DAILY DEVOTIONALS: 11.28.20

Adam'sFailure, Christ's Strength �By the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one thefree gift came upon all men unto justification of life.� (Romans5:18) When Adam rebelled against God, he experienced many new things�things that have haunted mankind ever since. All of these things were experienced by Christ in an intense way as He redeemed fallen mankind and the cursed creation. Adam had never seen or experienced death (Genesis2:17) until he sinned (3:19, 22). God had ordained nakedness (2:25), but sin distorts everything (3:7, 21). Before sin, Adam and Eve had known only blessing (1:28), but the universal curse followed (3:14-19). They had known joy and fellowship, but nowthey knew sorrow (3:17) and separation (3:23). They had lived in a garden (2:8), but now the plants would bring forth thorns (3:18). Prior to sin they had been assigned work to do (2:15), but now they would sweat (3:19) as they toiled. The angel�s weapon keptthem from returning to the Garden (3:24), and outside violence reigned (4:8, 23; 6:13). Childbearing originally was created to be easy and frequent, but now was to be accompanied by sorrow (1:28; 3:16). Likewise, Christ experienced death on the cross (John19:30), but by His resurrection He conquered death (1Corinthians 15:54-57). He experienced nakedness (John19:23; Psalm 22:18); the full thrust of the curse (Galatians3:13); sorrow (Isaiah53:3); and separation from God (Matthew27:46). Cruel thorns were placed on His head (John19:2), and He sweat great drops of blood (Luke22:44). The soldier�s weapon pierced Him (John19:34), finally ending a series of violent acts (Luke22:63; Matthew 27:26, 29-30; Isaiah 52:14; etc.). But through His suffering He overcame the curse and redeemed His fallen creation. As a result, many children have been brought forth (Hebrews2:9-10), reborn into a glorious state through His suffering. JDM TheFaithful Creator �Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him inwell doing, as unto a faithful Creator.� (1Peter 4:19) This is the only verse in the New Testament describing the Creator as faithful. God had a very specific purpose in creating the universe and especially people, and He will surely accomplish that great purpose. The Scriptures repeatedly stress God�s faithfulness. With respect to the physical universe, �for ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. Thy faithfulness is unto all generations: thou hast established the earth, and it abideth� (Psalm119:89-90). As far as His promises to His people are concerned, �know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations� (Deuteronomy7:9). The faithful Creator is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, and He rebukes the compromising church of the last days with these majestic words: �These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God� (Revelation3:14). Although many professing believers will prove unfaithful to Him, �yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself� (2Timothy 2:13). The triumphant book of Revelation comes directly �from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness� (Revelation1:5); and when He finally returns to Earth in power and glory, His very name shall be �called Faithful and True� (Revelation19:11). He is both Alpha and Omega, and thus all His �words are true and faithful� (Revelation21:5). Our salvation is sure, therefore, because �God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord� (1Corinthians 1:9). �Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it� (1Thessalonians 5:24). HMM The Time for Radical Action Is Now by Alex Crain "...if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live."- Romans8:13 Aron Ralston's grisly experience during a climbing expedition illustrates a spiritual truth that makes me wince. If you aren't familiar with the story, take a look at his book, Between a Rock and a Hard Place (© 2004 Simon & Schuster), which is a detailed tell-all of his ordeal that occurred in late April 2003. The experienced 27-year-old outdoorsman jumped into his truck that spring morning, bringing just enough food and water for the day. He took off by himself, driving 150 miles south of Salt Lake City to his favorite spot—a remote canyon area that used to bethe hideout for wild-west outlaws Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. By afternoon, he was suspended seventy-five feet high off the canyon floor—climbing in a crevice that was just a few feet wide. It was a near perfect day. But then without warning, a boulder suddenly broke loose from the rock wall above him, hurtled downand trapped Ralston's right arm against the wall, completely crushing his hand. At that instant, Aron's hand—one of his greatest assets—had now become his greatest liability. Five whole days passed as he tried various ways to free himself—all to no avail. His efforts to chip away at the boulder with a pocket knife only made a small dent. Rigging up a pulley system to move the boulder proved fruitless. Finally, a moment of decisive clarity came. The thoughts came fast and furious: he could break his forearm, cut through the muscle with his dirty pocket knife, detach his arm, and use a piece of rope as a tourniquet. Remembering God's Blessings Psalms 9:1-2 We are given amazing privileges when we trust in Jesus. Recalling these promises is a good way to maintain a thankful heart, even when facing challenges in other areas. Consider four such