Devot. 7 Days of Preparing Our Hearts for Thanksgiving

 Hi Folks,

Happy week before Thanksgiving week!  

I was reflecting last week on all that I have, much of which many do not have. 

Whether it's more sweaters in my closet than I can use, a warm home, a good working car, 

I've been realizing how much I do not need in order to exist and how much I can give away to others in need.

After a trip overseas to India this summer, my heart was deeply touched by the poverty, the homeless I saw sleeping on the streets, the hungry children I saw begging......

It made a profound impact on my heart and life and in a way that I never want to forget...

Psalm 107:1-2,8 says, "O give thanks unto the Lord, (a command!!) for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so, (verbalize it!)... Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

(Oh that people WOULD give thanks to the Lord)."  

Verse 8 is repeated 4 times in the 43 verses in this chapter...Whenever a verse, phase, sentence is repeated multiple times in the Bible, seen in both the Old and New Testament or repeated in the same chapter multiple times, God is trying to drive a point home!!!   He wishes to be thanked for His goodness!!!! 

(The definition of goodness is kindness, generosity or beneficial: https://www.yourdictionary.com/goodness). 

He wishes that we would thank Him for his kindness, generosity to us...We have food on the table have because God has blessed us with a job, we are alive because God has given us breath for the day, we are saved by faith in Jesus because He was willing to die a horrible death for us....Do we ever think to thank Him on a daily basis or just on Thanksgiving??? 

I found a quote by a Christian band that says, "You don't have to wait for a special day to be thankful.  Give thanks every day."  (Toby Mac #SpeakLife) and 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 states, "Rejoice always,  pray without ceasing,  in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God (God's plan for us) in Christ Jesus for you."

Below are some devots that I hope will give you spiritual food for thought, allow God to work on your heart and prepare it for Thanksgiving.    Have a blessed week!

7 Days of Preparing Our Hearts for Thanksgiving: 

https://www.dayspring.com/articles/7-days-of-preparing-our-hearts-for-thanksgiving?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NEBNANN20211117WaysToPrepareOurHeartsforThanksgivingArticles&utm_term=DaySpring%20Newsletter%20%2B%20Daily%20Devotion%20List

(USed by permission. Taken from https://www.dayspring.com/)

Devot. Seeing the Unseen

 Hi Folks,

This devot. is for next week, but I read it today and it is so timely for things going on in my life right now.

Pray that the Lord uses it to bless your life in a tremendous way when you read it next week:)

Also, below the devotional is a link for a very inspirational book (FREE) that I have loved and given to as many friends as I can! The stories within the book are completely true and a true inspiration to strengthen your faith in Jesus!  Consider ordering it for yourself 

(As I said it's FREE!) or for a friend. 

God Bless your week!

Seeing the Unseen:

https://www.dayspring.com/dailydevotion?date=2021-10-12&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DaySpring%20Daily%20Devotion%202021-10- 12&utm_term=DaySpring%20Daily%20Devotion

(Used by permission.  Taken from https://www.dayspring.com/)

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Devot. Overcoming Temptation

 Hi Folks,

I don't know about you, but the Evil One has ways of 'getting to me', esp. when I am tired, hungry, something negative has happened, or I have not been reading my Bible or praying. 

He knows my weak spots, and sometimes can attack very hard.  I've heard many preachers say that the battlefield in our lives that Satan can attack the hardest is our minds. Battles can be fought, won or lost, just based on that.

We are told in Philippians 4:7, And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep (guard) your heart and minds through Christ Jesus."

We are also told in 2 Corinthians 10:3-56, "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not [a]carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds,  casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,  and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled."   

God encourages us that the weapons He has given us to fight the battlefield of the mind is not physical or human, but is spiritual but we many times have to do spiritual battle to win. 

Below is a devot, but the youtube link under that is what made a big difference in my spiritual life and I would highly encourage you to break it into segments in the next few weeks and listen to it. A friend of my family is the one speaking (his wife told me it is meant to be shared) and I thought it was excellent. Be encouraged, there is hope of winning the battle against our minds being bombarded by anything from temptation to discouragement.  Blessings!

Overcoming Temptation:

https://www.dayspring.com/daily-devotion/date/2020-03-25?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DaySpring%20Daily%20Devotion%202020-03-25&utm_term=DaySpring%20Daily%20Devotion

(Used by permission. Taken from https://www.dayspring.com/)

Where are Your Thoughts Taking You?:  Mr. Fred Schwig 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msbYsWOEHV8

Devot. Made By God's Hand

 Hi Folks,

I found this devotional  in my inbox and felt it were an incredible 'piggy back' to the previous devot. I posted.

As I read the devot., I knew I should post it.  I am hoping and praying it would be a special blessing to someone who really needs a reminder from God that they are made with love, care and perfection by the Creator of the Universe, God Almighty. 

Scriptures that God Made Us:

https://www.dayspring.com/daily-devotion/date/2021-07-15?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DaySpring%20Daily%20Devotion%202021-07-15&utm_term=DaySpring%20Daily%20Devotion

(Used by permission.  Taken from https://www.dayspring.com/_)

Devot. God Has a Purpose

 Hi Folks,

I hope you had a restful weekend.  I'm sure all of us have those moments, days, months where we think, "Dear Lord, what on earth are doing?  Why did You allow this to happen?  I cannot see the good You could bring out of this? I don't understand? What is your purpose in this? "  Or "What purpose do I have on earth?  Why did God make me?"

