Giving Thanks - Day 2 - Thank God for Today

Giving Thanks during November - Various devotionals 

(includes notes from the Expositor's Bible Commentary)
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16 Always be joyful. 

17 Never stop praying. 

18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLT

Always. Never... in ALL circumstances

A final member of this triplet for personal development is "Be thankful in all circumstances..." Let's think about this from a different perspective. No combination of happenings can be termed "bad" for a Christian because of God's constant superintendence (see Romans 8:28). We need to recognize that seeming aggravations are but a temporary part of a larger plan for our spiritual well-being. Out of this perspective, we can always find a reason to give thanks. In fact, failure to do this is a symptom of unbelief (see Romans 1:21). Every day, good or bad or both, brings us one day closer to The Day.

So much of our day is busyness. So much busyness that, by the time the day is over and our heads hit the pillow, the day just seems to be a big blur. Does this ever happen to you? Thank God for the precious gift of today, for TODAY is the day He has made, so let us rejoice and be glad. 

Give thanks to Him for each minute He allows breath to fill your lungs. 

Ask Him to reveal to you the things in life that you can let go of to allow yourself time for what really matters in life.

- Crosswalk devotional (includes notes from the Expositor's Bible Commentary)

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Prayer:

Father,

          This day, we lay down each burden, worry, and distraction that weighs us down. Forgive us for trying to control outcomes and for clinging to what is not of Your making. Teach us to trust Your wisdom and to set our minds on heavenly priorities, not on fleeting or earthly concerns. Help us to take every wandering thought captive and bring it under the obedience of Christ, so that our focus is fixed on today and what is righteous and eternal.
        Fill us with Your peace, love, and joy, and give us clarity to see what truly matters. Let our attention be drawn to Your Word, to the work You have called us to do, and to the people You have placed in our lives. Remove everything that distracts us from Your kingdom and keep our minds steady and steadfast in You. In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen

Giving Thanks - Day 1 - A Prerequisite for Giving Thanks

Giving Thanks during November - Various devotionals

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For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! (2 Corinthians 4:17 NLT)

To give thanks, we must realize as Christians that God is in control of all circumstances that surround our lives, both good and bad.

Continuing in verse 18, "So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever” (NLT).

The apostle Paul also wrote, “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love” (Romans 8:38 NLT). God loves you, and He is always looking out for your eternal benefit. God is wiser than we are. And if He tells us to not do something, He does so for good reason.

Now, the devil doesn’t want you to believe that. [satan wants you to believe that God doesn't hear you.] He would whisper in your ear, “God hates you. God wants to ruin your life. All those rules in the Bible are just there to make life miserable. You Christians serve an oppressive God who doesn’t want you to have any fun.”

What a bunch of nonsense. I’ve lived apart from Christ. I’ve had the so-called fun this world has to offer, and it wasn’t fun at all. I’ve also found that a life with Christ is a life of fulfillment and purpose.

We must realize that God loves us and is always looking out for our eternal benefit, even if what we are presently going through is difficult.

- Pastor Greg Laurie

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Prayer:

Father,

          When life feels heavy and trials surround us, we choose to lift our hearts in gratitude. Thank You for never leaving us alone, for strengthening us when we are weak, and for holding us close in Your love. Even in the deepest valleys, You have promised Your faithfulness. Thank You for the hope You give, the peace You guard, and the blessings we cannot fully see. Holy Spirit, please remind us to thank You in all circumstances, not because life is easy, but because You are good and ever-present. Let our words and hearts declare, “The Lord is my strength and my refuge.”  In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Chat and Chew

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer... They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.

Acts 2:42, 46 (NIV)

You develop relationships through fellowship - spending time together in faith, purpose, and unity in Jesus Christ. And there’s only one way you’re going to build that kind of fellowship - and it’s through frequency.

