LHM Daily Devotion - November 24, 2017 "More Than a Hero"

Daily Devotions from Lutheran Hour Ministries

By Pastor Ken Klaus, Speaker Emeritus of The Lutheran Hour

"More Than a Hero"

November 24, 2017

(Jesus said) "Even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many."

~ Matthew 20:28 (ESV)

One week ago, Afghan Police Lieutenant Sayed Basam Pacha was alive.

One week ago, Pacha was an athlete, a weightlifter, the son of another police officer and, according to all reports from his fellow officers, a well-educated, resourceful young man who was destined to make a difference.

That all was changed when Pacha came face-to-face with a man whom he suspected to be a suicide bomber. According to those who were there, Pacha was first to notice a suspicious man approach the single gate to the hall which he and his men were guarding. In the hall behind him were all types of import dignitaries; alongside him were his fellow officers.

Pacha called for the man to stop. Instead of halting, the man began to run toward the building and his friends. At that moment, Sayed Basam Pacha had a choice: he could have run for cover and tried to save his own life, or he could ... he could do what he did.

Pacha ran toward the man, and stopped him by wrapping his arms around him and smothering him in a great bear hug. That was when the suicide bomber set off his explosive vest, which had been hidden under his coat.

Pacha, the bomber, and 12 other people were killed by the explosion.

Experts in explosives have concluded that the death toll would have been far higher if Pacha had not used his body as a buffer and a shield to protect them from the blast. It is not surprising that the newspapers and the rest of the media have agreed that Pacha, who did not hesitate to act on behalf of others, is a hero.

In a few days, Advent is going to begin.

Advent is that season where Christians repent of their sins which brought about the Savior's entrance into this world. It is also the time when we rejoice that our Father in heaven loved us enough to send His Son into a world which needed Him, but did not want Him; which should have embraced Him, but chose to kill Him.

Today a question occurs to me: if Sayed Basam Pacha is a hero because he saved the lives of people whom he loved and who loved him, what shall we call Jesus who lived, suffered, died, and rose for those who had rejected and murdered Him.

Hero seems like such a small, inconsequential word to describe the Christ who always knew that His life would be sacrificed on a Roman cross. Maybe we will have to be content to echo the angels who first called humanity's attention to that great event which happened in Bethlehem so many years ago.

How did they say it? Yes, I remember. They said a "Savior" had been born in David's town.

And so it was. Jesus put Himself between us and those forces of darkness which would condemn us. And because He did, we have been rescued. We are saved.

THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, I give thanks that Jesus gave Himself as the Savior who alone can rescue us from the devil, the world, and our flesh. May I always be filled with gratitude for His selfless sacrifice. In His Name I pray. Amen.

Use these devotions in your newsletter and bulletin!  Used by permission; all rights reserved by the Int'l LLL (LHM).
One week ago, Afghan Police Lieutenant Sayed Basam Pacha was alive...

CPTLN Devocional de 24 de Noviembre de 2017 - Fuego que hasta el agua consume

Alimento Diario

Fuego que hasta el agua consume

24 de Noviembre 2017

En ese momento cayó fuego de parte del Señor, y consumió el toro que allí se ofrecía, y la leña, las piedras, y hasta el polvo, ¡y aun secó el agua que inundaba la zanja!

~ 1 Reyes 18:38 (RVC)

En Etiopía hay un dicho que dice: "Hay tres cosas que no se pueden hacer: arar el cielo, freír agua, y acusar al Rey".

Es un buen dicho, aunque no totalmente cierto. El cielo es arado por los relámpagos. El agua puede ser frita en una sartén, y un rey puede ser acusado por sus errores.

Es claro que hay quienes preguntarán: '¿Acaso el fuego puede consumir el agua?' Es una pregunta práctica a la cual el sentido común contesta con un: 'Imposible, es al revés. El fuego es capaz de quemar casi cualquier cosa, excepto la piedra y el agua'. Es por ello que, cuando en algunos países sub desarrollados se produce un incendio en una zona donde no hay mucha agua disponible, el fuego puede arder durante meses causando tremendos daños.

