Notes from this week's podcast: I Thank My God Every Time I Remember... Who?

Pray about preparing [for the Thanksgiving season that we are about to celebrate]: Who is it that God would have you to be thankful for and to show your gratitude, your thankfulness for that person? 

We can get caught up in a lot of unnecessary tasks. And at the end of the day, we have laid aside the things the Holy Spirit is saying: this is important to do. 

Think about one thing: What is it that we need to focus on that we could speak to and minister to the heart of another person? 

Today, I want to talk about us being very intentional and slow down and show some deep heartfelt gratitude to some individuals. Name specific people that you're grateful for. 

And when you name them, you go seek them out. And in seeking them out, you spend some moments, minutes with them to look them in the eyes, face to face encounters. And you speak words of life to them, not just stirring emotions but speaking to their heart. 

Scripture demands us to do this. 

Before you start to express this gratitude, give some intentional prayer and then follow up with that. 

First, I want you to think about memories. Who is it that you have a memory of a special act of a friend, a Christian, whoever that made a difference in your life? 

God says remember. Remember at the end of crossing of the Red Sea. They laid down some stones. Remember what God did for them. 

God wants us to do the same thing in our everyday lives. 

How do we identify these people? Who is it -- maybe there was a moment in your life and they saw you weak, trembling at a circumstance, wandering in the wilderness and yet that person saw you and they chose to invest in you anyway -- someone that redirected your heart back to God. It rooted you, grounded you because of their sacrifice. 

Or who stood in the gap for you when you know your faith was tested? Who was the friend that didn't criticize you or judge you? But they walked with you. Who offered you godly correction? 

Who is loyal to you? They text you: I'm praying for you. 

Remember the who not just the what. 

Take a piece of paper and pen and write their name. 

These are foundational things that we, as Christians, should be consistently doing in our lives.

We can become so ordinary, programmed, focused on ourselves, that we take God for granted, and our heart can become ungrateful. It slings the door open to spiritual decay. The Word says we become rotten.

We want to be intentional to be grateful for other people.

Paul connected his gratitude to God. It was a direct communication to the people. He wanted them to know he was going to God on their behalf and thanking God for them.

Write down names as the Holy Spirit brings them to remembrance.

How many people are starving for people to knock on their door and look them in the eyes: I just want you to know how grateful I am. How important it is to follow through and show it.

We don't want the calendar to get full and squeezed and these things that we're commanded to do to show gratitude to other people. Who is it that you could block off a day -- to be intentional to be face to face. Call them to schedule it, confirm it. 

You'll be tempted to talk about the news of the day, but resist it. Be sure that you are courageous, that you are giving, speak with tenderness, directly to the heart. You want to acknowledge why you wanted to come. Be specific. Describe or explain how you've been impacted. Focus on the person. Give God glory. Remind them that this was God -- that God didn't let you miss that and that God used them to bless you and how grateful you are for that.

Why do we do this? Why is this important?  

There's something about face to face. 

We want to obey God's command -- honor those to whom honor is due. 

It teaches how to not just recognize someone but to honor someone. 

It can touch through a lot of doors/gates that the enemy may have built up. 

It can start to build holy communities around us. 

We want to shatter the lies that (the situation or season) didn't make a difference. 

It brings a sense of humility -- putting life in a greater perspective. 

Make a commitment to yourself and before the Lord. 

Prayer: Lord, who is it that you want me to take the time that is important to go show my gratitude toward, spend time with that person? 

It's going to lift you up, encourage your heart because you gave of yourself to love on someone else. Those are the gifts that last. They give over and over and over again. 

I pray that God uses you in this thankful season to how your gratitude to the ones that He is waiting to receive the gratitude that they too will be built up and know that they are loved. 

Scripture for further study: Romans 1:21, Philippians 1:3-5, Proverbs 18:21