If you’re already in a small group that meets regularly, that’s great! But if your group meets very infrequently, then you may not be allowing yourself the opportunity for meaningful fellowship. It works best when you commit to seeing each other at least once a week, when you schedule time to study the Bible together and encourage one another.

You need frequency in your fellowship.

Acts 2 describes the first church in Jerusalem this way: “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer... They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved” (Acts 2:42, 46-47 NIV). One of my favorite tools of fellowship is food. I’m so glad the early church’s example included eating together!

Jesus didn’t do his ministry on earth alone. He shared life with his disciples. And almost every time Jesus taught and fellowshipped with the disciples, they were either walking or eating. Why? Because when people are walking or eating, they’re relaxed. Your walls are down, you’re not defensive, and you’re open to feedback and new ideas. That’s when the best communication and fellowship happen.

Jesus spent regular, intentional, focused time with his small group of disciples and enjoyed meals with them. The early church was “devoted” to being together and learning together and praying together. They found joy in spending time together around meals.

You’ll find that following their example of fellowship around food won’t just lead to amazing personal spiritual growth. It will show the world the joy we have in being part of God’s family—and they’ll want to join in too.

Talk It Over

What are some ways you can take the stress out of sharing a meal with your small group?

How can you use food to fellowship with people outside of the church and show them biblical hospitality?

Do you treat time with people in your church and God’s family like you would any other event that you schedule and commit to? Why or why not?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer: by Natisha Anderson

Father,

          We come before You with hearts overflowing with gratitude for the gift of knowing and being known deeply by others. In those moments when we ask, "How did you know that?" and hear the response, "Because I know you," we glimpse the beauty of genuine connection and intimacy.
Thank You for creating us with the capacity to understand and appreciate each other on a profound level. Help us to cherish these moments of recognition and understanding, for they reflect the love and care You have instilled within us for one another.
           Guide us, Lord, to nurture and cultivate such meaningful relationships in our lives. Grant us the wisdom to listen attentively, to observe with compassion, and to respond with kindness. May we continue to grow in our understanding of each other, deepening our bonds through mutual respect and empathy. Bless these moments of knowing and being known, Father, as they strengthen our connections and bring us closer to You. May we always seek to honor and uplift [You and] one another, just as You have loved and cherished us. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Management

Each of you as a good manager must use the gift that God has given you.

1 Peter 4:10 (GW)

I don’t really own anything. And neither do you. It all belongs to God.

It was God’s from the beginning. It will be God’s at the end. You didn’t bring anything into this world—and you’re not going to take anything out of this world. God just loans it to you for the time that you’re here.

So that means you’re a manager of the things God has given you. God gave you your health—so you need to manage your health wisely. He gave you your time—so you need to manage your time wisely. He gave you your talents—so you need to manage your talents wisely. And he gave you your money—so you need to manage your money wisely. As Peter said, “Each of you as a good manager must use the gift that God has given you” (GW).

That may not seem like a big deal at first, but when you realize your money isn’t really yours, it changes the way you think about it and use it.

And because you’re a manager of God’s money, one day you’ll give an account to him of how you used it. Ecclesiastes teaches, “Young people, it’s wonderful to be young! Enjoy every minute of it. Do everything you want to do; take it all in. But remember that you must give an account to God for everything you do” (Ecclesiastes 11:9 NLT). And Romans 14:12 says it like this: “Yes, each of us will have to give a personal account to God” (NLT).

When your time on earth is over, you’ll stand before God and give him an account of how you used all he gave you—your time, your talents, your money, and more. He’ll ask you something like, “What did you do with what I gave you?”

How will you answer?

Talk It Over

Do you think of yourself as the owner or the manager of your money?

Think of times in your life when you’ve recognized that everything you have is a gift from God. How did that change the decisions you made?

