Thought for the Day

What we believe is revealed more through our behavior than our words.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, may the sincerity of our obedience match the intensity of our professions of faith. Amen.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Verses in the Book of Psalm  (NIV)

Psalm 7:17
I will give thanks to the LORD because of his righteousness and will sing praise to the name of the LORD Most High.

Psalm 28:7
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song.

 

Psalm 35:18
I will give you thanks in the great assembly; among throngs of people I will praise you.

Psalm 95:2
Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.

Psalm 100:4
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.  

                       

I Count My Blessings
I count my daily blessings, Lord,
And try to count them all.
But, it's like counting all the stars at night
Or the raindrops, when they fall.
For, my blessings are so many
And my troubles are so few ...
That the good always outweighs the bad;
Due to blessings, sent from You.
So, Father, please forgive me
If I fail to count the ways ...
As you have blessed my life immensely,
Through your love that never strays.
© 2001 by Vickie Lambdin

Thank You, God
Thank you, God, for giving me many Gifts of my very Own.
Thank you, God, for giving your only Son for to Atone.
Thank you, God, for giving me Salvation, Full and Free.
Thank you, God, for giving me a Beautiful life, Knowing Thee.
Thank you, God, for giving me the Holy Spirit, Three in One.
Thank you, God, for Everything; for you left Nothing yet Undone.
© by Joyce C. Lock

 

"Thank You, Lord, for Loving
Me

"Thank You, Lord, for Loving Me"

Once, I was lost in sin.
I was blind and couldn't see.
Friends tried to talk to me.
But, I couldn't hear.
So, I wandered on in sin and misery.
Then, a still small voice spoke
and said, "Come, follow me."
Thank you, Lord, for loving me
and setting me free.
Thank you, Lord, for your precious blood;
how it ran down that old tree.
Thank you, Lord, for each drop;
for it covered all my sins.
Thank you, Lord, for loving me.
Yes, thanks for loving me.
Now, I'm following Jesus.
Now, I can see.
His Holy Spirit speaks
And, now, I can hear.
I no longer wander in sin,
But I walk in His light.
Oh, won't you come and follow Him,
and learn of His love?
© 1980 by Amanda Jean Griffith

 

I give Thee Thanks ...

For all the blazing sunsets of this year.
For all those precious children, Oh, so dear.
For small and insignificant things
And for the songs that my heart sings,
I give Thee thanks. I give Thee thanks ...
For loved ones who forgive my failing ways.
For kindness done to me on dreary days.
For lessons learned without the awful pain.
For truth that comes with value, wisdom gained,
I give Thee thanks. I give Thee thanks ...
For all the soldiers that are serving us.
For those who bear the blessed gospel trust.
For old acquaintances renewed.
For wonders clearly signed by You,
My Lord, I give Thee thanks.
My Lord, I give Thee thanks.
© by Joan Clifton Costner
 

For This We Give Thee Thanks
For hands that reach and touch our own,
For baby's laughter in our home,
For shoulders that in grief are loaned,
Dear Lord, we give You thanks.
For lips that brave the tender words,
For eyes that speak what can't be heard,
For God's own precious Holy Word,
Dear Lord, we give You thanks.
For open doors and welcomings,
For friends who laugh and sometimes sing,
For everything each season brings,
Dear Lord, we give You thanks.
For large or small, the gifts You give,
For just the privilege to live,
For all we've had and yet You give,
Dear Lord, we give You thanks.
For promises that soon shall be,
Because He hung upon the tree,
For Love that lasts eternally,
Most of all, Lord, thanks, oh, thanks!
© by Joan Clifton Costner




 

Giving Thanks For the hay and the corn and the wheat that is reaped, For the labor well done, and the barns that are heaped, For the sun and the dew and the sweet honeycomb, For the rose and the song and the harvest brought home - Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving! For the trade and the skill and the wealth in our land, For the cunning and strength of the workingman's hand, For the good that our artists and poets have taught, For the friendship that hope and affection have brought - Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving! For the homes that with purest affection are blest, For the season of plenty and well-deserved rest, For our country extending from sea unto sea; The land that is known as the "Land of the Free" - Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving!