En la historia de la humanidad, sólo una vez vemos que el fuego consumió el agua. Fue la vez en que el profeta Elías se batió en duelo con los profetas de Baal, diciéndoles: "El Dios que responda y envíe fuego sobre el altar, que sea reconocido como el verdadero Dios." La historia nos dice que 450 profetas de Baal oraron a su dios pidiéndole que les contestara, pero sin resultados.

Entonces Elías oró, diciendo: "Señor, Dios de Abrahán, de Isaac y de Israel, demuestra hoy que tú eres el Dios de Israel y que yo soy tu siervo, y que solamente hago lo que tú me has ordenado hacer. ¡Respóndeme, Señor, respóndeme! ¡Que tu pueblo reconozca que tú, Señor, eres Dios... En ese momento cayó fuego de parte del Señor, y consumió el toro que allí se ofrecía, y la leña, las piedras, y hasta el polvo, ¡y aun secó el agua que inundaba la zanja!" (1 Reyes 18:36-38).

Entonces, si Dios así lo quiere, el fuego puede consumir el agua... y si Dios así lo quiere, un pecador perdido puede ser salvo.

ORACIÓN: Señor Dios, Creador del cielo y de la tierra, ayúdanos a comprender tu providencia infinita y tu poder capaz de hacer milagros no sólo para Elías, sino también para nosotros. En el nombre de Jesús. Amén.

Biografía del autor: Esta devoción ha sido escrita por Behanu Moges, Director de la Oficina de Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones en Etiopía.

© Copyright 2017 Cristo Para Todas Las Naciones. ¡Utilice estas devociones en sus boletines! Usado con permiso. Todos los derechos reservados por la Int'l LLL.
 En Etiopía hay un dicho que dice...

The Daily Readings for THURSDAY, November 23, 2017 - Thanksgiving Day

Daily Readings

Opening Sentence

O give thanks to the Lord, and call upon his Name; make known his deeds among the peoples.

~ Psalm 105:1

Confession and Forgiveness

Almighty God, who does freely pardon all who repent and turn to Him, now fulfill in every contrite heart the promise of redeeming grace; forgiving all our sins, and cleansing us from an evil conscience; through the perfect sacrifice of Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen

Morning Prayer

Almighty and gracious Father, I give you thanks for the fruits of the earth in their season and for the labors of those who harvest them. Make me and all of my brothers and sisters in Christ, I pray, faithful stewards of your great bounty, for the provision of our necessities and the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

The Lessons

Deuteronomy 8:7-18

For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land, a land with flowing streams, with springs and underground waters welling up in valleys and hills, a land of wheat and barley, of vines and fig trees and pomegranates, a land of olive trees and honey, a land where you may eat bread without scarcity, where you will lack nothing, a land whose stones are iron and from whose hills you may mine copper. You shall eat your fill and bless the LORD your God for the good land that he has given you. Take care that you do not forget the LORD your God, by failing to keep his commandments, his ordinances, and his statutes, which I am commanding you today. When you have eaten your fill and have built fine houses and live in them, and when your herds and flocks have multiplied, and your silver and gold is multiplied, and all that you have is multiplied, then do not exalt yourself, forgetting the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery, who led you through the great and terrible wilderness, an arid wasteland with poisonous snakes and scorpions. He made water flow for you from flint rock, and fed you in the wilderness with manna that your ancestors did not know, to humble you and to test you, and in the end to do you good. Do not say to yourself, "My power and the might of my own hand have gotten me this wealth." But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, so that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your ancestors, as he is doing today.

Psalm 65 Te decet hymnus

1   You are to be praised, O God, in Zion; to you shall vows be performed in Jerusalem.
2   To you that hear prayer shall all flesh come, because of their transgressions.
3   Our sins are stronger than we are, but you will blot them out.
4   Happy are they whom you choose and draw to your courts to dwell there! they will be satisfied by the beauty of your house, by the holiness of your temple.
5   Awesome things will you show us in your righteousness, O God of our salvation, O Hope of all the ends of the earth and of the seas that are far away.
6   You make fast the mountains by your power; they are girded about with might.
7   You still the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the clamor of the peoples.
8   Those who dwell at the ends of the earth will tremble at your marvelous signs; you make the dawn and the dusk to sing for joy.
9   You visit the earth and water it abundantly; you make it very plenteous; the river of God is full of water.
10   You prepare the grain, for so you provide for the earth.
11   You drench the furrows and smooth out the ridges; with heavy rain you soften the ground and bless its increase.
12   You crown the year with your goodness, and your paths overflow with plenty.
13   May the fields of the wilderness be rich for grazing, and the hills be clothed with joy.
14   May the meadows cover themselves with flocks, and the valleys cloak themselves with grain; let them shout for joy and sing.

