Tag: Thanksgiving

²³ Be glad, O children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God, for He has given the early rain for your vindication; He has poured down for you abundant rain, the early and the latter rain, as before. ~ Joel 2:23

The LORD is saying through the prophet Joel, “Rejoice and be glad.” In other words, be grateful and thankful for what I give you, for apart from Me, you can do nothing. We express the love of God through our rejoicing.

God instructs Israel to rejoice in all situations because rejoicing can be considered an offering to the LORD that is connected to the love of God. God does not want us to walk around with our faces made up and our countenance fallen. He wants us to express and show His love because He is a God of love, and He wants and expects us to abide in His love. You cannot abide in God’s love without rejoicing.

Peace. Love. Go Forth and Give Thanks In Rejoicing.

Back to Thankful?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷pray continually, ¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice always. Pray continually. Give thanks in all circumstances. The Scripture does not say give thanks for all circumstances, but rather, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of our God.

A thankful heart begins with joy. You rejoice because you are joyful. When you are joyful, you rejoice by giving thanks. Thanks for the things that you enjoy: food, nice clothes, a beautiful home, a comfortable car to drive, and the like.

There are many, many miracles and blessings that we enjoy that we should be praying the prayer of thanksgiving for in appreciation. When we harbor an attitude of gratitude in our hearts, it will bring with it the peace that passes all understanding. It will foster joy in our hearts. The kind of joy that does not depend on man nor on circumstances but on the good grace of Almighty God.

So, let this Thanksgiving be the start of a lifelong pursuit of joy through the attitude of thanksgiving. Giving thanks first of all to our LORD and Savior, Jesus Christ, for dying on the Cross to pay the penalty for our sins. For choosing us before we had any inclination or desire to choose Him. For loving us while we were unlovable and dying for us while we were still His enemies.

Thank You, Father, for choosing me. Thank You, Jesus, for dying for me. Thank You, Holy Spirit, for leading me in all truths. Help me, LORD, to maintain a thankful heart that I might show my appreciation for the blessings of life. Bless Your people on this Thanksgiving Day, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one, that our hearts may be overjoyed as we serve You and wait for the day of Your return. In Jesus’ Name, I pray, amen.

Back to Thankful?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

²⁹ At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, ³⁰ and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” ³¹ While the words were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, ³² and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” ³³ Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers, and his nails were like birds’ claws. ³⁴ At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom endures from generation to generation; ³⁵ all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and He does according to His will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay His hand or say to Him, “What have You done?” ³⁶ At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. ~ Daniel 4:29-36

The LORD used Nebuchadnezzar and even called him His servant, but Nebuchadnezzar became prideful. He looked at all that he had and gave no glory to God. So, God humbled Nebuchadnezzar, and Nebuchadnezzar’s reason left him until he humbled himself before the Almighty. This is still true to us today.

Many of us have been blessed by God beyond measure. We lack nothing. Our business is booming. But we begin to forget God in the process. We don’t acknowledge all that God has done for us. The more we become prideful, the more humility flees from us. As humility flees from us, we become less and less like God and more and more like beasts. Selfishness begins to take over us, and we lose our sense. Our hearts become cold, and we no longer give anything to God or others. Thankfulness is driven from our hearts as we become more and more selfish. Without thanksgiving, the Fruit of the Spirit begins to flee us as well.

Dear LORD, please help me to never become ungrateful and unthankful for all that You’ve done for me. Soften my heart that I might always be thankful for all that You’ve done for me. Please humble me so that pride may never build up within me. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

Back to Thankful?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content

¹⁴ And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. ¹⁵ And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. ¹⁷ And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. ~ Colossians 3:14-17

Above all, put on love. Why? Because it is love that binds everything together in perfect harmony. Without love in our hearts, it would be impossible for the peace of Christ to rule in our hearts. Paul wrote to the Corinthian Church in his first letter to them in the 13^th chapter that love does not keep record of wrongs.

If love is reigning and ruling in your heart, and you’re wearing love like an outer garment, you will not dwell on the wrongs done to you. It doesn’t mean you won’t have the scars. Jesus kept His scars, but His wounds were healed. The scars are the memories.

You’ve been through a lot, but thank God, He brought you through. Then Paul goes on to say, “Be Thankful!” Three times in those last three verses, Paul admonishes his readers to be “Thankful.” A thankful heart is a forgiving heart. Start being thankful and know the joy of thanksgiving today. For it will be like water to your soul and medicine to your bones.

Dear LORD, thank You for always delivering me out of every situation that I’ve found myself in. Please fill me with Your never-ending love. Help me to love You and to love others. Help me to forgive the way that You forgive. Teach me to let go and rejoice in all things; in Jesus’ name, I pray, amen.

Back to Thankful?

Back to Daily Bread?

Similar Content