“It all starts with God.” The opening line from Genesis frames the entire year ahead: not advice, not commands—God. Before time existed, before chaos swirled, before life appeared, God already was—so every true beginning must start with Him. Creation does not explain God; God explains creation. Therefore, the wise starting point in 2026 is to assume God’s presence and initiative in everything, placing Him first and building from His sovereignty and power. From there unfolds a pattern: start, continuance, completion. God moves His people forward by giving vital information—revelation that must be met with preparation to reach destination. Joshua 1 provides the template. Moses is dead, but the plan has not changed; Israel must arise, cross, and possess. Kadesh Barnea stands as a warning and a mercy: unbelief delayed an entire generation, yet God’s plan endured. Human plans operate from incomplete knowledge; God’s plan flows from complete understanding. For believers today the pathway mirrors Israel’s: leave the old life, enter the new, live fruitful, and experience blessing. But the plan requires power—and not the power of public opinion or group consensus. God’s work runs on the simplicity of His presence: “I will be with you.” Faithfulness often looks like refusing to crowdsource obedience, simplifying life down to the voice of God and the next step of courage. Preparation is the posture of faith. “Prepare provisions” becomes “prepare your heart.” Expectancy is not presumption; it is training the inner life to recognize God’s movement, holding fast to revelation through the long stretch of continuance until completion. Back at Genesis 1, the Spirit hovers over chaos. God speaks, and order replaces disorder. Chaos is not a barrier; it is often the raw material for His creative work. The same powerful Word that said, “Let there be,” now indwells His people. Creation itself teaches purpose—God named, blessed, and called it good. So too every person: created on purpose and for purpose. He will not leave anyone where He found them. Trust Him at the beginning and the ending—and trust Him in the in-between. And over every God-birthed dream for 2026 He writes a single word from the studio of heaven: Amplius—greater, larger. Enlarge the vision, because the One who starts it will carry it through. Key Takeaways 1. Begin every start with God. Starting with God is more than a nod; it is a reordering of trust. It means letting the Creator define both the goal and the way. Because God precedes time and chaos, beginnings anchored in Him become stable platforms for real change. The first move of wisdom is worshipful surrender. [02:20] 2. Continuance requires prepared hearts. Most failures happen not at the starting line but in the stretch between revelation and completion. Preparation is faith with its work boots on—training desires, calendars, and habits to match God’s promise. A prepared heart can recognize God’s timing and obey when the door cracks open. Preparation protects momentum all the way to possession. [23:38] 3. God’s plan outlasts people and setbacks. Leaders change, seasons shift, and disappointments mount, yet God’s purpose remains. Moses died, but the commission to Joshua stood unchanged, proving that divine intent is not hostage to human transitions. Even when unbelief delays, repentance realigns us with the same destination. The Caller holds the call steady. [10:10] 4. God brings order out of chaos. Chaos is not the ceiling; it is often the canvas. When God speaks, distinctions form, light breaks in, and life takes shape. Faith does not deny darkness; it invites the Word to do its separating, naming, and blessing again. Expect God to turn raw disorder into a livable, fruitful world. [26:50] 5. Expect “Amplius”—enlarge your vision. Heaven writes “greater, larger” over small expectations that settled too soon. Enlargement is not ambition; it is cooperation with God’s capacity and intention. Stretch prayer, holiness, and obedience—not just plans—and watch vision scale to match His purpose. Start with God, then let Him size the dream. [38:00] Youtube Chapters [00:00] - Welcome [00:21] - New Year: It All Starts With God [02:20] - Genesis: Before time, God [03:15] - Assume God in everything [06:52] - Start, continuance, completion [08:31] - Joshua 1: God’s plan to move [10:10] - Plan unchanged despite losses [11:37] - Kadesh Barnea: choosing faith [15:41] - From Egypt to blessing—our pattern [17:43] - Power and presence for the journey [19:14] - Not by opinions; by God’s power [23:12] - Prepare your heart to possess [26:50] - God brings order from chaos [36:39] - Amplius: enlarge your vision [41:07] - Prayer and dismissal

