A Sacrifice Of Thanksgiving

 

Psalm 116:12-19 KJV; Maundy Thursday; A sacrifice of thanksgiving for the sacrifice Jesus made for us.

Blessings This Thanksgiving Day And Every Day

John 6:25-35 KJV; Thanksgiving Day

We Love Others Because He First Loved Us

Colossians 3:12-17 KJV; We show our love for God by loving and caring for others.

Give Thanks

Thanksgiving; Luke 17:11-19 KJV; Give thanks for all things!

Let Us Be Thankful

Thanksgiving; Deuteronomy 8:1-10 KJV; Let us stop complaining and thank the Lord for His many blessings.

Give Thanks And Glorify Our Father In Heaven

Philippians 4:6-20 KJV; Thanksgiving; Give thanks and praise God that He might be glorified.

Praise The Lord

Psalm 67:1-7 KJV; Thanksgiving; Praise the Lord and give thanks for all that He has done.  

Is Giving Thanks A Sacrifice?

Psalm 116:12-19 KJV – Maundy Thursday; Are you observing all of Holy Week or do you just skip to Easter Sunday and the Resurrection? Would you rather avoid the death on the cross? Remember there is no resurrection without a death and give thanks for the life, death, and life of Jesus!

Only One Gave Thanks

Luke 17:11-19 KJV; Thanksgiving Day; Only one in ten who were healed gave thanks and he was made whole.

Thanksgiving Day; Eat Of The Bread Of Life!

John 6:25-35 KJV; There is more to life than the physical bread; the physical things that we strive after. Eat of the bread of life, who is Jesus the Christ, and live life!

First Fruits

Deuteronomy 26:1-11 KJV; The Israelites offered up their first fruits to God for saving them.  Let us give thanks for God offered up His first fruit, Jesus the Christ, to save us all.

Give Joyful Thanks!

Psalm 100; KJV; So much good around us - let us make a joyful noise in thanksgiving!

Offer Unto God Thanksgiving

Psalm 50:1-15 KJV; All that we have belongs to God. We can give Him nothing other than to offer Him thanksgiving and to glorify His Holy Name!

Thanksgiving Every Day

 

And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him. (Col 3:17 KJV)

Happy Thanksgiving!  Today is the day set aside for all people to give thanks to God for all that He has given us. One day! Wah!  Is that enough!? 

According to St. Paul's letter to the Colossians we ought to be showing our thankfulness to God in everything we say and do. Being thankful should not be relegated to just one day a year.

Today would be a good day, though, to take the time to count your blessings. Consider all that God has given you. I know that as human beings we tend to complain a lot about what we don't have. While spending time and energy focusing on complaining and being angry and blaming others we are not able to appreciate and care for the people and the things that we do have. We forget that we are sinful human beings; full of greed and envy; full of anger and jealousies. We forget that without Jesus these attitudes would consume us. But; because of Christ, our sins have been wiped out. He bore those sins upon the cross for us and saved us from the penalties of our sins. For this above all other things we give thanks to God in Christ Jesus.

"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.

Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth.

Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee." 

                                                                        (Isa 12:2-6)

Give thanks to God! Shout it out! Praise Him! Let the world know that you are thankful for His love and mercy in all that you say and do and not just today; but, every day.

God's Peace - Pr. J.

Stay Out Of The Mud!

"... but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

                                                                                            (Phil 4:6-8 KJV)

If you don't want your feet to get dirty then stay out of the mud. There are actually things that we can do that will make our lives a bit easier. If you don't want to live in constant drama or chaos then quit focusing on the bad and think on those things that are of good report; of things that are lovely. 

St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians: "Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” (1 Cor 15:33) There would be a whole lot less drama in our lives if we would just avoid being around people who love drama. That is not to say that we should not help them. We should. But, we should not be so involved that it ends up infecting our lives and drawing us away from the peace which God would give us through Christ Jesus.

But, even when we try to focus on the things of good report, we are still human and  there will be times that we will get drawn to situations that we would rather not be in. There may be times that we find ourselves sinking in quicksand and there is no possible way out except by the help of God.

If you prefer not to live in the muck and the mire of sin; if you prefer not to live with drama and chaos in your life; then turn to the Lord and focus on his promises. Trust yourself to the one who can truly lift you out of any mess. Give him thanks for with him your feet will be clean and your heart and mind will be at peace. 

God's Peace - Pr. J.

A Joyful Noise In Thanksgiving

 

O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.

The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.

O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.

For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.                                                                         

(Psalm 95:1-7a KJV)

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord!

It is way too easy to get stuck focusing on the things that we desire and on those things that we don't have and fail to appreciate the wonderful gifts the Lord of all of creation has given us. Sometimes we get so stuck feeling sorry for ourselves that we fail to see and enjoy the gifts that God has given us.

Make a list today of what you have to be grateful for and be honest with yourself. Be honest. Thank Him for the people around you; for fruitful labor; for a home;  for creation; for life; and for love. Look around and see the glorious works that God has already done for you! Look around and see the gifts that God has given you! Then give thanks making a joyful noise to the Lord our rock and salvation!

Abundant life is experienced when we can appreciate and build upon what God has already given us. Anger and depression are experienced when we only focus on tearing apart the gifts of God. Rejoice and give thanks for the life God has given you!

God's Peace - Pr. J.