THANKFUL

Friday, November 29, 2019

Good morning, Jesus.

Thank you, Lord, for not calling your people to a seven-day fast in the Thanksgiving week. Instead, you have called for a feast this week to remember your many blessings poured out on us. May we continually have a grateful heart and give you thanks in all circumstances. When problems arise, may we ask, “What are you trying to show me, Lord?” and not feel sorry for ourselves, complaining, “Why is this happening to me, God? What’d I do to deserve this?” Because you are a good God, we can trust you work all things for our good in this fallen, broken world.

Today, we thank you for:

• That when we place our faith in you, Jesus, we are no longer under condemnation for our sins, but are given a new, eternal life in you.
• The gentle fragrance of perfume drifting in the air that triggers your memories of your wife when you were newlyweds.
• Sweet potato pie
• Finding prayers for you written in your mother’s Bible after she has transitioned to heaven
• Sitting beside an interesting conversationalist on a flight
• The comfort we find in you Jesus when life disappoints us. Thankful you understand our tears.
• Clean running water when we turn on the faucet, lights when we flip the switch, gas to heat our homes and cook our food, air conditioning in the summer, heat in the winter, a roof over our heads to protect us from the elements, some basic, some luxurious, but personal transportation to get us from point A to point B
• Holding and loving on our loved ones at every opportunity. There is no guarantee they will be with us next Thanksgiving.
• People who get things done and do not care who gets the credit
• The stranger in the car ahead of you paying for your coffee when going through the Starbuck’s drive-thru.

Thank you for being our healing and restoring God. You’re close to all who call upon you when life is closing in around us. Your name is greater than any cancer, disease, illness or affliction. Protect our faith, raise us to new levels of trust, anoint us to do your work here on Earth as your will is done in Heaven.

Giving thanks to you, Jesus. Amen.

Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Good morning, Jesus.

Your blessings exceed our expectations, Lord. This incredible world you created explodes with beauty and wonder and yet, in our fallen state, we tend to focus on our woes and problems. Our inattention to giving you thanks in all things, which include our woes and problems, leaves us missing the simple beauties of your limitless blessings.

Our prayer today is to choose to praise you Lord in all circumstances, whether we feel like praising and thanking you or not. The psalmist said it best: “What can I give back to God for the blessings he’s poured out on me? . . . I am ready to offer the thanksgiving sacrifice and pray in the name of the Lord” (Psalm 116:17).

Today, we thank you for:

• The inheritance held in heaven for all who place their faith in Christ. We know our eternity is secure because you placed your Holy Spirit within us to guarantee our eternal spot with you, Lord God (Ephesians 1:14).
• Not caring how long your spouse is shopping since you can browse through a bookstore
• Watching our children doing their chores without complaining
• No one goes home hungry with the wide variety of foods and desserts found at a church pot-luck supper.
• The indescribable blessing of serving others in a soup kitchen
• All our pains and ailments, trials and difficulties are temporary
• The memories of shopping at the five-and-dime stores as a kid, and wishing our kids and grandkids could have the same experience
• Putting our lives, wellbeing, health at risk by swinging with the kids and grandkids at the park.
• A widower bringing a simple bouquet of flowers to his widowed lady-friend when they meet for coffee on their “first date.”
• Rewarding yourself for a finished accomplishment, other than weight loss, at Baskin-Robbins.

Lord, open our eyes to see the blessings all around us, every day, everywhere. Your glory is seen in all your creation. We can’t understand why you would want a personal relationship with us, your flawed creation, but thank you for loving us, Lord.

Praising you in all circumstances, Jesus. Amen.

Monday, November 25, 2019

Good morning, Jesus.

We want to thank you, Lord, for the unseen blessings we easily overlook in our busy lives. With family, kids, church, work, the holidays— we tend to focus on what we must do to keep ahead of the game instead of what you are doing to keep us in the game. Today, we take a few moments to put aside our busy schedule and seek you, our unseen God, to see how you are seen in our everyday life.