Anchored in Psalm 42, the call is to name discouragement honestly and then choose where to place hope. “Now I am deeply discouraged, but I will remember You” becomes a pattern for moving into a new year: lament without getting stuck, and praise God anyway. There is an acknowledgment that many questions do not get neat answers. Disappointment often reveals what was believed God “owed,” yet the invitation is to bring every “I don’t know” to the God who knows and to entrust outcomes to Him. Three movements shape the path forward. First, see disappointment as a season, not a life sentence. Do not make permanent decisions in temporary circumstances; endure the night because joy comes in the morning. Proverbs 13’s realism—“unrelenting disappointment”—is paired with its hope: a sudden good break can turn a life around. Do not put a period where God has placed a comma. Second, sow disappointment as a seed. Psalm 126 says those who sow in tears will reap with joy—an explanation of God’s kindness. What is bitter or small in the hand becomes fruitful when surrendered. The seed becomes an orchard when given to God. Like the wedding at Cana, God does not need the ingredients we think are required; He needs a willing “yes.” Give Him what you have—even if it’s “just water”—and watch Him make what you cannot. Third, let it be His story. Jeremiah 29 speaks to people in exile: build, plant, increase, pray for the city—because God’s plans still stand. Let the coming year be about His purposes in family, work, and worship. Psalm 42 itself was a temple song—honest tears turned to praise—so that others would sing, “If He did it there, He can do it here.” The woman at the well embodies this shift: from avoiding shame to announcing, “Come see a man…” She faced the same town, but not alone—now with living water and a new story. The response is straightforward: see it as a season, sow it as a seed, and share it as His story. Trust God with what didn’t make sense, refuse to shrink in exile, and expect sudden breaks that only grace can explain. If God met every expectation, He would never exceed them; therefore, surrender both disappointments and dreams to the One who plans to give hope and a future. Key Takeaways 1. Choose hope when answers are absent When explanations don’t come, the heart still has agency. Directing hope toward God—rather than toward preferred outcomes—reorders the soul and reopens the future. Praise in the “meanwhile” becomes the scaffolding of trust. This is how despair is interrupted and faith is formed. [01:51] 2. Treat discouragement as a season Disappointment is real, but it is not forever. Refusing to make permanent decisions in temporary pain protects destiny. Staying present to God in the night positions the heart for morning joy. The clock of grace keeps moving even when emotions feel stuck. [07:56] 3. Sow tears; reap Spirit-born joy God can take what is bitter and barren and produce what is sweet and abundant. Surrender turns liability into seed; seed into harvest; harvest into provision for others. In Christ, loss doesn’t merely get replaced—it gets redeemed and multiplied. [17:17] 4. God specializes in sudden turnarounds Scripture honors slow endurance, but it also leaves room for “all of a sudden.” Live ready for the unexpected mercy that interrupts unrelenting disappointment. Faith holds both: long obedience and swift surprises. Don’t punctuate the story prematurely. [11:02] 5. Make your disappointments His story Release the need to script outcomes and let God author the narrative. When the story becomes His, shame loses its power and mission takes its place. The same places of failure can become platforms of witness. Surrender turns biography into testimony. [27:08] Youtube Chapters [00:00] - Welcome [00:10] - Psalm 42: Naming discouragement [01:51] - Choosing hope and praise [03:47] - Trusting God without answers [07:56] - Disappointment is a season [09:23] - Joy comes in the morning [10:28] - God of the sudden turnaround [12:56] - In exile: Build, plant, increase [15:21] - Plans to prosper and give hope [16:08] - Sow tears as a seed [20:48] - Seed to orchard: God multiplies [25:10] - He needs your yes, not ingredients [27:08] - Make it His story [31:14] - Woman at the well transformed [37:29] - See, Sow, Share: Response and prayer

