If you’ve just joined us, a quick reminder that this month, our devotions are taken from Stephen’s book “Growing in Prayer”, published by Matthias Media.First, spend a few minutes coming before God in prayer using the first two elements of the ACTS pattern of prayer: Adoration and Confession.~~~Today we move on to the third ingredient: Thanksgiving. As we saw, Adoration focuses on who God is, while Thanksgiving focuses on what God has done for us.The most basic and universal sin, according to Romans 1:21, is when we do not glorify God or give him thanks. Being thankless is sinful; but through faith in Jesus God enables us to begin to learn how to live with thankful hearts. Once again, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells us to “give thanks in all circumstances”. (Can you remember it in full? It starts: “Rejoice always…”)But as with any area of godliness, we must make a determined decision to develop thankfulness to God. Your daily prayer time is a good way to start to learn. As you become better at seeing ways in which God has been good to you, you will more easily recognize his loving hand in daily life.Spend time now thinking of ways in which God has been kind to you. For example, you could think about:the spiritual blessings that are yours in Jesus: forgiveness, adoption, and so on.God’s help in specific moments during the past day or week.answers to prayer that you or one of your brothers or sisters in Christ have received recently.the people in your life.any tiny ‘gifts of love’ you received over the past day: daily bread, beauty in nature, a kind word from a stranger.Don’t worry if you can’t think of something for each point, but for each blessing you identify, thank your loving Father.~~~Finally, memorize the following verse from Psalm 136:Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. (Ps 136:1)Say it to yourself over and over during the day, and be on the lookout for those countless small ‘gifts of love’ so that you can thank God for them.Verses for further prayer: 1 Peter 1:3-9