blessings: 1.Christ�s gift of salvation. No matter what trial we�re facing, it is microscopic next to the enormity of Jesus� sacrifice on our behalf. The cross was a steep price to pay, but the Savior willingly took our place in order to offer us forgiveness and eternal life. 2.Assurance of God�s love. The Lord cares for us unconditionally�that is His very character (1 John 4:16). Unfortunately,the storms of life can cause us to question this, but Romans 8:31�39 unequivocally tells us that nothing can separate us from God�s love. 3.Answered prayer. We have the awesome privilege of talking to the Father about anything burdening us�and He never grows tired of listening to His children. Our omnipotent, omniscient God is not only able to help us in any situation; He also knows the bestpossible way to do so. 4.A personalized plan. The Lord has a will, plan, and purpose for our lives that He will accomplish if we obey Him. No one is exempt from adversity, but we can trust God to bring good from everything He permits to come our way. Hardships, temptations, and tests will touch us all, but the Lord allows difficulty for a reason�even when we don�t understand why (Rom. 8:28).Therefore, submit yourself to the Father, thank Him for His wisdom, and be confident that He will accomplish His purposes for you. Fools for Christ By Ryan Duncan But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. – 1 Corinthians 1:27 I was leaving the grocery store and had just started my car, when I was approached by a man pushing a stroller. I assumed he was going to ask for directions, but it turned out that couldn't have been further from the truth. "Hey man, I really need some help. My daughter and I just got evicted from our apartment." He proceeded to rattle off his story as I listened uncomfortably. He had contacted Social Services but they wouldn’t be able to help him until tomorrow. His wife hadleft when things got tough. He was afraid of losing his daughter. He'd found a cheap motel to stay in, but he still needed seventeen dollars to pay for the room. Now, several things began to buzz through my head as he talked. The first was how I didn't trust a thing he was saying. In Asia, I'd seen female beggars use their children to garner sympathy from passing strangers. In South America, older men would holdBibles or crosses, not because they were Christians but because it encouraged people to give more generously. Everything about his story felt rehearsed, staged, right down to the toddler in his stroller. The second thing was that the man had said he needed $17, which was the exact amount I had in my wallet. I had been hoping to use that money to grab a lunch out or maybe see a movie, but could I really justify being so selfish if this guy really needed it?I considered giving him a few bucks just to make him go away, but withholding the rest didn't seem any better than giving him nothing. It felt like I was trapped between two choices, would I be stupid or heartless? Eventually, I considered what Christ wouldhave me do, and handed over the money along with my best wishes. Peace with God Romans 5:1-2 One day I posed a question to the waitress at my table: “If you could ask God for anything, what would your request be?” Her answer was immediate. “I want to feel at peace.” She tearfully explained that her grandmother had died and emotional turmoil resulted. Many in our world are like this young woman, in that they desire inner calmness but have no relationship with the Lord. People often seek contentment by trying to improve their appearance, physical fitness, financial situation, or social status—or by abusingsubstances. But such things can’t bring tranquility of heart or mind. Only a relationship with Jesus leads to true peace. Thankful in All Circumstances - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God�s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. �1 Thessalonians 5:18 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/thankful-in-all-circumstances/- Listen Daniel was a man of God and a man of prayer who was an adviser to the king. The other advisers were upset that Daniel was greatly loved and respected by the king, but theproblem was that Daniel didn�t have any skeletons in his closet. They said, in effect, �We have to get rid of this creep. He�s getting all the attention. Let�s bring this guy down.� So they decided to get a law passed that would traphim. They knew Daniel had an interesting habit. Every day he opened his windows, faced Jerusalem, and got down on his knees and gave thanks to God. His enemies knew they could set a clock by Daniel�s prayer schedule. So they proposed a law to the king that appealed to his ego: �Give orders that for the next thirty daysany person who prays to anyone, divine or human�except to you, Your Majesty�will be thrown into the den of lions� (Daniel 6:7 NLT). The king signed it into law, not realizing he was dooming his friend, Daniel, to death. Or at least it appeared so. Then we read this: �When Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem.He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God� (verse 10 NLT). This is what Daniel always did. He had an attitude of gratitude. However, he had never read the book of Daniel. He didn�t know that when they threw him into the den of lions,God would deliver him. Daniel didn�t know any of the story, but he got down on his knees and prayed anyway. And he knew this: God is good. God is in control. So he