2 Corinthians 9:6-15

The point is this: the one who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and the one who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to provide you with every blessing in abundance, so that by always having enough of everything, you may share abundantly in every good work. As it is written, "He scatters abroad, he gives to the poor; his righteousness endures forever." He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. You will be enriched in every way for your great generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us; for the rendering of this ministry not only supplies the needs of the saints but also overflows with many thanksgivings to God. Through the testing of this ministry you glorify God by your obedience to the confession of the gospel of Christ and by the generosity of your sharing with them and with all others, while they long for you and pray for you because of the surpassing grace of God that he has given you. Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

Luke 17:11-19

On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" When he saw them, he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, "Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" Then he said to him, "Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well."

Here ends the Readings

The Apostle's Creed

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, his only son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen

Prayer of the Day

Dear Lord,

We come with hearts of gratitude today to bless Your name and to ask that Your hand of blessing would be upon us. THANK YOU, Father, for loving us with an eternal love that stands firm, even when we are unlovable. THANK YOU for being faithful, righteous, holy and just, yet willing to see us, Your children, through divine eyes of compassion, mercy, forgiveness and grace. THANK YOU for being a God of restoration and renewal in the midst of a broken, pain-filled world. THANK YOU for providing for our needs, directing our paths, and establishing our steps.

We acknowledge Your sovereignty, Lord, and freshly submit to Your will today. We ask Your BLESSING and GUIDANCE over our children, grandchildren, marriages, families, and loved ones. We ask Your BLESSING and GUIDANCE over our country, president, governors, senators, representatives, and local officials. We ask Your BLESSING and GUIDANCE over our communities, churches, schools, work places, decisions, and opportunities. Please FILL US with the presence of Your joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, and self control today. HELP US to see as You see and to love as You love. HELP US to serve others humbly for the sake of Your name. HELP US to be light that shines in the darkness. HELP US to follow Your ways and continually seek Your leading.

You are our hope and our strength, Lord. We give you THANKS in all of this and ask for the fullness of Your BLESSING in all these things, according to the power of Jesus Christ who is at work within us through Your Holy Spirit.

Amen

Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia
Thanks be to God! Alleluia!

Closing Prayer

The Lord bless us and keep us. The Lord make his face to shine upon us, and be gracious unto us. The Lord lift up his countenance upon us, and give us peace, this day and evermore. Amen

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with us all evermore. Amen

~ 2 Corinthians 13:14

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The New Revised Standard Version Bible may be quoted and/or reprinted up to and inclusive of five hundred (500) verses without express written permission of the publisher, provided the verses quoted do not amount to a complete book of the Bible or account for fifty percent (50%) of the total work in which they are quoted.

Prayer of the Day for THURSDAY, November 23, 2017 - Thanksgiving Day

Dear Lord,

We come with hearts of gratitude today to bless Your name and to ask that Your hand of blessing would be upon us. THANK YOU, Father, for loving us with an eternal love that stands firm, even when we are unlovable. THANK YOU for being faithful, righteous, holy and just, yet willing to see us, Your children, through divine eyes of compassion, mercy, forgiveness and grace. THANK YOU for being a God of restoration and renewal in the midst of a broken, pain-filled world. THANK YOU for providing for our needs, directing our paths, and establishing our steps.

We acknowledge Your sovereignty, Lord, and freshly submit to Your will today. We ask Your BLESSING and GUIDANCE over our children, grandchildren, marriages, families, and loved ones. We ask Your BLESSING and GUIDANCE over our country, president, governors, senators, representatives, and local officials. We ask Your BLESSING and GUIDANCE over our communities, churches, schools, work places, decisions, and opportunities. Please FILL US with the presence of Your joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, and self control today. HELP US to see as You see and to love as You love. HELP US to serve others humbly for the sake of Your name. HELP US to be light that shines in the darkness. HELP US to follow Your ways and continually seek Your leading.

