November 14, 2023 • 11 mins
Episode Title: Colossians 4:2: Expressing Thanksgiving in Prayer
Introduction:
- Warm greetings from Jason Gohl, your host.
- Series: "A Daily Gratitude Journey" leading to Thanksgiving.
- Reminder to subscribe and visit [www.walkinginhisword.com](www.walkinginhisword.com) for resources.
Exploring Colossians 4:2
- Reading Colossians 4:2 on steadfast prayer with Thanksgiving.
- Establishing thankfulness as vital in conversations with God.
Steadfast Prayer in Daily Life:
- Emphasizing the need for continuous dialog with God.
- Moving beyond routine prayers to intentional, ongoing communication.
- Reference to 1 Thessalonians 5:17 on praying without ceasing.
Being Watchful in Prayer:
- Introducing the concept of watchfulness in prayer.
- Sharing a personal anecdote on the importance of listening.
- Mark 13:33 mentioned, emphasizing spiritual vigilance.
With Thanksgiving - Gratitude in Prayer:
- Highlighting gratitude as the heart of prayer.
- Connecting Philippians 4:6 on anxiety and prayer with Thanksgiving.
- Describing how gratitude transforms prayer experiences.
Practical Steps for Transformation:
- Incorporating praise and Thanksgiving into prayer life.
- Dedication of time for silent listening during prayer.
- Encouraging steadfastness, watchfulness, and gratitude infusion.
Prayer as a Sanctuary:
- Reinforcing prayer as a direct connection to God.
- Amid distractions, prayer serves as a sanctuary and oasis for renewal.
- Encouragement to approach each prayer with purpose and gratitude.
Conclusion:
- Expressing gratitude for joining "Walking in His Word."
- Inviting listeners to integrate gratitude into daily life.
- Reminding of the ongoing gratitude journey throughout November.
Connect and Stay Inspired:
- Subscribe for daily inspiration and reminders.
- Visit www.walkinginhisword.com for resources and community.
- Social media presence on Facebook and Instagram: "Walking in His Word Podcast."
Final Thoughts:
- Carrying the spirit of Thanksgiving into each day.
- Wishing listeners a heart filled with gratitude and strengthened faith.
- Signing off with the encouragement to keep walking in His Word.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
(00:00):
Greetings, friends.
Welcome back to Walking.
In His word,
your source
for succinct and impactful
Bible centered episodes.
I'm Jason Gohl your host.
And today
we're continuing our journey of gratitude
in our special series
leading up to the Thanksgiving
season called A Daily Gratitude Journey.
Get ready to dive into the timeless
wisdom of the Bible and discover
how Thanksgiving can transform your life.
(00:20):
But before we begin, remember
to subscribe to our podcast
to receive daily inspiration.
Please also visit our website.
www.walkinginhisword.com
for additional resources
and information
and how you can connect
with our community.
Now let's explore
the heart of Thanksgiving together.
In this episode,
we'll explore
how prayer serves
as a powerful vehicle
for expressing gratitude
(00:41):
and deepening our connection
with God will lay the foundation
by discussing why
thankfulness is an essential element
of our conversations with God.
And we'll start by reading Colossians
four, verse two.
In this verse,
the Apostle
Paul offers
a compelling insight
into the world of prayer.
It says,
Continue steadfast
lay in prayer, being watchful in it
with Thanksgiving.
(01:01):
These words hold a profound key
to enriching our prayer life
and deepening our connection
with the Heavenly Father.
Let's begin by looking at this idea
of steadfast prayer in our busy lives.
It's easy
to view prayer as a checklist item,
something we do
as part of our daily routine.
And that's
a good thing to have a routine of prayer
and regular time before the Lord.
(01:21):
We've talked about that
before with gratitude journals,
where we have a routine of giving thanks.
But Paul encourages
us to persist in prayer
with unwavering dedication.
Steadfast prayer
is about
embracing a consistent and ongoing dialog
with the Heavenly Father.
So it's not just a checklist.