If God asked you today, “What have you done with what I’ve given you?” how would you answer him?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father, 

          We acknowledge that “the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it” (Psalm 24:1). Everything we possess — our breath, our days, our abilities, our finances, our influence — is a trust from You, not our own to keep or hoard. Grant us the wisdom to use these gifts with integrity, care, and faithfulness, as Christ’s faithful servants. Teach us to value the small as well as the great, to share generously, and to protect the future. Let our actions reflect Your love and purpose, and may we never neglect the responsibilities You have entrusted to us. Help us to be good stewards of our time, talents, and treasures, and to use them in ways that honor You and bless others. Let our decisions be guided by Your Word, and our hearts by Your Spirit. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Fishing for Good News

‘Come, follow me,’ he said, ‘and I’ll show you how to fish for people.’

Matthew 4:19 (CEB)

Have you heard and accepted the Good News of Jesus? If you have, you need to tell somebody else about it! In Matthew 4:20, Jesus called out to some fishermen: “‘Come, follow me,’ he said, ‘and I’ll show you how to fish for people.’ Right away, they left their nets and followed him” (Matthew 4:19-20 CEB).

What did he mean by that? He was basically telling the men, “I’ll show you how to change lives. I’ll show you how to get people into heaven. I’ll show you how to bring people to me. I’ll show you how to share the Good News.”

What about you? Is anybody going to be in heaven because of you? If you’re not fishing, you’re not following. In other words, if you’re not telling the Good News to somebody else, you’re not being a disciple. God expects you to share his Good News.

Think of it this way: If I knew the cure for cancer and kept it a secret, that would be unthinkably wrong! But the truth is that I know something better than that. I know how you can have your past forgiven, a purpose for living, and a home in heaven. And God calls me—and you—to share that Good News.

You’re going to heaven because somebody told you about Jesus. And somebody told that person about Jesus and so on. You don’t want that chain to break with you.

Jesus told his followers, “Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:19-20 NLT).

You know the Good News. Now it’s time to go tell someone else about it!

Talk It Over

Who is the first person who told you the Good News about Jesus?

After you started following Jesus, who’s the first person you told about him?

Who do you need to share the Good News with this week?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father, 

          Open doors for us to share Your Word with those hungry for it and give us the words to say when those opportunities come. Give us the boldness to open our mouths. Empower us with the Holy Spirit to deliver Your message to the world. Father, may we believe and receive Your Word in Acts 1:8, “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." We know we cannot do this alone, and we ask for Your help and guidance as we strive to be a faithful witness to You. Remove any timidity that may cause us to hold back Your Words that others need to hear. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - Baking Cakes

We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

Romans 8:28 (NLT)

Most people don’t know that I am a “master” cake builder (at least my family thinks I am). Years ago, I decided to learn how to bake cakes. I figured that if I wanted to eat them, I ought to know how to make them. One of my favorite creations was one of the more difficult cakes to make: a German chocolate cake made from scratch for my wife’s birthday.

Making cakes has made me appreciate that the individual ingredients for a cake don’t taste good on their own. Some of them are quite bitter. If you eat flour by itself, it doesn’t taste good. If you eat baking powder or raw egg or oil by itself, you’ll regret it. Even the vanilla by itself doesn’t taste good. But if you mix them all together and bake it, it’s delicious.

One of the greatest promises of the Bible is in Romans 8:28: “We know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them” (NLT).

Notice that verse does not say that everything is good. A quick look at the news headlines proves that isn’t true. And it doesn’t say this promise is for everyone—just those who love God. The way God works all things together for good is kind of like baking a cake. God can make the bitter, better.

In your life and in the world, there will be elements that are bitter and unpleasant. You might think, “That doesn’t taste good. I don’t like that change in my life. I don’t like what’s happening in the world today.”

When you’re in a season of rapid and relentless change, and some things don’t taste very good, determine that you won’t become bitter by seeing only the negative in your circumstances. Because even when nothing makes sense, you can trust that God takes it all—the good and the bitter—and uses it for his good plan.

You can’t see it now, but you will taste its sweetness in heaven one day.

