A Thankful Heart

All through my life I have listened to, watched on TV, or read Pastor Charles Stanley's sermons, devotions and articles. Yesterday my mom passed on to me his recent Life Principles Notes. He writes about having a thankful heart, and mentions how the heart is the one thing that reflects our emothions, passions, moral choices, attitudes and thoughts. So we need a healthy heart that is pure, loving, unselfish, kind, but above all greatful. He references 1 Thessalonians 5:18 where it says "In everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." Ok, so in everything give thanks?? This can be a challenge for all of us, but I love how Charles Stanley breaks it down. Here is what I gathered from his points on things that motivate us to be grateful:

• The Lord is sovereign - God knows everything that we go through, so we are to be grateful for the good times and bad because he is always there to help us through and shape us through our circumstances.
• God loves us unconditionally - His love never changes, and we can't loose it, no matter what!
• The Father restores our relationship to Him through Christ's death on the cross - we can have a relationship with our God because our sins are paid in full because of Christ.
• God's forgiveness - He forgives our sins when we confess and turn to Him.
• The Lord abides with us - When we live in the spirit we can experience His guidance, strength, love, peace and more, in anything we face in life.
• The Father has sealed us with the Holy Spirit - We are apart of His family and we are preparing for our eternal home in heaven, and nothing can take that away from us.
• God always hears our prayers - We can talk to God whenever we want! Pray to Him without ceasing! Philippians 4:6 "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything (there's that everything word again) by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God." Giving him praise with thanksgiving, and make your request known to him, but have your focus on Him through all things.
• The Father has given us a Helper - We can serve God through the Holy Spirit with the gifts and talents that He gives us to give Him glory.
• God has a purpose for our lives - God's plan is the best plan ever, so we must seek Him and obey him, because only He can give our lives eternal significance and meaning.

May we all face each day with a thankful heart, for God knows everything we face in life, and He is using it to shape and mold us into His image! Let us give thanks for all that God continues to do in and through our lifes!

Here is the link to the full article on A Thankful Heart. http://www.intouch.org/atf/cf/%7B865500FE-874B-487B-A95C-C0B327D0A690%7D/LP071118.PDF