It's almost Thanksgiving! Isn't it hard to believe that yet another year has rolled by us, our official day of Thanksgiving is upon us, then Christmas will be here and we'll be looking at another New Year staring us in the face before we know it! WOW!
2012? Hard to believe, seems like it was just the year 2,000, doesn't it with all the year 2,000 hype and hoopla, and now here we are 12 years later. It's true what they say about time going by faster as you get older, cause don't know about you, but it sure seems to me like the last 12 years have flown by!
So, let's talk about being thankful. Do you take time, each day to give thanks to the Lord for all your many blessings? It's so easy to look at the bad in our lives, especially when things aren't going our way, but that's not the way the Lord wants us to live. The entire Bible, the book of Life, is a book about giving thanks. There are many verses throughout the Word of God (Old and New Testament,) that instruct us to give thanks, even when we don't want to.
Psalm 100 says:
2012? Hard to believe, seems like it was just the year 2,000, doesn't it with all the year 2,000 hype and hoopla, and now here we are 12 years later. It's true what they say about time going by faster as you get older, cause don't know about you, but it sure seems to me like the last 12 years have flown by!
So, let's talk about being thankful. Do you take time, each day to give thanks to the Lord for all your many blessings? It's so easy to look at the bad in our lives, especially when things aren't going our way, but that's not the way the Lord wants us to live. The entire Bible, the book of Life, is a book about giving thanks. There are many verses throughout the Word of God (Old and New Testament,) that instruct us to give thanks, even when we don't want to.
"Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all you nations. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know that the LORD is God: it is he that made us, 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 lasts forever; and his truth endures to all generations."
Ephesians 5:20 says
"Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
"Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
I went to breakfast with a dear friend of mine this morning. We were talking about Thanksgiving. Did you know that during the first Thanksgiving, fully one half of all the pilgrims had lost a family member during their ferocious Atlantic crossing? That very first thanksgiving was born of pain and suffering.
The first Thanksgiving in 1621
Yet - In the midst of all the terrible loss and suffering, those pilgrims looked to the Lord and wanted to Thank Him for landing them safely in this new land. So, they stopped, gathered together with remaining family and new friends, and thanked God Almighty for everything they had. They did what the Bible wants us to do, to give thanks in everything, good and bad. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 encourages us to: "Be joyful always; pray continually; giving thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
Our modern day Thanksgiving Celebrations tend to focus on the abundance of food, lots of drinking and football. While our intentions are always good, sometimes we don't spend enough time on the "Thanking the Lord" part! There are so many without, in this country and in our world. So many lonely and without friends or family during this holiday of thankfulness and blessings.
If you know someone who is alone, pick up the phone and give them a call. Stop by and pay them a visit if you live nearby. Take them a Thanksgiving meal, or invite them to dinner? There are so many ways you can show them what Thanksgiving is truly about. About sharing God's many blessings with those in your world. Don't you think we should go back to our roots, and focus on what the Lord wants us to be grateful for? For His provision, for our faith, for our family and for our many friends.
The family that prays together, stays together...
So, for this Thanksgiving, look up, not in. Count your blessings, not your troubles, and you will have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Give Thanks with a grateful heart!
My verses for today are above in red.
Give thanks with a grateful heart song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBpv-ZzcQD8
My prayer for today:
Thank you Lord for another blessed Thanksgiving. Thank you for the abundance of blessings and provision that flow from your Hand. Help us to reach out to our family and others in your name, showing them your love, mercy and grace.
In Jesus Name I pray,
Amen
Yet - In the midst of all the terrible loss and suffering, those pilgrims looked to the Lord and wanted to Thank Him for landing them safely in this new land. So, they stopped, gathered together with remaining family and new friends, and thanked God Almighty for everything they had. They did what the Bible wants us to do, to give thanks in everything, good and bad. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 encourages us to: "Be joyful always; pray continually; giving thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
Our modern day Thanksgiving Celebrations tend to focus on the abundance of food, lots of drinking and football. While our intentions are always good, sometimes we don't spend enough time on the "Thanking the Lord" part! There are so many without, in this country and in our world. So many lonely and without friends or family during this holiday of thankfulness and blessings.
If you know someone who is alone, pick up the phone and give them a call. Stop by and pay them a visit if you live nearby. Take them a Thanksgiving meal, or invite them to dinner? There are so many ways you can show them what Thanksgiving is truly about. About sharing God's many blessings with those in your world. Don't you think we should go back to our roots, and focus on what the Lord wants us to be grateful for? For His provision, for our faith, for our family and for our many friends.
So, for this Thanksgiving, look up, not in. Count your blessings, not your troubles, and you will have a wonderful Thanksgiving. Give Thanks with a grateful heart!
My verses for today are above in red.
Give thanks with a grateful heart song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBpv-ZzcQD8
My prayer for today:
Thank you Lord for another blessed Thanksgiving. Thank you for the abundance of blessings and provision that flow from your Hand. Help us to reach out to our family and others in your name, showing them your love, mercy and grace.
In Jesus Name I pray,
Amen