I turned our hearts to Luke 2 and the promise of Micah 5:2 to see again how God chose a little, overlooked place—Bethlehem—to cradle the biggest hope the world has ever known. Advent means “coming,” and I walked through the rich thread of hope, peace, joy, and love—how prophecy builds hope; how the Bethlehem journey makes way for peace; how shepherds and angels explode with joy; and how the angelic announcement puts God’s love on full display. I reminded us that God will use anything—emperors, taxes, itineraries, even inconveniences—to place us exactly where His word has already said we’d be. Proper placement is everything, and He is never nervous about getting us there. “O Little Town of Bethlehem” helped me name what’s happening in Luke 2: the sacred hiddenness of God’s work. The Almighty did not stage a spectacle in Rome; He came quietly into a stable in a town most mapmakers would skip. That quiet is not absence; it’s holiness. And the Incarnation is a paradox—something that sounds ridiculous, yet contains deep truth. The Ancient of Days arrives as a baby; the King of Peace is born during Rome’s so-called “peace.” The paradox pushes our faith beyond what seems reasonable and opens space for God to move in our ordinary. We also looked at a word many skip: “there was no room in the inn.” Luke uses kataluma—“guest room,” family space—not pandochion, a commercial inn. There was no family space for Him. Yet 33 years later, Jesus tells the disciples, “I’ve prepared a guest room for you,” and then promises in John 14 that there are many rooms in His Father’s house. We may not make room for Him, but He still makes room for us. That’s grace. Finally, I urged us not to box this sacredness up with the ornaments. Christ didn’t just come to us; He came to be in us. He doesn’t always pull us out of the fire; He joins us in it. So we carry Advent all year—hope, peace, joy, and love—right into our Mondays, into our small towns, into our fears and our longings. The hopes and fears of all our years meet their match in Him—every day. Key Takeaways 1. Sacred beats spectacular in Bethlehem God chose smallness and obscurity to reveal Himself, teaching us to look for Him in quiet spaces rather than demanding a spotlight. Holiness often hides in ordinary rooms, routine days, and humble people. When we stop insisting on big moments, we start recognizing sacred ones. Let Bethlehem reset your expectations for how God arrives. [20:04] 2. God orchestrates through ordinary events A census, taxes, and an emperor’s decree became tools in the hand of Providence. What feels like inconvenience may be God’s vehicle to place you where His promises already point. He is not anxious; He is precise. Trust His timing even when the route seems unimpressive. [09:18] 3. Embrace the paradox of Incarnation The Infinite becomes infant; omnipotence wraps itself in swaddling clothes. Paradox stretches us to hold mystery without surrendering truth, inviting deeper worship rather than neat explanations. Let what seems ridiculous refine your awe. Faith grows where control loosens. [22:58] 4. Make room; He makes room There was no family guest room (kataluma) for Him, yet He prepares a guest room for us and promises many rooms in His Father’s house. Grace keeps giving space even when we’ve crowded Him out. Create a real guest room in your heart and rhythms—time, attention, obedience—for the One who already made room for you. [36:59] 5. Christ in us, every day He didn’t just come to visit our world; He came to dwell in us and walk through our fires. Don’t relegate sacredness to December—practice Advent in February and July, too. Carry hope, peace, joy, and love into your hardest places, because the One within you is faithful there. [35:31] Youtube Chapters [00:00] - Welcome [02:20] - Advent: Hope, Peace, Joy, Love [05:44] - The noise of Christmas rush [09:18] - God moves history to Bethlehem [12:21] - Heaven’s host and “fear not” [16:05] - O Little Town: origin and lyrics [20:04] - Sacred, not spectacular [22:58] - The paradox of Christmas [26:55] - Christ joins us in the fire [33:48] - Don’t box Christmas up [35:31] - Not just to us, but in us [36:59] - No room in the kataluma [40:26] - The prepared guest room [43:10] - Many rooms in the Father’s house [50:36] - Closing prayer and invitation

Carol Of The Toys Presented by Highest Praise Kids Featuring: The Cast and HP Kids Choir

