Now to start with, there're a lot of Bible verses especially in the New Testament that talk about being THANKFUL. The truth is though most of us have a tendency to just gloss over this subject without understanding God's intentions for it. Of course the enemy is helping us overlook it because he wants to separate us from the things these scriptures are saying about the VICTORY Jesus died on the Cross for us to take possession of NOW. One way to help remedy this oversight is to look at a number of these verses all in one place at the same time:

• 1 Corinthians 15:57 - Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through Christ.
• 2 Corinthians 2:14 - Thanks be to God who always causes us to triumph in Christ.
• Ephesians 5:20 - Give thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
• Colossians 1:12 - Give thanks to the Father for the inheritance we have received.
• Colossians 2:7 - We are to be firmly rooted in Christ, established in our faith and overflowing with thanksgiving.
• Colossians 3:17 - In all that we do we are to do it in the name of Jesus giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
• Colossians 4:2 - We are to devote ourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving.
• 1 Thessalonians 5:18 - It is God's WILL for us who are in Christ that we give thanks for everything.
• 1 Timothy 4:4 - Everything created by God is good and should be received with thanksgiving.
• Hebrews 13:15 - Let us continually give thanks to the name of Jesus.

When you see all these scriptures together like this, all from the New Testament, does it seem to you that Christians are supposed to be living life in a continuous attitude of thanksgiving? One of the reasons you might react this way is that they seem a lot more like INSTRUCTIONS than suggestions. The Truth is God doesn't make suggestions about anything; He is LORD and a LORD doesn't suggest. No, a LORD is someone who has overriding authority over all things and He either COMMANDS or He INSTRUCTS. So it would seem that at the least we're being INSTRUCTED by all these scriptures to CULTIVATE (pursue) a lifestyle that flows out of an attitude of THANKSGIVING.

The problem is that most of us modern Christians think we've somehow acquired enough wisdom through our extensive human experience to qualify us to evaluate and then accept or reject the various INSTRUCTIONS that come directly from our Creator God. As already mentioned, the enemy is quite eager to help us with this and the result is that most people in the Body of Christ have only a superficial understanding of the vital biblical principles that have been provided by God to actually PRODUCE victory in and through Christ. Friend, let this one major point be understood today: God's INSTRUCTIONS are ALWAYS for our own good. In this case, He wants to bless people with something that comes back to us when we express our GRATITUDE, when we're quick to speak our THANKSGIVING no matter what's going on around us and to us.

What is it that the Lord has for the people of Thanksgiving? We can start to answer that question by remembering that almost all the Israelites who were delivered from bondage in Egypt had to die in the wilderness instead of going into the Promised Land. Why? In short because their complaining and ingratitude demonstrated HARDNESS OF HEART (Hebrews 3:13-19). People with hardness of heart are unable to perceive spiritual things (Mark 8:17-18) because the hardness springs from unbelief (Hebrews 3:19) which cuts them off from the blessings and the power of God's GRACE. And, there're a couple of other scriptures you should check out to see this principle clearly confirmed:

• 1 Corinthians 10:10 - Grumbling and complaining (being unthankful) opens the door to the destroyer.
• Romans 1:21-22 - People who are not thankful become darkened (hardened) and foolish which leads to futility in life.

Friend, God had a better way for those original Israelites and He has a better way today for New Testament Believers. That better way comes through cultivating a lifestyle of Thanksgiving because the Lord sees to it that Believers who're TRULY grateful not only INHERIT the Promised Land, but they also learn how to live in and enjoy it NOW and how to receive the benefits from it NOW. Are there trials in the Promised Land? Yes, of course. But God causes us to triumph every single time (2 Corinthians 2:14). So, what the Lord has for each of us who're full of THANKSGIVING is His GRACE, His empowerment to overcome every trial, every tribulation, every storm, every attack, every shortage, and everything else the enemy can throw in our direction. THANKSGIVING overcomes every problem and moves every mountain by His GRACE and the name of Jesus!

Now, they're two basic ways to thank God for something: 1) we can thank Him AFTER something good happens and we really appreciate it; or 2) we can thank Him BEFORE the something good has happened. The first one is a lot easier but the truth is most of us forget to thank Him when good things happen because the Flesh wants to take credit for it. So the first thing that needs to change when we're establishing this new lifestyle is to start being faithful about thanking God for what He's ALREADY done. We need to focus on the good things we already have in life instead of on the things we don't have. Where is your focus today? Are you grateful for the things God has already done in your life or are you complaining about what He hasn't done?

