Choosing Gratitude

Thank you for joining us on our daily Thank you for joining us on our daily guided prayer. This is an [music] guided prayer. This is an [music] guided prayer. This is an [music] opportunity to connect with Jesus and opportunity to connect with Jesus and opportunity to connect with Jesus and look beyond yourself for hope. look beyond yourself for hope. look beyond yourself for hope. After this time [music] that you connect After this time [music] that you connect After this time [music] that you connect with Jesus, I hope that your faith is with Jesus, I hope that your faith is with Jesus, I hope that your faith is built up. built up. built up. If it's possible, can you go into If it's possible, can you go into If it's possible, can you go into [music] a quiet place and position [music] a quiet place and position [music] a quiet place and position yourself to pray and thank God. yourself to pray and thank God. yourself to pray and thank God. Ephesians 1 gives an overview of who God Ephesians 1 gives an overview of who God Ephesians 1 gives an overview of who God is and what he is doing in the earth. is and what he is doing in the earth. is and what he is doing in the earth. I'm going to encourage you to read I'm going to encourage you to read I'm going to encourage you to read Ephesians 1. Ephesians 1. Ephesians 1. >> [music] >> [music] >> [music] >> Specifically Ephesians 1 through 10, >> Specifically Ephesians 1 through 10, >> Specifically Ephesians 1 through 10, these passages give perspective about these passages give perspective about these passages give perspective about who God is, what he has done, and who we who God is, what he has done, and who we who God is, what he has done, and who we are. are. are. >> [music] >> [music] >> [music] >> And even more gives definition to the >> And even more gives definition to the >> And even more gives definition to the world. world. world. This is so good. This is so good. This is so good. These scriptures will encourage you These scriptures will encourage you These scriptures will encourage you right now. right now. right now. >> [music] >> [music] >> [music] >> And today we're going to do something a >> And today we're going to do something a >> And today we're going to do something a little different. We're going to little different. We're going to little different. We're going to practice and focus on praise. [music] practice and focus on praise. [music] practice and focus on praise. [music] The two forms of prayer I want to focus The two forms of prayer I want to focus The two forms of prayer I want to focus on is praise and declaration. on is praise and declaration. on is praise and declaration. The first one, [music] praise, is a time The first one, [music] praise, is a time The first one, [music] praise, is a time to just thank God and honor him. to just thank God and honor him. to just thank God and honor him. Did you know your prayer time can be Did you know your prayer time can be Did you know your prayer time can be [music] just consumed with just thanking [music] just consumed with just thanking [music] just consumed with just thanking God?

God? God? Praise and worship are quick avenues Praise and worship are quick avenues Praise and worship are quick avenues [music] to connect with the living God. [music] to connect with the living God. [music] to connect with the living God. Another form of prayer is declaration, Another form of prayer is declaration, Another form of prayer is declaration, where we get the opportunity to declare where we get the opportunity to declare where we get the opportunity to declare God's word God's word God's word >> [music] >> [music] >> [music] >> over our lives and to situations. >> over our lives and to situations. >> over our lives and to situations. We're going to take some time to declare We're going to take some time to declare We're going to take some time to declare God's word over our lives. God's word over our lives. God's word over our lives. So, let's open our hearts to practice So, let's open our hearts to practice So, let's open our hearts to practice praise [music] praise [music] praise [music] and declaration right now. and declaration right now. and declaration right now. The first thing I want us to take some The first thing I want us to take some The first thing I want us to take some time to praise God is this. time to praise God is this. time to praise God is this. >> [music] >> [music] >> [music] >> Coming from Ephesians 1, it says, "We >> Coming from Ephesians 1, it says, "We >> Coming from Ephesians 1, it says, "We thank God that we are loved by God thank God that we are loved by God thank God that we are loved by God and Jesus [music] was sent to the and Jesus [music] was sent to the and Jesus [music] was sent to the earth." Let's use our own words to thank earth." Let's use our own words to thank earth." Let's use our own words to thank God that Jesus is with us. God that Jesus is with us. God that Jesus is with us. >> [music] >> The second thing [music] >> The second thing [music] we will take some time we will take some time we will take some time to praise God to praise God to praise God is specifically [music] is specifically [music] is specifically [music] is that God sees us as holy.

is that God sees us as holy. is that God sees us as holy. Let that sink [music] in. Let that sink [music] in. Let that sink [music] in. God sees you as holy. God sees you as holy. God sees you as holy. >> [music] >> [music] >> [music] >> Let's use our own words to thank God >> Let's use our own words to thank God >> Let's use our own words to thank God right now. [music] [music] >> Now, I want you to take a moment now to >> Now, I want you to take a moment now to >> Now, I want you to take a moment now to declare something to yourself. As if declare something to yourself. As if declare something to yourself. As if you're speaking to yourself right now, I you're speaking to yourself right now, I you're speaking to yourself right now, I want you to repeat this statement want you to repeat this statement want you to repeat this statement [music] after me. [music] after me. [music] after me. I am innocent I am innocent I am innocent because of Christ's forgiveness. because of Christ's forgiveness. because of Christ's forgiveness. I'll [music] repeat that. I am innocent I'll [music] repeat that. I am innocent I'll [music] repeat that. I am innocent because of Christ's forgiveness. >> [music] >> [music] >> Now, the next thing we're going to >> Now, the next thing we're going to >> Now, the next thing we're going to praise God is this specifically praise God is this specifically praise God is this specifically to thank God [music] for his plan to to thank God [music] for his plan to to thank God [music] for his plan to adopt us as children and to be in a adopt us as children and to be in a adopt us as children and to be in a relationship with him.