gave thanks. Leaningon the Word “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son....These thingshave 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.” (1John 5:11, 13) Our salvation does not find its basis in an emotional experience of the heart, although our emotional tendencies are God-given and not to be denied. Indeed, the salvation experience may be sweet and memorable, but all sorts of religions, non-religions, andcults have emotional experiences, like the Mormon’s “burning of the bosom.” But experiences alone are subjective and easily misinterpreted. Our faith should be a faith from the heart, and it should be founded on the written Word of God. The third verse ofour hymn, “My Faith Has Found a Resting Place,” presents this timeless truth. My heart is leaning on the Word, the written Word of God, Salvation by my Savior’s name, Salvation thru’ His blood. I need no other argument, I need no other plea, It is enough that Jesus died, And that He died for me. The Bible, God’s holy Word, is a book about Jesus and how God, through Jesus, deals with man. Much more couldhave been written: “But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John20:31). “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts4:12). We were redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1Peter 1:19). And this is sufficient! Nothing else needs to be done or said or paid! Christ’s blood is enough! His Word tells us so. JDM Our Heavenly Father Matthew 6:8-13 When Christ taught His disciples to pray, He told them to address God as "OurFather." They had previously heard Jesus say, "My Father," but now they, too, shared in that privileged family relationship. All of us who has been born again into the household of God have this same right. Since our concepts of God are shaped by our earthly fathers, we all have different perceptions of Him, but Jesus is the only one who has a completely accurate understanding of the heavenly Father. Consider some of the ways He cares for His children: • Loves: God's love is unconditional, since it's based on His nature rather than our performance (1 John 4:16). • Listens: When we pray, He gives us His full attention (Ps. 55:16-17). • Provides: The Father assumes responsibility for meeting all our needs (Phil. 4:19). * Guides: He is the one who directs our path when we trust in Him (Prov. 3:5-6). • Protects: The Lord shields us spiritually, emotionally, and physically, sifting every experience through His sovereign fingers. (Ps.121:1-8). • Stays: He's not an absentee parent, since He'll never leave or forsake us (Deut. 31:8). • Disciplines: The Lord disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness (Heb. 12:5-11). Though experiences with our earthly dads may have distorted our view of the heavenly Father, we can learn to see Him as He truly is. By viewing Him through the truth of Scripture instead of our preconceptions, we will see evidence of His loving care anddiscover a security we've never known before. Enoughfor Me “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forthto be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past.” (Romans3:24-25) Jesus has done all that is necessary to bring us into right standing with a holy God, if we but believe and accept His free gift of salvation. Jesus saves! It is enough! “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to theriches of his grace” (Ephesians1:7). The second verse of the hymn “My Faith Has Found a Resting Place” further explains this. Enough for me that Jesus saves, This ends my fear and doubt; A sinful soul I come to Him, He’ll never cast me out. I need no other argument, I need no other plea, It is enough that Jesus died, And that He died for me. Jesus, who loved us, said, “Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out” (John6:37). There is no fear here, for “there is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear” (1John 4:18). Nor should there be any doubt in Him or His intentions, “in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him” (Ephesians3:12). Furthermore, “being confident...that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians1:6). The chorus of the hymn likewise presents a thrilling truth. It paints a picture of a courtroom and the interrogation of a defendant. When asked why one should be forgiven, granted eternal life and entrance into heaven, the argument or legal defense can be giventhat Jesus has died, and that is enough. No other legal defense or answer need be given. The plea has already been entered, and the court’s findings are guaranteed, “justified freely by his grace.” JDM AResting Place “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washingof regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.” (Titus3:5-6) Certainly one of the most precious doctrines of all Scripture is that reflected in our text. Our salvation depends not on our own “works of righteousness” but upon His mercy and grace, given us freely through the atoning work of Jesus Christ our Savior. The grand old hymn “My Faith Has Found a Resting Place” reflects this theme. Let us use its four verses and chorus to focus our study as well as our hearts these next four days. My faith has found a resting place, Not in device nor creed; I trust the Ever-living One, His wounds for me shall plead. I need no other argument, I need no other plea, It is enough that Jesus died, And that He died for me. Nothing we could do (i.e., device) or nothing we or