Morning Devotional October 31, 2023

Philippians 4:6

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.”

Notice how Paul tells us to pray in this verse. “With Thanksgiving”. If we truly desire sweet communion with our Heavenly Father we do not go to Him demanding our every whim. Nor do we start with seeking self pity. We should begin our prayers with humbleness of heart, praising God and giving thanks for all He is and has done, not just for us, but for everything! For it is only after we have humbled ourselves and sought forgiveness for whatever sin is in our lives and sought His presence, it is then and only then that we should let our request be made known unto God.

We often forget, God seeks the attention of His children. He seeks our communion and our praise. But, how can we go before the Most Holy God in our pride. He commands us to humble ourselves first. Oh, how much sweeter the communion with our Heavenly Father is when we come to Him in humbleness of heart and seek His loving kindness toward us!

Praise ye the Lord!!!

Morning Devotional October 30, 2023

Ephesians 5:20

“Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;”

“Give thanks always for all things”. Think on that. Do we really give God thanks a much as we should, for everything we should? Notice He says “for all things”. Not just the pleasant things. But God oftentimes will use the unpleasant to teach us a lesson in life. Oftentimes He will use that lesson to draw us nearer to Himself. It can be a number of things. A death of a close loved one, the changing of jobs, having to move to a new location, a financial change we are not prepared for, a health issue, etc. As God's children we should be able to see the good in these matters. Maybe not in the beginning. But we certainly should be looking for God's goodness in every trial that comes our way. We should be thanking God for His mercy on us during these times.

It maybe, He is using us to teach someone else a lesson or even to bring them to Himself for salvation. So what should be our reaction when going through a trial? “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;”

Praise ye the Lord!!!

Morning Devotional October 29, 2023

2 Corinthians 2:14-17

“14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.

15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:

16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?

17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.”

Without Christ we are nothing to God. It is by the love of God that He saved us through Christ. The reason we are a sweet savour unto God is because of Christ.

What more reason do we need to offer unto God thanksgiving continually?

Praise ye the Lord!!!

Morning Devotional October 27, 2023

Matthew 6:25-34

“25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?

27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?

28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.”

Verses 32 and 33 are the answers to all the questions asked in verses 25-31.

What a glorious thought that God knows our every need. In our daily walk in this life, we must keep our eyes on the Lord.

Praise ye the Lord!!!

Morning Devotional October 26, 2023

 

Lamentations 3:19-26

“19 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.

20 My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.

21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.

22 It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

24 The Lord is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

25 The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

26 It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord.”

Wise words from the Prophet Jeremiah! Even with all that Jeremiah had suffered because of his faithfulness to God, he still saw God's mercy in his life and praised and offered thanksgiving to the Lord for His mercies through it all.

How are we today? Certainly, I doubt any of us have suffered as Jeremiah did, but we are put through trials and persecutions for our faithfulness in the Lord. But, are they trials and persecutions for our faithfulness or chastisement for our lack of faithfulness? We must examine ourselves in such times. When our Lord returns, will we be found faithfully serving Him or following the world?

Praise ye the Lord!!!

Morning Devotional October 25, 2023

Isaiah 12

“1 And in that day thou shalt say, O Lord, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me.

2 Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

3 Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.

4 And in that day shall ye say, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name is exalted.

5 Sing unto the Lord; for he hath done excellent things: this is known in all the earth.

6 Cry out and shout, thou inhabitant of Zion: for great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee.”

In the Old Testament we see the Nation of Israel being instructed by God to hold a day of Thanksgiving as a nation at many different times. But there is coming a day in the not so distant future where the Nation of Israel will once again praise the Lord as a nation. They will sing His praises and offer up thanksgivings to the One who was angry with them but in that day His anger will be turned away and once again the Lord Jehovah will comfort His the people of Israel.

Chapter 12 is a prophecy of things to come during the Thousand Year Reign of our Lord Jesus Christ on this earth. What a glorious time that will be for the remnant He will save out of the Nation of Israel during the Great Tribulation. Once again they will possess the Promised Land and the King of kings and Lord of lords will rule with a rod of iron from the throne of David in Jerusalem. For a thousand years. What a glorious time!!!

Praise ye the Lord!!!

Morning Devotional October 24, 2023

 

Psalm 136:1

“O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”

In Psalm 136 we see a whole chapter devoted to reminding us that God's mercy is everlasting. The words “for his mercy endureth for ever.” are at the end of each of the 26 verses. Do you think the Lord might have been wanting to get a point across to the readers?

This very quote seems to be a favorite of king David as several of the psalms he wrote start with or contain this very phrase. If we look at the life of this most favored of the kings of Israel, we would see he certainly knew something about the mercy of God upon his own life.

We also see a great example in the life of David. Look at all the times he wrote of giving thanks to the Lord for His goodness toward him.

How is it with us today? Are we giving thanks to the Lord for His goodness? Are others seeing our example of such? Certainly we have experienced the mercy of God upon our lives. We have much to be thankful to God for. But do we show that thankfulness?