We thank you for:

• Giving us a new song in our heart when we come to you in faith. As your word so plainly states: “Sing! Sing in your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way (Colossians 3:17 MSG)
• When sleep evades us, solving the sleeplessness with a midnight snack of cookies and milk or that last piece of apple pie
• Despite our economic circumstances, whether monetarily comfortable or struggling financially, instead of receiving a handout, we will extend a hand out.
• People who made an impact on our lives when we needed kindness —and they don’t know it.
• Successfully navigating through a traffic circle with drivers who panic when they come to a round-about.
• A skillful phlebotomist who draws blood painlessly
• A fellow Christ-follower the Lord unexpectedly sends along to pray for us when we need prayer now!
• Department store “bargain basements”
• That big smile and fist pump, seeing the favorable results when we step on the bathroom scales
• Hanging the Christmas lights around the roof and all the lights work!

Lord, we could go on forever thanking you for all our blessing. But the greatest blessing that you give is the salvation found in placing our trust in Jesus’ work on the cross, shedding his blood to pay our sin debt, which we could never pay. From our grateful heart, your Spirit enables us to see all these unseen blessing. Thank you, Jesus.

From a thankful heart, Amen.

Friday, November 22, 2019

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, there are no empty shelves in your storehouse of blessings. As soon as you send a blessing, two others take its place on the shelf. You know our needs and send blessings to meet those needs. Your blessings touch our hearts, bring peace to our emotions, bless our souls, and open our eyes to your beauty and glory. As we dedicate this month of thanksgiving to you, we rejoice in remembering these blessings today.

• As far as the east is from the west, so far you have separated our sins from us (Psalm 103:12).
• Baby Moses laws
• Grabbing a tissue just in time to catch that violent sneeze
• The childhood joy felt by old people after jumping into a big pile of leaves, and not needing the paramedics to get them out.
• Relaxing on the porch, listening to a gentle springtime rain
• Making it to the gas station with the gas gauge dangerously low. Promising the Lord and yourself you’ll never let it get that low again.
• Holding hands with family and friends before Thanksgiving dinner, giving thanks to God for all these blessings
• The laughter of people of all ages engaged in a snowball fight.
• The relief when infants finally sleep all through the night
• Finding a couple of wadded dollars in a pocket of jeans you’re about to wash

Thank you, Lord, for the prosperity we take for granted. So many in the world go without their basic needs for many reasons, but we’re blessed from your bounty. Help us to share our blessings with those less fortunate, who receive our charity with a thankful heart. May we always be grateful and stop us if we complain about our status in life. You bless each person in unique ways to show your goodness.

Thank you for the forgiveness of sins for all who come to you in repentance, Jesus. Amen!

Thursday, November 21, 2019

Good morning, Jesus.

The blessings of Providence flow to all mankind, everywhere. Your goodness, Lord God, knows no boundaries, even to those places and people who are hostile to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Those misguided folks have been blinded by the enemy of their souls to your goodness. Our prayer today is all people, everywhere, know and appreciate your goodness.

We’re thankful for these blessings we so often overlook.

• Your Spirit indwells each person who places their faith in you, Jesus, and his Holy Spirit will never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5).
• Living in a land with the best roads in the world
• For hackers who think they are golfers, making a birdie on a Par 3
• Getting flowers for no apparent reason from that special someone
• Good buddies laughing and carrying on, eating cheap lunches at a fast food place
• Charity hospitals that turn no one away regardless of their ability to pay
• Catholic school nuns who were quick to smack our knuckles with an 18-inch ruler, to keep us on the straight and narrow
• Driving through the country in the early spring as the trees begin to bud
• A child’s excitement of catching their first fish
• The beauty of love and devotion, seeing an elderly couple holding hands after decades of marriage

Thank you for the grace and divine strength you give to those undergoing treatments or recovering from illness or afflictions. Few, if any, refuse your divine help in such circumstances. Your peace that sustains those suffering proves your goodness to all who look to you.

Bless and protect our troops around the world, defending liberty, fighting oppression. Bless and protect the faithful missionaries around the world, preaching liberty from sin and a new life in Christ. Keep them all encouraged that their services are not in vain.

You bless us beyond measure, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Wednesday, November 20, 2019

Good morning, Jesus.