It's not just something we do
as part of our daily routine,
(01:42):
but it's a continuous relationship
and continuous dialog
with our Heavenly Father.
In our hectic world,
it's easy to relegate prayer
to mere words recited mechanically.
We may rush through our requests
or desires
or our confessions
without truly engaging with our father.
But when Paul urges us
to continue steadfastly
(02:02):
in prayer,
he's encouraging us to develop
an ongoing rhythm of prayer.
Prayer shouldn't be treated
as a last minute resort
when life becomes challenging,
but rather an intentional,
continuous conversation and communication
with our Heavenly Father.
There should be purposeful times
where we dedicate
time to sit and listen and communicate,
(02:23):
but we can have an ongoing communication
throughout the day
just by talking in our spirit
or seeking
and responding to the Lord,
even in our daily routines.
First Thessalonians 517 says Pray
without Ceasing.
This verse reminds us
that prayer is a continuous
and unbroken conversation with God.
(02:44):
Like I said,
we can have
a regular routine
or an intentional moment
to sit and communicate,
but really
the desire is to have an ongoing,
continuous conversation with God.
No matter what we are doing,
we have
the privilege,
the opportunity
to have an open line of communication
with our father.
It's not confined
(03:04):
or designated to those specific moments,
but it can happen throughout the day.
I want to look now
at the
second part of Colossians four two,
which talks about being watchful.
Being watchful in our prayer
life is like another level
that we can grow into.
Paul urges us to maintain
an alert and conscious awareness
during prayer.
It's not just reciting words,
it's about being present,
(03:25):
attentive and receptive
to God's response.
Watchfulness reminds us
to approach prayer
with an expectant heart
as if we're awaiting a response
from a dear friend.
It's about staying awake
to the voice of the Lord
and being responsive when he prompts us.
Many years ago,
when I was still in Bible school,
I had the privilege of ministering
at a youth camp as a camp counselor,
(03:47):
and we were able to share
with the kids, minister to them.
And also we had a really fun time.
And there was one time
during one of the services where
there was an altar call and people
and some of the campers came up
and asked for prayer.
And the overseer of the camp
used this as opportunities
for us, people like myself
who were in Bible school
and wanted to gain some experience
(04:08):
in this kind of a situation.
So he allowed us to pray for the kids
and to to minister to them.
And it was awesome.
It was a great time,
a great way to learn
and grow in the ministry.
And I was praying for one of the kids
one time and I was just praying with him
and ministering with him
and the senior pastor came up
and he asked
what was what we were praying for.
And the young boy shared what he was,
(04:29):
what he was praying for.
And the pastor said, Well,
the pastor looked at me, goes,
what did the Lord say?
And I was surprised and shocked.
And I said, Well, I don't
I don't have anything from the Lord.
And he goes, Well, are you listening?
And I said,
no, I was just praying with him
and encouraging him.
But he goes, But you have
are you listening to
what the Lord is saying?
And he took a moment
(04:49):
and prayed with us and said,
Now just listen to what the Lord speaks.
And sure enough,
the Lord spoke clear as day,
something that this young man
could do to help his situation.
And it was a very specific key.
And now
that young man is still walking
with the Lord to this day.
And it was awesome.
But it was a challenge for me because
the senior pastor goes, Well,
(05:10):
what is the Lord saying?
And I said, Well, I don't know.
I didn't.
I thought I was just
to pray and encourage and be blessed.
And he goes, No,
you have to listen to
what the Lord will say.
And it was a
it was an eye opening experience
for me
to be watchful, to be
to listen for what the Lord is saying.
And we can do that in our prayer
lives a lot, can't we?
(05:30):
We can go
and we can start speaking and speaking.
And if we're not careful, we'll have
we won't take a moment to just listen.
My senior pastor growing up, who is now
my spiritual father,
would always tell me to take time
just to listen, to be silent
and just listen to
what the Lord is going to say.
Another verse we could look at is
(05:51):
Mark 13, verse 33 Be on guard.
Keep awake for you.
Do not know when the time will come here.
