God lives and works today.
Perhaps you know this and are amazed to
see what He does in the lives of
other people, but you yourself don't experience His
power.
Perhaps you even pray, Lord, help me, but
He doesn't seem to listen.
What is the matter?
Listen to the helpful answer in today's meditation
by Basilia Schlenk called, The Power of Thanksgiving.
Prayer that is born out of thanksgiving contains
a mighty power.
Why?
Whoever gives thanks, even before his prayer is
answered, thinks highly of God and His love.
He trusts in the love of God, that
He will give us of His riches, and
that He will put His powers at our
disposal.
One woman often experienced, no sooner had she
gotten into bed at night, than accusing thoughts
against her husband took hold of her.
Accusations and resentments that she had repressed during
the day.
For a long time she prayed, Oh Lord,
help me, but nothing changed.
One day, however, she realized, it won't help
me a bit to keep praying this way,
because it's as if I'm questioning Jesus' redemption,
doubting that He really has won the victory
for me.
Now the way for me to receive is
to thank Him for what He has already
accomplished.
From that moment on, every time the temptations
and accusations started to fill her heart, the
woman began to thank God that Jesus had
redeemed her through His death on the cross.
She praised Him that He had so redeemed
her from her bitter thoughts that they couldn't
rule her life.
In faith she rejoiced, praying, Hallelujah, Jesus' royal
victory belongs to me.
When we pray in the right way, by
praising and giving thanks, we take possession of
that which God has promised us.
For to pray means to stand in faith
on the promises of God and to receive
them with praise and gratitude.
Everyone has experienced difficulties in his life, hopeless
situations, or job, money, or family problems.
But have you ever, in the midst of
such impossibilities, actually begun to thank the Lord?
Even if it was only with a short
song verse like this one.
To pray this way means to praise the
might and helping love of God.
And when we begin to think and talk
about His love, proclaiming how great it is,
our worries and troubles begin to disappear.
To think with thanksgiving about the love and
power of God makes a person strong and
happy.
A heart full of kindness, a heart of
love and goodness, the heart of the Godhead,
our Father is He.
You have been listening to a program written
by Basilia Schlink of the Little Land of
Canaan.
To learn more about how God lives and
works today, visit us at our website www
.canaan.org.
If you contact us, we would be happy
to send you a free inspirational booklet.
If you do not have access to the
web, please write to God Lives and Works
Today, 9849 North 40th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85028
-4099.
God bless you.