We kicked off our Christmas season by leaning into the angel’s announcement in Luke 2: “Do not be afraid… I bring you good news of great joy for all people.” Joy is God’s intent for us in Jesus. If what you’ve been told about God doesn’t lead you toward joy, it missed His heart. Joy doesn’t cancel God’s holiness or justice; it flows from right relationship with Him. That’s exactly why the enemy works so hard to steal it—think of Herod’s rage against the newborn King. Whether this year has been full or frustrating, joy is still possible—because joy is eternal, not circumstantial. Happiness needs the right happenings. Joy is rooted in God’s presence. Pleasure isn’t evil, but when it replaces joy it becomes a poor substitute we can never get enough of. In the garden, the enemy turned Adam and Eve’s eyes from abundance to the one thing they “didn’t have,” and he still does this today. But if you have joy, you truly have enough. Creation itself teaches us where joy is found. Trees wither when cut from soil, fish die when pulled from water—and we decay when we live cut off from God. When God made us, He spoke to Himself: “Let us make man in our image.” We were designed for His presence, and joy is the life that flows there. That’s why Nehemiah says the joy of the Lord is our strength. A joyless Christian is a vulnerable Christian; with joy, temptations lose their grip because counterfeits can’t compete with the real thing. Joy is possible, and it has a protocol: praise. Isaiah 61 promises a “garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” God hands us the garment; we choose to put it on. Often the natural act of praise unlocks the supernatural exchange of heaviness for joy. Gratitude doesn’t follow joy; gratitude births joy. You can’t pout and praise at the same time. Paul wrote “Rejoice in the Lord always” from prison, proving that circumstances don’t get the last word—worship does. Don’t grant your wounds the authority to define you. On the cross, “for the joy set before Him,” Jesus endured, making a way for your joy today. Joy may arrive through unexpected packaging—just like a manger in Bethlehem—but heaven already broke into song over it. Choose joy. Put on praise. Live in the presence where you were made to thrive. Key Takeaways 1. Joy is eternal, not circumstantial Happiness rises and falls with outcomes; joy rests in God’s unchanging presence. When we chase “better happenings,” we become hostages to what we can’t control. Joy frees us from scarcity by fixing our eyes on the Giver, not the gifts. Eden warns us: focus on what you lack, and you forfeit what is eternal. [05:18] 2. You belong in God’s presence Trees need soil and fish need water; you were made for God’s presence. Cut flowers look alive for a moment, then fade—so do our souls when we live disconnected from Him. Returning to His presence isn’t a routine but a lifeline. Joy becomes the fruit of abiding where we truly belong. [12:04] 3. Joy strengthens and steadies your soul “The joy of the Lord is your strength” isn’t a slogan; it’s spiritual physiology. Without joy, temptations look bigger and alternatives more attractive. With joy, counterfeits lose their pull because your soul is already satisfied. Cultivate joy before the storm so you’re anchored when it hits. [14:50] 4. Praise is the protocol for joy Isaiah promises a garment of praise for heaviness, but we must put it on. Praise is a choice that begins in the natural and invites a supernatural exchange. Gratitude displaces anxiety because your mind can’t host both at once. Rejoicing is not denial; it’s defiance against despair. [23:04] 5. Refuse to give excuses authority Naming our pain can quietly crown it “king.” But Jesus didn’t leave any thief of joy undefeated; the cross and resurrection cover your specific loss. For the joy set before Him, He opened a path for your joy today—often through unexpected means. Choose to rejoice and revoke the lie’s authority. [28:54] Youtube Chapters [00:00] - Welcome [02:19] - Good news of great joy [05:18] - Joy vs. happiness explained [08:44] - The lie of “not enough” [12:04] - You belong in God’s presence [14:50] - Joy is your strength [17:37] - Nearness without joy: dinner story [20:27] - Mourning happens; stay in Zion [23:04] - Put on the garment of praise [25:51] - Rejoice always—even from prison [28:54] - Don’t give excuses authority [31:33] - Rejoice: spin, shout, sing [34:03] - Angels praise; joy is coming [34:45] - Invitation to salvation and prayer

