HLM Live | WE GIVE THANKS | His Goodness | Elvis Ghansah

Oct 11, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: Serve with Gladness, Not Sadness

When life weighs heavy, joy becomes an act of defiance. Serving God isn’t about gritting teeth through duty but choosing gladness as worship. Like a song breaking through clouds, gladness reshapes routines into offerings. It’s not pretending struggles don’t exist—it’s declaring God’s presence stronger than the weight. Every act of service, from washing dishes to leading meetings, becomes a declaration: “I trust the One who holds my tomorrow.” Joy isn’t a mood; it’s a weapon against despair. [37:29]

“Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing.”
(Psalm 100:2, NKJV)

Reflection: What mundane task can you transform into worship today by doing it with intentional gratitude? How might choosing gladness shift your perspective on a current burden?

Day 2: Thanksgiving as Your Knocking

Gratitude isn’t an afterthought—it’s the key that unlocks God’s presence. Just as you wouldn’t barge into a king’s chamber unannounced, thanksgiving prepares your heart to meet Him. It’s the “knock” before entering prayer, the pause that shifts focus from problems to Provider. Whether walking into church or opening your Bible, thanksgiving clears the noise. Start with “thank You,” not “give me,” and watch anxiety loosen its grip. [39:42]

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.”
(Psalm 100:4, NKJV)

Reflection: What three specific blessings from this week can you “knock” with today before asking God for anything?

Day 3: The One Who Returned

Ten lepers got healed, but only one turned back—a foreigner. Gratitude isn’t automatic; it’s a choice to interrupt your victory lap. The Samaritan didn’t just feel thankful—he ran, shouted, and fell at Jesus’ feet. His thankfulness wasn’t quiet piety; it was messy, loud, and unashamed. True worship doesn’t wait for convenience—it erupts. Be the one who returns, even if you’re the only one. [01:04:54]

“And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks.”
(Luke 17:15-16, NKJV)

Reflection: When has God answered a prayer that you later forgot to fully acknowledge? How can you “return” to thank Him today?

Day 4: God’s Goodness Beyond Circumstances

God’s goodness isn’t a weather vane spinning with your situation. He’s good when the diagnosis comes, when the visa’s denied, when the bank account screams. Like a mountain unmoved by storms, His character stands firm. The Israelites forgot this, grumbling despite manna on their plates. Thanksgiving isn’t denying pain—it’s anchoring to what never changes. Declare “He is good” until your heart believes it more than your eyes. [01:00:54]

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever.”
(Psalm 107:1, NKJV)

Reflection: What current hardship tempts you to doubt God’s goodness? How can you proclaim His unchanging nature in its midst?

Day 5: Your Ebenezer Stone of Remembrance

Samuel raised a stone—Ebenezer, “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” Forgetfulness is gratitude’s greatest enemy. Your “stone” might be a journal entry, a saved voicemail, or a photo on your phone. Concrete reminders combat spiritual amnesia. When new trials arise, touch your Ebenezer and whisper, “If He did it then, He’ll do it now.” Testimonies aren’t just for sharing—they’re for surviving. [01:26:25]

“Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen, and called its name Ebenezer, saying, ‘Thus far the Lord has helped us.’”
(1 Samuel 7:12, NKJV)

Reflection: What tangible reminder can you create this week to commemorate God’s faithfulness in a specific struggle? Who needs to hear that story?

Sermon Summary

Psalm 100 calls God’s people to “make a joyful noise,” serve the Lord with gladness, and come before His presence with singing. The text does not make thanksgiving a once-a-year ceremony or a special Sunday activity. Thanksgiving must be a lifestyle, because the Lord has made His people, they belong to Him, and they are the sheep of His pasture.

The gates of God are entered with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise. Thanksgiving becomes the knock at the door before entering His presence. A person may come into church physically present but mentally absent, carrying bills, family challenges, immigration issues, fear, and unfinished work. Praise redirects attention from the problem to the God who is able to make a way where there is no way.

God’s goodness does not depend on promotions, money, open doors, or encouraging reports from the doctor. God is good, period. His goodness is His nature, His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations. Circumstances may change, people may change, and strength may change, but God remains the unchanging changer.

The one leper who returned to Jesus shows that receiving a blessing is not the same as having the heart of a worshiper. The nine received their miracle and left, but one came back with a loud voice, fell at Jesus’ feet, and gave thanks. Blessings can become dangerous when they make a person too busy for God. God must not become an emergency contact who is called only when there is trouble.

Thanksgiving must be expressed through action, not words alone. Gratitude worships sincerely, serves faithfully, treats people with kindness, uses resources responsibly, helps those who are struggling, and shares the good news of Jesus Christ. A person who was helped through a difficult season should become a source of encouragement to somebody else.