Lord, in my humanity, I get down and feel the blues from time to time. This tends to make me complain about my lot in life. All the time, you hold my life in your hands, directing events and circumstances to keep me close to you. Sometimes, I feel alone, but that is not true since you have promised never to leave nor forsake me—ever! Help me keep my focus on the abundant blessings you lavish on me, and all your children. You bless all mankind, even those who do not believe you exist.

We are thankful for:

• That when we were yet dead in our sins and trespasses against you, Lord God, you gave your only Son Jesus to die for our sins to redeem us back to you (Romans 5:6–8).
• The gift of music, from operas performed by gifted singers in palatial theaters to Broadway shows to singing oldies in the shower
• A baby’s secure feelings, refusing to let go of your index finger
• That “Ahhhh” feeling of falling into a bed with clean sheets
• Even though he doesn’t feel like it, your “man” watches a chick-flick with you.
• The sacrifices of those resting in the sacred hills of Arlington National Cemetery
• Fresh apple pie with Blue Bell ice cream
• Standing in awe at the precipice of the Grand Canyon, knowing it all started with just a constant trickle of water
• Sitting around the campfire, captivating the children with ghost stories
• The fresh smell of rain
• Worn out, comfortable house shoes you just can’t throw away

We are thankful for our police, firefighters, first responders and emergency personnel who devote their lives and energies to serving others. Thank you for our brave men and women who put on the uniform to defend liberties and freedoms.

Heal our nation. Forgive our sins, Lord.

Jesus, you are the hope of the world. Amen.

Tuesday, November 19, 2019

Good morning, Jesus.

The blessings of heaven are limitless. Out of your incredible love, Lord, you pour blessings on all mankind. May we always have a grateful heart and give you praise for these blessings we take for granted. Your comfort when we mourn, your divine strength when our strength is exhausted, your mercy when we deserve none are all blessings that reveal your love and grace to all who look to you. Your word promises in Psalm 21:6 “You have endowed him with eternal blessings and given him the joy of your presence” (NLT).

We thank you today Lord for these blessings.

• That once we come to you in repentance, your Spirit never leaves us nor forsakes us.
• Your faithfulness for eternally giving us springtime, summer, fall and winter
• Shuffling through the leaves, taking a stroll on a crisp fall afternoon
• Childhood memories of the unique taste of well water
• The sound of church bells ringing on Sunday morning, calling parishioners to worship
• Pancakes at grandma’s house. Grandma’s big smile that she cannot make them fast enough.
• Growing up with relatives close to the same age
• Finding “treasures” in garage sales that you absolutely cannot live without
• Walking through Independence Hall in Philadelphia, thankful for the sacrifices of the patriots and founding fathers
• Amazed at the wisdom the Lord God gave man, that they could build the pyramids, the Great Wall of China, the great structures of the world, the “Seven Wonders of the World,”— that America could send men to the moon— all without the use of a computer

Thank you, Lord, you still heal, renew, restore and change lives. Mankind looks everywhere for answers, but the answers to true life and happiness are found in a relationship with you Jesus. Thank you for the men and women who devote their lives to teach us about you and lead us to Christ.

Forgive our sins, heal our nation.

Thankful for your blessing, Jesus. Amen!

Monday, November 18, 2019

Good morning, Jesus.

The more we look to you, Lord God, the more we see you working and blessing in our lives. May your goodness be known to all mankind. Let us never doubt your love or mercy. Your grace to forgive our sins, no matter what we’ve done, is so contrary to our nature, but when we come to you in repentance, you give us your Spirit and a new nature. Help our souls to not fight against our new godly nature, but to yield every area of our lives to you.

