Thanksgiving

Fresh green beans. Sweet potato casserole. Fried turkey. Cornbread dressing. Cranberry sauce.
Pumpkin pie and ice cream. A lot of planning goes into celebrating our national Day of Thanksgiving.

Now for the Thanksgiving. Our thanksgiving and praise ought to be in direct proportion to our blessings.

Psalm 100:4  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

Think about what God has done in your life---His many blessings. Meditate on how much  He loves you.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

So Blessed

Living in a world of chaos, we still have a lot to be thankful for. It’s time to count our blessings.

Though I’m taking chemo and had my head shaved, I've only had a couple bad days and the Lord has answered when I asked for strength to do what I must. I'm so blessed.

The cancer could’ve attacked other body parts but was contained within the uterus extracted at surgery. We prayed for that. I’m so blessed.

Medical researchers discovered this kind of cancer returns within five years, but now the odds are extremely high that it won’t with chemotherapy. I’m so blessed.

Wonderful family and friends, awesome grandbabbies, material blessings, church unity, answered prayers, redeemed, loved,---It’s impossible to put a number on all my blessings.

Thank You Lord.

Psalm 100:4-5  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 

Effectual, Fervent Prayer Of A Rightous Man

On a sailing ship to China, Missionary Hudson Taylor hears an urgent knock on his stateroom door.

"Mr. Taylor," the Captain said, "We have no wind and we’re drifting toward an island where the people are heathen and I fear they are cannibals."

"What can I do?" asked Taylor.

"I understand you believe in God. I want you to pray for wind."

"I will, but you must set the sail."

"That's ridiculous! There's not even the slightest breeze. Besides, the sailors will think I'm crazy."  The captain finally gave in to Taylor's request.

Forty-five minutes later he returned and found the missionary still on his knees.

"You can stop praying now. We've got more wind than we know what to do with.”

If you need something from God, ask for it. Believe. God doesn’t simply respond to our asking, it’s our faith that moves Him to action.

James 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

Fear Not, Strength Is In The Battle

None of us know the pot holes of tomorrow’s battles, but we can know that God will give us strength to face them.

Psalm 46:1-3 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah.

Children of God, fear not. Learn that God will protect us, provide for us, strengthen us in battle.

Walk by faith and not by sight.

Worship the God of the universe. Honor Him. Praise Him. Trust Him in battle.

The Precious Blood Of Jesus

What is it about the blood of Jesus that makes it so precious? Redemption. Forgiveness.  Salvation. Eternal Life.

The blood of Jesus stained the cross in place of our blood and then was accepted by our Heavenly Father for our sins.

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 3:23-24  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

The precious blood of Jesus is proof of God's love (Rom. 5:8), cleansing our sins, making us right with God when we believe.

Believers should cherish, protect and proclaim the precious blood of Jesus with honor and great esteem.

If you have not believed in Jesus, you can. He will give you eternal life.  Seek Him.

Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Due Season

Impatience doesn’t change God’s divine schedule. He may be slow at times, but He is never late.

Ecclesiastes 3:1  To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

In God’s work “due season” can’t be altered by educated experts.

“Due season” is when you reap what you sow. For Noah it was 120 years, for Moses 80, for Joseph 13.

What you do for Jesus may not be often or big.  You may get discouraged waiting for harvest, but God can still use you. He will still bless you. Don’t faint. Don’t quit.

Galatians 6:9  And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Waiting for “due season” I am encouraged by the following words in a song on YouTube---“Keep On” by the Perrys. Maybe it will encourage you.

“Keep on. Be brave. Hold fast. Have faith. Pray hard. Fear not. Stay strong. Keep on.”

Unfailing Faithfulness

Regardless of how life plays out, believers can have confidence that God is faithful and that He will stand by us even when our faith is weak (John 10:28-29; Heb. 7:25; Rom. 8:28-30).

Psalm 89:33  His faithfulness is unfailing, “Nevertheless my lovingkindness will I not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail,” Psa. 89:33.

God is faithful to help His people, and He knows where we are and what we need.

He is faithful to those He saves, faithful to all His promises.

Let us rejoice in His faithfulness so that He is glorified in our praise of Him.

Let us rest in His faithfulness so that we are delivered from the cares of this life.

Let us report His faithfulness so that others may come to know Him too.

God is faithful.