relationship with him. relationship with him. Let's use our words [music] right now to Let's use our words [music] right now to Let's use our words [music] right now to thank God for this new friendship and thank God for this new friendship and thank God for this new friendship and relationship. >> Now, let's take time to declare over >> Now, let's take time to declare over ourself these specific words. Can ourself these specific words. Can ourself these specific words. Can [music] you repeat after me? [music] you repeat after me? [music] you repeat after me? God delights in me God delights in me God delights in me as his own child. as his own child. as his own child. >> [music] God smiles God smiles >> [music] >> [music] >> [music] >> when he sees me. >> [music] >> [music] >> Now, let's go into another moment of >> Now, let's go into another moment of >> Now, let's go into another moment of praise. praise. praise. Let's thank God [music] that we have Let's thank God [music] that we have Let's thank God [music] that we have been redeemed by Jesus through his been redeemed by Jesus through his been redeemed by Jesus through his sacrifice and resurrection. [music] sacrifice and resurrection. [music] sacrifice and resurrection. [music] Jesus has done the work Jesus has done the work Jesus has done the work to make sure we are free [music] to make sure we are free [music] to make sure we are free [music] and forgiven and can follow him.

>> Now, let's declare over ourselves this >> Now, let's declare over ourselves this statement. [music] statement. [music] statement. [music] Can you repeat after me? Can you repeat after me? Can you repeat after me? All of my sin is totally canceled and All of my sin is totally canceled and All of my sin is totally canceled and forgiven in Jesus [music] Christ. I'm going to [music] repeat that. I'm going to [music] repeat that. All of my sin is totally canceled and All of my sin is totally canceled and All of my sin is totally canceled and forgiven in Jesus Christ. forgiven in Jesus Christ. forgiven in Jesus Christ. >> [music] >> Let's take one more moment [music] >> Let's take one more moment [music] now to praise God again. Let's thank God now to praise God again. Let's thank God now to praise God again. Let's thank God for his abundance of grace that is in for his abundance of grace that is in for his abundance of grace that is in our lives. our lives. our lives. >> [music] [music] [music] >> Now lastly, let's declare over ourselves >> Now lastly, let's declare over ourselves >> Now lastly, let's declare over ourselves one more statement.

one more statement. one more statement. Can you repeat after me? Can you repeat after me? Can you repeat after me? God [music] wants to do the miraculous God [music] wants to do the miraculous God [music] wants to do the miraculous through my life. Can you repeat that again? Can you repeat that again? >> [music] >> [music] >> [music] >> God wants to do the miraculous through >> God wants to do the miraculous through >> God wants to do the miraculous through my life. >> [music] >> [music] >> God, we thank you so much >> God, we thank you so much >> God, we thank you so much for who you are. God, we thank you that for who you are. God, we thank you that for who you are. God, we thank you that we're blessed with every spiritual we're blessed with every spiritual we're blessed with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in blessing in the heavenly places in blessing in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. God, we thank [music] you Christ Jesus. God, we thank [music] you Christ Jesus. God, we thank [music] you that we are adopted as children. God, we that we are adopted as children. God, we that we are adopted as children. God, we thank you for your grace that meets us thank you for your grace that meets us thank you for your grace that meets us where we're at. God, we thank you so where we're at. God, we thank you so where we're at. God, we thank you so much for your plans to redeem [music] much for your plans to redeem [music] much for your plans to redeem [music] the world. God, we thank you that you the world. God, we thank you that you the world. God, we thank you that you are faithful, you're good, and you're are faithful, you're good, and you're are faithful, you're good, and you're great. And God, we declare over [music] great. And God, we declare over [music] great. And God, we declare over [music] our lives that we are forgiven. We God, our lives that we are forgiven. We God, our lives that we are forgiven. We God, we we declare that we are accepted. God, we we declare that we are accepted. God, we we declare that we are accepted. God, we declare that you love us dearly. we declare that you love us dearly. we declare that you love us dearly. God, we thank you [music] God, we thank you [music] God, we thank you [music] that our sins is totally canceled and that our sins is totally canceled and that our sins is totally canceled and forgiven.

forgiven. forgiven. >> [music] >> [music] >> [music] >> And we declare over ourselves that we >> And we declare over ourselves that we >> And we declare over ourselves that we are free are free are free to live a free life. to live a free life. to live a free life. >> [music] >> [music] >> [music] >> And God, we thank you that you want to >> And God, we thank you that you want to >> And God, we thank you that you want to do miracles through us. do miracles through us. do miracles through us. I pray today for each person here today I pray today for each person here today I pray today for each person here today that they walk with boldness and that they walk with boldness and that they walk with boldness and security because of who you are. In security because of who you are. In security because of who you are. In Jesus' [music] name, amen.