Psalm 103 warns the soul not to forget God’s benefits. Forgetfulness remembers offenses, unanswered prayers, and difficult months, while ignoring answered prayers, provision, protection, and strength for the next step. Samuel’s Ebenezer became a stone of remembrance: “Thus far the Lord has helped us.” A thanksgiving journal, testimonies, and intentional remembrance can keep yesterday’s evidence of God’s faithfulness from being erased by today’s difficulty.

Thanksgiving also reaches beyond personal needs to the nation. God’s people are called to thank Him for Canada, pray for its leaders, seek peace, protect the vulnerable, and become instruments of righteousness, justice, and love in the land where God has placed them.

Key Takeaways

1. Thanksgiving is the gate into worship [39:03] Thanksgiving is not a rushed religious introduction before getting to the real prayer. It prepares the heart to recognize God’s presence and to lay aside the weights that make a person mentally absent before Him. Praise does not deny the problem, but it refuses to let the problem become greater than God. [39:03]
2. God is good, period [01:00:38] God’s goodness is not proved only by promotions, money, healing, or open doors. His goodness belongs to His character, and His character does not change with the seasons of life. Faith grows when God is praised not merely for what He gives, but for who He is. [60:38]
3. Do not forget the Blesser [01:07:22] Blessings can quietly become distractions when answered prayers make a person too busy to worship. The nine lepers received healing, but only one returned to Jesus in gratitude. A genuine heart does not use God to get what it wants and then disappear after receiving it. [67:22]
4. Gratitude must change daily living [01:17:20] Genuine thanksgiving becomes visible through faithful service, kindness, generosity, and responsible stewardship. A person who has received comfort from God is called to become encouragement for another person. Gratitude that never affects conduct remains only words. [77:20]
5. Remember what God has done [01:26:25] Forgetfulness can make today’s difficulty look bigger than all of yesterday’s testimonies. Ebenezer declared, “Thus far the Lord has helped us,” turning God’s past faithfulness into confidence for the future. Records of answered prayers and testimonies help the soul remember that God can do it again.

## [86:25]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[34:55] - We Give Thanks
[36:57] - Psalm 100 and Joyful Worship
[39:03] - Enter His Gates With Thanksgiving
[41:47] - Thanksgiving Must Be a Lifestyle
[45:13] - Thanksgiving Brings God Near
[47:56] - Worship With the Right Motive
[52:59] - God Is Good, Merciful, and Faithful
[55:07] - David Celebrates God’s Presence
[60:01] - God Is Good in Every Season
[64:23] - The One Leper Who Returned
[71:30] - Thanksgiving Through Action
[80:00] - Remember God’s Benefits
[85:35] - Ebenezer: Thus Far God Helped Us
[90:15] - Thanksgiving and Prayer for Canada

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Psalm 100:1-5
“Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.” [37:01]

Luke 17:11-19
“Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" So when He saw them, He said to them, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. So Jesus answered and said, "Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?" And He said to him, "Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.” [01:04:24]

Psalm 103:1-2
“Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits:” [01:20:06]

Observation questions

In Psalm 100, what actions are God’s people called to bring into His presence, and what reasons does the psalm give for thanking Him? [37:15]
What contrast is seen between the ten lepers who were healed and the one who returned to Jesus in Luke 17:11–19? [01:04:45]
According to Psalm 103:1–2, what does the psalmist tell his own soul to do, and what danger is he resisting?
What examples were given of burdens that can leave a person physically present in worship but mentally distracted? [49:36]

Interpretation questions

Psalm 100 connects thanksgiving with entering God’s gates and praise with entering His courts. What does this show about how gratitude prepares a believer to approach God? [46:56]
Psalm 100 says that God is good, His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations. Why is it important that God’s goodness is based on His character rather than on a believer’s present circumstances? [52:59]
The healed Samaritan returned, praised God openly, and fell at Jesus’ feet. What does his response reveal about the difference between receiving God’s gifts and having the heart of a worshiper? [01:17:24]
Psalm 103 speaks directly to the soul about not forgetting God’s benefits. Why can remembering God’s past faithfulness strengthen someone who is facing a present difficulty? [01:24:46]

Application questions

What burden has been taking up most of your attention lately—work, finances, health, family, immigration, or something else? What would it look like to bring that burden to God while still choosing thanksgiving and praise? [50:06]
Is there an answered prayer, provision, opportunity, or protection in your life that has become so familiar that you no longer thank God for it? How can you intentionally return to God with gratitude this week? [01:10:24]
God is good in seasons of open doors and in seasons of waiting. When circumstances are disappointing, what truth about God’s character do you need to remind yourself of most? [01:02:35]
Gratitude becomes visible through sincere worship, faithful service, kindness, responsible use of resources, and helping others. Which one of these actions could become a clearer expression of thanksgiving in your daily life? [01:17:37]
Who helped or encouraged you during a difficult season? Is there a practical way you can become encouragement, support, or opportunity for someone else who is now facing a similar need? [01:18:21]
What could serve as an “Ebenezer” of remembrance for you—a thanksgiving journal, a written testimony, a regular family conversation, or another practice? How could that help keep today’s trouble from erasing yesterday’s evidence of God’s faithfulness? [01:27:30]
How can the group give thanks for Canada while also praying and acting for peace, wise leadership, justice, care for vulnerable people, and stronger communities? [01:33:00]