Author Unknown

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks be to God!

Psalm 104:14-15

104:14 You cause the grass to grow for the cattle, and plants for people to use, to bring forth food from the earth,

104:15 and wine to gladden the human heart, oil to make the face shine, and bread to strengthen the human heart.

 

Psalm 104:27-30

104:27 These all look to you to give them their food in due season;
104:28 when you give to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled with good things.
104:29 When you hide your face, they are dismayed; when you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust.
104:30 When you send forth your spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the ground.

A Greater Love

From the Upper Room

Read Lamentations 3:17-23

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.

— Lamentations 3:22 (NRSV) 

My older son was diagnosed several years ago with
schizophrenia and alcohol dependence. The complexities of his dual diagnosis include drug and alcohol abuse, homelessness, paranoia, delusional thinking, and angry outbursts.  We have come close to despair on many occasions. Repeatedly, we have tried to help him because we love him, but we have been forced to back away. At times I have felt anger at the choices he makes that worsen his condition. Because I’m his mother, each time I back away I feel like a failure. I have to live with the shame and guilt that I feel because his severe mental illness is more than I can handle. My heart breaks when I think of his suffering. The sadness and sorrow of the situation at times seem too much for me to bear. During these times, I remind myself that God is greater than my son’s mental illness, my family’s grief, and my own helplessness and pain. I am able to get up, go to work, and live with the situation another day. I know that whatever the future holds, God’s love and grace are greater than any human trial. I am able to look for today’s blessings waiting for me from a God who loves my family, my son, and me.

The Author  S. L. Ashbrooke (Virginia, USA)

Thought for the Day  Volunteer at a homeless shelter.

Prayer  Loving God, bless and comfort those who struggle with mental illness. Help those who love them to cope with the trials that come with caring. Amen.

 

Prayer focus   Families coping with mental illness

He leadeth me, O blessed thought!
O words with heav’nly comfort fraught!
Whate’er I do, where’er I be
Still ’tis God’s hand that leadeth me.

He leadeth me, He leadeth me,
By His own hand He leadeth me;
His faithful foll’wer I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.

Sometimes ’mid scenes of deepest gloom,

Sometimes where Eden’s bowers bloom,

By waters still, o’er troubled sea,

Still ’tis His hand that leadeth me.

 

Lord, I would place my hand in Thine,

Nor ever murmur nor repine;

Content, whatever lot I see,

Since ’tis my God that leadeth me

Now What?

"I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all  godliness and holiness.” -1 Timothy 2:1-2 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Read Isaiah 26:1-9 

— Romans 12:2 (NRSV) "Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God — what is good and acceptable and perfect."

 

The day had been much like any other until I met with my supervisor in late afternoon. The corporation where I had worked for the previous five years had decided to eliminate my position. Suddenly and without notice, I was unemployed. Fear overwhelmed me; all I could think of was, Now what? Panicked and feeling betrayed, I spent the next several days focusing on my hopeless situation. Then one morning during my quiet time, two questions came to mind:


What does God want me to learn from this? What new door is God about to open? Changing my thoughts of fear into anticipation put my focus back where it belonged — on God. I remembered that every overwhelming circumstance that I face in life is an invitation to become more like Christ. Our perception of a situation can either steal or enhance the peace that God freely offers to each of us. The choice is ours: conform to the pattern of this world or allow God to renew our minds.

The Author  Noel S. McArtor (Nevada, USA)

Thought for the Day  God sometimes opens doors that we never knew existed.

Prayer

Protector of all who trust, when life is overwhelming you offer us peace in the middle of chaos. Help us to focus on you when we are tempted to look at the hardship. Amen.