Today! 21 day Devotion By: H.R. Lister
Day 20: “No Matter What, Stay Thankful!”
Overwhelming despair…
Focusing on everything that’s not right…
Only seeing what’s wrong…
Never rejoicing in what’s good…
Worried about who’s not supporting you, who’s not in your life…
Only seeing what you don’t have, where you’re not in life thus far…
You find yourself with nothing good to say, and your day consist of let down, failure, frustration and grumbling and complaining…..
You are in complete control of your joy and your despair…..
a hopeless, critical, grumbling, mumbling, pitiful mindset is where Satan wants you… If he can bring you to this point mentally, he’ll control you spiritually, and destroy you physically!
Who wants to know how to stay out of this place and in a place of peace, love, joy, & contentment???
Here’s the key: THANKFULNESS!
Psalm 43:5 “Why are you in despair, my soul? Why are you disturbed within me? HOPE IN GOD, because I will praise him once again, since his presence saves me and he is my God.”
Phil.4:11-13 I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
2 Cor. 4:8-9 “We are experiencing trouble on every side, BUT WE ARE NOT CRUSHED; we are perplexed, BUT NOT DRIVEN TO DESPAIR; we are persecuted, BUT NOT ABANDONED; we are knocked down, BUT NOT DESTROYED, always carrying around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be made visible in our body….”
*Jesus not only Died for you, HE ALSO NOW LIVES FOR YOU!!!!!
1 John 4:4 “….GREATER IS HE WHO LIVES IN ME, THAN HE WHO IS IN THE WORLD!!!!”
Romans 8:11 “the same spirit that raised Christ from the dead now lives in us and is able to quicken our mortal bodies…”
-If we only knew and would realize that WE CAN THANK our way out of despair and into JOY!! Out of Darkness into light, Out of bondage, into Freedom, Out of poverty and into plenty, Out of sickness and into health!!!!
-Or, you can gripe and complain your way out of abundance, into lack, out of heath into sickness, out of joy into depression!!!!
1 Samuel 30:6 And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God.
-No matter what’s going on, even if it’s going really, really good…. You can always find something to gripe about!!!
-There are people living with no physical or financial lack that are depressed and not satisfied!!!!
-On the other hand, there are people sleeping on dirt floors that are full of joy and contentment!!!
-I’ve seen rich people that are depressed, poor people that are spoiled brats, skinny people that think their fat, pretty people that think they’re ugly, & rich people that think their poor!!!
-Happiness and contentment doesn’t come from a physical, emotional, educational or financial place!!!
-Happiness, Joy, peace, and contentment comes from a spiritual place and it’s accessed by THANKFULNESS!!!!
-No matter what state we are in, we can find something to THANK GOD for!!!
-No matter the circumstances we find our selves in, AS BELIEVERS, we never drop below the STATUS of “ETERNALLY SAVED!!!!” Heaven is our home, Jesus is our Lord, God is our Father and we are currently having a place prepared for our arrival, with no pain, nor sorrow, or discomfort of any kind!!!!
Paul in prison awaiting execution: Philippians 1:12-24 “ But I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel, 13) so that it has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ; 14) and most of the brethren in the Lord, having become confident by my chains, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. 15) Some indeed preach Christ even from envy and strife, and some also from goodwill: 16) The former preach Christ from selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing to add affliction to my chains; 17) but the latter out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel. 18) What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice. 19) For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, 20) according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. 21) For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22) But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. 23) For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better. 24) Nevertheless to remain in the flesh is more needful for you.
-Paul said, HE HAD A CHOICE!!! To die or live, to be depressed or rejoice!!!
-I’m convinced that he did have a choice… It was some time before that he and Silas found themselves in Prison at midnight…. AND THEY WORRIED, FEARED and COMPLAINED THEMSELVES OUT OF THAT SITUATION…… NO THAT’S NOT TRUE!!!
-THEY PRAISED AND THANKED, AND REJOICED THEIR WAY TO FREEDOM!!!!
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 “REJOICE ALWAYS!!!! 17) Pray without ceasing, 18) IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you….’
-If The Word of God says that Giving Thanks in every situation is the will of God for you, then that means, you’re out of the will of God when you complain about anything!!!
-It also means that complaining, gripping, worrying never fixes anything, but REJOICING, PRAYING and being THANKFUL brings the Will of God to pass in your life!!!!
-The Lord wants you free from worry, fear, anxiety, dissatisfaction, guilt, shame, condemnation, complaint and despair!!!!
1 Peter 5:5-7 “….God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 6) Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7) CASTING ALL OF YOUR CARE upon HIM, for HE CARES FOR YOU….”
Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29) Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30) For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”