Give Thanks

Oh, what a way to wake up in the morning - with a song on the heart and words of praise on the lips! It makes me imagine what heaven will be like, singing praise and worship songs to God.

The mother of a friend of mine died recently. Of course, the family was sad. They will miss her dearly. But there was also great rejoicing, because she knew the Lord and iswith Him today.

"To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord." - 2 Corinthians 5:8

Sadly, that is something the lost will never experience.

I mentioned waking up with a song on my heart, the words playing on repeat in my soul. I don't mind that at all. It's a wonderful thing and I thank God, "with a grateful heart."

Give thanks with a grateful heart

give thanks to the Holy One

give thanks, because he’s given

Jesus Christ, his Son

And now let the weak say I am strong

Let the poor say I am rich

Because of what the Lord has done for us

Give thanks,

Give thanks

I can only imagine what it will be like, to be in the presence of the Lord. But I CAN tell you this: I can hardly wait. It is not a conscious effort on my part to sing these sings, but a joyful outpouring of the Holy Spirit to God The Father.

"I will extol the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips. ²I will glory in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. ³Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt His Name together." - Psalm 34:1-3

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever." - Psalm 107:1

Give Thanks - Gaither

Giving Thanks

It's the day before Thanksgiving and two days before Black Friday. Those two days seem philosophically opposed to one another. One is a stay at home, family, loving kind of day while the other is a "go to the mall, spend all kinds of money, battle to the death over a great deal" kind of day.

My wife is a great shopper. She loves getting "deals" on things. We have a pantry shelf in our basement that's overflowing. My wife has gotten so many great deals on food that I recently had to expand our shelving!

Look at this picture! These people were sitting around the dinner room table just the day before and now they are willing to trample each other over a television set. I haven't heard Dr. Fauci condemn black Friday shopping as a "super-spreader event." But that's a different topic.

When I think about Thanksgiving, I think about the Thanksgiving meal itself, all the great food, sitting bloated in my recliner pretending to watch football as I moan in pain after eating too much.

How much time do we actually spend giving thanks? A pre-meal prayer that lasts for a minute, tops? What would a longer prayer look like? What would it sound like?

There is not enough time in the day to express our thanks to God for everything He has given us. Is your heart beating? Are you breathing? Did you wake up this morning? Did everyone arrive safely? And where did all of this food come from?

If we just answered "The store!" to that last question, we need to think a little deeper. All things come from God.

I pray that you would have a wonderful Thanksgiving celebration with your family. Make it meaningful. Offer a special prayer around the dining table. Everything you have is from God. That's a lot to be thankful for!

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever." - Psalm 107:1

His Love Endures Forever - Chris Tomlin

Giving Thanks

One of the things I enjoy about volunteering is the people I get to meet. Every one of them is different, yet we all have this similar desire - to love and to be loved. Why is that?

It doesn't matter what political party you favor, whether you're a Packers fan or a Bears fan. There is a common thread that runs through the fabric of the human heart that is undeniable. And it is placed there by God. Knit into our hearts from long ago.

"For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb." - Isaiah 139:13

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day here in America. We give thanks to our creator for all the many blessings He has given us. And we truly are blessed in this country. But with those blessings comes responsibility. A responsibility to bless others in God's name.

You see, Thanksgiving isn't really about US. It's not about turkey, football or parades either. It's about God. I think we've forgotten that as a nation. And that's part of our problem today.

The Thanksgiving story I remember from my childhood was the Pilgrims celebrating their safe passage from England, celebrating the harvest. But I also remember the Indians (Native Americans if you prefer) sharing some of their food as well.

That may or may not be true. I'm not going to look it up. But that's almost how it should be, isn't it? Sharing our blessings with others?

I hope that when you gather around the dinner table tomorrow you will take time to give thanks. Not just with a traditional prayer. Make it a special one. For we have a special God deserving of our thanks and praise.

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." - Isaiah 139:14

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever." - 1 Chronicles 16:34

Forever God Is Faithful - Michael W. Smith
The Real Story of Thanksgiving

The Hugging Prayer

Do you have a really good friend you just love being around? Maybe you've been blessed with many such friends. I have a few. Each time we part company we always give each other a hug. But until today I never recognized those hugs for what they really are - prayer.

There are several kinds of hugs I guess. The appreciative hug of a child, a hug of sympathy for someone going through a struggle or loss, the hopeful hug of a teen on his first date.