our church could believe (i.e., creed) can provide aresting place for our faith. “For we which have believed [i.e., faith, same Greek word] do enter into rest....For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works” (Hebrews4:3, 10). The only work that counts for anything is that which the ever-living One accomplished when He died on the cross. “Who his own self bore our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whosestripes [i.e., wounds] ye were healed” (1Peter 2:24). It is not so much our physical health in view here but the healing of our sin-sick souls. Since “Christ died for our sins” (1Corinthians 15:3), there is no more penalty to be paid. Since He rose from the dead, He conquered both sin and its power, and our faith can rest. JDM When God Whispered by Fred Alberti All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. - 2Timothy 3:16-17 My four-year-old son had to learn 2Timothy 3:16 for AWANA. One of the leaders was concerned and stated that there was just no way the children could grasp the idea of Scripture being "God-breathed." So we decided to ask my son to explain what "God-breathed" meant. You know I think we are sometimes too quick to underestimate a child's ability to understand the truths of the Bible. We are so quick to dismiss their abilities yet this is what Jesus had to say in Matthew 11:25, "At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children." Jesus knew what children could understand. I recently was walking through a nature trail. The leaves rustled underfoot and the sun shone out over the lake next to the trail inviting me to stop and reflect on God's glory. I found a bench and while I sat there I heard the breeze whispering throughthe tops of the trees. Just a slight hushed sound and my thoughts. That's when I pondered on my son's words. What did my son say? He said, "Well, God-breathed means that…" and here he lowered his voice, "God whispered it." Wow… God whispered His Word. Peter said, "…you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (2Peter 1:20-21). The Last Days by Sarah Phillips "And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and upon the earth distress of nations in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world; for the powers of the heavenswill be shaken. And then they will see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, look up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." Luke 21:25 Most of us don't love to wait. We want to get on with things. Tie things up neatly so we can move on to the next thing. We often forget that in some cases, the opportunity to wait is an expression of God's mercy. You see, this Sunday is the first Sunday of Advent. It came quickly this year. I was so busy preparing for Thanksgiving, I almost forgot about Advent. Thankfully, our reliable pastor will be decked out in purple this Sunday,scripture readings and hymns ready to go. Advent isn't really an event so much as a season set aside to wait for an event. We can choose how we want to practice Advent. We can see it as a burden, an afterthought, or a hindrance. Or we can see its greater application to all of life. We can recognizeit for what it is: a reminder to stop, clear away some of the normal "stuff" of life, and remember that throughout our life here we are waiting for something big, something that needs our attention and preparation: The second coming of Christ. Many times I've heard fellow Christians express the desire for the day to just get here already. Can't we just end the wars and suffering… the waiting… and get on with Christ's return? Many pick apart the Scriptures, looking for details, for signs, thatChrist is coming soon. Groups form and debates rage about the finer details of the end times. While I am sure God appreciates our interest in and desire for his arrival, I am not so sure we really know what we're asking for when we say we wish he would hurry up and appear. Think about it. Are we really ready? Is the world really ready? If you had to stand before Christ tomorrow, would you be ready? I don't mean "ready" as having correctly predicted the dramatic events that would unfold during the end times. I mean would your life reflect service to him? Love of him? Submission to him? Mine wouldn't. At least not to the extent that it should. I'd like a few days, or um decades, to straighten things out. And to the best of my humble abilities, help a few more of those living in the dark find the light. Jesus the Source of Peace Colossians 1:15-20 Before we knew Jesus Christ, our life was full of godlessness and wickedness—we had self-seeking ways and stubborn, unrepentant hearts (Rom. 1:18; 2:5, 8). Like our strife-filled world, we clamored for peace and tried tofind it, but our efforts failed. When we came to faith in the Savior, all of that changed. We were rescued from the dominion of darkness and brought into Christ’s kingdom (Col 1:13). Every one of our sins—past, present,and future—was forgiven. Divine justice was satisfied by Christ’s sacrifice, and God’s wrath upon us was removed. We became a new creation, washed clean by Jesus’ blood (2 Cor. 5:17). AMarvelous Thing “The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvelous thing, that ye know not from whence he is,and yet he hath opened mine eyes.” (John9:30) A “marvelous thing” in the Bible is something that generates awe or wonder. Sometimes it refers to a miracle but more often to something very unexpected and