I walked us through 2 Samuel 6 to fix our hearts on the one thing that matters most: His presence. Obed-Edom’s house was blessed, not because he had the right resume or resources, but because the Ark—the manifest presence of God—was there. That is still the center of life with God: not gold, victories, or platforms, but the nearness of the Lord. David knew this. He went to get the Ark “with gladness,” paid a price in sacrifice, stripped off royal image management, and danced with all his might. Gratitude wasn’t cute; it was costly, humble, and overflowing. It made room for God. I urged us to do what David did: prepare a place for His presence. Build a “tabernacle” in your life—an actual space and a practiced rhythm—where you regularly acknowledge Him. Gratitude is the way in. Thanksgiving opens the gates; praise fills the courts. Many want blessings, but few prioritize presence. Saul wanted outcomes; David wanted God. The difference shows up when God seems to do “nothing.” David still worshiped. We also talked about how presence carries power and promise. When God speaks, He creates. He calls the “nothing” into “something,” and His presence reminds you of every word He’s spoken over your life. That’s why worship in hard places infuriates the enemy—it keeps you aligned with God’s Word while your circumstances are still shifting. Gratitude then becomes the discipline of remembering. The grateful leper was made whole, not just healed. Jericho fell once, and Israel never had to march like that again, because remembered victories become future strength. Finally, we looked at the alabaster woman and Jesus at Lazarus’ tomb and with the five loaves—thanksgiving that costs something, thanksgiving that precedes the miracle, thanksgiving that multiplies “not enough.” Gratitude isn’t a response to presence; gratitude is the key that opens the door to presence. Seek first His presence, and everything else will find its place. Key Takeaways 1. Prioritize presence over blessings Gratitude that seeks God Himself will outlast seasons when answers delay. David didn’t celebrate furniture; he celebrated fellowship. When presence is the prize, worship survives disappointment and resists idolatry. In His presence are both power and promises. [24:09] 2. Build a place for His presence Desire alone is not enough; make room. Create rhythms and spaces—however simple—where God is acknowledged, honored, and welcomed. You may need to clear clutter and re-order habits. Presence often meets preparation. [05:26] 3. Gratitude is the key, not response Thanksgiving isn’t merely what we do after God moves; it’s how we enter where God is. “Enter His gates with thanksgiving” is a posture, not a mood. When you can’t lift a song, start with thanks; it unlocks praise and reopens the door you thought was shut. [42:50] 4. Gratitude remembers and makes whole Healing repairs what’s broken; wholeness restores what was stolen. The grateful leper received more than relief—he received recovery. Remembering God’s past faithfulness becomes the soil for present victory and future resilience. [29:39] Youtube Chapters [00:00] - Welcome [00:12] - Thanksgiving and turning to 2 Samuel 6 [01:00] - Obed-Edom blessed by the Presence [03:15] - David’s dance: passion, humility, joy [05:12] - David’s tabernacle: make room for God [08:06] - Praise in pain defies the enemy [12:13] - Presence equals power and promise [18:49] - Structure without Spirit vs. Presence [20:52] - Worth the wait: pursuing His presence [26:40] - Alabaster box: gratitude costs something [29:21] - Ten lepers: gratitude makes whole [31:40] - Jericho memory and future battles [42:50] - Gratitude is the key, not response [45:17] - Thanksgiving before miracles (Lazarus, loaves) [52:46] - Closing and prayer

Gratitude is not just a seasonal feeling or a polite response—it is the very key that opens the door to God’s presence and unlocks the fullness of our relationship with Him. Psalm 100 teaches us that we are to “enter His gates with thanksgiving,” and this is not just a suggestion, but a spiritual principle. When we live in gratitude, we remember who God is: our Creator, our Shepherd, and the One who calls us His own. Life’s circumstances, disappointments, and hardships often try to convince us otherwise, but gratitude keeps us anchored in the truth of God’s love and faithfulness. Gratitude is also a spiritual cleanser. Paul, more than any other biblical writer, ties thanksgiving to the purification of our hearts and