You are our hope and our strength, Lord. We give you THANKS in all of this and ask for the fullness of Your BLESSING in all these things, according to the power of Jesus Christ who is at work within us through Your Holy Spirit.

Amen

Verse of the Day for THURSDAY, November 23, 2017

Psalm 100:4-5 (NIV) Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Read all of Psalm 100

Listen to Psalm 100

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Morning Devotions with Cap'n Kenny - A Thanksgiving Prayer

A Thanksgiving Prayer

Most of us here in the United States will be celebrating the upcoming national holiday of Thanksgiving today, November 23th, 2017. For many it's a day of feast to share with family and friends with a holiday turkey and an afternoon of watching sports on TV. For many it will be a day of loneliness for those who have no one to share this holiday with or a day to remember a loved one that they used to share this holiday with. For some it will be a day to give to our communities and help feed those who otherwise might go hungry this day. For many it's a day to remember and give thanks for our achievements this past year. For many it's the day to get a jump-start on their Christmas shopping. And for many it's a day to give Thanks to God for all He has done for us and the blessings that we have received from Him.

Today I share this Thanksgiving prayer with everyone. You may copy it and share it with your friends and family and may even use it as a prayer of grace for your Thanksgiving feast.

God bless and have a happy and safe Thanksgiving day.

Dear Lord,

We come with hearts of gratitude today to bless Your name and to ask that Your hand of blessing would be upon us. THANK YOU, Father, for loving us with an eternal love that stands firm, even when we are unlovable. THANK YOU for being faithful, righteous, holy and just, yet willing to see us, Your children, through divine eyes of compassion, mercy, forgiveness and grace. THANK YOU for being a God of restoration and renewal in the midst of a broken, pain-filled world. THANK YOU for providing for our needs, directing our paths, and establishing our steps.

We acknowledge Your sovereignty, Lord, and freshly submit to Your will today. We ask Your BLESSING and GUIDANCE over our children, grandchildren, marriages, families, and loved ones. We ask Your BLESSING and GUIDANCE over our country, president, governors, senators, representatives, and local officials. We ask Your BLESSING and GUIDANCE over our communities, churches, schools, work places, decisions, and opportunities. Please FILL US with the presence of Your joy, peace, patience, goodness, gentleness, and self control today. HELP US to see as You see and to love as You love. HELP US to serve others humbly for the sake of Your name. HELP US to be light that shines in the darkness. HELP US to follow Your ways and continually seek Your leading.

You are our hope and our strength, Lord. We give you THANKS in all of this and ask for the fullness of Your BLESSING in all these things, according to the power of Jesus Christ who is at work within us through Your Holy Spirit.

Amen

Un Dia a la Vez - Digamos «NO» al divorcio (tercera parte)

Digamos «NO» al divorcio (tercera parte)

Por eso dejará el hombre a su padre y a su madre, y se unirá a su esposa [...] Por tanto, lo que Dios ha unido, que no lo separe el hombre.

~ Mateo 19:5-6 (NVI)

Cuando hablamos de relaciones y de situaciones que se presentan entre las parejas, es muy común desear que el cambio venga de la otra persona.

Nos es más fácil exigir que dar y caemos en ese juego a la espera de que se produzcan los cambios. Es más, entramos en un terreno muy negativo. Ya no ponemos nada más de nuestra parte y en esa etapa se tienen momentos muy desagradables. Hablamos lo necesario, vivimos con si fuera con un extraño y hasta llegamos a dormir en cuartos separados. A esta altura, la relación se encuentra al borde del abismo. Está en el momento más delicado porque Satanás, que quiere matar el matrimonio, robar la bendición y destruir la vida de cada uno, tiene bastante terreno que se le ha dado.

Quiero que recuerdes que el enemigo solo necesita una rendija para entrar y destruir. Es lamentable que muchos matrimonios a esta altura ya estén con sus mentes y corazones fuera de la relación. Es probable que hasta la palabra divorcio sea tema de discusión y se esté considerando.