I saw a Facebook post from a friend the other day that said a hug is actually a prayer. After considering that for a moment I decided it was true.

If you have family members or friends that you hug, isn't it really a silent, unspoken prayer? And doesn't the Holy Spirit interpret our prayers to make the pleasing and acceptable to God?

"In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans." - Romans 8:26

Try this. Speak a short prayer the next time you hug someone.

"I thank God for you!"

"I love you, my brother."

"Thank you God for the gift of my friend."

Trust me. Your friend won't mind.

We should always thank God for our blessings. Why shouldn't we give thanks while hugging one of those blessings?

One of the most precious prayers we can pray is praying for someone we love while holding them in our arms or while holding their hands. Thoughtful, compassionate, prayerful touch is an extremely powerful and emotional prayer.

Is that how we pray? Do we pray with that kind of closeness and emotion? We should.

Draw Me Close To You - Michael W. Smith

Giving Thanks

Thanksgiving is over. The turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes are all in the fridge, chillin'. The pumpkin pie is half-eaten and covered with aluminum foil. My belt has been loosened to the last notch just to protect the innocent bystanders should there be a structural failure. Things are finally beginning to get back to normal.

It was a rather typical Thanksgiving in that we did all of the same things we do every year. There was food and family and football. Yet this Thanksgiving felt different than any other Thanksgiving for some reason.

Maybe it's because the Packers are sucking this year. Maybe it's the whinny liberal news media who didn't get their way in this year's presidential election. It could be because I see a nation splitting into different factions and then warring with one another instead of "one nation, under God."

Life in our family is going good. We have jobs, we have food, we have love. Still something is not quite right. I think I figured out what it is though.

The Bible tells us in Romans 12 (among others places) that we are all given gifts. It describes

"⁶ We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; ⁷ if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; ⁸ if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully." - Romans 12:6-8

As far as I can tell through my self-examination I have been given the gift of mercy. What that means is that when someone I love is hurting, I want to help. The helping always makes me feel good. That's not a problem. What hurts is when I WANT to help but am unable to.

There are people I know who are struggling right now. They need help. They need some assistance. I see that need and I want to help. I get that part. But it's more than that. I NEED to help. Not helping those in need eats away at me inside. I causes sleepless nights as I search for ways to come to the rescue of those I love. Sometimes the gift of mercy can feel more like a curse. But that's a good thing. The gift of mercy in His children is God's gift to the hurting.

Perhaps that is why I feel a little down this Thanksgiving. I have been unable to serve some of the people in my life the way I'd like to. For me, my sin is knowing that God wants me to do something and then not doing it.

There is a verse that is haunting me right now. Here it is.

⁹ “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? ¹⁰ Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? ¹¹ If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" - Matthew 7:9-11

I read that and think two things. First, I feel like I am giving my friends in need stones and snakes. I am not being much help. The second thing is I am not asking God to help them as often or as passionately as I should. And THAT is why I am not feeling 100% this Thanksgiving. It is my own failure at doing what God wants me to do that is causing me to be sad.

Perhaps this story of my failure will be the incentive I need to turn things around and do something. I hope so. I NEED to do something. God has placed me in a position to serve and I am doing nothing. THAT is what must change. I must turn nothing into something. Perhaps then I can get some rest.

Father, I ask you today to forgive us our sins - the things we have done to be sure. but today I seek forgiveness for the things I have NOT done. I pray for strength and determination, that we might actually MOVE, rather than stand still. So, I personally and humbly ask  for wisdom so I may know what to do when called to do so. And I ask for strength, that I would do the things you ask me to do - not in MY name but in yours. We must become less, you must become more. I pray for your mercy so that we may show that mercy to those you have placed in our paths. May we be not only hearers of your Word, but doers of it as well. And may we be thankful for these feelings of inadequacy and helplessness, for they draw us closer to you. All these things I pray in the name of Jesus. Thank you for hearing our prayers. Amen.

Happiness Is Helping Others

Giving Thanks

I thought I would issue a "special edition" blog post this morning, just because it's Thanksgiving and I am feeling especially thankful today. And so should YOU be. :)

When one thinks of Thanksgiving thoughts usually turn to turkey, stuffing, football and pumpkin pie. Those are traditional Thanksgiving things in our lives. What is NOT so traditional, especially in today's world, is giving thanks to the one who provided them all . . except for football. Sorry Packers fans.