remarkable. But the most marvelous thing of all is that unbelievers still persist in their unbelief. In our text passage the Lord Jesus Christ had just performed one of His most amazing miracles of creation—making perfect eyes for a man blind from birth. As the man testifiedto the frustrated Pharisees: “Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind” (John9:32). Yet, these religious intellectuals, so opinionated in their prejudices, refused to believe what they saw and heard. Similarly, “when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things [i.e., ‘marvelous things’] that he did...they were sore displeased” (Matthew21:15). There are none so blind as those who refuse to see. One of the saddest verses in the Bible is John 1:10: “He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.” And, “he came unto his own, and his own received him not” (v. 11). Evenwhen He raised Lazarus from the dead, “the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; Because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus” (John12:10-11). Modern “intellectuals” are still the same, rejecting the overwhelming testimony of the created complexity in the cosmos to the fact of a personal Creator in favor of an impossible scenario of chance origin. “Herein is a marvelous thing!” Such people “willinglyare ignorant” and “without excuse” (2Peter 3:5; Romans 1:20). HMM Redeemthe Time “Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be alway with grace, seasonedwith salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.” (Colossians 4:5-6) Time is the most precious resource available to us. Obviously, it becomes available moment by moment, and there is absolutely no way to recapture what has moved into the past. “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom” (Psalm90:12). Our lifestyle should be recognizable from the wisdom that comes from the “fear of the LORD” (Psalm 111:10). So much so that our everyday conversation shouldnot be “in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual” (1 Corinthians 2:13). “Every idle word that men shall speak” will one day be evaluated “in the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36). It is clear that “God shall bring every work intojudgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil” (Ecclesiastes 12:14). That is why we are to “redeem the time.” The Greek term is exagoradzo, meaning to buy up or to make the most of time “because the days are evil” (Ephesians5:16). Our speech must be consciously planned to “answer every man” in such a way that it is “alway with grace, seasoned with salt”—two apparently opposite characteristics. Our words should be “as an honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones” (Proverbs 16:24), “but if the salt have lost his saltness, wherewith willye season it?” (Mark 9:50). It is the combined power that is important; “be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of thehope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15). HMM III BusinessStructure: Servants “Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers;but in singleness of heart, fearing God.” (Colossians3:22) Most of the world accepted slavery as ordinary social strata for much of recorded history. Slavery was certainly normal during the time of Roman domination and therefore public routine when the apostle Paul wrote to the Colossian church. The most common term (and the term most often used by the apostles) is doulos, a bondslave, purchased by an owner and viewed as property under the legal system of Rome. Many of the biblical instructions are given to the doulos of a household or business enterprise. The English word “employee” of today is essentially the same as the servant of biblical times. The “master” of today purchases service with wages rather than buying the life of the “servant” from a slave broker. The biblical instructions to employees are justas valid today as they were to the doulos of Bible times. •“Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ; not with eyeservice, as menpleasers” (Ephesians6:5-6). •“Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honour” (1Timothy 6:1). •“Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward” (1Peter 2:18). All similar commands insist that a godly doulos should give the same effort and same quality to his employer as he would to the Lord Jesus. “But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then madefree from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness” (Romans6:17-18). HMM III Living Your Thanksgiving by Laura MacCorkle Make a glad sound to the Lord, all the earth. Give worship to the Lord with joy; come before him with a song. Be certain that the Lord is God; it is he who has made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep to whom he gives food. Come intohis doors with joy, and into his house with praise; give him honour, blessing his name. For the Lord is good, and his mercy is never-ending; his faith is unchanging through all generations. - Psalms 100, The Bible in Basic English When I was younger, Thanksgiving was pretty much just another holiday—a day when I got to eat a whole lot of good food and nibble on all the sugary stuff I wanted. In fact, one year it only took me, my sister, two forks and about 30 minutes to finish off the rest of the pecan pie, while everyone else was either glued to the football game or snoring in a recliner. We had no regrets, and I’m pretty sure we’d do it again. But