Hoy Dios te dice: «¿Qué estás haciendo? ¿Dónde están las promesas y los votos dados ante el altar y los testigos?». Es hora de luchar por nuestros matrimonios. Así que no seamos egoístas y pidámosle a Dios que ponga en nosotros ese primer amor a fin de que logremos rescatar las cosas buenas que tienen las parejas. Solo un cambio de actitud de tu parte, y permitirle a Dios que restaure tu relación, será lo perfecto. Él está esperando hacer el milagro en tu matrimonio. ¡Depende de ti!

Únete a esta campaña y digamos «NO» al divorcio.

Un Día a la Vez Copyright © by Claudia Pinzón

Standing Strong Through the Storm - LOVE YOUR ENEMIES

LOVE YOUR ENEMIES

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…”

~ Matthew 5:43-44 (NIV)

Nigeria is divided religiously along the tenth parallel. On the north side Muslims are in the majority. On the south side Christians are in the majority. Along the border between these two groups much blood has been spilled repeatedly in recent years.

One pastor says, “We are facing persecution from our neighbors, the Muslims. They don’t want to see the gospel progressing…and they feel envious that we have more church buildings…and our businesses are expanding as well.”

Another pastor adds, “They see that they must stop the expansion of Christianity into the north, and that has to be done physically.”

And a bishop of one church denomination is wearying from the many attacks. He is quoted as saying, “We have turned the other cheek so many times, we have no more cheeks to turn!”

One violent incident took place in Tudun Wada. It began when a young student was accused of drawing a picture of Islam’s prophet Mohammed. All of a sudden the matter was taken seriously. They started burning churches and rioting with all kinds of weapons.

Nineteen Christians were killed that day, leaving behind mourning widows, family members and friends. Ten churches were burned. Thirty-six homes and one hundred forty-seven shops belonging to Christians were destroyed. But, God gave spiritual courage to His followers on that terrible day. And they refused to run.

Looking back on the situation, a pastor in the area says, “The churches that were destroyed…in fact there is none that has been rebuilt that is not bigger than what it was before. And the attendance by members has grown astronomically.”

As soon as our Open Doors co-workers heard about the violence, they rushed to Tudun Wada to see the circumstances for themselves. They provided for the spiritual, emotional and practical needs of the pastors and the entire Christian community.

Again the pastor comments, “They distributed to us Bibles and other reading materials. All of us pastors were very, very excited. We were happy.”

Another added, “Open Doors through the Standing Strong Through the Storm seminar has lifted up our hearts, and has given us a heart of love for our enemies…Just like Jesus Christ said that we should pray for our persecutors…our attitude towards them is actually to pray for them, and love them.”

The critically important need facing Nigeria is forgiveness. Christians are seeking to express it in tangible ways as they live out the love of Jesus Christ, just as He did two thousand years ago. He forgave the very people who nailed Him to a cross. That is the example Nigeria is witnessing today. And it is what will open the hearts of millions to the truth of the gospel.

RESPONSE: I will be an example to others in loving, forgiving and praying for those who hurt me.

PRAYER: Lord, bless the believers in central Nigeria today as they struggle responding to violence.

NIV Devotions for Men - Nehemiah: Sword and Trowel

Nehemiah: Sword and Trowel

Nehemiah 1—6, 8 and 13

Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”

~ Nehemiah 8:10 (NIV)

That must have been a special day after all you’d been through. Or was feasting more common for those of you in charge of the great restoration projects in Judah?

It was a very special day for all of us, and an unusual occurrence for us as well. Feasting was not common; on the contrary, I foreswore my governor’s allotment of food from the public treasury, and other privileges as well, and devoted myself to the work.

So, it couldn’t be said that you took advantage of this opportunity for your own benefit?

Well, I wish that couldn’t have been said of me, but unfortunately it was. Not true, of course, but my enemies spread all kinds of stories about me. If I had stopped working to refute every libelous accusation thrown up in the wind, we never would have finished the job—which was obviously my opponents’ intention. When the pagans tried to get me to engage in “dialogue” with them about the accusations, I simply sent the message that I was too busy to stop and debate.

How did you get the community of Judeans to trust you, then, if you didn’t refute the libelous accusations point by point?

I rolled up my sleeves and worked alongside them. I didn’t sit on a platform in the shade and direct the activities from afar. For the 52 days that we raised the wall, I didn’t even so much as change my clothes. None of us did. We worked with a sword in one hand and a trowel in the other, ready to defend ourselves at any moment if it came to that.

