I was thinking about the Wise Men that we read about in Scripture and got to thinking about that question!  “What do you give to someone who already has everything?”  Who better to answer that question than the Creator of the Universe?  The Wise Men, Magi or Three Kings as we’ve come to know them would qualify in the category of being men who had everything.  They would certainly be hard to buy for!

God gave them a gift and it is interesting to see what that gift happens to be!  In fact the gift that God gives to them is a gift that keeps on giving.  God gave the wise men a star!  A star they could follow to find another gift – His Son, the Savior of the world.

The star gave the Wise Men an opportunity to give back!  They gave back by following the star, by telling others about the star and when the star came to a resting place to reveal the location of the Savior, the Wise Men bowed down, worshipped and presented gifts.

The Wise Men gave back and were blessed some more!  This is the way God and His blessings work.  He blesses us, so that we can give Him glory.  When we give Him glory, we receive even greater blessing, so that we can give Him even greater glory!

It is supposed to happen the same way in your life:  God gives you something and the something He gives you gives you an opportunity to give back and when you give back, then more blessing comes!  Take some time to think about all that God has given to you and how you are giving it back for His glory.  Look for ways you can improve and get better.  Take steps to appreciate what God has given to you, by living a life of giving glory to God and blessings to others!  You will be glad you did!

Here Are Some Ideas!  It is not always so easy getting an attitude of gratitude, and it is often a lot harder keeping that idea, so here are some ideas that I hope will help all of us to get and keep an attitude of gratitude, so that we can live in and with the right perspective!

Make A Gratitude List!  Actually sit down with pen and paper make a list!  Write down all the things that you have to be thankful for!  At first a lot of things will pop into your head and then you will have to really think about it.  Take the time – it’s worth it!  And write it down, because then you have tangible proof!  Now that you have your list, take some time to meditate on the goodness of God!  Think about how much God must love you to bless you with all of these blessings.  The whole time you are focused on this, you won’t be focused on problems and frustrations, which will help you to get and keep the right perspective!  This process activates faith in your life and allows God to show up and show out!

Get Your Focus Right!  It is so easy to get focused on all of the wrong things!  We think about what we don’t have or what we can’t do and we miss the enjoyment of what we do have and what we can do.  If you can learn to shift your focus off of the bad and onto the good, then you will get your enthusiasm back!   It is true that your life will  follow your thoughts!  Get the right thoughts and God will help you get the right life – a life that is blessed by Him!

We Need To Challenge And Change Stinking Thinking!  We like to think we don’t have stinking thinking, but living in this world almost guarantees the threat and temptation to take you to this negative place.  We have to remind ourselves everyday  that today is a gift from God – that’s why today is called a present!  THANK GOD for the present of today and live life to the fullest!

Proverbs 23:7 says:  “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he!”  Being Grateful Changes Everything – Especially perspective which changes your life!  You can do this!  You were created to do this!  Aren’t you thankful!!!

We Need The Right Spirit!  Life comes at us from all directions and it is very easy for us to get out of whack fast!  If we are not careful, then before we know it, we can be in the wrong place, thinking the wrong thoughts and headed in the wrong direction and not even realize it.  This does not make us a bad person, it just means that our wrong spirit needs to be made right!

It Starts With The Right Foundation!  The Foundation to living a good, blessed and happy life is living with a grateful spirit!  We have to remember even when things are tough, that there is still a whole lot of good in our life.  We can ignore the bad, but we don’t need to be focused to the point of distraction by it either.  Seeds of discouragement, discontent and depression cannot take root in a grateful heart!  Even when life is bad, tough and hard, there is still much to be thankful for in our lives.  This is why a few weeks ago, I gave the my family and friends a rock to carry in their pocket – it is a simple reminder each time you touch it to think about something that you have to be grateful for!  This simple act of touching and thinking about what something you have to be grateful for causes you to refocus off of the negative and onto the positive!

Instead of!  Instead of looking at what’s wrong, start looking at what’s right!  Instead of complaining about what you don’t have, be happy with what you do have!  Instead of dwelling on how far you’ve got to go, take a look back and focus on how far God has already brought you!

Think About It!  Someone would love to have your life!  Have you thanked God lately?  In I Thessalonians 5:18 it says “In everything give thanks!”  It does not say in some things.  It does not say in what you want to.  It says in everything – the good and the bad give thanks!  Why, because God is working through the good and the bad for His glory and our blessing.  When you complain about where you are, then you will never find the energy to get to where you need to be!  Here’s The Formula:  “Complain And Remain Or Praise And Be Raised!”  This simple phrase is a reminder to you about what is really important.  Get the right spirit and keep the right spirit – you will be glad you did!