Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Let’s spend Thanksgiving Eve thanking God in advance.

Today’s scripture, Ephesians 3:20 (NLT) says…
[20] Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

Consider…
One of the favorite scriptures many believers cling to is Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT), which says…
[11] For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

Most of us are excited for the good things God has in store. Like little children at Christmas Eve, we can’t wait to see what presents await us. It’s totally understandable given 1 Corinthians 2:9-12 (NLT), which declares…
[9] That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” [10] But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. [11] No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. [12] And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.

We serve a good God, so it’s fair to anticipate His goodness catching us.

I say catching us because Psalms 23:6 (NLT) says…
[6] Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.

Of course this makes me hear CeCe Winans singing…

Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me
Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me
With my life laid down, I surrendered now
I give You everything, oh Lord
Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me
Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me (oh yeah, oh yeah)
Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me
With my life laid down, I surrendered now
I give You everything
Your goodness is running after, it keeps running after me

Question, have you ever thanked God for His goodness running after you? Or have you thanked God that He causes everything to work for your good?

The second question is based on Romans 8:28-29 (NLT), which says…
[28] And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. [29] For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

I know verse 28 is another favorite for many believers, but a closer look at verse 29 reveals, God knew His people in advance. Have you thanked God for knowing you in advance and choosing you?

When I did a word search in the Bible app for ‘advance’, I found Romans 9:23-24 (NLT), which says…
[22] In the same way, even though God has the right to show his anger and his power, he is very patient with those on whom his anger falls, who are destined for destruction.
[23] He does this to make the riches of his glory shine even brighter on those to whom he shows mercy, who were prepared in advance for glory. [24] And we are among those whom he selected, both from the Jews and from the Gentiles.

The scripture says God shows mercy on those He prepared in advance for glory.
Have you thanked God for being prepared in advance for glory?

That makes me think of Romans 8:18-19 (NLT), which encourages…
[18] Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. [19] For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are.

God’s glory is awaiting you, have you thanked Him?

God promised to let everything and everyone know that you’re His child in the future, have you thanked Him?

Because we’re God’s children, we have an inheritance. Ephesians 1:11 (NLT) explains…
[11] Furthermore, because we are united with Christ, we have received an inheritance from God, for he chose us in advance, and he makes everything work out according to his plan.

Have you thanked God for your inheritance?

Thinking of our inheritance made me hear Donald Lawrence singing…

Wherever you are, where er’ you go
Whatever you touch is anointed to grow
You are the seed by faith receive
The blessing of Abraham
The blessing of Abraham

It’s your inheritance, get your inheritance
You are the seed by faith receive
The blessing of Abraham
The blessing of Abraham

Maestro Lawrence’s said we are Abraham’s seed, which Led me to lookup Romans 4:13-16 (NLT), which says…
[13] Clearly, God’s promise to give the whole earth to Abraham and his descendants was based not on his obedience to God’s law, but on a right relationship with God that comes by faith. [14] If God’s promise is only for those who obey the law, then faith is not necessary and the promise is pointless. [15] For the law always brings punishment on those who try to obey it. (The only way to avoid breaking the law is to have no law to break!) [16] So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham’s. For Abraham is the father of all who believe.

Notice, God’s promise, which is futuristic by definition, was based on a relationship formed by faith. This is a good time to remind you that Hebrews 11:1 (NLT) explains…
[1] Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see.

Have you thanked God in faith for what you hope for or is unseen?

I encourage you not to only thank God for what He has done or is doing, but to also thank in Him in advance for what He will do. Thanking God in advance demonstrates our faith.

The Holy Spirit just gave me an acronym to help us remember to thank God in advance.

Trusting the
Heavenly Father in
Advance of everything without
Needing to
Know anything

Today’s Song is…
In Advance

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)