Happy Thanksgiving

Be Thankful for the Little Things
Lord, lift us up so we can see how blessed we are!

“Thankfulness creates gratitude which generates contentment and that causes peace.”


Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits. Psalm 103:1-2, NKJV

People need encouragement, yes we all do at times. Sometimes we can't seem to see all the good things around us because of the pain that is within us. We will all have pain and problems in this World but be of good cheer for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has overcome the World. My brothers and sisters in Christ, let us all press pass the pain and look at all the good things that the Lord has done for us during this Thanksgiving season and for always.

One of the main reasons that we lose our enthusiasm in life is because we become ungrateful. It is easy for us to start off being passionate about something big, shiny and new but everything new gets old. At times we can get so accustomed to God's goodness that we can let what was once a miracle become common to us, then life becomes routine, dry and without passion. Thankfulness produces peace in life and passion for life. In order for us to stay passionate for life and have peace in life, we must not forget the "Little Things" that God so graciously blesses us with each day. When we appreciate the little things, great things will come to us more frequently.

Little things are bigger than you think. If we are not thankful for the little things we have each day, then God will not give us as many of the “big things" that our heart's desire. Psalm 37: 4 "Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart."
Only when we delight in the Lord, will He give us the desires of our hearts. To delight in the Lord means to take pleasure in God's Word and to rejoice in all the many blessings/gifts that God has already given us. This is the day that the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it. Each day is gift from God to us that is why it is called the "present". When we think of a present, we usually think of a gift under the Christmas tree or a birthday gift but each day is a present to us from God. Each day you wake up, God has just kissed you by giving you another day's journey, so be glad about it, it is a great gift
from God.

Statistics show that more people become depressed around Thanksgiving and Christmas more than any other time of the year. The reason for this is because all to often we are not focusing on the many little blessings that God has given us, instead we are counting what is missing or our problems and forgetting to count our blessings. We must make a habit of counting the Little Blessings/Gifts that God gives us each day. What gifts has God given us that we may forget to thank him for? Here's just few; The friendly smile from a person passing by, the handshake from someone at church, the warm greeting from a coworker, the waiter or waitress that kindly serves our table – they are all gifts of God. The hug from my child when I get home, that kiss from my spouse, the steamy cup of tea are all gifts of God. The many military soldiers who are overseas fighting for us to have freedom, far away from their families and the comforts of home; the policemen, firemen and all first responders who risk their lives everyday to protect and serve us, all these are gifts from God. The maids, custodians and cooks who work in our schools, churches, businesses, and homes, also let's not forget about the trash men who pick up the trash we leave outside our doorsteps each week, these are all gifts from God. The people who work in our airports, hospitals, pharmacies, restaurants, grocery stores, shopping malls, retail stores, warehouses, telephone order lines and gas stations who work holidays, weekends and overtime for their employers so they can be there to serve our needs, these are gifts from God. The ministers, teachers, deacons, singers, ushers and all workmen who labor for the Gospel of Jesus Christ so that God may use them to be a blessing in our lives; the missionaries who are overseas touching the lives of others, the volunteer workers who give up their time and talent to help make a difference in the lives of others, all these are gifts of God. Every little thing I have is a gift of God.

The air I breathe, the food in the kitchen cabinet, some meat in the fridge and fruit on the table are all gifts of God. Running water, electricity, heat, air conditioning, a car, a bike, shoes on our feet, clothes on our backs and a roof over our heads are all gifts of God. A blanket to wrap myself in, a bed to lie on, even a chair to sit on are all gifts of God. My health, my friends, my family, my Church, my eyes, my ears, my taste buds, my hair, my teeth, my legs and my arms are all gifts of God. To be free and live in a free Nation such as America, to be able to vote, to able to voice my opinion freely and to be able to choose my own path in life (free will) are all gifts of God. My life on earth and my life eternal is all a gift of God. The mere fact that I was born is gift of God, and the greatest gift of all was when God gave His only begotten, Jesus, to you and I so that we may be born again (Salvation) into the family of God, this the greatest gift of God and anyone can receive it.

All these and many other countless blessings are gifts from God. The are called gifts because God provided it, even though He didn't have to do it. Let us never take God's provision, His kindness, His Love, or His Goodness and Mercy for granted. Praise the Lord for the good things He as done.

When you pray a sincere blessing over your Thanksgiving meal remember all the little things that God has given you. Make a list of the Lord’s blessings you can refer to when you have a bad day. Look for Christ’s gifts in your ordinary, everyday life. Brag on Jesus to others who may need Jesus. Respectfully and humbly, DE CLARE what good things God has given you to enjoy today!

You may not have a lot this Thanksgiving but be encouraged for your season of overflow is coming, just praise the Lord for the good things He has already given you. If we are faithful over the little things, God will reward us with many things.

James 1:9 Let the brother of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted:

Proverbs 15: 16 Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.
17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

Psalm 103:3-5 Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. NKJV

In order for of us to know how blessed we are and remember to count our blessings; we must look at our life from God's viewpoint, which is His Word. Like an Eagle soaring above the valleys and the problems below, we must see that every problem has an end and every trial has an expiration date. Rejoice in Lord always and again I say rejoice. Our thankfulness toward God, moves the hand of God to act for us, so always give thanks to God with a grateful heart.

You are coming out of this trial and your pain will turn to JOY. Your problems will melt away and the goodness of the Lord will cause your cup to run over. The Devil is defeated and God is Victorious. Lord Jesus, lift us all up where we belong!!!

Enjoy these 2 songs of encouragement:

1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYpmi__LFsk


2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ua67fsObFAU


Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for the incredible, ordinary gifts You give me every day.


Pass this along to those you love;