Talk It Over

How can focusing on the things you don’t understand make you bitter?

What do you need to focus on in a time of major change? How will it help you see clearly?

Why do you think God makes the promise of Romans 8:28 just for those who love and follow him?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father, 

         We come before You with hearts that desire to get better, not bitter. Life’s challenges, trials, and disappointments often make us feel inclined toward resentment, but we know such an attitude does not reflect the Christlike spirit You desire in us. 

       We ask for Your grace to rise above pain, to choose forgiveness, and to let Your love rule in our hearts. Help us to see beyond the hurt and to learn from our experiences. Give us the strength to forgive others as You have forgiven us, and the wisdom to release the root of bitterness before it can corrupt our hearts. We trust that You are with us in every trial, as promised in Isaiah 43:2 — “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you… you will not be burned or scorched”.
       Thank You for Your unchanging love and for Your peace that cannot be taken away. Help us to focus on what can heal, not what can harm. In Jesus' Name we pray. Amen

Promise for Today - To Tell the Truth

Stupid people always think they are right. Wise people listen to advice.

Proverbs 12:15 (GNT)

We all have blind spots. There are things in our lives that need correcting, but we can’t always see them. Why? Because we don’t always see ourselves clearly—and sometimes we just don’t want to. We don’t want to acknowledge the habits we’ve settled into that feel comfortable but keep us from growing.

That’s why God puts people around you to tell you the truth. Everybody needs somebody in their life who loves them enough to tell them the truth.

Do you have anyone like that in your life? Do you have any godly friends who don’t just tell you what you want to hear but love you enough to level with you?

If you don’t have people who speak the hard truths to you, that means you’re probably making a lot of avoidable mistakes. You need to identify the people in your life who encourage you to live like Jesus.

You also need to be that kind of person for others. Are you comfortable pointing out blind spots with grace and love to the people who matter most to you? In God’s family, that’s what we do for each other so we can grow into the people who God wants us to be.

This is why God hates pride so much. Pride makes us defensive and unteachable. When we are prideful, we build up walls and keep people at a distance. Then we can’t hear God’s voice speaking to us through others.

Proverbs 12:15 says, “Stupid people always think they are right. Wise people listen to advice” (GNT). God wants to use you to help others grow. He will speak through you - but it takes courage. And he will speak through other people to you - and that takes humility.

Maybe you’re thinking of someone right now. You’ve got a friend or sibling or coworker who is headed down the wrong path, and you see it clear as day - but you’ve said nothing. You’ve kept silent, telling yourself it’s none of your business.

But love cares. And when you care, you’re aware and you dare to share. When you care, you’re aware of each other’s blind spots, and you dare to share the truth with the other person. In those moments, God can use your words to bring life and encouragement.

Talk It Over

In what ways does spending time together with friends from your small group during the week, outside of your weekly meeting, help you build trust with each other?

How can you know when you are ready to receive, with humility, counsel from others?

When has God used someone to speak truth into your life? How did you respond?

- by Pastor Rick

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Prayer:

Father, 

          Open our hearts to compassion, soften our spirits with humility, and grant us the courage to speak truth in love. We are asking for a heart that reflects Your love and mercy. Give us compassion for everyone we meet, that we may listen with patience, forgive readily, and speak with kindness even when words are hard. Grant us humility, that we may set aside pride, value others above ourselves, and recognize that all we are and have comes from You.
      Teach us to speak truth - not with harshness or selfish ambition, but with love and gentleness and honesty that builds up. Help us to listen before we speak, to choose words that honor God and bless others, and to resist the urge to speak from pride or to cover our faults.
       As we walk in humility, may our words and actions point others to Christ rather than to ourselves. Let our speech be a reflection of Your Word, and our hearts a place of peace, mercy, and truth. May our lives be a living prayer, showing the compassion of Jesus, the humility of the meek, and the integrity of the truth. In Jesus' Name we pray.  Amen