speech. It is gratitude that replaces bitterness, envy, and resentment, making room for God’s inheritance in our lives. The measure of our gratitude often determines the measure of blessing and glory we can receive. God is not interested in filling a life cluttered with the residue of old hurts, entitlement, or comparison. Like a table that must be wiped clean before a new meal is served, our hearts must be cleared by gratitude to receive what God has prepared. Maturity in Christ is marked by a willingness to continually remove the residue of the past, not out of duty or fear, but out of joyful expectation for what God will do next. Gratitude brings the past into perspective, helps us trust for the future, and keeps us from believing lies about the Giver. It is not the forced “thank you” of a disappointed child, but the overflow of a heart that remembers God’s faithfulness and expects His goodness. In a world that feeds us entitlement and despair, we must intentionally build lives rooted in gratitude, so that God’s glory can rest on us and His inheritance can flow through us. Key Takeaways 1. Gratitude is the doorway to God’s presence Gratitude is not just a feeling but the spiritual key that brings us into closeness with God. Without it, we remain outside, unable to fully communicate or receive from Him. Thanksgiving is the posture that allows us to remember who God is and who we are in Him, especially when circumstances try to convince us otherwise. [02:50] 2. Gratitude cleanses the residue of the past Our lives accumulate bitterness, envy, and disappointment, much like a table collects residue from previous meals. Gratitude is the tool that wipes the slate clean, making room for God’s new blessings. Without this cleansing, the gifts and inheritance God wants to give us can be tainted or even ruined by what lingers from before. [36:48] 3. The measure of gratitude determines the measure of blessing God is a God of measurement—He fills what we prepare for Him. The more we cultivate gratitude, the greater the capacity we have to receive His glory and inheritance. Maturity is shown by our willingness to create space for God through gratitude, rather than expecting Him to simply override our immaturity or entitlement. [14:07] 4. Gratitude transforms hardship into trust and expectation When we face disappointment or lack, gratitude keeps us from believing lies about God’s character. It brings to mind His past faithfulness and stirs hope for the future, allowing us to trade bitterness for joy and anxiety for peace. This transformation is not forced, but flows from a heart that truly remembers and trusts. [24:49] 5. Gratitude is the foundation for spiritual maturity True spiritual growth is marked by a life that joyfully removes the old to make room for the new. Gratitude is not about exerting willpower over our circumstances, but about recognizing and responding to God’s undeserved love. This posture makes sanctification a joy rather than a burden, and positions us to receive all that God has for us. [28:41] Youtube Chapters [00:00] - Welcome [00:30] - Thanksgiving and Frozen Turkeys [01:40] - Introduction to Gratitude [02:50] - Entering God’s Presence with Thanksgiving [06:16] - Jonah’s Gratitude in the Whale [09:50] - Paul’s Teaching on Thanksgiving [14:07] - Gratitude as a Measure for Blessing [18:28] - Overflow and the Duty of Gratitude [21:08] - The Socks and Xbox Story [24:49] - Gratitude Brings Remembrance and Trust [27:28] - Gratitude Transforms Loss and Hardship [28:41] - Gratitude Makes Sanctification Joyful [30:24] - Reasons for Gratitude [32:52] - Shaping Your World with Gratitude [34:34] - The Table, Residue, and Preparation [36:48] - Cleaning the Table: Removing the Old [38:35] - New Wine and the Residue of Ruin [40:06] - Gratitude Holds God’s Glory [42:37] - Prayer for a Grateful Heart

