Expressions of Gratitude: Ephesians 5:20

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

As we approach Thanksgiving, these questions to come to mind, how will you celebrate Thanksgiving Day, will it be a day expressing heartfelt thanksgiving to God for His love, grace, and mercy? Will we recount our blessing that God has bestowed upon us from last year this time until now? Will we thank God for sustaining us and providing all our needs regardless of the trials we may encounter? Will we come into the Lord's presence with thanksgiving of praise and worship saying? Thank You, Lord, for another day and Your bountiful blessings that are too numerous to count?

However you thank God, He is worthy of all glory, honor, and praises because His goodness surrounds us and His love abounds. More importantly, when we reflect on our lives from last year's Thanksgiving to this year's we can see God's merciful hand upholding us and His all-seeing eye watching over us, and that is praiseworthy.

Whether we spend Thanksgiving Day with family, and friends or alone in solitude with our thoughts let us give God a heartfelt thank You, Lord. Therefore, let us make our expressions of gratitude to God for His unconditional love is known to the world.

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Sacrifices of Praise: 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.

As we approach the Thanksgiving season, we have set a day to offer praises to God for He love, grace and mercy for all His blessing that He has bestowed upon us and continues to do daily.

Let us be mindful of God's unconditional love, grace and mercy that He showers us with daily. Therefore, He is worthy of continued praises and thanksgiving, because God is the essence of our being from the beginning to the end. God blesses us physically as He provides for all our needs as promised. He does so willingly with a compassionate heart. God provided for our eternal lives through the sacrificial death of His Son Jesus Christ. God's actions are undergirded by love; He is love.

Allow me to encourage all to be a living sacrifice to God daily by living holy unto Him with heartfelt expressions of gratitude (Romans 12:1-2).

Every day is a day of thanksgiving.

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Love One Another: 1 John4:7

Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God, and every one that loveth is born of God and knoweth God.

I am writing this morning's message with a heavy heart, because of the continued mass shooting in this country. I ask why and when will these senseless shootings end? Where did the love for one another go in this country? Who open the hate floodgates? Do these mass murderers have a heart or soul? Don't they know the innocent victims want to live?

America, this is not who we are. We are a country of love thy neighbor as thyself. We are better than all of the hate, and bigotry that is on display. We are a country of laws and justice. We must continue coming together in love as this is a commandment given by Christ. I am convinced that there are more of us who love than those who hate.

As we come to together and mourn the loss of our fellow Americans, let us continue in prayer and get closer together as sisters and brothers. We are all linked through the Spirit of God who lives in every one of us. He breathes His breath in us, and we became a living soul. Christ and Americans.

There is a phrase I say to others and especially those who have wronged me, I love you with the love of God and there is nothing you can do about it." Love! Love! The popular phrase coined by Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential campaign, "Love trumps hate," and it does. Out of love Christ died on the cross for us.

Let us love one another as God loves us all.

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God's Peace: Colossians 3:15

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

In this life we will have troubles that often times disturbs our peace; therefore, we are encouraged to let the peace of God rule our hearts. In doing so, we will be able to face the many trial and tribulations that we are sure to encounter.

Why God's peace? God's peace surpasses all understanding. When we operate in God's peace means we have given the problem to God for two reasons, and they are: (a) God is our mighty warrior who will fight our battles and He haven never lost a battle. (b) God asks us to cast all of our cares and concerns upon Him and He will take care of them. (1 Peter 5:7). God make this request because He cares for us and is true to His promise to supply all our needs. Promises made and kept by God.

Another point of view on God's peace is that His peace is everlasting whereas man's peace is temporary.

Focus on God's love and His peace.

Book Release

My new book cover to be released mid-November 2018. Please purchase.

God our Mighty Warrior: Deuteronomy 20:4

God our Mighty Warrior: Deuteronomy 20:4

For the LORD your God is He that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.

Today's message is taken from my November 2018 devotional that is available in eBook and paperback formats on Amazon Kindle. I felt the need to share this message because America, we are in a fierce battle with Satan and his evil minions who have made it their mission to destroy this country and all that it stands for. They are trying every way possible to stop many from voting who would vote the right way. I say to you, do not be afraid nor deterred because the God we serve will fight your battles. Do we vote in spite of the hindrances? Yes if we have to go to the polls in groups.

Join me in praying for God's divine intervention in this fight. We are God's people and will be victorious. Now let us look at the message and reflect on how God fought for the nation of Israel.

The writer of Deuteronomy is reminding the nation of Israel that God is a mighty warrior and that He will fight their battles only if they allowed Him to do so. This strategy applies for all today as God is the same today as He was then and will be for all generations to come.

Another point is what Moses was conveying to the people of Israel was that when preparing for war against their enemy was to take heart and have faith in the Lord God who had brought them out of Egypt. There is no army mightier than God. There was and will never be an army mightier than God Almighty. The people then and now must seek God and His presence before entering into any battle. God promised to take care of His people; He did and continues to do so. God is true to His promises and has kept them.

What does this say for us today as we embark upon our daily tasks knowing that we will be beset by obstacles as many are designed to deter and or to impede our progress? We are encouraged to seek God's presence first each day before making the journey. Ask Him to order our footsteps and we will follow as He directs our paths.

Follow God He knows the way and will fight your battles.

The Lord's Prayer: Matthew 6:9-13

 After this manner, therefore, pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

I have written many times on prayer; the reasons being (a) prayer is and always has been an essential component of a healthy Christian life. (b) Prayer is our communication with God and since the beginning of time man has always prayed to his god. The Almighty God is the only one worthy of our prayers, praise, and worship. (c) Based on our scripture text Jesus Himself valued prayer as did His disciples. Jesus' disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. This expresses the importance of prayer and the disciples' desire to properly talk to God through prayer.

Jesus Himself prayed often. When He fed the five thousand with two fishes and five loaves of bread; when He was in the Garden of Gethsemane; He prayed. While hanging on the cross, Jesus prayed asking the Father to forgive them.

Another school of thought on my frequent discussions on prayer is in light of the current chaotic happenings in our society that is dominating the news prayers are needed and are being made by many. God hears and answers prayers of the righteous (James 5:16).

It is worth noting that as I interact with other Christians and lay people they too are writing, talking and making prayers to the Almighty God. This tells me that the Holy Spirit is at work as He is touching so many hearts directing them to pray and pray often.

There is a saying, "prayer changes things" and it does. The Bible bears record of the results of prayers that were made by God's people. The midnight prayer meeting made by Paul and Silas. They were released and the jailer and his household were saved. Peter was released from jail as the results of the church prayers.

Prayers are powerful and we can fight and win any battle on our knees. We are in a spiritual warfare that is being played out in high places as Satan has taken control of their person minds and hearts.

Prayer warriors, we are victorious; keep praying, because a change is coming.

Comments are welcomed.

Author's contacts:

white3285@sbcglobal.net

http://willie-writing.blogspot.com

www.goodshepherdwritingandpublishing.com