Praise ye the Lord!!!

Morning Devotional October 23, 2023

 

Psalm 116:12-19

“12 What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits toward me?

13 I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord.

14 I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people.

15 Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.

16 O Lord, truly I am thy servant; I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid: thou hast loosed my bonds.

17 I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the Lord.

18 I will pay my vows unto the Lord now in the presence of all his people.

19 In the courts of the Lord's house, in the midst of thee, O Jerusalem. Praise ye the Lord.”

In verse 12 David asks a question that perhaps we have all asked from time to time. What shall we give the Lord for all the blessings He has given us? How do we repay the Creator of all things? How can we repay the one who died for our sins and loved us so much He gave us eternal life?

In verses 13-18 David humbly answers the question the best way he knew how! And OH what an answer!!!

In verse 19 king David advises the Lord's people to do the same.

Oh what glorious instruction from our Lord on what He expects from His people. Nothing difficult. Just follow His commandments, give Him all worship and Praise, go before Him with thanksgivings, and call upon His name in prayer and communion. Nothing difficult for the child who truly loves their Lord and Savior!!!

Praise ye the Lord!!!

Morning Devotional October 21, 2023

Psalm 107:1

“O give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”

The whole reason for these devotionals is to remind us to give thanks to the Lord and why we are to do so.

So many times we forget to give thanks as often as we should. But then there are those times we go before the Lord with thanksgiving and we are so thankful for so many different things we can't even begin to get out of our finite little minds all the many ways we are thankful to Him for all He has done in our lives.

Here is a question I just thought of: If our Lord is good and His mercy endureth for ever, then when does our giving of thanks to Him start and when does it end?

Think on these things.

Praise ye the Lord!!!

Morning Devotional October 20, 2023

 

Psalm 100

“1 Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.

2 Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.

3 Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

5 For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.”

Psalm 100 has been one of my favorite chapters most of my life. I can remember, it was the first multiple verse memory verse I learned in Sunday School as a child.

Notice in verse 3 who God is talking to. “It is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves;). The “us” and the “we” are God's people. Not the whole world as some would falsely proclaim. This is a reminder to us, as God's people, as His sheep, God and only God is to be praised.

As we enter into the Thanksgiving season in our country, we must remember who God is and what He has done for His people through His Son Jesus Christ. It is only by the mercy of God upon His people that this old rotten world is still in existence. And it is only by the mercy and grace of God that His people will not end up in the Lake of Fire for all eternity.

Never forget verse 5. “For the Lord is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” The reason we should be praying without ceasing and be giving thanks for all things, continually!!!

Praise ye the Lord!!!

Morning Devotional October 19, 2023

 

Psalm 95:1-6

“1 O come, let us sing unto the Lord: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.

2 Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.

3 For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

4 In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.

5 The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.

6 O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.”

No explanation necessary.

Praise ye the Lord!!!

Morning Devotional October 18, 2023

 

Psalm 50:14-15

“Offer unto God thanksgiving; and pay thy vows unto the most High: And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.”

If we are not giving unto God thanksgiving and following through with the vows we have made unto Him what makes us think He will listen when we cry out in our day of trouble? All throughout the Old Testament we see Israel rebel against God over and over again. Then when God sends chastisement upon His people they begin to cry out for mercy. Oftentimes they are crying out to God while still living in their sin. It is in those times of despair that God would refuse to hear the prayers of the people except it be through the prayers of one of His prophets.

The Old Testament prophets acted as mediators between God and His people. Similar to how God's Son Jesus does for us today. If we will give unto God the thanksgiving He desires and we will follow the vows we have made with Him, He will hear our cry in our day of trouble, He will deliver us from that trouble. But, we must not forget the last part of these verses: “and thou shalt glorify me.”.

Do we glorify God as we should after He has delivered us from some trouble? If not, why not?

Praise ye the Lord!!!

Morning Devotional October 17, 2023

 Psalm 7:17

“I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high.”

With this verse I believe we can see how weak man is in his praise of the Lord. We are told to “praise the Lord according to his righteousness”. I don't believe we can fully know the depth nor the height of our Lord's righteousness while in this life. These old sinful bodies we live in are blinded to such things. We may have a small glimpse but that is all. But, even in that small glimpse, oh what glorious righteousness is revealed unto us!!!

Praise ye the Lord!!!

Morning Devotional October 16, 2023

 

Psalm 31:19

“Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!”

In a little over a month from now we will observe what is supposed to be a day of Thanksgiving in our country. Originally, set aside by our forefathers as a day of Thanksgiving to our God for all the blessings He has bestowed upon us as a nation.

It has been many years since this day of rememberance has been truly honored as such in our land. And yet, we still pride ourselves on being “One Nation Under God”.

Read and study and contemplate the text verse above. Then we all should examine ourselves accordingly.

In the coming days and weeks I will be writing on this all but forgotten holiday. Giving Scriptures and my thoughts as the Lord permits.

Praise ye the Lord!!!