"Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace" (Philippians 4:6-7 NLT).
In Philippians 4:6-7 we find one of the most difficult passages in the entire Bible to obey: "Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God's peace" (NLT).
It's not easy to stop worrying about the often-scary, everyday parts of our lives, but God tells us how to do it: "Pray about everything. . . . Thank him for all he has done." Grateful prayer brings peace. God says that when you start to worry, stop to pray.
Parents understand the power of gratitude. Most parents wouldn't appreciate their children always making requests without saying "thank you" for what they've already received. God sees it the same way. He wants us to ask him for what we need and want. More than 20 times in the New Testament, we're told to "ask" him. But he wants us to ask with gratefulness.
The Bible urges us to be specific in our requests—and our praises. Instead of a simple "thank you for everything," he wants us to tell him what we're grateful for. When I say to my wife, "I'm so grateful for you," she tells me to be specific. She likes to hear what I appreciate about her and what I'm grateful for about her.
God wants to hear the same things. So when you pray, tell God what you're thankful for. Prayer is one of the most important ways we tell God "thank you."
Thanking God in advance is a big step of faith. The Bible says that when we have the faith to thank God ahead of time for an answer to our prayers, miracles happen. The more thankful we are, the more God works in our lives. The Bible says that God inhabits the praise of his people. He empowers and uses our thanksgiving as an instrument of power in our lives.PLAY today's audio teaching from Pastor Rick >>
Talk About It
- Why is gratitude so important for our spiritual lives?
- Being as specific as possible, what are the reasons you're thankful to God? Spend some time in prayer, thanking God for those things.
- What are some ways you believe God will bless you in the future? Thank God for those things—even before they happen.
Are you ready to invite Jesus into your heart?
Do you want to receive God's gift of grace to you? It's a simple prayer that will tell God you accept the gift of Jesus.
Prayer:
"Dear God, I'm scared, but I want to get to know you. I don't understand it all, but I thank you that you love me. I thank you that you were with me, even when I didn't recognize it. I thank you that you are for me—that you didn't send Jesus to condemn me but to save me.
"I admit that I never even realized I needed a Savior, but today I want to receive the gift of your Son. I ask you to save me from my past, my regrets, my mistakes, my sins, my habits, my hurts, and my hang-ups. I need you to take away the stress and fill me with your love. I need to be at peace with you, and I need you to put your peace in my heart.
"I ask you to save me for your purpose. I want to know why you put me on this planet. And I want to fulfill what you made me to do. I want to learn to love you and trust you and have a relationship with you. I pray this in the name of Jesus, amen."
If you prayed that prayer, please write and tell me at Rick@PastorRick.com. I'd love to send you some materials as you begin your journey with Jesus.
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