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"With Thanksgiving"
"I will praise God's name in song and glorify Him with thanksgiving" (Psalm 69:30).
Today is Thanksgiving Day here in the USA. It's a special day, with origins going back to the early 1600's to the time of the Pilgrims. I am not sure how many other countries have a special day set aside for thanksgiving, but it's a great time to especially count our blessings. Below this message is an exercise we use in our home and that we also share with churches that gives focus to a family time of thankgiving.
We all have so much to be thankful for. Yet even as the world has denigrated the true meaning of Christmas, it seems the same is being done to Thanksgiving. This began with a subtle change of making the object of our thanksgiving from God to others. Now many use the phrase "Turkey Day" (since we customarily have turkey). Last night a young lady said to me "Happy Turkey Day" and I rather seriously told her "No, happy Thanksgiving day." (I will have to explain to her why her greeting ruffled my feathers a bit.)
In the daily Scripture portion the Psalmist makes a strong declaration, "I will." Today I'm so thankful for my salvation, my family and friends, and my church. I have also been mightily blessed with much of the good things this world has to offer relative to so many. (Most all of you have as well!)
The Westminster Catechism declares "the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." The daily Scripture verse declares I can glorify God today and everyday with thanksgiving. That is what I will do!
Many songs have been written that express thanks to God. I remember in my early days singing a gospel chorus with the line "O, magnify the Lord with me." Today's verse is taken from a Psalm of David and expresses an interesting way to "magnify" the Lord. The Hebrew word for magnify is "gadal" and is translated throughout the Old Testament with words like advance, lift up, promote, increase, and boast.
I like the word "magnify" and here we are told "we magnify Him with thanksgiving. Let us indeed magnify the Lord by our thankfulness and remember; God's call to a life of thankfulness is not limited to this day nor is it seasonal!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen C. Weber
Personal note: Most regular readers and friends are aware that our daughter Ester is a "heart kid". Yesterday in a routine monitoring of her pacemaker they determined a lead was off and causing her heart to beat improperly. She went to the hospital late yesterday afternoon and of course Brooksyne stayed with her. They are monitoring her situation and making adjustments and we expect she will be discharged later this morning. Last night my brother Mike and I were in to see her and also a bunch of kids from her youth group came in and my, was she blessed by that. When she was getting her IV placed in, a painful procedure she dreads, her Bible Quiz coach was ministering to her with the Scriptures they are learning.
What are some Biblical examples of people who were thankful to God for something?
What time of the week and year are you most thankful and why?
Why should we be thankful?
What are the benefits of thankfulness?
List five things you are thankful for:
What are you most thankful for?
What was special about the best and most memorable Thanksgiving you can remember having?
What steps can you take to see that this will be a Christ-centered and memorable Thanksgiving season?
Is there anything you feel you can’t live without?
Is there any priority greater than God?
Do you have a dream you would sacrifice everything to realize?
Does God take first place?
Do you worship God or idols of your own making?
Audio Quiz: Yesterday I shared an audio quiz, a sound I am really thankful for and ask what it was. One said someone snoring after a huge Thanksgiving meal! Another thought a beating heart. One said a snow blower (apparently mindful of my enjoyment of snow). But the answer, which many correctly noted, is a coffee maker with those final gurgling sounds indicating the coffee is ready! Indeed I really like that sound, particularly early in the morning, and I am thankful for it!
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Thursday, November 24, 2005
"With Thanksgiving"
"I will praise God's name in song and glorify Him with thanksgiving" (Psalm 69:30).
Today is Thanksgiving Day here in the USA. It's a special day, with origins going back to the early 1600's to the time of the Pilgrims. I am not sure how many other countries have a special day set aside for thanksgiving, but it's a great time to especially count our blessings. Below this message is an exercise we use in our home and that we also share with churches that gives focus to a family time of thankgiving.
We all have so much to be thankful for. Yet even as the world has denigrated the true meaning of Christmas, it seems the same is being done to Thanksgiving. This began with a subtle change of making the object of our thanksgiving from God to others. Now many use the phrase "Turkey Day" (since we customarily have turkey). Last night a young lady said to me "Happy Turkey Day" and I rather seriously told her "No, happy Thanksgiving day." (I will have to explain to her why her greeting ruffled my feathers a bit.)
In the daily Scripture portion the Psalmist makes a strong declaration, "I will." Today I'm so thankful for my salvation, my family and friends, and my church. I have also been mightily blessed with much of the good things this world has to offer relative to so many. (Most all of you have as well!)
The Westminster Catechism declares "the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever." The daily Scripture verse declares I can glorify God today and everyday with thanksgiving. That is what I will do!
Many songs have been written that express thanks to God. I remember in my early days singing a gospel chorus with the line "O, magnify the Lord with me." Today's verse is taken from a Psalm of David and expresses an interesting way to "magnify" the Lord. The Hebrew word for magnify is "gadal" and is translated throughout the Old Testament with words like advance, lift up, promote, increase, and boast.
I like the word "magnify" and here we are told "we magnify Him with thanksgiving. Let us indeed magnify the Lord by our thankfulness and remember; God's call to a life of thankfulness is not limited to this day nor is it seasonal!
Be encouraged today,
Stephen C. Weber
Personal note: Most regular readers and friends are aware that our daughter Ester is a "heart kid". Yesterday in a routine monitoring of her pacemaker they determined a lead was off and causing her heart to beat improperly. She went to the hospital late yesterday afternoon and of course Brooksyne stayed with her. They are monitoring her situation and making adjustments and we expect she will be discharged later this morning. Last night my brother Mike and I were in to see her and also a bunch of kids from her youth group came in and my, was she blessed by that. When she was getting her IV placed in, a painful procedure she dreads, her Bible Quiz coach was ministering to her with the Scriptures they are learning.
A Thanksgiving Exercise For Family Gatherings
"Give thanks to the LORD,
for He is good;
His love endures forever."
(1 Chronicles 16:34)
for He is good;
His love endures forever."
(1 Chronicles 16:34)
What are some Biblical examples of people who were thankful to God for something?
What time of the week and year are you most thankful and why?
Why should we be thankful?
What are the benefits of thankfulness?
List five things you are thankful for:
What are you most thankful for?
What was special about the best and most memorable Thanksgiving you can remember having?
What steps can you take to see that this will be a Christ-centered and memorable Thanksgiving season?
Is there anything you feel you can’t live without?
Is there any priority greater than God?
Do you have a dream you would sacrifice everything to realize?
Does God take first place?
Do you worship God or idols of your own making?
Audio Quiz: Yesterday I shared an audio quiz, a sound I am really thankful for and ask what it was. One said someone snoring after a huge Thanksgiving meal! Another thought a beating heart. One said a snow blower (apparently mindful of my enjoyment of snow). But the answer, which many correctly noted, is a coffee maker with those final gurgling sounds indicating the coffee is ready! Indeed I really like that sound, particularly early in the morning, and I am thankful for it!
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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission; and the King James Version.
Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission; and the King James Version.
Personal Mission
Statement: "I am
created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I
have been redeemed and I make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My
mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and to
prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."
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