#264 O Magnify the Lord with me by the Power of Thanksgiving Psalm 34.4
Giving thanks is like a powerful magnifying glass that makes God bigger than any obstacle and empowers us to see the Love and Commitment of God more clearly.
“I will praise the name of God with song, and shall magnify Him with thanksgiving.” Psalm 69:30
When we share what we see through the lens of gratitude in fellowship with others we can see His Holy character magnified to an even greater degree. We have the privilege of helping each other to see a glimpse of His majesty and love more closely.
“O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together.” Psalm 34:3
We can also use the lens of gratitude to magnify the gifts and blessings in the people and the circumstances that sometimes collide with our life.
The miracle of gratitude is it shifts your perception to such an extent that it changes the world you see. R Holden
When we pray with thanksgiving our hearts and minds are guarded by the peace of God. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:6-7 NIV The peace of God is based on the Confidence of God.
“Peace is defined to be a state of quiet or tranquility, freedom from disturbance or agitation, calmness, repose. Such a state of mind is here affirmed of God. His is a mind tranquil, calm, undisturbed and never agitated nor even wearied nor perplexed by any of the cares of His vast dominion. Yet this perfect peace of God, the scriptures show, is not due either to the fact that there are no disorders in His vast dominion, nor yet to any stoical indifference to pain or pleasure, but rather to that perfect poise of His glorious attributes which makes Him Master of His situation as Sovereign of the whole universe. R 1832
He knows He has a higher purpose, and that His Word will not return to Him empty. Isaiah 55:9-11 When we pray a prayer of thanksgiving for the conflict or for the thing we fear, we are empowered to see the issue in harmony with this peace and confidence that God has. We see His ultimate purpose to use all experience for the highest good of all. Isaiah 55:12-13
I experienced this the other day with a person I feel very threatened by. I thanked God for him, and that attitude of gratitude made me see him differently. I pictured him as a child, knowing some of the ridicule and shame he experienced in his young years. Then I pictured this little child that still lives within him, with wounds that unconsciously set him up to create failure and rejection, blessed by the truth and healing of the Kingdom and embraced by Jesus. Now when I think of him I also thank God for the opportunity of blessing he will experience under the future ministry of reconciliation. This dispels my fear. When fear occurs again it gives me repeated opportunity to pray now for his highest good and healing in God’s time and way in preparation for the future healing.
To thank God frequently is a practice that makes it possible to pray without ceasing. (Sarah Young) 1 Thess. 5:16-18
“Let all who seek Thee rejoice and be glad in Thee; Let those who love Thy salvation say continually,
“The LORD be magnified!” Psalm 40:16
Giving thanks is like a powerful magnifying glass that makes God bigger than any obstacle and empowers us to see the Love and Commitment of God more clearly.
“I will praise the name of God with song, and shall magnify Him with thanksgiving.” Psalm 69:30
When we share what we see through the lens of gratitude in fellowship with others we can see His Holy character magnified to an even greater degree. We have the privilege of helping each other to see a glimpse of His majesty and love more closely.
“O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together.” Psalm 34:3
We can also use the lens of gratitude to magnify the gifts and blessings in the people and the circumstances that sometimes collide with our life.
The miracle of gratitude is it shifts your perception to such an extent that it changes the world you see. R Holden
When we pray with thanksgiving our hearts and minds are guarded by the peace of God. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:6-7 NIV The peace of God is based on the Confidence of God.
“Peace is defined to be a state of quiet or tranquility, freedom from disturbance or agitation, calmness, repose. Such a state of mind is here affirmed of God. His is a mind tranquil, calm, undisturbed and never agitated nor even wearied nor perplexed by any of the cares of His vast dominion. Yet this perfect peace of God, the scriptures show, is not due either to the fact that there are no disorders in His vast dominion, nor yet to any stoical indifference to pain or pleasure, but rather to that perfect poise of His glorious attributes which makes Him Master of His situation as Sovereign of the whole universe. R 1832
He knows He has a higher purpose, and that His Word will not return to Him empty. Isaiah 55:9-11 When we pray a prayer of thanksgiving for the conflict or for the thing we fear, we are empowered to see the issue in harmony with this peace and confidence that God has. We see His ultimate purpose to use all experience for the highest good of all. Isaiah 55:12-13
I experienced this the other day with a person I feel very threatened by. I thanked God for him, and that attitude of gratitude made me see him differently. I pictured him as a child, knowing some of the ridicule and shame he experienced in his young years. Then I pictured this little child that still lives within him, with wounds that unconsciously set him up to create failure and rejection, blessed by the truth and healing of the Kingdom and embraced by Jesus. Now when I think of him I also thank God for the opportunity of blessing he will experience under the future ministry of reconciliation. This dispels my fear. When fear occurs again it gives me repeated opportunity to pray now for his highest good and healing in God’s time and way in preparation for the future healing.
To thank God frequently is a practice that makes it possible to pray without ceasing. (Sarah Young) 1 Thess. 5:16-18
“Let all who seek Thee rejoice and be glad in Thee; Let those who love Thy salvation say continually,
“The LORD be magnified!” Psalm 40:16
