Dear Steemians,
I would like to share some thoughts with you on the subject:
PRAYING WITH THANKSGIVING
Are you a Christian struggling to receive answers to your requests each time you pray?
Maybe you should thank God more instead of asking.
The book of Philippians 4:6 reads thus:
Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known to God.
I want you to take some time and study this verse of scripture carefully so you could grasp the true meaning. It implies that as Christians we shouldn't worry about anything but instead we should thank God for everything we need and we will have them.
'Really, is it that easy?', you may ask.
Yes it is!
God has given us everything we need, all He requires from us is to thank Him for those things and they will be made manifest.
2 Peter 1:3 explains this. It reads:
According as His divine power hath given unto us All Things that pertain unto Life
And Godliness, through the knowledge of Him that hath called us to glory and virtue.
I laid emphasis on some of the words in the verse above to give us a better understanding.
As Christians there's absolutely nothing in this life that God has not given to us. Is it Cars? Houses? Riches? Health? Children? SBD? Steem?..Just name them! He has given us all things in Christ Jesus. As long as we have Jesus, we have all things! So, we really don't have to ask God for anything. All we need to do is thank Him for those things we need in faith, and we will have them.
Now, what is Faith?
Faith is simply believing that God's word is True.
As long as you agree with what the Bible, which is the written word of God, has said, go ahead and thank Him for that thing you need, it will surely come to pass.
For instance, instead of praying to God to heal you, why not thank Him for healing you!
Now, here's a story that strangely brought tears to my eyes, when I read it. It's an extract from a little novel titled: "The missing clock."
Mr Robert had lost his job three months ago. Although, he had a vegetable garden in his large compound, which was yet to be harvested. His savings, which his little family - comprising of his wife and three year old son, had been living on, was fast dwindling.
That Evening, his wife came to him complaining bitterly:
"You seem not to be bothered at all with this whole situation" she accused him.
"What do you want me to do?" He asked, "I'm trying my best".
"What are we going to eat?" She asked in exasperation.
"There's a lot of food out there", he said pointing at the vegetable garden and smiling.
"That's soup!" his wife snapped. "We need garri. We need rice, plantains, meat, eggs, milk ! We need toilet soap and washing powder and scores of other household items! We need money to buy things. Money!
Her husband laughed and said calmly, "can't you see there's money out there? Green gold in plain sight. Once we begin to sell."
But we haven't started selling!" She countered.
"We will, soon." He replied.
"How soon?" She asked.
Before he could reply, his son came out of the house to join them in the garden.
"Mummy, is that you crying?" he asked.
" I'm not crying," she replied a little sharply.
"But you look like you are crying."
"I said I am not crying!" She snapped.
"Daddy why is mummy crying?" Banjo asked his father.
His father did not reply but instead he said, "there's something we haven't done". "We haven't come together as a family to pray".
"Yes, the great, big Tobe family is out here", his wife replied sarcastically, "so why don't we pray".
He ignored her sarcasm and reached for her hand and that of his son. Then he began to pray. He thanked God for the loss of his job which he said had opened a vegetable business for him.
His wife interrupted him with a cackle. "Ha! What kind of prayer is that?"
"Back there", he replied, "I remembered how my roommate in the university used to pray. I kind of liked it."
"Since we are on the prayer game", his wife said , "why don't we pray that God should bring back the missing clock and my jewelry". She had lost these several months back.
Mr Tobe closed his eyes and said, "Dear God, thank you for bringing back the bunny clock and the jewelry".
"Is that it ?" His wife asked. Turning to their son she added, " your father is not serious".
"But I am", he responded, "my university roommate used to say, 'God does not need a bowl of words but a 'go!' of faith".
Well, the story ended beautifully. They got the answers to their prayers that same day!
The bonny clock, which was taken by their neighbor's maid, was found. A banker came that same day to book for vegetables that would be enough to feed a whole community! She was having a wedding party.
The next week she came again with a business proposal. Her bank was ready to partner with the Tobes in setting up a company that would be into the cultivation and sales of vegetables on a large scale.
With the help of the bank they were able to acquire plots of land to cultivate vegetables. Their business soon grew and they became multi millionaires.
In conclusion,
It doesn't matter what situation you are in right now, thank God, instead of complaining.Yes! thank Him for that change you desire, and it will happen just as you have said it to His ears.
# Thanks for Visiting my Blog. Hope You have been blessed. PLEASE Resteem if you have.
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Have a Great Week Ahead!
That's true @eucharis, prayer of thanksgiving as powerful as it is, we tend to underrate it because of our lack of faith. Bible says 1Cor. 3:21 "...all things are yours". If we truly believe this then we should be thanking God more.
@largerben
The main reason we are created is to give HIM thanks always. That is why he said,if you will not praise me, all these stones will do.
Very insightful