Bless our God, O peoples, give Him grateful thanks...

For the Lord will comfort Zion; He will comfort all her waste places. And He will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord. Joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of song or instrument of praise.
Isaiah 51:3


I sit here tonight, still full from Thanksgiving dinner with my family, and I realize how very grateful I am for all that God has done. Today would not have been possible without God. He gave me a family that would never stop loving me, that has dealt with me truthfully and loyally in every moment. He gave me true friends that accept, encourage and delight me. He gave me pets that will never leave my side or fail to comfort me. He gave me a job, by which I am self-sufficient and able to give to others...while working with my dad and being able to bring Ellie to work with me every day. Every single blessing in my life - it's all because of Him. I almost wasn't who I am. I almost lost myself. I let go, and I almost walked away. But praise God Almighty, He never let go of me. My family never let go of me.

I sit here tonight, and I can think of things that I want...and that's okay. God put those desires in my heart. However, I also realize that none of the things I want will actually make me happy. Things cannot make me happy, nor can people, or finances, or any other circumstance. The only thing that can make me happy is me. Happiness is a personal choice. It is a decision. True happiness isn't a rush of emotion - it isn't the moment where the wrapping paper of your life comes flying off and you see your brand new shiny job, or love interest or new exciting toy... true happiness is contentedness. It's going deeper than the rush of "oooh! aaah! something new to excite me!" I choose to be happy - to be content - because I know that my satisfaction is invested in and safely set upon the Lord... Who will never forsake, disappoint or leave me. Of course there are things that I want, but I don't need new shiny things to feel a deep sense of satisfaction.

Now, let me be clear - the new shiny things are fun, and the Lord wants me to have "all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to [me] in abundance" (2 Corinthians 9:8)... I have no problem with the new shiny things and, as far as I'm concerned, bring them on. I just don't need them to be happy and content.

Let me also be clear that I vehemently oppose the very "religious" idea that in order to be a true Christian, you must go without any and all luxuries - that you must be poor and sick to inherit the Kingdom of God. (Don't get me started here on the difference between humility and self-deprecation...) The Lord my God wishes above all else that I may prosper, even as my soul prospers. The Lord my God did form my inward parts; He did knit me together in my mother's womb (Psalm 139:13). In fact, the Lord our God loves us SO much, that "Neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers, Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39). The God that loves me that much... the God that sent His only begotten Son to suffer an undeserving tortuous death so that I could be saved - that God, my God, Jehovah Jirah - He wants me to prosper. Jesus came so that we "may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows)" (John 10:10). When I say that I don't need things in order to be content and happy, what I am saying is that the King of Kings loves me, and I have not one shred of doubt that He has nothing but my health, my happiness and my best interests in His heart. What I'm saying is, my God will never leave me or forsake me. What I'm saying is, I do not need anything but Jesus to be content.

(Let me interject here quickly - it may seem holy to be sick and poor - it may seem humble to be self-deprecating and living a less-than-victorious life - but those perceptions are what the devil is banking on. This blog is about blessings and receiving/appreciating them but not needing them to be happy... what is very different is standing up for your heavenly birthright and demanding what the Bible says you are entitled to. You are a child of the Living God, and as such, the devil has no rights, claims or authority over you. Demanding your birthright as joint heir with Jesus Christ does not make you vain any more than demanding your rights as a citizen of this country makes you egotistical. I mean, there is a difference between demanding your 5th amendment rights and demanding a pretty, pretty pony. One is your birthright, one is a blessing. Your birthright is not about your performance or gifts or blessings - it's about identity! It's about demanding the life that Jesus died for you to have. He didn't die so you could live a less-than-victorious life and then feel guilty and vain for thinking you should have more. Now, yes, we live in a fallen world and we have to deal with unpleasant, difficult things - yes. Absolutely yes. It's not like being a Christian means we shouldn't have to deal with difficulty... in fact, it's the opposite - but what it does mean is that we, as Christians, need to stop accepting the attacks of the devil by thinking that it's actually humble and righteous of us to suffer through things that Jesus has already suffered through on our behalf. It is our birthright - our Blood-purchased birthright - to have a healthy and just life. Right. Off that soapbox. Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming...)

Right...so as I was saying, I do not need anything but Jesus to be content. But now get this - the Lord ENJOYS giving us the desires of our hearts!

Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on high, because he knows and understands My name [has a personal knowledge of My mercy, love, and kindness--trusts and relies on Me, knowing I will never forsake him, no, never].
Psalm 91:14

EVERYONE WHO believes (adheres to, trusts, and relies on the fact) that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah) is a born-again child of God; and everyone who loves the Father also loves the one born of Him (His offspring).
I John 5:1

Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart.
Psalm 37:4

May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God's devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it]; [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]! Now to Him Who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His] power that is at work within us, is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]-- To Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations forever and ever. Amen (so be it).
Ephesians 3:17-21

BECAUSE I set my love and faith firmly on God... BECAUSE He is the source of my satisfaction and contentedness, BECAUSE I don't need things (possessions, blessings, emotional bandaids) to be happy/content, He showers me with blessings until my cup runs over (Psalm 23:5). I am grateful for the blessings - but they are all merely glimpses into the depth of God's love for me. ME! Imperfect, flawed ME. He loves me, I am His child, and He rejoices over me with joy (Zephaniah 3:17). THAT is why I am thankful.

Now, this may sound strange, but I expect blessings. I expect them not because 'look at me, look at me, I'm so great, I'm so great' - I expect them because I know God. I know His nature, and I know that He loves me. Therefore, I know to expect blessings.

So, tonight, I am thankful for my God.

I am thankful for all that He has given to me, done for me, and done in me.

I am thankful for every blessing He has planned for me that I have yet to receive.

I am thankful for the things that I have prayed for that I have not received - I am thankful that God has something BETTER for me than what I have asked Him for. I am thankful that God knows better than I do, and while I may not understand, all He is doing is working for my good.


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Bless our God, O peoples, give Him grateful thanks and make the voice of His praise be heard, Who put and kept us among the living, and has not allowed our feet to slip.
Psalm 66:8-9

But if one loves God truly [with affectionate reverence, prompt obedience, and grateful recognition of His blessing], he is known by God [recognized as worthy of His intimacy and love, and he is owned by Him]. For although there may be so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many of them, both of gods and of lords and masters, Yet for us there is [only] one God, the Father, Who is the Source of all things and for Whom we [have life], and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through and by Whom are all things and through and by Whom we [ourselves exist].
I Corinthians 8:3,5-6

All the mighty ones upon earth shall eat [in thanksgiving] and worship; all they that go down to the dust shall bow before Him, even he who cannot keep himself alive.
Psalm 22:29

I will wash my hands in innocence, and go about Your altar, O Lord, That I may make the voice of thanksgiving heard and may tell of all Your wondrous works.
Psalm 26:6-7

Offer to God the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High,
Psalm 50:14

He who brings an offering of praise and thanksgiving honors and glorifies Me; and he who orders his way aright [who prepares the way that I may show him], to him I will demonstrate the salvation of God.
Psalm 50:23

I will praise the name of God with a song and will magnify Him with thanksgiving,
Psalm 69:30

Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise!
Psalm 95:2

[A Psalm of thanksgiving and for the thank offering.] MAKE A joyful noise to the Lord, all you lands!
Psalm 100:1

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and a thank offering and into His courts with praise! Be thankful and say so to Him, bless and affectionately praise His name!
Psalm 100:4

And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving and rehearse His deeds with shouts of joy and singing!
Psalm 107:22

I will offer to You the sacrifice of thanksgiving and will call on the name of the Lord.
Psalm 116:17

My lips shall pour forth praise [with thanksgiving and renewed trust] when You teach me Your statutes.
Psalm 119:171

Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; sing praises with the harp or the lyre to our God!--
Psalm 147:7

Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God's peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:6-7

The first living creature (being) was like a lion, the second living creature like an ox, the third living creature had the face of a man, and the fourth living creature [was] like a flying eagle. And the four living creatures, individually having six wings, were full of eyes all over and within [underneath their wings]; and day and night they never stop saying, Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty (Omnipotent), Who was and Who is and Who is to come. And whenever the living creatures offer glory and honor and thanksgiving to Him Who sits on the throne, Who lives forever and ever (through the eternities of the eternities), The twenty-four elders (the members of the heavenly Sanhedrin) fall prostrate before Him Who is sitting on the throne, and they worship Him Who lives forever and ever; and they throw down their crowns before the throne, crying out, Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive the glory and the honor and dominion, for You created all things; by Your will they were [brought into being] and were created.
Revelation 4:7-11