Freed from Complaining!!

I recently read a encouraging word that talked about Psalm 100:4, which says we "Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name." In this word the person shared that to enter into God's prescence we give thanks. It ushers us into His presence when we give thanksgiving. Did you know the United States is the only country that has a holiday of thanksgiving, do you think this could have something to do with the Bible. We as a family took a drive and listened to the Thanksgiving story of the Pilgrams and their faith. What an inspiring story of faith, endurance, and hope. I know see why my flesh always wants to complain and grumble. As soon as I begin to speak these kind of words out, faith is erroded and can end up in discouragement. I have learned the pattern of complaining and God has had to renew my mind and transform to be a person who is thankful. It makes sense that thanksgiving ushers into His presence, then complaining and being ungrateful must usher me into the presence of darkness which is the Enemy's territory. What do we as people who have a new life in Christ have to be thankful for? We have been saved from death, had all our sins forgiven past and present, have been indwelled with the Holy Spirit, have had our old life cruified and done away with, we have been given a new identity, we have been given every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realm, we have been seated "in Christ" in heavenly places, we have been given a position of restored authority over the Enemy, we have been given an inheritance in Christ, we have been made sons and daughters, we have been brought near to God through the blood of Christ, we have been declared righteous, we are led by His Spirit, and etc... ( I can give you Scripture references for all of these). We can be the most thankful people on this earth because we have so much to be thankful for. Why I am I pulled towards complaining, discontentment, self-pity, and ungratefulness? I believe our flesh likes this because it meets our needs and gets our focus on ourselves rather than Jesus. I remember when we travelled to Kazakhstan to adopt my son for 2 months, I was amazed at how hospitable and thankful the people were. The American families that were with us by contrast, never seemed to be grateful because they were always missing something. It strikes me that if we look to our circumstances to be thankful, then we are only thankful in good times. Yet the Word of God in Ephesians 5:20 says to be thankful in all things and for all things. Somehow my flesh loves the pseudo love and attention that it gets by the woe-is-me attitude. I declare that thanksgiving will come through my spirit by the Holy Spirit and that my soul and body need to line up with Christ in me!!! Lord I also repent for my ungratefulness, complaining, grumbling, and woe-is-me view of the world. Thank you Lord for being my life, my source, my joy, my salavation, and the lover of my soul. He is truly good all the time (especially when He doesn't seem good). I believe if we will yield to the Holy Spirit and let the song of thanksgiving come forth in our life that we will walk more and more in New Life. There are new ways in this New Life and I am learning them.

Thank you Jesus,
Bret Rutland