Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 I love this quote by Zig Ziglar: “Gratitude is the healthiest of all human emotions. The more you express gratitude for what you have, the more likely you will have even more to express gratitude for.” It’s so true. The more we look for things to appreciate, the more we find! First Thessalonians 5:12–18 gives us a great perspective on this topic. Paul is wrapping up his letter to the Thessalonians, and he starts by reminding them to appreciate each other: “Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord …

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Romans 10:17 (NKJV) Whenever we see a word mentioned twice in a row in the Bible, we need to pay special attention. So why does Romans 10:17 say that faith comes by hearing…and hearing? Well, faith takes more than just hearing. Hearing that God has promised you something doesn’t automatically result in a confident, unshakable belief that you have it. That kind of faith comes when you meditate on God’s Word and accept what it promises you. Faith is something you develop. But that doesn’t mean it’s hard. To have faith, you don’t have to fight and strive for it or follow a certain set of rigid guidelines. That’s not how God’s …

The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [dynamic in its working]. James 5:16 (AMPC) Beyond a shadow of a doubt, incredible power is available to me today because of the prayers of my parents,
grandparents, and great-grandparents. I see the impact their prayers have had on my children as well. When you stand up and speak God’s Word over your loved ones, you impact generations. Satan would love to attack your family. Primarily, he wants to separate them from having a life-giving relationship with God. However, you hold a power that’s infinitely greater than any attack the enemy can muster. You have the opportunity to make God’s tremendous power available to those you love. You can defend and protect them …

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6 When going to God with your request, there are two important things to remember. The first thing I want you to think about is the fact that God absolutely loves to bless you with his best. You can be confident that you’re not bothering him; he wants you to ask. You don’t have to beg him to help you. He wants to! Second, notice these two words in Philippians 4:6: “with thanksgiving.” When bringing requests to God, it’s important to thank him. We all appreciate gratitude. So does God, but that’s not the only reason he tells us to do it. When …

Receive and welcome the Word which implanted and rooted [in your hearts] contains the power to save your souls. James 1:21 God loves you and wants to empower you to overcome whatever you are facing. In this series on prayer, we’ve been discussing how powerful prayer is. However, you can’t only pray and hope that things magically work out. The truth is you can’t expect great results if you simply throw out a few prayers and then spend the rest of your days focusing on the negative. In addition to prayer, you need to change your focus. When you’re facing a problem, it can be hard not to focus only on it. But problems don’t need to consume you. According to James 1:21, you do …