Sermon Clips

66s

#GodIsGood

“Psalm one zero seven verse one. So the bible does not say that God is good only when we receive a promotion. Only when we receive the money that we want. But God is good with or without what we need. Amen. God is totally good. God is completely good. When our... He's not he's not he's not only good when our business is subsidy. It's not only good when our children are excelling. It's not only good when our prayers are answered in the way we expected. It's good in any situation at any time. So we give God the praise. Hallelujah. The scripture says that he is good. He is good, period. God's goodness is part of his character. His goodness does not change with the seasons. Amen. And in every season, God remain the same.”

45s

#CastYourCares

“So Psalm 100 invites us to redirect our attention towards God. Redirect your attention towards God instead of on your problem, instead of on the challenge. Because sometimes it doesn't matter how much... How many times we we occupy our mind with it. The problem still remains the same, if not worse. So why not cast it on to him? That's the challenge many of us believers have sometimes. Because the scripture says that, cast your cares upon him for he cares. The casting becomes a challenge sometimes because we are looking at the circumstance surrounding us. We are looking at... The the thing is staring at us in the face.”

62s

#GratefulLife

“Gratitude should produce a transformed life. That's giving you should produce a transformed life. Amen. The grateful Samaritan did not, did more than feel thankful. He returned, raised his voice in praise and fell at his feet. Hallelujah. So genuine thanksgiving should influence our actions. Genuine thanksgiving should what? Influence our action. We thank God for... We thank God by worshiping him sincerely. So one of the expression, we we thank him by worshiping him sincerely. We thank God by serving him faithfully. We thank God by treating people with kindness. We thank God by using our resources responsibly. We thank God by helping people who are struggling. We thank God by sharing the good news of Jesus Christ.”

51s

#ThankGodAlways

“When God provides the job, thank him. When God, when he sustains you while you are searching for work, thank him. When he heals you, thank him. When you are still waiting for healing, and ask ask for strength and still thank him. Amen. In any circumstance, thank him. Praise the Lord. You are not thanking him for the problem. You are thanking him that he's with you to help you out of it. Nobody will celebrate, you know, pain. So you are not thanking him that I I have I have this problem. You are not thanking him for the problem. You are thanking him that he is with you. And he's going to make a way out. He's gonna give you a testimony. In the name of Jesus.”

71s

#ThanksgivingToGod

“The service gives us a beautiful picture of approaching God with thanksgiving and praise. Thanksgiving is not a payment we make to God to purchase blessings. Thanksgiving is not a currency or money that you are paying God to bless you. No. You thank God for who he is. Hallelujah. Because his blessings he will give you. You can... Nobody can pay for the blessings of God. So when you are thanking God, it's not like you are bribing him to do something. So thank God the genuine mentality. Thank God the genuine mindset. It is very important. It is a response to his goodness and an expression of our relationship with him. That's why we thank him. Expression of his goodness and our relationship with him. That's why we thank him. Not because, Lord, I'm thanking you knowing that you're going to do this for me. That means the motive is wrong. The action may be right, but the motive may be wrong. Let's have the right motive. Hallelujah.”

43s

#NeverTooBusyForGod

“And so once it sounds good to us, we, you know, it is right in our own eyes. Maybe not do things that are, that is only right in our own eyes. Let it be right in the eyes of God as well. May God help us. Before receiving a job, they pray daily. After receiving the job, they have no time for prayer. Before receiving a business opportunity, they attend every prayer meeting. After the business begins to prosper, they become too busy for God. If you become too busy for God, you are too busy at all risk.”

35s

#CountYourBlessings

“Listen. What you complaining and gambling about is somebody's prayer point. What you have become so used to, and it has become normalized in your life. It's somebody's prayer point. So we we always have to intentionally appreciate God. Even for the old things that he has given us. The blessings that we have already received. It's important. Amen.”

74s

#ReasonsToThankGod

“May you be blessed in Jesus name. Amen. Thanksgiving reminds us of who God is. Thanksgiving reminds us of who God is. The scripture that we read in verse five gives us three reasons to thank God. Amen. Number one reason is that the law is good. His goodness is part of his character. Amen. So the reason to thank God is that he is good. Goodness is the character of God. It is his nature. So from Psalm 100 verse five, number two, his mercy is everlasting. So God is always merciful. Without the mercies of God, we will not receive forgiveness. But because of his mercy, sometimes, you know, he show compassion towards us. He forgives us. He overlook our weaknesses and still helps us. May God help somebody at the sound of my voice. His mercy is everlasting. His compassion is not exhausted by our weakness.”

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