besides being a holiday when I had permission to indulge, Thanksgiving was also a word my grandfather always incorporated at the end of his prayers: "And with thanksgiving, in Jesus' name, Amen." I always wondered why he used a word that mademe think of cornucopias and construction-paper turkeys; but he had the Th.D. in our family, and I did not. So I knew he must have had a good reason. Years later, I think I now understand. In that one word, he was saying "Thank You for giving." You, being God. From my grandfather's example, I see that thanksgiving was more than a one-day family gathering. It was and is a way of living, a daily act ofexpressing gratitude to our Maker who first gave to us. At this time of year, I sit and think about when I last thanked God for giving me anything—let alone his son, Jesus Christ. I'm ashamed to admit that I don't remember. But I know that I want to make such gratefulness as prominent as the giant turkey on thetable and see thanksgiving become a way of life. There's no better thanksgiving wisdom than that found in God's Word, specifically The Old One-Hundredth (Psalm 100). If you open your Bible and take a look at this passage, you'll see a notation under the heading: "A psalm.For giving thanks." Following that, there are many directives listed that can help us live our Thanksgiving . . . 1. Make a glad sound to the Lord 2. Give worship to the Lord with joy Makerand Owner “I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretchedarm, and have given it unto whom it seemed meet unto me.” (Jeremiah27:5) “The earth, the man and the beast” are the three entities that God is said to have “created” (Hebrew bara—note Genesis 1:1, 21, 27) in the Genesis account of creation. However, they are also said in Genesis to have been “made” (Hebrew asah—note Genesis 1:25-26; 2:4), and that is the emphasis in our text above. Of course, both aspects were accomplished in the six days of the creation week, after which God “rested from all his work which God created and made” (Genesis2:3). This statement makes it abundantly plain that the present processes of nature do not “create” (call into existence out of nothing) or “make” (build up into more complex forms) anything, as our modern theistic evolutionists and evangelical uniformitariansallege. God has rested from both of these works, except in occasional miraculous intervention in the present laws and processes of nature. Now, because God did create and make all things, He also “owns” all things. “The earth is the LORD’s, and the fulness thereof” (Psalm24:1). “Every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills” (Psalm50:10). “The LORD hath made all things for himself” (Proverbs16:4). Therefore, all that we possess—as individuals or as nations— has simply been entrusted to us as God’s stewards, and “every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans14:12). Without a doubt this accounting will be of our handling of our goods, our minds, and our opportunities, among others. For “it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful” (1Corinthians 4:2). Let us be thankful—not covetous, and industrious—not slothful, in everything He has entrusted to us. HMM TheSleeper “Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.” (Ephesians5:14) The message in our text provides an attention-getting warning to those who claim to be Christians but indulge in or even allow the evil practices of Ephesians 5:3-7. A Christian does not, and indeed cannot, live a life of fornication, or uncleanness, or covetousness, or filthiness, or foolish talking, or jesting (vv. 3-4), for no such person “hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God...forbecause of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience” (vv. 5-6). Those who practice such things are “fools” (v. 15). While we as Christians must always be willing to bring the saving message of God’s grace to the sinner, we must not be “partakers with them” (v. 7) in their sins and indeed must “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness” (v. 11). Instead, wemust “reprove them” (v. 11), pointing out the consequences of their actions and focusing their attention on Christ, who “hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour” (v. 2) in payment of their penalty. All that mustbe done is to accept this forgiveness. In doing so, we who are “light in the Lord” (v. 8) will shed light in their darkness, for “all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light” (v. 13). As children of the light (v. 8), our lives must exhibit the “fruit of the Spirit...goodness and righteousness and truth” (v. 9). We must prove “what is acceptable unto the Lord” (v. 10), “walk[ing] circumspectly,...wise[ly]” (v. 15), “redeeming the time, becausethe days are evil” (v. 16). The sleeper in our text, whether he be an unbeliever or a professing Christian, is “asleep”—locked in moral insensibility. “Awake, sleeper!” Paul would say, “and accept the God-given remedy for your plight!” JDM A Thankful Tomorrow by Ryan Duncan “How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you.” – Psalms 31:19 I’ve always really enjoyed Thanksgiving. Sure, the family can be pretty crazy at times, and I usually end up on dish duty after the meal, but Thanksgiving has always been a time for me to stop and realize how blessed I am. Friends, family, a warm meal, thereare many simple things in this life that are easy to take for granted, so it’s good to have a day