Thanksgiving Day: Attitude of Gratitude

Welcome to today's episode of the Reflective Spaces Ministry podcast. I'm Tammy Toney-Butler, Healing Evangelist and your host. Thanksgiving Day can be a day

that's a time for gratitude, a time for thanks, a time to give praise. But it can also be a time that many grieve the loss of a family of a family member

of a family that they never had as a child. Loved ones that they're far away from.

brothers and sisters they haven't seen in years.

Much much much

can be said about the feelings the emotional storm that can accompany a holiday like Thanksgiving. But we must must remember who is our help in a time of trouble. Who is the one that we can look to and praise no matter what we face? Because victory is ours. Victory is ours. Victory is ours in Christ Jesus. We don't have to fear that family gathering.

We don't have to fear it. Perfect love cast out all fear. Yeah, I know you're different. I know that you're one of those Jesus followers. And when you go around family, sometimes

you can be in an environment that's anything but conducive to praising the Lord. But praise him still. Praise him still. Praise him in the hallway. Praise him. Praise him. Praise him. Have an attitude of gratitude. Walk into any situation, any environment, and know that God is with you, that angels are around you. And yes, you can make it through that family dinner even with individuals there that can often not resemble the characteristics and qualities that you like to see in your fellow brethren. But remember, mercy is ours

to share. We all fall short of the glory of the Lord. And God's with us no matter where we gather. We have to remember that we take the kingdom of God with us wherever we go. It's inside of us. The word is alive. It's living. Christ is in us. So we get to walk into any situation

from a place of victory. We get to bring our peace into every room.

We get to have joy. We get to have abundant life. We get to sing praises to the most high because we are surrounded by a loving spiritual family. brothers and sisters in Christ. And even if you don't have family close by today,

that's blood. Remember from the moment you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you ask him to come into your heart and dwell and be Lord of your life. You repent of your sins. And you say, "Jesus, I want to follow you this day. I want you to be Lord and Savior of my life. No more my way. I want it your way. I want this joy. I want this peace. I want what she has." Every time she comes into the room or he comes into the room, there's such peace and light. I want to be like that. So Jesus, make me like you. I know you died on the cross and you rose again and you're coming back for me. So be Lord and Savior of my life. I accept you into my heart. I confess with my mouth that you are Lord. That you are Lord Jesus. And the only way to get to heaven is through you, Jesus, through the cross, the work done on the cross on Calvary. So I accept that and I accept you. Live inside of me. Make me fresh and new and have your Holy Spirit dwell within me so that I can have a helper, a deliverer, someone that will never leave me nor forsake me. but always with me. Aba father sent his only begotten son so that you could have abundant life. If that's not a reason to have praise and an attitude of gratitude, I don't know what is. Gratitude changes everything. Being grateful, looking from the lens of gratitude instead of complaining, instead of looking at what's lacking in the moment, instead replace that with the abundance that you do have, the things that you do have. Praise, praise, praise. Praise is indeed a weapon. And when we look at scripture, when we look at Psalm 108 and Psalm 109, let's look at Psalm 108. It's a song, a psalm of David. Victory in God's strength. With God's help, we can do more than we think. That's the theme. And the author is David. My heart is steadfast, oh God. I will sing and make music with all my soul. Awake harp and lear. I will awaken the dawn. I will praise you, oh Lord, among the nations. I will sing of you among the peoples, for great is your love, higher than the heavens. Your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, oh God, above the heavens, and let your glory be over all the earth. Let your glory be over all the earth. Look at Psalm 109. Oh God whom I praise, do not remain silent. For wicked and dece deceitful men have opened their mouths against me. They have spoken against me with lying tongues. With words of hatred they surround me. They attack me without cause in return for my friendship. They accuse me. But I am a man of prayer. I am a man of prayer. Remember to pray. Remember to seek God. Remember where the victory lies. We have victory in Christ Jesus. When we look at Psalm 109 and we skip down to 21, but you, oh sovereign Lord, deal well with me for your name's sake. Out of the goodness of your love, deliver me. For I am poor and needy, and my heart is wounded within me. I fade away like an evening shadow. I'm shaken off like a locust. My knees give away from fasting. My body is thin and gaunt. I am an object of scorn to my accusers. When they see me, they shake their heads. Help me, oh Lord, my God. Save me in accordance with your love. Let them know that it is your hand. That you, oh Lord, have done it. They may curse, but you will bless. When they attack, they will put to shame, but your servant will rejoice. Your servant will rejoice. My accusers will be clothed with disgrace and wrapped in a shame as in a cloak. With my mouth, I will greatly extol the Lord. In the great throng, I will praise him for he stands at the right hand of the needy one to save his life from those who condemn him. Let praise be your weapon. Let prayer be your weapon. Remember to have an attitude of gratitude this day. No matter what you're facing, what you're struggling with, you may be alone at your kitchen counter warming up leftovers from a to-go meal you had yesterday and thinking, "Is this really the way it's going to be?" On Thanksgiving, I'm alone in my apartment, in my house.

Is God really with me? Is he really there for me?

And I can answer that for you. Yes, he is. He's there. Just call out to him. And you know what? Set a dish out. another dish because you're not alone. You're having leftovers with Jesus. You're having coffee with Jesus. You're having Thanksgiving Day with Jesus. You're dating Jesus. You're with Jesus. He's all you need. He's all you need. So have an attitude of gratitude. It's nothing more than for the work done on Calvary and the blood shed on Calvary and what Christ did so that we could all live. Flip the script. Praise. Praise. Praise. And be thankful. Be grateful this day. And know and know you can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. You can walk and not grow weary. Run and not faint. Soar like an eagle like it says in Isaiah 40:31. And his plans are to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11. God's with you. He's with you. He's with you. Praise him. Praise him. Praise him. Walk into any situation with joy. Show joy. Show peace. Show grace even in environments that you wouldn't choose to be in this day. But family gatherings bring you together. And remember that you're grateful. Grateful that you have life. Grateful that you know Jesus. Grateful that you're healthy. Grateful that you're whole. And grateful that you're surrounded by the love of Jesus. Glory be to Jesus. Glory be to Jesus. Glory be to Jesus. Father, lift them up this day. Strengthen them. Give them the strength that they need, the clarity they need, the wisdom they need

as they seek out the opportunities you have for them and grow in the knowledge of you and your love, Jesus, your lordship. As they grow in relationship with you, strengthen them. Help them to hear you with such clarity and follow you and obey.

your will over theirs. Help them to surrender in areas where they need to surrender.

Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Holy Spirit, that your peace that surpasses all understanding is with them now.

Thank you, Holy Spirit. Just drink from that wellspring of living water, never to thirst again. Draw strength, draw clarity, and let praise be your weapon. In the mighty name of Jesus, we pray and declare all things. Amen.