And Mark were reminded to be vigilant
and watchful
because we cannot
predict the exact moment
when the revelation will come to call
to maintain
a state of spiritual awareness,
always seeking God's guidance
and keeping open to his timing.
I find now more than ever
(06:12):
that my prayer time is a lot more silent
than it used to be.
I used to come and say a lot of words
and say a lot of words
and repetitive words
and asking for things and so forth.
But now it's just sitting there and quiet
and listening to what
the Lord is going to say.
And it's really beneficial
because you get a lot out of those times
(06:32):
where you can
and even during the day at work,
if I'm facing a challenging situation
or I'm in a meeting
that's not going well
and I can just say, Lord,
what should I do? Help me?
Or should I say,
What should I tell this person?
How can I keep a good attitude here
and just keep that open
dialog even during the day?
I want to move to the next part
of our discussion today,
which lies in the last part of Colossians
(06:54):
four two.
It says, With Thanksgiving,
gratitude is the heart of prayer.
It's the thread
that ties our communication
with God together.
When we approach God with Thanksgiving
and with thankfulness,
our prayers become conversations
filled with joy and humility.
Gratitude is the element
that breathe life into our prayers.
When we approach prayer
with the heart of Thanksgiving,
(07:15):
it transforms our communication
with our Heavenly Father.
We are not merely bringing our requests.
We are expressing gratitude
and joy and thankfulness
for the blessings and his abundant
goodness to us.
Philippians four Success
Do not be anxious about anything
but in everything, by prayer
and supplication with Thanksgiving,
let your request be made known to God.
(07:36):
Here we are reminded
that gratitude in prayer
is a powerful antidote to anxiety.
It is an invitation
to bring our request to God,
accompanied by Thanksgiving.
This verse underscores
the connection between gratitude, prayer
and the peace of God
that transcends all other standing.
So what happens when gratitude
becomes the fuel for our prayers?
We experience transformation.
(07:57):
We experience real, tangible life change.
We also experience a drastic elevation
in our prayer lives.
Gratitude lifts us up.
Gratitude lifts our prayer life up.
It elevates
It makes it an intimate and soul
enriching experience
shared with our Heavenly Father.
It shifts our focus
from merely asking for things
(08:18):
to recognizing the abundance
already present in our lives.
When gratitude infuses our prayers,
it shifts our perspective.
Instead of approaching prayer
as a transaction with a wish list,
we begin to see it as an opportunity
to express
our profound appreciation
for the blessings we've received.
It's about recognizing
that even in times of hardship,
there's a multitude of reasons
(08:39):
for which we can be thankful.
So what can we do?
How can we transfer this
thought into action?
First of all, incorporate praise
and Thanksgiving into your prayer life.
If you don't already
dedicate a special time
to praise and worship
as part of your prayer life,
and it will amplify your expression
of thanks.
Other things you can do.
(09:00):
And you might have to start off
a little slow at this one,
but when you're in
your dedicated prayer time,
dedicate a certain portion of your prayer
time to just sitting still and listening,
being mindful to hear
what God says there.
There are times
when we have
to speak a lot and press in
and do spiritual warfare.
Even in prayer.
But if we truly want to commune with God,
(09:20):
we have to listen.
We have to open our ears.
So incorporate praise, incorporate
Thanksgiving into your prayer time,
but also dedicate time
to just sit and listen
and be mindful
to what God would say and be steadfast
throughout the day.
We have many opportunities to just speak
to God
and listen to Him,
so embrace steadfastness and watchfulness
(09:43):
in prayer
and infuse all of that with gratitude.
At Thanksgiving.
Remember that prayer
is your direct connection
to our Heavenly Father.
It's a sacred place, a sacred opportunity
where we can express
our deepest thoughts
and desires and feelings to him.
And as we do that,
let gratitude and Thanksgiving
pour out from us.
This world is filled
with constant distractions,
(10:04):
constant concerns, constant asides.
But remember your prayer.
Life can be a sanctuary
where you can communicate with God.
It can be an oasis of renewal,
where we can have
our spirits
refreshed and renewed
and build back up again.