Even though we have trials, problems and challenges, open our eyes to your blessings every day in every situation (Psalm 27:13). Today, we give you thanks for these blessings:

• The peace you give when the storms of life rage against us, especially when we do not understand the trial.
• St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Scottish Rite Children’s Hospitals and other hospitals around the country that do not charge for the children’s treatment
• Disposable dinner ware for holiday parties
• Get-togethers will old classmates, or former coworkers, church friends—just getting together with old friends
• Whataburger
• As a rite of passage in our little one’s life, lifting a child to put the angel on top of the Christmas tree for the first time
• Reading old love letters written by our deceased parents to each other when they were young.
• All the family sitting together on the sofa, eating popcorn and watching movies on family night.
• That “weird uncle” who behaves himself at family holiday dinners
• The inexplainable joy of dancing with your little sweetheart at her middle school father/daughter dance

Thank you, Lord, that when we sincerely seek you, we will hear your voice in our spirit, guiding us, imparting wisdom, speaking peace. As we draw closer, your thoughts will be our thoughts, your ways our ways, Lord God. Give us the discipline to seek you daily and use us to share your goodness we have found in you. Thank you for not making your presence difficult to enter, but you welcome all who come to you with a sincere heart.

Forgive our sins, heal our nation.

Thank you, Jesus. Amen.

Friday, November 15, 2019

Good morning, Jesus.

The blessings just keep piling up, Lord. They never end. One of your great attributes is your kindness and goodness to all humanity. You raise the sun every dayon the just and the unjust, the good and the evil. You send the rain to nourish and replenish the earth for the righteous and the unrighteous (Matthew 5:45). Lord God, you work in mysterious ways for our benefit. Thank you for your countless blessings.

Today, we give you thanks for:

• Your Spirit living forever within us, to guide us through life and keep us close to you—that is, when we pay attention to you.
• Friends who may not know just what to say but walk with us through our hardest times of life
• Puppy love
• Bible translations in modern day language
• Wrapped in a warm blanket, reading a can’t-put-it-down Tom Clancy novel, sipping a hot-toddy, while battling a cold.
• The inexplainable splendor of the leaves changing colors in the fall in Vermont
• All you can eat buffets
• Reruns of Matlock for the enjoyment of the sweet folks in the nursing homes
• Taking a rookie under our wing to mentor them in their new job
• The congeniality of the parishioners gathered at a Sunday morning country church service

Thank you, Lord, for hearing our heartfelt prayers, no matter how simple they may seem to us. Our prayers touch your heart and you’re eager to draw us to you. Thank you that you love us, even though you are well aware of every flaw we have, every fear we face, every doubt we entertain, every sin we struggle with, every temptation we yield to. Thank you that your grace covers a multitude of sins (Romans 5:15). Thank you that your Holy Spirit tells us, I know you stumble and fall, that you missed the mark, but I have not rejected you. Get up, my child, hold my hand and keep following me!

Living in the blessings of your grace, Lord Jesus. Amen.

Tuesday, November 14, 2019

Good morning, Jesus.

Our blessings never run out, Lord. Even in hard times, you’re faithful to supply our needs, protect us from the ‘devourer’ and keep us looking to you, despite our circumstances. In our difficulties, you show your power to heal, restore, make new, refresh, strengthen, build faith and courage. Thankful nothing is impossible for you, that when we trust you, you enable us to scale the spiritual walls we face and conquer that giant trying to intimidate us and keep us from being all you created us to be.

Today, Lord God, we give you thanks for:

• Your constant presence, even when we are unaware you are around
• How you send an ‘angel’ to help our ladies change a flat alongside the highway
• Several days of turkey soup after Thanksgiving is over
• Watching our kid’s fascination watching fireflies on a July evening
• That the Jewish restriction of bacon does not apply to us Gentiles.
• Young people wondering why the big smile on their older relative’s face, who rest with eyes closed, listening to oldies on the radio
• Fresh powder on the slopes the first day of skiing
• Gas station gas wars
• How you suddenly reveal the truth of a Scripture we have read countless times, yet never understood.
• The beauty of the aged, wrinkled hands of a grandmother, which if could talk, would tell the history of her life.

Thank you, Lord, for the beauty all around us, revealing your glories. Open our eyes to see you working on behalf of your people, those who have placed their faith in you. Thank you, Lord, that we don’t have to worry or plot to get revenge on anyone because you will do it for us. You will do a much better job than we could.

Thank you that you have kept safe for us our inheritance in heaven, forever safe. In your name, Jesus. Amen.