Week of Nov. 24
A Heart of Thanksgiving As the enemy attempts to lure us subtly away from God’s best plan for our lives, we begin to compromise in many areas. And the trick that the enemy has used since the beginning of time is trying to convince us that we are getting a bad deal.
Human nature does not like to get taken by anybody or anything—and the enemy knows this. So, once Satan convinces us that God is robbing us of some of life’s greatest pleasures, we begin to plan and to plot how we will get what we think we deserve. It is dangerous to venture down such a path.
However, there is a way to combat such tempting thoughts. To have a heart of gratitude means that we appreciate what God has given us. In fact, life itself is a gift from God to us for our enjoyment and pleasure.
When Paul and Silas were tossed into prison, they sang praises and hymns to God. These grateful hearts prepared the way for God to do something incredible in that Philippian jail. Had they been murmuring and grumbling about how a loving God could let them land in such a place, they would have missed an opportunity to lead a man and his entire family to the Lord.
As we seek God more and more, we discover that for every temptation the enemy presents, there is a greater blessing God wants to give. We must remain faithful to the Lord in those trying moments, pressing ahead with the knowledge that God will not withhold His best plan for our lives as long as we are putting Him first.
Prayer: Lord, please help me realize when I have an ungrateful heart and give me a heart of thanksgiving.
The Lord is my strength. … My heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song (Psalm 28:7).
Learn how praise can make all the difference in your life. Michael Youssef explores this topic in our free resource this month—”Empowered by Praise.” Download it today.
By Passionately Proclaiming Uncompromising Truth, Leading The Way is revolutionizing lives at home and around the world. Discover more at www.leadingtheway.org.
Today, we live in a culture that is increasingly hostile to biblical values. It takes great courage and faith to live as a follower of Christ in a world characterized by moral depravity, injustice, idolatry, and more…but it is possible!
Dr. Michael Youssef invites you to take a walk through the book of Daniel with him. In Leading The Way Through Daniel, the first volume of the Leading The Way Through the Bible commentary series, you will discover how a man of God lived a godly life in a godless culture.
Like Daniel, we are living by faith in a faithless culture. Leading The Way Through Daniel equips you to stand for God’s truth despite great opposition. This timely devotional book is ideal for personal or group use.