that reminds us to be thankful for all God has given us. The problem is that’s usually how long it lasts, a day. After the food has been eaten and prayers havebeen said, many people wake up the next morning and jump head first into the madness of Black Friday. I can only remember shopping twice on Black Friday, and I regretted it both times. It’s complete chaos, with people running, screaming, and sometimes even fighting each other over things they want to buy. I’ve never had any crazy experiences myself, butmy brother-in-law remembers a particularly strange incident that happened while he was in college. One year, while he and my sister were still dating, he drove up to visit her on the Friday after Thanksgiving. He had left his house at 3am with hopes of avoidingthe holiday rush and was making good time on the freeway when suddenly, out of nowhere, a long line of traffic appeared in the distance. At first he thought there had been an accident, but as he got closer he realized that the stalled traffic was due to cars making complete stops on the freeway so their passengers could get out, jump the guard rails, and climb a small hill to a nearby outletmall. It’s ironic, and a little sad, that a day which celebrates American greed happens after the holiday about being thankful. At times like these, it’s important that as Christians realize we cannot live Christ-centered lives when we leapfrog between Godand possessions. "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.” (Matthew 6:24) So don’t throw out your thankfulness with the evening leftovers, but hold onto it as the Advent season begins. Remember the blessings Christ has given us and use them to prepare yourself for Christmas, when we celebrate the birth of Christ, the greatest gift of all. The Power of a Discerning Spirit Hebrews 5:11-14 In a world filled with endless sources of information and opinions, believers need to develop a discerning spirit. Otherwise, how will we know what is true? Much of what we see and hear is based on a worldly perspective that is influenced by Satan, the Fatherof Lies. Deception is found even in the religious realm: cults mix lies with enough truth to make some people consider them legitimate Christian institutions. The only way believers can guard against deception is to ground themselves in God's Word. The more time you spend filling your mind with the Lord's thoughts, the more discerning you will be. However, just knowing biblical truth isn't enough. You must putwhat you learn into practice so that it becomes more than head knowledge. Worthless in Comparison - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. �Romans 3:27 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/worthless-in-comparison/- Listen If anyone could boast of a spiritual pedigree, it would have been Paul the apostle, formerly known as Saul of Tarsus. He was named after Saul, the first king of Israel.He also was a member of the Sanhedrin, which was like a Jewish supreme court that ruled over the people in religious and civic matters. A very disciplined and religious man, Saul was a Pharisee who tried to keep the law to the best of his ability. He felt he was doing God a service by hunting down, arresting,and, in some cases, executing followers of Jesus. But then he met Jesus and everything changed. Looking back on his old his life he said, �Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowingChrist Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ� (Philippians 3:8 NLT). The word Paul used to describe his old life has been translated �trash,� �filth,� �refuse,� or �rubbish.� But do you want to know the real word that Paul used? It�s a veryspecific term that translates �excrement,� both the animal and human variety. Paul was saying, �I don�t care about any of it. It�s worthless. I�m not bragging about it anymore. I�m not looking back on it anymore. It�s disgusting. It belongs in thetrash.� In the same way, that�s where our old life belongs and where our sin belongs. And yes, that�s even where our self-righteousness belongs: behind us in the trash. Jesus said, �The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly� (John10:10 NLT). Paul had more joy in what he was gaining than what he was losing. And the same should be true of us. Still Thankful - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks,He broke it and said, �Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.� �1 Corinthians 11:23�24 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/still-thankful/- Listen If you knew bad things were about to happen, would you still give thanks? Jesus did. He gave thanks, knowing that He was about to look into the throat of Hell and bear the sins of the world. The Bible tells us, �The Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, �Take, eat; this is My bodywhich is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me�� (1 Corinthians 11:23�24 NKJV). Jesus knew the future. He knew what lay ahead for Him would not be easy or pleasurable. He knew that no one would deliver Him from the cross. In fact, He even knew that one of His own handpicked disciples, Judas Iscariot, would betray Him. He knew the otherswould go into hiding. And He knew that Simon Peter would openly deny Him. Jesus knew the whole story. That�s because Jesus is God, and He is omniscient�all-knowing. Then why did Jesus give thanks? It�s because He knew what His suffering would accomplish. The greatest good of all time came from the worst travesty of justice. So if someone says they lost their faith because of a certain crisis, then I would say that�s good, because they need to get rid of that faith. It�s worthless. The faiththat cannot be tested is a faith that cannot be trusted. Anyone can praise God when the sky is blue and the sun is shining. But if you can praise God when the roof caves in, when the bottom drops out, and when things go wrong,it says to me that you�re a true follower of Jesus Christ. We must remember that despite our immediate circumstances, God is always at work. And that�s a great reason to give thanks. Why Being Thankful Is a Powerful Way to Live Free By Debbie McDaniel The Lord is my strength and my shield; My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart exults, And with my song I shall thank Him.