WEBVTT 00:00:04.400 --> 00:00:06.320 Hi, Paki family. 00:00:06.559 --> 00:00:15.119 I thank God for another opportunity to connect with you in this month of uncommon presence, spirit-led joy. 00:00:15.439 --> 00:00:38.640 When I reflect on this month, I just reflect on the thanksgiving or on thanksgiving because when I think of the words of John 3.16 that says God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him may not perish but have everlasting life. 00:00:38.880 --> 00:00:52.880 That makes me thinking the whole month of December should be a month of thanksgiving, in that if Jesus did not come, then we would not be having salvation today. 00:00:53.119 --> 00:00:59.039 And therefore, for me, it talks of, it reminds me of the goodness of the Lord. 00:00:59.200 --> 00:01:05.840 The month of June of December just reminds me of thanksgiving because of the goodness of the Lord. 00:01:06.079 --> 00:01:08.719 What hasn't the Lord done for us? 00:01:09.040 --> 00:01:13.920 Psalm 107 says, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. 00:01:14.159 --> 00:01:21.040 So because of the goodness of the Lord, it is for me a month to keep giving thanks to God. 00:01:21.200 --> 00:01:25.280 And when you give thanks, that produces joy in you. 00:01:25.599 --> 00:01:31.439 It doesn't matter under what circumstance, but that gives you a reason to thank God. 00:01:31.680 --> 00:01:42.000 And then I also think of the thanksgiving, it shifts our focus from you know the problems or the challenges of life to God's power. 00:01:42.159 --> 00:01:53.120 You know, sometimes we can really dwell on the things that have not happened or the things I had prepared to happen and they have not happened. 00:01:53.280 --> 00:02:11.840 And I can kind of begin like you know, uh grumbling and feeling God, it's like you have left me, but God hasn't left us because if we are alive and we know he loads us with the benefits every day, every day. 00:02:12.000 --> 00:02:18.719 So if we are alive every day and he has loaded us with the benefits of that day, why should we worry? 00:02:18.879 --> 00:02:27.120 We should be able to give thanks, knowing even tomorrow he will load us with another uh with another benefit. 00:02:27.280 --> 00:02:37.599 And so that is why the Bible in 1 Thessalonians 5, 16 to 18 says, We rejoice always and we give thanks in all circumstances. 00:02:37.840 --> 00:02:47.039 And thirdly, while I was thinking about thanksgiving, uh bringing the presence of God, it is also bringing joy. 00:02:47.199 --> 00:02:52.639 When you know the presence of God is with you, it brings a lot of joy. 00:02:52.879 --> 00:03:02.719 It does not matter what is happening because Psalm 16, verse 811 says, in your presence there is fullness of joy. 00:03:02.960 --> 00:03:13.120 So, beloved of the Lord, it is important to know that when there is thanksgiving, we should be able to know that one brings the presence of God. 00:03:13.360 --> 00:03:30.080 And so, beloved of the Lord, what I can want to remind us or to put it together is once we learn the secret of giving thanks to the Lord, we can know that it produces joy when we have learned to give thanks to the Lord. 00:03:30.240 --> 00:03:44.080 We know it produces joy, we know thanksgiving also removes our focus from the challenges of life, from the storms of life, even into God's power and disability in our lives. 00:03:44.240 --> 00:03:55.439 And finally, when we give thanks, then we know we call the presence of God because we know indeed the Lord is with us and that helps us to move. 00:03:55.599 --> 00:04:13.840 And so, for this, I pray that God helps you to live joyfully the whole of this month, knowing that God is with you and God is in your presence, and God is a reason for your living, and you do not have to have trouble or challenges leading your way. 00:04:14.080 --> 00:04:14.879 God bless you. 00:04:15.039 --> 00:04:17.040 Have a wonderful week.