah 55:12 “For you shall go out in joy, and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.” We must put every part of God’s Word to work for us. We must return to God, what is God’s, give back to God from what is his own. He sets the standard over us, and we must do the same for him. We should give God at least as much time in prayer of thanksgiving as do prayer in time of supplication.

We know that the hope of all the faithful is to become more like Christ, to take part in his Divine nature, and to assist the Body of Christ. We are the children of God, we are all the work of his hands without which we would have no life. When someone shows us a kind gesture, we say thanks. When our parents give a gift, we give them a big hug. When our kids tell us we are pretty neat, we feel good inside. Our Heavenly Father waits to do the same, Matthew 7:11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! He desires that we only ask. But we must ask in faith and in love, always giving thanks as in 1 Thesoloanians 5: 16-18 Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. For when we come to know God as he asks - the way he asks, this takes place in our lives: Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let all men know your forbearance. The Lord is at hand. Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus, Philippians 4:4-7. This may seem rather odd at first, but it is in the practice of loving the Father, that we become comfortable with his priciples which become our ‘principals.’

Pani Rose

A heart which shows gratitude to God in all things. A contenance that reflects an inner peace. A strength which comes from the joy of the Lord. All these things others can see and be drawn to [Christ in us..the hope of Glory.] (cf. Col. 1:27)

Thanks, Pani Rose, for your inspiring post!

Porter. . . prayerfully.