Morning Devotional November 25, 2023

 

Psalm 106:1

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

Traditionally in our country the Thanksgiving Season lasts from Sunday-Sunday with Thanksgiving Day being observed on Thursday. One short week we as a nation hold as a time of giving thanks to our Creator. But for many the time of thanksgiving is short lived each year. It's concentrated around the noon time meal on Thanksgiving Day and maybe around the leftovers for supper then all focus changes to the most pagan of holy days observed by God's people.

Sometime back in the 1980s retailers in the USA began referring to the Friday after Thanksgiving Day as Black Friday. Known as the busiest shopping day of the year due to the sales put on by most major retail stores and now online outlets as a start to the christmas season. But as the popularity of this day has grown, a lot of businesses now start their Black Friday sales a few weeks or even a month before the actual day arrives and the christmas season now starts in August. Essentially shortening the Thanksgiving Day Season to one day. And for sports fans, Thanksgiving Day is shortened to just a few hours surrounding the noon meal.

We have become such a self motivated society we can not concentrate for more than a few hours on giving thanks to the one who has blessed us beyond measure. God's people have become so filled with the things of the world we will not take the opportunity to proclaim our Lord and Savior to our friends and relatives at a time when He is fresh on their minds from the day we have set aside to give Him thanks.

The Psalmist in our text verse wrote “for his mercy endureth for ever.” As God's people, we must remember if it were not for God's grace and mercy on us we would be on our way to the Lake of Fire for all eternity.

So, where are your thoughts today? Just two short days after Thanksgiving Day, have your thoughts gone from thankfulness to who's playing football this weekend or are your thoughts gone to observing a season which is filled with lies and deception about the birth of the One who we were just giving thanks to two days ago? Do you give more thanks to the things of the world or to our Lord and Savior during this time?

Hebrews 13:15 - “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”

Praise ye the Lord!!!

Morning Devotional November 24, 2023

 Psalm 103

“1 Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name.

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

5 Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

6 The Lord executeth righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

7 He made known his ways unto Moses, his acts unto the children of Israel.

8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.

9 He will not always chide: neither will he keep his anger for ever.

10 He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

11 For as the heaven is high above the earth, so great is his mercy toward them that fear him.

12 As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.

13 Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.

14 For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.

15 As for man, his days are as grass: as a flower of the field, so he flourisheth.

16 For the wind passeth over it, and it is gone; and the place thereof shall know it no more.

17 But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and his righteousness unto children's children;

18 To such as keep his covenant, and to those that remember his commandments to do them.

19 The Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all.

20 Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.

21 Bless ye the Lord, all ye his hosts; ye ministers of his, that do his pleasure.

22 Bless the Lord, all his works in all places of his dominion: bless the Lord, O my soul.”

Praise ye the Lord!!!

Morning Devotional November 23, 2023

 Jonah 2

“1 Then Jonah prayed unto the Lord his God out of the fish's belly,

2 And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the Lord, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice.

3 For thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed me about: all thy billows and thy waves passed over me.

4 Then I said, I am cast out of thy sight; yet I will look again toward thy holy temple.

5 The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.

6 I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption, O Lord my God.

7 When my soul fainted within me I remembered the Lord: and my prayer came in unto thee, into thine holy temple.

8 They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.

9 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.

10 And the Lord spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.”

The Lord instructs us to give thanks for everything. The good and the bad. Certainly, in the lowest point in Jonah's life he had plenty to feel sorry for himself about. But, even at his lowest point, physically and spiritually, Jonah found plenty to give thanks to God. How about us today? Are we giving thanks to God as we should? If not, why not?

Praise ye the Lord!!!

Morning Devotional November 19, 2023

 

1 Chronicles 29:13

“Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.”

Praise ye the Lord!!!

Morning Devotional November 16, 2023

 1 Chronicles 29:10-20

“10 Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.

11 Thine, O Lord is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.

12 Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.

13 Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name.

14 But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee.

15 For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding.

16 O Lord our God, all this store that we have prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and is all thine own.

17 I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness. As for me, in the uprightness of mine heart I have willingly offered all these things: and now have I seen with joy thy people, which are present here, to offer willingly unto thee.

18 O Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, our fathers, keep this for ever in the imagination of the thoughts of the heart of thy people, and prepare their heart unto thee:

19 And give unto Solomon my son a perfect heart, to keep thy commandments, thy testimonies, and thy statutes, and to do all these things, and to build the palace, for the which I have made provision.

20 And David said to all the congregation, Now bless the Lord your God. And all the congregation blessed the Lord God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads, and worshipped the Lord, and the king.”

Some say this is the last public appearance of king David before the people of Israel. But notice a few things here.

1. Notice in the first verse and the last verse the word “congregation”. When this word is used in reference to the people of Israel in the Old Testament it is speaking of God's people within the Nation of Israel. Not all of Israel was saved by God's grace. Not all of the Nation of Israel were God's elect unto salvation.

2. Notice king David commands the congregation to pray to God and to give unto God thanksgivings. Since those who are spiritually dead can not pray then certainly David was talking to only those who were saved by God's grace.

3. Notice the humbleness of giving thanks to God started with the king of the Nation. King David used himself as the example of how the people of God were to humbly pray before God for all the blessings God had bestowed upon the Nation as a whole.

4. When is the last time we have witnessed a national leader so humble to lead God's people in his nation in prayer of thanksgiving?

   Praise ye the Lord!!!

Morning Devotional November 14, 2023

 

James 1:17

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

Praise ye the Lord!!!

Morning Devotional November 5, 2023

 

Hebrews 13:15

“By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”

The continually means always or never ending. Our praise or God must be always and never ending. Even in the toughest of trials and tribulations. Even in times of despair and grief. We must continually praise God.

And not just within ourselves or to ourselves. But, out loud for others to hear. Part of our witness of God to others is for them to see and hear our praise for His everlasting grace and mercy upon us His children.

Praise ye the Lord!!!

Morning Devotional November 2, 2023

 1 Thessalonians 5:18

“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

Again, we are told to give thanks for everything. Why? Because this is God's will in Christ Jesus for His people. People often wonder what God's will is for their life. Well here's your answer. Humble yourself in your prayers and supplications and go to God with prayers of thanksgiving. Give God all the praise and the glory for everything. Then go to Him, seeking His will for your life.

Praise ye the Lord!!!

Morning Devotional November 1, 2023

 

Colossians 3:15-17

“15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.

16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

17 And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”

Over and over again, throughout God's Word we are commanded to give thanks to God. Why have we strayed so? Let us pray; God forgive us for this inexcusable sin.

Praise ye the Lord!!!