So I encourage you today
approach each prayer
time with a heart filled with gratitude,
with a heart filled with purpose,
(10:25):
with a heart intent to listen
to what God says
and you'll experience
that transformational power
that comes with Thanksgiving.
Thank you so much for joining us
on this episode of Walking in His Word,
where we are driving
towards the Thanksgiving season
by looking at a daily gratitude journey,
I encourage you to take these steps
to make gratitude
a part of your everyday life.
(10:46):
I hope you've been inspired
and encouraged to cultivate gratitude
into your own journey in your own way.
Remember here at Walking In His Words,
Our Gratitude Journey continues
every weekday in the month of November,
so don't forget to subscribe
and join us for reminders
about your daily inspiration
for additional resources
and to connect with our community.
Visit our website at
(11:07):
www.walkinginhisword.com
You can also find us
on Facebook and Instagram
by searching for
@walkinginhisWordpodcast.
Now let's carry
the spirit of Thanksgiving with us
as we embrace the day ahead.
Until next
time, may
your heart be filled with gratitude
and your faith be strengthened
and keep walking. In his word.
Greetings, friends.
Welcome back to Walking.
In His word,
your source
for succinct and impactful
Bible centered episodes.
I'm Jason Gohl your host.
And today
we're continuing our journey of gratitude
in our special series
leading up to the Thanksgiving
season called A Daily Gratitude Journey.
Get ready to dive into the timeless
wisdom of the Bible and discover
how Thanksgiving can transform your life.
(00:20):
But before we begin, remember
to subscribe to our podcast
to receive daily inspiration.
Please also visit our website.
www.walkinginhisword.com
for additional resources
and information
and how you can connect
with our community.
Now let's explore
the heart of Thanksgiving together.
In this episode,
we'll explore
how prayer serves
as a powerful vehicle
for expressing gratitude
(00:41):
and deepening our connection
with God will lay the foundation
by discussing why
thankfulness is an essential element
of our conversations with God.
And we'll start by reading Colossians
four, verse two.
In this verse,
the Apostle
Paul offers
a compelling insight
into the world of prayer.
It says,
Continue steadfast
lay in prayer, being watchful in it
with Thanksgiving.
(01:01):
These words hold a profound key
to enriching our prayer life
and deepening our connection
with the Heavenly Father.
Let's begin by looking at this idea
of steadfast prayer in our busy lives.
It's easy
to view prayer as a checklist item,
something we do
as part of our daily routine.
And that's
a good thing to have a routine of prayer
and regular time before the Lord.
(01:21):
We've talked about that
before with gratitude journals,
where we have a routine of giving thanks.
But Paul encourages
us to persist in prayer
with unwavering dedication.
Steadfast prayer
is about
embracing a consistent and ongoing dialog
with the Heavenly Father.
So it's not just a checklist.
It's not just something we do
as part of our daily routine,
(01:42):
but it's a continuous relationship
and continuous dialog
with our Heavenly Father.
In our hectic world,
it's easy to relegate prayer
to mere words recited mechanically.
We may rush through our requests
or desires
or our confessions
without truly engaging with our father.
But when Paul urges us
to continue steadfastly
(02:02):
in prayer,
he's encouraging us to develop
an ongoing rhythm of prayer.
Prayer shouldn't be treated
as a last minute resort
when life becomes challenging,
but rather an intentional,
continuous conversation and communication
with our Heavenly Father.
There should be purposeful times
where we dedicate
time to sit and listen and communicate,
(02:23):
but we can have an ongoing communication
throughout the day
just by talking in our spirit
or seeking
and responding to the Lord,
even in our daily routines.
First Thessalonians 517 says Pray
without Ceasing.
This verse reminds us
that prayer is a continuous
and unbroken conversation with God.
(02:44):
Like I said,
we can have
a regular routine
or an intentional moment
to sit and communicate,
but really
the desire is to have an ongoing,
continuous conversation with God.
No matter what we are doing,
we have
the privilege,
the opportunity
to have an open line of communication
with our father.
