thankfulness, holiness, and praise

Hebrews 13

On Wednesday night, we discussed Phil. 4:4-7 and I Thes. 5:16-18, and it seems to me that thankfulness is an antidote to anxiousness:

⁶ Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

As I read Hebrews 12 yesterday, I was impressed by God's holiness and how He wants us to be holy.  Perseverance is the word that comes to mind:

¹ Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, ...  ³ For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. ⁴ You have not yet resisted to the point of shedding blood in your striving against sin; ... ¹⁰ For [our earthly parents] disciplined us for a short time as seemed best to them, but [Our Heavenly Father] disciplines us for our good, so that we may share His holiness. ¹¹ All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.

And this morning, I am impressed that I need to be consistent in praising God:

 ¹⁵ Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. ¹⁶ And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

Heavenly Father, thank you for all that you have done for me.  I praise you for who you are.  I want to know you and walk with you; I want you to be pleased with the righteousness that you grow in me.  Lord, I want my life to honor you.  I love you, and I pray in the name of Jesus Christ.