I've heard pastors in my life say that sometimes God allows us to see why things happen in our lives, sometimes we will not see until we reach Heaven God's reason for things.  It's in those moments, that God asks us to trust Him.

I know trust can be hard, painful, a lesson that takes awhile to learn (believe me, I understand more than you know).  But I have learned in those hard spots, that God can be trusted, He knows what He is doing far better than I do, He is trying to 'grow me' if I would but trust Him......

On the other hand, God does have a purpose for you, most esp. for those who have put their faith and trust in Jesus.  He says in Psalm 139 that you "are fearfully and wonderfully made", meaning that He created you with great excitement, perfectly just as you are, a masterpiece formed by His own hand.  Esp. for those who have trusted Jesus, He did not save from an eternity in hell you to sit, soak, sour or stick on a wall somewhere, He created you to serve HIS special purpose and be used by Him!

Ephesians 2:10 says, "For we are His workmanship, (word actually means 'poem') created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them."  

I pray the 3 devots. below are a beautiful encouragement that God sees you and wishes to use your life for His praise and glory!

God Has a Purpose: 

https://www.dayspring.com/daily-devotion/date/2021-02-14?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DaySpring%20Daily%20Devotion%202021-02-14&utm_term=DaySpring%20Daily%20Devotion

(Used by permission. Taken from https://www.dayspring.com/)

A Prayer for Our Purpose:

https://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/your-daily-prayer/a-prayer-for-our-purpose.html?utm_source=Your%20Daily%20Prayer&utm_campaign=Your%20Daily%20Prayer%20-%20Crosswalk.com&utm_medium=email&utm_content=4303216&bcid=100d247149d57e988344f3f39be3efc0&recip=553026050%20

(Used by permission.  Taken from https://www.crosswalk.com/)

Scriptures that God Has a Purpose for Us:

https://www.dayspring.com/daily-devotion/date/2021-07-15?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DaySpring%20Daily%20Devotion%202021-07-15&utm_term=DaySpring%20Daily%20Devotion

Devot. The Faithfulness of God

 Hi Folks,

Have you ever thought of what the word 'faithfulness' implies?  

Maybe you think of it in regards to marriage vows-someone who will be loyal to you always.  Maybe you think of it in regards to a best friend, someone who is always there when you call or need someone to listen to you.  

Faithfulness means "loyalty," "constancy,'' "devotion," "trueness or true-heartedness." 

The biblical definition is :  Faithfulness comes from a place of trust and loyalty. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is a confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.” 

As a Christian, it is important to be faithful to God. ... Faithfulness requires us to submit our ways to God."

(https://www.google.com/search?q=faithfulness+definition&rlz=1C5CHFA_enUS892US892&oq=faithfulness&aqs=chrome.1.69i57j0l5j69i61l2.4332j1j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8)

What I wish you to catch is the "faithfulness", "loyalty,", "constancy" of God to His children, those who have put their faith and trust in Him for salvation.  

Jesus said in John 6 that for those who have put their faith in Him for salvation, "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."  The Lord Jesus will never abandon you, He will always be constant , faithful.   I have seen this in my own life in the last 3 plus years.   

My family and I have had some hard, painful, tough mountains to climb but we have seen God at work, in getting us over the mountains.  We may have some bumps and bruises, but we have an ever greater awareness of how God has been faithful to see us through to the other side because of our struggles, we have seen it!

I pray the devots. and prayer below help you to open your eyes, look and see, how God has been faithful to you as well. 

Devots. used by permission.  Taken from https://www.dayspring.com/

The Faithfulness of God:

https://www.dayspring.com/daily-devotion/date/2021-03-25?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DaySpring%20Daily%20Devotion%202021-03-25&utm_term=DaySpring%20Daily%20Devotion

A Prayer: God Sees Clearly 

https://www.dayspring.com/daily-devotion/date/2021-03-31?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DaySpring%20Daily%20Devotion%202021-03-31&utm_term=DaySpring%20Daily%20Devotion

Devot. What Freedom Really Means

 HI Folks,

I hope you had a blessed 4th of July with family and friends!  

Below are 2 encouraging devotions, the story of a war hero who found Jesus through his courageous battle as a POW that I found super inspiring (LOVED IT!) and a bit of history-a refresher on what the colors in our  flag stand for.  At a time when folks are more apt to disrespect it than honor it, I thought a reminder wouldn't be a bad thing:)

Hope you have a super weekend!

Foundation of Faith:

https://www.dayspring.com/articles/a-foundation-of-faith?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NEBNANN20200705WhatFreedomMeansArticles&utm_term=DaySpring%20Newsletter%20%2B%20Daily%20Devotion%20List

(Used by permission. Taken from https://www.dayspring.com/)

What Freedom Really Means:

https://www.dayspring.com/articles/what-freedom-really-means?utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=NEBNANN20200705WhatFreedomMeansArticles&utm_term=DaySpring%20Newsletter%20%2B%20Daily%20Devotion%20List

(Used by permission.  Taken from https://www.dayspring.com/)

Story of An American War Hero:

https://www.foxnews.com/media/captured-grace-louis-zamperini-survived-unthinkable-grace-god

What Do the Colors of the US Flag Mean:

https://www.chamberofcommerce.org/usflag/colors.html