It's not confined
(03:04):
or designated to those specific moments,
but it can happen throughout the day.
I want to look now
at the
second part of Colossians four two,
which talks about being watchful.
Being watchful in our prayer
life is like another level
that we can grow into.
Paul urges us to maintain
an alert and conscious awareness
during prayer.
It's not just reciting words,
it's about being present,
(03:25):
attentive and receptive
to God's response.
Watchfulness reminds us
to approach prayer
with an expectant heart
as if we're awaiting a response
from a dear friend.
It's about staying awake
to the voice of the Lord
and being responsive when he prompts us.
Many years ago,
when I was still in Bible school,
I had the privilege of ministering
at a youth camp as a camp counselor,
(03:47):
and we were able to share
with the kids, minister to them.
And also we had a really fun time.
And there was one time
during one of the services where
there was an altar call and people
and some of the campers came up
and asked for prayer.
And the overseer of the camp
used this as opportunities
for us, people like myself
who were in Bible school
and wanted to gain some experience
(04:08):
in this kind of a situation.
So he allowed us to pray for the kids
and to to minister to them.
And it was awesome.
It was a great time,
a great way to learn
and grow in the ministry.
And I was praying for one of the kids
one time and I was just praying with him
and ministering with him
and the senior pastor came up
and he asked
what was what we were praying for.
And the young boy shared what he was,
(04:29):
what he was praying for.
And the pastor said, Well,
the pastor looked at me, goes,
what did the Lord say?
And I was surprised and shocked.
And I said, Well, I don't
I don't have anything from the Lord.
And he goes, Well, are you listening?
And I said,
no, I was just praying with him
and encouraging him.
But he goes, But you have
are you listening to
what the Lord is saying?
And he took a moment
(04:49):
and prayed with us and said,
Now just listen to what the Lord speaks.
And sure enough,
the Lord spoke clear as day,
something that this young man
could do to help his situation.
And it was a very specific key.
And now
that young man is still walking
with the Lord to this day.
And it was awesome.
But it was a challenge for me because
the senior pastor goes, Well,
(05:10):
what is the Lord saying?
And I said, Well, I don't know.
I didn't.
I thought I was just
to pray and encourage and be blessed.
And he goes, No,
you have to listen to
what the Lord will say.
And it was a
it was an eye opening experience
for me
to be watchful, to be
to listen for what the Lord is saying.
And we can do that in our prayer
lives a lot, can't we?
(05:30):
We can go
and we can start speaking and speaking.
And if we're not careful, we'll have
we won't take a moment to just listen.
My senior pastor growing up, who is now
my spiritual father,
would always tell me to take time
just to listen, to be silent
and just listen to
what the Lord is going to say.
Another verse we could look at is
(05:51):
Mark 13, verse 33 Be on guard.
Keep awake for you.
Do not know when the time will come here.
And Mark were reminded to be vigilant
and watchful
because we cannot
predict the exact moment
when the revelation will come to call
to maintain
a state of spiritual awareness,
always seeking God's guidance
and keeping open to his timing.
I find now more than ever
(06:12):
that my prayer time is a lot more silent
than it used to be.
I used to come and say a lot of words
and say a lot of words
and repetitive words
and asking for things and so forth.
But now it's just sitting there and quiet
and listening to what
the Lord is going to say.
And it's really beneficial
because you get a lot out of those times
(06:32):
where you can
and even during the day at work,
if I'm facing a challenging situation
or I'm in a meeting
that's not going well
and I can just say, Lord,
what should I do? Help me?
Or should I say,
What should I tell this person?
How can I keep a good attitude here
and just keep that open
dialog even during the day?
I want to move to the next part
of our discussion today,
which lies in the last part of Colossians
(06:54):
four two.
It says, With Thanksgiving,
gratitude is the heart of prayer.
It's the thread
that ties our communication
with God together.
When we approach God with Thanksgiving
and with thankfulness,
our prayers become conversations
filled with joy and humility.
Gratitude is the element
that breathe life into our prayers.
