Surrounded by partners

Several of my friends have been making lists this week of things they are thankful for. It is a good exercise that helps to keep prioroties in the right order. One of mine this morning is the great crowd of people around me who have good character. I am blessed with friends that I can count on to make good decisions. These are people that I ask to help me be accountable. They have my blessing to tell me if I am being stupid and they are quick to affirm my good decisions. I am blessed.

Looking forward to the community-wide Thanksgiving Eve service tonight at the Methodist Church.

Give thanks with a grateful heart,
Give thanks to the Holy One,
Give thanks because He's given
Jesus Christ His Son.

And now let the weak say "I am strong."
Let the poor say "I am rich."
Because of what the Lord has done
for us
Give thanks.

Testing assumptions

I had the privilege yesterday sit down over lunch with six other people in a focused discussion group. It was facilitated by a business leader who simply wanted us to explore the directions that our perceptions are taking us. He then steered the discussion into our perceptions of his industry to learn what his business could do to better serve the market share he has. One eye-opening moment came when someone brought up a thank you for one of the services that his business has provided to the community over the years. His response was profound to me in that this was the first time anyone had ever thanked him for this service. The thousands of dollars spend on this service tend to be under the radar and taken for granted. He assured us that this service will continue and it gave us a concept to talk about. Many of the service things we do for others will go un-thanked. We do not do that service to be thanked, but because we want to serve. To look once in awhile at what others are doing in service for us will open our eyes to the value of generosity. So many times I have wished I would have stopped to appreciate what I have. There are assumptions that underlie our vision. As I make a list of those, I need to remember that assumptions may blind me to new solutions. I need to “Kick the ball around” a bit and quit taking the credit for things that are mine only because of the generosity of others.

“And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.”

Luke 17:11-18

Thank God

Another Thanksgiving verse today. God’s Word is clear on this.

Philippians 4:6-7 Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God's peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

Now we just need to apply it.

Thanksgiving Basis

It is Thanksgiving week. We are seemingly on the downhill roller coaster to the end of the year. A year ago I wrote a blog entitled “Always Thankful”. Gratitude needs to be ongoing in our lives. If you are a person of faith in Jesus Christ, you have the following list of things to place as priority one on your list of things to remember. These are worth repeating every year especially at Thanksgiving time:

A Four Point Scriptural basis for your Thanksgiving Prayer

1. We have been forgiven of our sins
(Matthew 26:28)
“This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

2. We have right standing before God through His grace
2 Corinthians 5:21
“God made him who had no sin to be sin offering for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”

3. We have been adopted as children of God.
“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but
you received the Spirit of Sonship.”
(Romans 8:15).

4. We are unconditionally loved by the Father, the Maker of heaven and earth
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners,
Christ died for us.”
(Romans 5:8).

Thankful Praying

I was blessed this morning as I was reading Paul’s letter to the church at Ephesus. I think this is a great Thanksgiving week passage:

Ephesians 1:14-21 “ The Spirit is God's guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him. 15 Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for God's people everywhere, 16 I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, 17 asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. 18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called-- his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance. 19 I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God's power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms. 21 Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else-- not only in this world but also in the world to come.”

We have much to be thankful for.