How did you and your company finish the project so quickly?

The first week after I arrived I set out to do a complete survey of the site. The whole wall lay in piles of charred ruins and dusty rubble. The people didn’t know where to start. But when I told them how God had moved the king to be generous and favorable to me, and of our plan to restore the city, they perked up. Each man and his family worked diligently on the section of the wall that was closest to their own residence. They really put their hearts into it. It wasn’t necessary for me to micromanage the construction process.

So you functioned as both architect and building supervisor, governor and military leader?

Yes, we experienced so many obstacles along the way that to bring this project to completion I had to literally keep my hands in it, just as God’s hand was upon me.

Back to the Future

• Do you sometimes feel, as Nehemiah did, that no sooner is one problem solved than another raises its menacing head? What sustains you in such times?
• When have you seen God bring a project to completion that had looked impossible all along the way? What projects are you facing right now that you need God’s help to accomplish?
• How can you become a man who truly relies on the power of God?

Read Nehemiah’s Story:

Find out more by reading Nehemiah 1—6, 8 and 13.

Girlfriends in God - Gratitude Changes Everything

Gratitude Changes Everything

Sharon Jaynes

Today’s Truth

“Give thanks in all circumstances”.

~ 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NIV)

Friend to Friend

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and so I’ve been thinking about gratitude a lot lately. What is it? When should we show it? What does God say about it?

Paul wrote the Thessalonians, “Give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Most read that verse and think it rather nice. So we slap a sloppy coat of thanksgiving on life and go about our day. In reality, most of us are thankful for very little.

Notice the Bible doesn’t command us to feel thankful in all circumstances. Instead it commands us to “give thanks in all circumstances.” When I begin to praise God in a difficult situation, even if I don’t feel like it, many times the scales fall from my eyes and I begin to see glimpses of His glory sprinkled on the black backdrop of the situation like diamonds on black velvet.

Sometimes I don’t see glory in tragedy, but I still can praise God because I know He is there.

Gratitude changes the lens through which we see the circumstances in our little slice of time. Thanksgiving changes our perspective despite broken dreams, broken relationships, tumultuous circumstances, and unfulfilled longings.

As you praise God for who He is and thank Him for what He’s done, your perspective of Him grows larger and your problems grow smaller. As a result, you will experience a deeper sense of intimacy with God as the emotional gap between what you know to be true and how you feel at the moment closes.

On many occasions in the Psalms, David complained about his circumstances (Psalms 42; 57; 62). But more often than not, about midway through David’s laments, he begins praising God for who He is and thanking God for what He’s done. And you know what happens? All of a sudden David starts feeling better! Life isn’t so bad after all! His problems grow smaller as his perspective of God grows larger, and he begins to see God’s glory shining through the situation.

Why is that? In the writing of one little Psalm, David shifted from depression to rejoicing. He didn’t wait until God changed his situation, solved his problem, or made him feel better before he began thanking Him.

Oh friend, when we stop complaining and grumbling and begin speaking God’s love language of gratitude, our perspective will change as well. We will begin seeing moments of sudden glory through the lens of praise and thanksgiving—glory moments that were there all along, but hidden from the grumbling eye.

Let’s Pray

Dear Lord, I praise Your Name. I exalt Your Name forever. Even though I may not understand what is going on in my life, I trust that You are good and Your plans are good.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen

Now It’s Your Turn

Today, read Psalms 145,146, and 147. Take note of what the psalmist praised God for.

Make a list of 10 things you are thankful for and share them on my blog page at http://www.sharonjaynes.com.

More from the Girlfriends

Do you long to feel close to God but sense there’s something missing? That you’ve missed that mysterious formula to make it happen? Do you have a glory ache–a persistent longing to experience God’s presence and working in your life, but not quite sure how to make it happen? If so, my book, A Sudden Glory: God’s Lavish Response to Your Ache for Something More, is just for you. Join me and discover how to erase the lines between the secular and the sacred to experience a deeper, more intimate relationship with God than ever before. While you’re there, you can download a free chapter or watch a video book trailer.

Seeking God?

Click HERE to find out more about how to have a personal

relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God

www.girlfriendsingod.com