But an even more important aspect of gratitude is to manifest it BEFORE the blessing actually happens. How can we do that? How can we know ahead of time how God is going to bless us? The only way to KNOW is to be familiar with what the Word says about our inheritance. First, we BELIEVE what the Word says and then we thank Him BEFORE we can actually experience a particular promise in the natural. For example, you may have some bills that need to be paid today but the Word says you've ALREADY been redeemed (rescued) from the curse of indebtedness (Galatians 3:13); and you remember that God has ALREADY given you the ability to obtain wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18) and that God supplies all your needs from His riches and glory (Philippians 4:19). Therefore, based on what the Word of God says that you already have, you can start THANKING Him for your debt freedom BEFORE the money actually shows up to pay down all your bills.

Friend, sincere THANKSGIVING ahead of time is THANKSGIVING BY FAITH. And it's one of the strongest forces in the entire Kingdom of God. Faith is the only thing that really pleases God (Hebrews 11:6) so when you put it together with GRATITUDE, it connects you to His GRACE, it makes it possible for God to use you and send you into the Promised Land to establish His Kingdom. It makes it possible for your to achieve your calling and your potential because THANKSGIVING puts you into a faith mode and that's when things start to work for you. You simply can't be in faith and at the same time be grumbling and complaining about things in your life. Focus on the good things and THANK God for them so you can get into FAITH because victory ALWAYS works by FAITH.

Now, the beginning of the New Year is a great time to start up a new lifestyle. The World makes New Year's RESOLUTIONS but there's a better way because RESOLUTIONS tend to be focused on one's own self and one's own efforts. Failure is almost assured. The better way is to find out what God wants us to do during the coming year and then release our FAITH for the things He wants us to do so we can depend on His help instead of on our own strength. And instead of pursuing personal goals, we pursue God-focused, Kingdom-oriented and Bible-based DIRECTION toward the plans and purposes He establishes for us. Then, as soon as we make a list of the things we believe God wants us to do in the New Year, we release our faith and START THANKING HIM FOR THE VICTORY. And one step at a time we put ourselves in motion in the direction He has given us.

We recommend that you consider making your own THANKSGIVING LIST for 2010 and you'll find some instructions accompanying this newsletter for that purpose. Let your faith-filled THANKSGIVING produce your victory in the New Year!

We acknowledge the teaching ministry of Pastor Keith Moore of Faith Life Church in Branson, Missouri for the illumination on the subject of CULTIVATING A LIFESTYLE OF THANKSGIVING. When Pastor Moore was a young Christian Believer, the Lord asked him one day if he would like to increase his capacity to RECEIVE what God had for him. Of course Pastor Moore was definitely interested in that deal and the Lord then told him that the way to learn to receive was to CULTIVATE A LIFESTYLE OF THANKSGIVING. Friend, the problem for most Believers is that WE HAVEN'T YET LEARNED HOW TO RECEIVE WHAT JESUS HAS ALREADY WON FOR US. So, set your face early in the New Year to offer God a sacrifice of thanksgiving (Psalm 50:14) in all situations and you WILL learn how to receive God's best for every area of your life: spirit, soul and body. Be sure also to check out Pastor Moore's web site: www.moorelife.org.

Thanks for reading PLN today and we'll be looking for you again in three weeks on Friday, January 22nd. In the meantime, may God overwhelm you with the fullness of His love and spiritual blessing as you set forth to cultivate a lifestyle of THANKSGIVING.

If you've never invited Jesus to be the Lord of your life, you can do so today just by saying the following simple prayer:

Jesus I believe in you and I believe that God raised you from the dead. I receive forgiveness for my sins and I ask you to come into my life today. I receive you as my Lord and Savior. I receive eternal life..

If you were sincere as you prayed this prayer, God has already come into your life and you are a new creation, a totally new species recreated in His image. Now ask the Lord to lead you to a good faith-based, bible-teaching church where you can be equipped to fulfill your potential in the Kingdom of God.

If you've been edified by Prosperous Life Newsletter, how about making a SEED FAITH offering to support the Ministry (Galatians 6:6-7). PLN is a non profit gift to the Body of Christ so your financial offerings will usually be tax deductible (consult your tax advisor). Simply go to the secure Shopping Cart on the Cornerstone web site by clicking on the following link. God bless you for your love and generosity.

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