Thanking God in advance

A boy named John was not a believer, and in fact was anti-Christian. One day his mother bought him a Bible, laid it on his desk, and said, “Here, son is your new Bible”.

John replied, “What’s this for?

His mother answered, “You don’t know it yet, but you’re to become a Christian”.

John responded, “No I’m not. I’m going to play football and go to hell.”

His mother stood up in church that night and said, “My son is about to become a Christian. He doesn’t know it yet, but I’m thanking God in advance.”

So John’s friends began to walk up to him on the street and say, “I heard you become a Christian.” “No, it’s just my crazy mother. I’m going to play football and go to hell.”

But his mother told her pastor, “I want you to save twenty minutes on Saturday night for my son to give his testimony.”

The Friday night before that Saturday, John was playing football when he suddenly felt God’s presence right on the playing field. He got down on his knees and prayed right in front of everybody: “God, I really need you in my life. If you can make a difference, come in and change me. Save me, whatever it takes. Make me born again.”

John ran off the field in his uniform, down the street, and up the stairs in his house. He hugged his mother and proclaimed, “Mom, I just became a Christian!”

She replied, “Of course! I’ve been telling you that for three weeks!”

This is a true story of thanking God in advance. The lesson is that there is power in thankfulness. Each one of us can say, “Lord, I know I have problems, but I thank you in advance because there is no situation that you can’t take care of.” That’s true faith—thanking God in advance.

Thank God for His Blessings: …

Billy Graham

We should be thankful for our material blessings. Some people are never satisfied with what they have. But what a difference it makes when we realize that everything we have has been given to us by God! King David replied, “Wealth and honor come from you…Now, our God, we give thanks, and praise your glorious name” (1 Chronicles 29:12-13).

Some years ago I visited a man who as wealthy and successful, the envy of all his friends and business associates. But as we talked, he broke down in tears, confessing that he was miserable inside. Wealth had not been able to fill the empty place in his heart.

A few hours later I visited another man who lived only a few miles away. His cottage was humble, and he had almost nothing in the way of this world’s possessions. Yet his face was radiant as he told me about the work he was doing for Christ and how Christ had filled his life with meaning and purpose.

The second man was really rich man, for he had learned to be thankful for everything God had given him. Paul declared, “I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want” ( Philippians 4:12 ). A spirit of thankfulness makes all the difference.