� Psalms 28:7 We have so much to be grateful for in this life, every single day. But reality is that sometimes constant life demands, battles, and worries give more room to defeat than to a heart of thanks. Or we forget, in the midst of busyness and pressures, just topause and give thanks for all that God has done and continues to do in our lives. Sometimes it really is a sacrifice to offer praise and thanks. We may not feel like it. We�re struggling. We�re weary. Or maybe, we feel like He let us down. We think God seems distant, like he�s far away, or doesn�t really care about what�s troubling us.Painful life blows and losses might have recently sent us spiraling. But here�s what can make a lasting difference. We have a choice, every day, to give him thanks. And with a heart of thanksgiving, we realize that no matter what we face, God doesn�t just work to change our situations and help us through our problems. Hedoes more. He changes our hearts. His power, through hearts of gratitude and focused minds on Him, releases the grip our struggles have over us. We�re strengthened by His peace, refueled by His joy. No matter what our current situation, or the struggles we may be facing, here�s what choosing to be thankful does: INeed No Other Argument �Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.� (Colossians1:13-14) Each of the four verses of the majestic hymn �My Faith Has Found a Resting Place� repeats the theme that Christ�s blood was shed on our behalf, and it is enough. Nothing else remains to be done. The final verse adds perspective to the other three. My great Physician heals the sick, The lost He came to save; For me His precious blood He shed, For me His life He gave. I need no other argument, I need no other plea, It is enough that Jesus died, And that He died for me. Christ was certainly �the great physician,� for He �went about all Galilee...healing all manner of sickness� (Matthew4:23). But His ministry was not only to the physically ill, for as He said, God �hast sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives� (Luke4:18). His mission was a deeper one, that of healing the sin-sickness of the soul. �They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance� (Mark2:17). �For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost� (Luke19:10). As we read in our text, �we have redemption through his blood� and through his blood alone. As a result, we have �forgiveness of sins,� we are �delivered from the power of darkness,� and we are given a home in �the kingdom of his dear Son.� And there we will join in singing �a new song, saying, Thou art worthy...for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation� (Revelation5:9). He has done it all, and He has done it �for me�! JDM How Real Change Happens - by Greg Laurie � www.harvest.org And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. �Romans 6:4 https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/how-real-change-happens/- Listen I�ve noticed that a lot of people treat their dogs as though they were humans. They dress them up in humiliating outfits. They buy food for them that looks like people foodbecause they think their dogs will actually appreciate that. And worst of all, they push their dogs around in strollers. The reality is that a dog would prefer to just do what dogs do, like eat roadkill, drink toilet water, and chase cats. That�s because you can�t change the nature of an animal.The Bible even says, �Can a leopard take away its spots?� (Jeremiah 13:23 NLT). That brings us to a question: Can people change, or are we just victims of fate? I think people can change. But we can�t change ourselves any more than a drowning man can save himself. Sometimes, however, we think that if we change the outside, it will be different on the inside. Or if we lived in a new place, our lives would be better. Or if we made somenew friends, we�d be better people. But those things won�t change who we are on the inside. Maybe you�ve tried to break free from the power of alcohol or turn away from a lifestyle of drugs. Maybe you�ve tried to live a sexually pure life. And maybe you�ve triedto be a better person. But none of it has really worked. That�s because the problem is within. Some people say the answer is within, but actually the heart of the problem is the problem of the heart. The Bible tells us that the heart (that is, who we are on the inside) is �the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked� (Jeremiah 17:9 NLT). But the good news is that God can change you on the inside. God can change your heart. VISIT: PROPHECY WATCHER WEEKLY NEWS: HTTP://PROPHECY-WATCHER-WEEKLY-NEWS.BLOGSPOT.COM