Gratitude is not just a seasonal practice, but a foundational command woven throughout Scripture. Psalm 136 reminds us to “give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His mercy endures forever.” This call to thanksgiving is not for God’s benefit, but for ours—it keeps our hearts aligned, protects us from pride, and guards us against spiritual forgetfulness. When we recognize every breath, every breakthrough, and every blessing as a gift from God, gratitude becomes the posture of our hearts. In Luke 17, we see ten lepers healed by Jesus, but only one returns to express gratitude. All ten received a blessing, but only one built a relationship. Outward blessings are wonderful, but it is gratitude that transforms us inwardly. Blessings fill our hands, but thanksgiving fills our hearts. Recognizing God’s hand in our lives—whether in our jobs, families, or even our survival—shifts us from taking His goodness for granted to living in awe of His grace. The enemy doesn’t mind us being blessed; he just doesn’t want us to recognize the One who blesses us. When we do, gratitude rises above every circumstance, deepens our trust, and makes worship a natural response. A thankful heart sees what others overlook and expresses praise, not just in feeling but in action. Silent gratitude is incomplete; it must be expressed, just as the one leper returned with a loud voice to glorify God. Jesus noticed the one who returned and lamented the absence of the other nine. The difference was not that the nine were bad, but that they were busy—content with the blessing but missing the blesser. Many want God’s hand, but few seek His heart. The one who returned received more than healing; he was made whole. Gratitude doesn’t just bring blessing; it brings wholeness, healing the scars and traumas of our past. In every situation, even in the belly of the fish like Jonah, we are called to give thanks. This is not about denying pain or difficulty, but about building a relationship with the One who heals, restores, and makes us whole. When we cultivate a lifestyle of gratitude, we move from simply being blessed to being transformed—no longer defined by our scars, but by the wholeness Christ brings. Key Takeaways 1. Gratitude builds relationship, not just blessing Gratitude is more than acknowledging what God has done; it is the foundation for a deeper relationship with Him. While many receive blessings, only those who return in thanksgiving experience true intimacy with the Giver. This relationship transforms us from the inside out, moving us beyond the surface of blessing into the heart of God. [05:52] 2. Recognition of God’s grace defeats spiritual blindness When we recognize that every good thing—our jobs, families, protection, and healing—is a result of God’s grace, we guard ourselves against pride and forgetfulness. This recognition keeps us humble and aware, ensuring that we do not take God’s goodness for granted, but live in continual awe and dependence on Him. [09:05] 3. Expressed gratitude leads to wholeness Silent gratitude is incomplete; true thankfulness must be expressed. When we return to God with open praise, as the healed leper did, we receive more than just the initial blessing—we are made whole. This wholeness touches not just our bodies, but our minds, emotions, and spirits, healing the lingering effects of past wounds. [15:40] 4. Thanksgiving transforms scars into testimonies Even after healing, the scars of our past may remain, but through gratitude, they lose their power to define or limit us. Like Jesus showing His scars to Thomas, our wounds become reminders of God’s faithfulness, not sources of ongoing pain. Gratitude turns our scars into testimonies of victory and grace. [37:24] 5. In every circumstance, give thanks Thanksgiving is not reserved for moments of obvious blessing, but is a command for every situation—even the hardest ones. When we give thanks in all things, we build a relationship with God that brings peace, healing, and wholeness, no matter what we face. [31:27] Youtube Chapters [00:00] - Welcome [01:00] - The Call to Give Thanks [02:44] - The Story of the Ten Lepers [05:52] - Gratitude Builds Relationship [09:05] - Recognizing God’s Grace [12:24] - Worship Becomes Natural [15:40] - Expressing Gratitude Out Loud [18:53] - Life’s Busyness and Forgetting Thanks [21:34] - Thankfulness Requires a Response [24:21] - Wanting the Blesser, Not Just the Blessing [26:42] - Wholeness Beyond Healing [29:17] - Healing from Trauma and the Past [31:27] - Giving Thanks in Every Situation [33:22] - How to Fight for Wholeness [35:14] - Living with a Grateful Heart [37:24] - Scars as Testimonies [41:52] - A Moment of Thanksgiving [43:05] - Closing and Blessing

