Fearlessly Courageous
Desk of Dennis Piller
11 27 2024
The Grace of Thanksgiving
“For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God. Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day” (2 Corinthians 4:15-16)
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. No presents, just family gathering to break bread and hang out for a few hours. For us, this happens 4 or five times a year, this holiday bears a template of kindness and thoughtfulness. There is an expectation of love and acceptance more so than Easter or a birthday party. There is the inner feeling that this is a time to reconnect with each other. To get a little deeper into the hearts of those we may not be as close to as we would like or used to be. It almost seems we want to be filled up with a sense of real love and family. As our families get bigger, it’s harder to spend real quality time when you have 10 – 20 – or more.
God feels the same way about each of us. No matter if this is a year of plenty or whether this has been one of hardship and calamity. God wants us to be wanting fellowship with Him like we want it on Thanksgiving. He wants to be at the heart of your yearning for family. He wants to be the center of your joy. I think, at times, we get so caught up in the event and the excitement of everyone coming. We forget that it is the overflow of Christ in us, the Hope of Glory, that fills us with the warmth, the joy, and the gratitude we carry with us on this special day. I know we know this, but it seems His love burrows down a little deeper into me when I speak of it and bring it to the forefront of my mind and heart. These are feelings that overflow when I think of what He gave up to prepare a table for me every day of my life. The warmest family time we could have is to prepare our home in prayer before our family arrives. To lift up our hearts joyously in praise and worship to Our Heavenly Father on this day of Giving Thanks. It will always be the overflow of Christ’s love in our hearts that provides the greatest warmth and greatest feelings when we come together as a family. Isn’t it always that way? It is the object of our affection… What we purpose to put in our hearts, that overflows into all our lives together. That way, we can take the table he has lavishly prepared for us to share with those we are the closest to and then to all of Samaria.
Meditative Scripture: 1 Chronicles 16:10
Command your week in Prayer
FATHER, as we begin this holiday time, may we choose to be HAPPY, and may we choose to be UNSTOPPABLE. May we PERCEIVE that the HAPPINESS of our lives depends upon the QUALITY of our thoughts. Forgive us Lord for our failing… Yes, Lord, we repent. Free us of every stronghold that prevents OUR SMILE. Remind us of that pain, discouragement, sadness, despair, lack of hope, misery, hurt, anger, and misfortune, FALL AWAY AT THE SOUND OF YOUR GREAT NAME. We are bigger than our concerns and worries only because you live in us!. May we see that the key TO BEING HAPPY is knowing we have the power to choose what to accept and WHAT TO LET GO. 1 Chronicles 16:10 (ERV) says, “Be proud of his holy name. You, followers of the Lord, BE HAPPY!” FATHER, may we know that HAPPINESS is a choice, NOT A RESULT. Nothing will make us HAPPY until we choose to be happy in you. In Jesus name, Amen. Prayer by Dr. Fairest Hill
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Michael W Smith Worthy is the Lamb Hallelujah
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