Be Thankful

I've gotten up before McHotterson, so the house is quiet.  I'm sitting on the couch checking email and blogs before I have to go to Wal-Mart and get some things to take to lunch.  I turned on the t.v. and Kenneth Copeland is on. 

Boy he's got some good stuff to say today, a day of thanksgiving.  Lots of thoughts I need to hear.  Exactly what I need to hear. 

He's focused on Philippians 4:6,

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

I like verse 7, too.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Here are a few things that stood out to me as I've been listening:


-How do I stay connected in faith after I've prayed for something and believed it to be?  We start with the words out of our mouths.  Mr. Copeland calls it "corrupt communication."  I like that.  When we say we don't think it's working or, "well, I guess it's just not going to happen,"  we exude bitterness and not the giving of thanks. 

-Giving thanks will control your conversation and your mind; you will block out all other things. 

-DON'T BE ANXIOUS FOR ANYTHING!!!  That's not a suggestion, that's a command.  If you're going to worry about it, you're going to separate from your faith. 

-Lay your case on the altar and leave it there!

-Faith changes things.  Worry changes nothing!  Thoughts don't change things. 

-Worry releases fear that separates you from the spirit of faith and connects you to the spirit of fear, Satan himself. 

-Get your mind off of that wordly system.  Thank God for taking care of the birds and the flowers, and when you start to worry immediately begin thanking Him for working in your life, praise Him and stop worrying.

-Psalm 127 says, In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—for he grants sleep to
     those he loves.  It doesn't say He grants anxiety or worry to those He loves.  Anxiety and worry are not from God. 

-Thanksgiving is the "big gun" of faith; it's like a cannon that the devil hates.  When we give thanksgiving to God, we give Him space, faith, time.  When our defenses drop and we start worrying, the devil has an "in."

-You will have to MAKE yourself not worry.  Your flesh has been taught to worry, so it will take all you have to make yourself  not do it.

-Worry and fear are what got Job into DEEP trouble.  He had no rest, he worried all night about his children.  Nothing was happening at the time, but he was worried that it would!  He made the same sacrifice over and over again because he was worried about his children.  He said, "All that I have feared has come to pass."  Why?  He was connected to it!  Fear flowed right to him because he was connected to it by his own worry and fear. 

-But you can disconnect from fear by giving thanks and praising God!  Find anything and everything to be thankful for.  

-Your flesh will fight you hard.  Your mind will fight you!  You have to stand strong in THANKS! 

-You don't feel like doing it.  You have to MAKE YOURSELF! 

-I love this one:  You might feel like laying down and just crying; but that will get you killed! 

-Words control thoughts.  Thoughts don't change anything.  Faith changes things.