Now I know what you're thinking. "We pray on Thanksgiving and every other day." Believe me, that is good. However I am talking to the occasional prayers, the ones like I used to be. I tended to offer up prayers on Thanksgiving. I was willing to participate in a Thanksgiving prayer. And that is a good thing . . . if it is truthfully a proper prayer.

Too often, I think, we focus on the things in our lives that we are thankful for without really thinking about what we are praying. I think that many of us, just like I did, do not pray properly.

Instead of thanking God for good health, for example, what if we extended that prayer . . . and make it about God, not ourselves.

"Heavenly Father, today I thank you for my health, the ability to breathe the YOU gave us. I thank you for it because you have given me strength to do your will in this world. You chose to give me life, so that I might have life to the fullest through your Son, Jesus Christ. I thank you for me good health so that I may serve you and others with this body for as long as I might live."

A prayer of Thanksgiving should ALWAYS be about God, not about ourselves.

Here's a brief little story by one of my favorite pastors. It points to how we often think of things on a personal, human level, instead of focusing on the eternal, heavenly center where all things began.

Ask The Question Properly -Voddie Baucham

Father, You deserve ALL thanks and praise for all you do. Though we are sinners, fully deserving of your wrath, you extend us grace, mercy and compassion. These gifts alone are worthy of your thanks. But you gifts us many other things beyond just 'life.' You give us family and friends to love . . . with the very love you gave us. You give us the gift of eternal life through simple faith in your Son. You feed us, cloth us and provide for us in this life through the gifts and talents you placed in us before we were born . . . in the inmost place you formed us. For all these things, Lord, we thank you and praise your mighty name, above all other names. Amen.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Let us give Him thanks and praise for all HE has done. :)

Thanks

Today I'm going to be starting things out a little backwards. If you have been reading these thrice-weekly stories often enough you will know that I usually include a link to a song or a video at the end of my blogs. But this time I thought I would offer this video FIRST to kind of set up what I am going to be writing about today. Please, watch the faces of the people in this video and then return for some thoughts about . . . Thanksgiving.

Groceries For Free

We here in this country have a day on which we take off from work and spend time with our families. We give thanks to God for His many blessings. At least that was the plan years ago when George Washington proclaimed the first Thanksgiving Day. These days our thoughts are more about who's going to win the big football game or who's making it to the biggest sale on Black Friday. That is NOT what this holiday was intended to be used for.

In the video, did you see the looks on the faces of those ladies who were gifted free groceries? That was the look of thankfulness. It was the look disbelief, that someone would give them something so valuable to them. Totally undeserving of what they had been given, they couldn't handle the generosity, their tears of joy paying tribute to their unknown benefactor.

That look . . . the look on the faces of those ladies . . . it is the same look we should have on our faces when we come before our Lord in prayer. We should have that look when we worship in our churches. Have you seen that look in YOUR church lately? We should have that look, the tears of joy, when we surrender our hearts to Christ, repent of our sins, and make that life-saving decision to follow Jesus.

I was blessed to be able to pray with a couple of teens as one of them made that decision. There were tears all around. What a special and God-honoring moment that was. If we could only bottle moments like that, those emotions, and open them up in times of want or need.

This Thanksgiving I encourage you to not let those special moments slip by. You WILL have them. Be ever-watchful and pray that you will not miss a single one because they most definitely are fleeting.

I had one such moment the other day. As I was recovering from what had turned out to be food poisoning, I received a message on Facebook. It was from a young friend I had met in our church's youth group where I was a leader. I hadn't heard from her in a year and a half but suddenly, there was her encouraging message right when I needed it most. My day got remarkable better after that! :)

Each of us is an "encouraging message" waiting to happen. Don't wait for those rare, special moments to happen to you. Create them yourself, or rather, allow yourself to be used by God's Holy Spirit. Be the inspiration in someone else's life. Not only will you lift the other person's spirits up but yours will soar right up there as well. Give thanks this week for all of your many blessings because, when we really think about it, we have been given SO much.

The God of the universe who created us and loves us, sent His son to die for us! That's worth a thank you or two. Because God knew we could never make it on our own, He offered us a way that we could STILL be with Him, even though we don't really deserve it. All who sin against a Holy God  deserve death, yet He gave us an option, an out. By placing our faith in Jesus, by simply submitting to His will and not our own, we can receive forgiveness for all of our sins. ALL of them! Yes, even THAT one! More thanks are in order my friends!! We serve a great King. We need to remember that, and act like it, every . . . day . . . of our lives.

"12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him." - Colossians 3:12-17

Thankful by Caedmon's Call