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This Week’s Devotional Topic
GIVING THANKS FOR CERTAIN
Folks, I encourage you to thank God today for all those things that are “Certain”. There is a long list of things we are thankful for that are uncertain, not guaranteed to last. Like our health that we all know could change in a literal heartbeat. It is good to have a job especially one that we enjoy and are good at and that meets our financial needs. But things change, layoffs do take place, companies go through rough financial issues and some close. We can be thankful for having access to plenty of food. While thousands right here in America are going to bed hungry, most of us have cupboards and a refrigerator and freezer with lots of options to eat. If you have a place to live, be thankful. And remember that it is not for certain. Fires take out homes every day. It is nice having a dependable car but it is not a certainty that it will never have mechanical issues or that it won’t be involved in a crash and taken from you. And how about your cell phone and computer? These absolutely are not for “certain”. Most of us have had occasional issues with our cell phone. And many of us know how tragic it is when our computer crashes. Although we thank God for these and thousands of other things, they are all temporary and could be gone in an instant.
As we celebrate Thanksgiving, be sure to thank God for what He has blessed us with that are absolutely certain, guaranteed, and some are eternal.
Thank Him for His steadfast love that endures forever.
Psalms 100:1-5 A psalm of praise and thanksgiving. Shout with joy to the LORD, all the earth! Worship the LORD with gladness. Come before him, singing with joy. Acknowledge that the LORD is God! He made us, and we are his. We are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and his faithfulness continues to each generation.
Life would be extremely difficult and knowledge of God very limited without the Bible. Thank Him for His word that will never pass away and never returns to Him void. Scripture includes many precious promises and gives us wisdom.
Psalms 119:104, 105 Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
II Timothy 3:16,17 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
Thank Him for the gift of His Spirit. The Holy Spirit seals us, helps us understand His word, gives us wisdom and direction in this life.
II Corinthians 1:20-22 For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory. And it is God who establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, and who has also put his seal on us and given us his Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee.
Ephesians 1:13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Another certainty is God’s grace, forgiveness and salvation.
Ephesians 2:8,9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
I John 5:13,20 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
To those who have accepted the gift of salvation, we look forward to the absolute guarantee of our eternal home in heaven, where he has prepared a place for us.
John 14:1-3 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
I Thessalonians 4:16-18 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
Don’t just thank God for meeting your daily needs, thank Him for so many blessings that are “certain”. May God help us to have that “attitude of gratitude” this season and always.
This week’s Scripture:
Psalm 100:1-5; II Timothy 3:16, 17; II Corinthians 1:20-22; Ephesians 1:13; 2:8,9; I John 5:13,20; John 14:1-3 and I Thessalonians 4:16-18
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