When we approach prayer
with the heart of Thanksgiving,
(07:15):
it transforms our communication
with our Heavenly Father.
We are not merely bringing our requests.
We are expressing gratitude
and joy and thankfulness
for the blessings and his abundant
goodness to us.
Philippians four Success
Do not be anxious about anything
but in everything, by prayer
and supplication with Thanksgiving,
let your request be made known to God.
(07:36):
Here we are reminded
that gratitude in prayer
is a powerful antidote to anxiety.
It is an invitation
to bring our request to God,
accompanied by Thanksgiving.
This verse underscores
the connection between gratitude, prayer
and the peace of God
that transcends all other standing.
So what happens when gratitude
becomes the fuel for our prayers?
We experience transformation.
(07:57):
We experience real, tangible life change.
We also experience a drastic elevation
in our prayer lives.
Gratitude lifts us up.
Gratitude lifts our prayer life up.
It elevates
It makes it an intimate and soul
enriching experience
shared with our Heavenly Father.
It shifts our focus
from merely asking for things
(08:18):
to recognizing the abundance
already present in our lives.
When gratitude infuses our prayers,
it shifts our perspective.
Instead of approaching prayer
as a transaction with a wish list,
we begin to see it as an opportunity
to express
our profound appreciation
for the blessings we've received.
It's about recognizing
that even in times of hardship,
there's a multitude of reasons
(08:39):
for which we can be thankful.
So what can we do?
How can we transfer this
thought into action?
First of all, incorporate praise
and Thanksgiving into your prayer life.
If you don't already
dedicate a special time
to praise and worship
as part of your prayer life,
and it will amplify your expression
of thanks.
Other things you can do.
(09:00):
And you might have to start off
a little slow at this one,
but when you're in
your dedicated prayer time,
dedicate a certain portion of your prayer
time to just sitting still and listening,
being mindful to hear
what God says there.
There are times
when we have
to speak a lot and press in
and do spiritual warfare.
Even in prayer.
But if we truly want to commune with God,
(09:20):
we have to listen.
We have to open our ears.
So incorporate praise, incorporate
Thanksgiving into your prayer time,
but also dedicate time
to just sit and listen
and be mindful
to what God would say and be steadfast
throughout the day.
We have many opportunities to just speak
to God
and listen to Him,
so embrace steadfastness and watchfulness
(09:43):
in prayer
and infuse all of that with gratitude.
At Thanksgiving.
Remember that prayer
is your direct connection
to our Heavenly Father.
It's a sacred place, a sacred opportunity
where we can express
our deepest thoughts
and desires and feelings to him.
And as we do that,
let gratitude and Thanksgiving
pour out from us.
This world is filled
with constant distractions,
(10:04):
constant concerns, constant asides.
But remember your prayer.
Life can be a sanctuary
where you can communicate with God.
It can be an oasis of renewal,
where we can have
our spirits
refreshed and renewed
and build back up again.
So I encourage you today
approach each prayer
time with a heart filled with gratitude,
with a heart filled with purpose,
(10:25):
with a heart intent to listen
to what God says
and you'll experience
that transformational power
that comes with Thanksgiving.
Thank you so much for joining us
on this episode of Walking in His Word,
where we are driving
towards the Thanksgiving season
by looking at a daily gratitude journey,
I encourage you to take these steps
to make gratitude
a part of your everyday life.
(10:46):
I hope you've been inspired
and encouraged to cultivate gratitude
into your own journey in your own way.
Remember here at Walking In His Words,
Our Gratitude Journey continues
every weekday in the month of November,
so don't forget to subscribe
and join us for reminders
about your daily inspiration
for additional resources
and to connect with our community.
Visit our website at
(11:07):
www.walkinginhisword.com
You can also find us
on Facebook and Instagram
by searching for
@walkinginhisWordpodcast.
Now let's carry
the spirit of Thanksgiving with us
as we embrace the day ahead.
Until next
time, may
your heart be filled with gratitude
and your faith be strengthened
and keep walking. In his word.
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