In the midst of a long list of names in 1 Chronicles 4, the story of Jabez stands out—a man whose life was marked by pain from birth, yet who refused to let that pain define him. Named by his mother as a reminder of her suffering, Jabez carried a label that could have limited his vision, his value, and his future. Every time his name was called, he was reminded of the pain he supposedly caused. Yet, rather than accept this as his destiny, Jabez reached a breaking point. He chose to cry out to God, asking for blessing, for expanded territory, for God’s hand to be with him, and for deliverance from the pain and evil that had followed him. Jabez’s prayer is remarkable not just for its boldness, but for its honesty. He acknowledged the destructive process at work in his life—the generational curses, the smallness of spirit, the lack of vision, and the words spoken over him. He didn’t just ask for surface-level change; he asked God to go to the taproot, to uproot the very source of his pain and limitation. Jabez understood that true transformation requires more than just a change in circumstances; it requires a change in identity, a breaking of old patterns, and a willingness to let God’s hand move in the deepest places. God answered Jabez’s prayer. The text doesn’t elaborate on how, but it makes clear that when we ask God to intervene, the possibilities for change increase dramatically. Jabez’s story is a call to refuse the labels and curses that others—or even we ourselves—have placed on us. It’s a call to honor, not as a medal or an external recognition, but as a state of the heart and a quality of spirit. True honor is found in reaching beyond bitterness, beyond disappointment, and beyond the limitations of our past, to take hold of what God has destined for us. We are not defined by our pain, our past, or the words spoken over us. Like Jabez, we are part of the lineage of Judah—the lineage of praise, of promise, and of Jesus Himself. When we choose to honor God by believing what He says about us, by seeking His blessing, and by allowing Him to uproot the deepest sources of pain, we step into the fullness of who we are meant to be. Key Takeaways 1. Refuse to be defined by your past The story of Jabez teaches that the labels and pain of our past do not have to determine our future. Even when generational curses or negative words have shaped our identity, we can choose to seek God for a new name and a new destiny. True honor comes from refusing to let the world, or even our own history, dictate who we are. [07:08] 2. Pray for God to uproot the taproot Jabez didn’t just ask for relief from pain; he asked God to go to the very root of his suffering. Surface-level prayers may bring temporary comfort, but lasting change comes when we invite God to address the deepest sources of our struggles. This kind of prayer requires honesty, vulnerability, and a willingness to let God disrupt what is familiar for the sake of true freedom. [20:23] 3. Honor is a state of the heart Honor is not about external recognition or status, but about the quality of our spirit and the posture of our heart. It is found in those who refuse to be defined by bitterness, disappointment, or the curses of others, and who instead reach for what God has intended. Living with honor means seeking the highest definition of our lives in God, not in the opinions of people. [30:14] 4. Acknowledge before you repent Before true repentance can happen, there must be honest acknowledgment of what is broken or wrong. Jabez’s prayer began with recognizing the destructive patterns in his life. Only then could he turn to God for transformation. Acknowledgment opens the door for God’s hand to move and for repentance to be genuine and effective. [23:03] 5. God answers bold, honest prayers Jabez’s story is a reminder that God responds to those who ask with faith and honesty. When we dare to pray for blessing, for expanded vision, and for deliverance from evil, God is able and willing to answer. The simple act of asking increases the possibility of divine intervention in our lives. [24:17] Youtube Chapters [00:00] - Welcome [00:58] - Introduction to Jabez and Honor [02:17] - The Prayer of Jabez [03:40] - What Honor Means [05:22] - The Weight of a Name [07:08] - Living Under Labels and Pain [08:59] - God Answers Honest Prayers [10:22] - Pushing Back Destructive Patterns [11:54] - The Need for Divine Favor [14:31] - Living Small and Losing Vision [15:22] - Enlarge My Territory: Increasing Value [17:06] - Asking for God’s Hand [19:43] - Praying for Protection from Evil [20:23] - Uprooting the Taproot of Pain [23:03] - The Power of Acknowledgment [24:17] - God Grants the Request [27:19] - The True Meaning of Honor [30:14] - Honor as a State of the Heart [32:46] - Blessing the Congregation [33:21] - Closing and Prayer Invitation