Faith Says Thank You

Faith Says Thank You TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: O give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever! 1 Chronicles 16:34, AMP. TODAY'S WORD: One thing I’ve noticed is that when you live with an attitude of constant gratitude, not only will you thank God for what He’s done in your life, you start thanking Him for what He will do in the future. You thank Him for opening doors for you. You thank Him for increasing you. You thank Him for bringing the right people into your life. When we say “thank You” to God for the things that are coming, it’s really a declaration of our faith in Him. It’s saying, “God, I’m so sure of Your goodness, I’m so sure that You’re working in my life that I’m going to thank You right now for what You are going to do tomorrow.” Friend, that’s the kind of faith that pleases God. He wants us to trust in His goodness and believe that He is a Rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. He delights in seeing our faith. He delights in an attitude of gratitude. Today, let your faith say thank you. Praise Him throughout the day with an attitude of joy and expect to see His goodness in every area of your life! PRAYER FOR TODAY: Father, thank You for another day to praise Your name. Thank You for all You have done in my life and for what You will do tomorrow. Help me to see Your hand of blessing as I continually praise Your name in Jesus’ name. Amen.

When Temptation Calls   by Rick Warren "A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is arrogant and careless.” Proverbs 14:16 (NASB) It's common sense that if you don't want to get stung, stay away from the bees! If you don't want to get burned, don't get close to the fire! If you don't want to fall off the cliff, don't hang off the ledge! The goal is not to see how close you can get to the temptation but rather how far away from it you can stay. Proverbs 14:16 says, "A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is arrogant and careless” (NASB). A fool thinks he can handle temptation, but who is he kidding? You don't go to a bar just to eat pretzels! You need to do a frank assessment. You need to analyze when and where you are most tempted and vulnerable. Then, you need to stay away from those situations as much as you can. The Bible says to run from temptation: "I pondered the direction of my life, and I turned to follow your laws” (Psalm 119:59 NLT). If you have to physically remove yourself, do it! When Potiphar’s wife tempted Joseph, he left his coat and split. Sometimes you may have to leave your coat. Get out of the situation. Run from it. Don't stick around. When you're tempted, get up and change the channel. Or take a shower. Or turn on music. Go for a walk. Read the Bible. Call a Christian friend in your support group. Do something to break the spell. Here is some practical advice: Don't ever try to argue with the devil. You'll lose every time. He's had thousands of years to think up lines to counter anything you could come up with. Don't rationalize it. Don't justify it. Don't argue it. The key thing to do is break the focus. Don't look at the cookies and repeat, "I don't want them! I don't want them!” Who are you kidding? Turn around! The more you fight a feeling, the more it grows in intensity. When temptation calls you on the phone, don't try to argue. Just drop the receiver, and go do something else. Talk It Over Where are you most tempted? Is it in airports? On business trips? At home when you're alone and the kids are at school? During the weekend? When you’re watching television?   What changes do you need to make in your schedule or lifestyle to minimize your exposure to these situations? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvLjV_B_8V4