Thanksgiving IV ~

15-21 October:  This week, I have been thankful for every new day of life, brain and limbs at work appropriately, and strength promised for the day's activities; thankful that our God has promised that ALL our needs will be fulfilled "according to His riches in glory" (Phil.4:19); thankful as I read these words from 2 Samuel 7:21,22: "Because of Your word (promise), and in accordance with Your own heart, You have done all these great and astounding things to let Your servant know (understand). Therefore You are great, O Lord God; for there is none like You, and there is no God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears." (AMP); thankful to be looking forward to the weekend Shadow Empire presentation that begins Friday evening; thankful for all the help from SermonView and Voice of Prophecy as we prepare for this event; and thankful for the words of this prayer found in Psalm 19:13,14: "Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous (deliberate, willful) sins; let them not rule and have control over me. Then I will be blameless (complete), and I shall be acquitted of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable and pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, my [firm, immovable] rock and my Redeemer." (AMP); thankful to be a child of the Most High God; thankful to know He has promised to strengthen and help me live in the way that honors Him; and thankful for this message from Colossians 3:16,17: "Let the word of Christ be dwelling in you richly, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing each other with psalms, hymns, spiritual songs; with gratitude singing with your hearts to God. And everything, whatever thing you may do in word or in deed, do all things in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving-thanks to God the Father through Him" (DLNT); thankful for absolute confidence that comes as we put our trust in our loving Father; that He knows our every trial and its solution as we give our cares to Him; for the precious words written by the prophet, Jeremiah: "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart:(Jeremiah 29:11-13); thankful for the love that surrounds me in this place where I live; thankful for my Father's love which is lavished on me from above; and thankful for the words of the three young men, captives in Babylon, recorded in Daniel 3:17 where we read: "... Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us ...." - and He is still able to deliver. Perhaps we might be "collateral damage" when others make bad choices, but our Father is able to preserve us for His kingdom if we continue to trust Him. (read the whole story in Daniel 3:1-28); thankful for the transient beauties of the season - drifts of golden leaves piling up on the lawn, the yellows and scarlets of trees around the neighborhood, the fragrant apples on the trees at the edge of the yard above us - fleeting, but wonderful; thankful for the gentle rain this morning; and thankful for the promise of a "pouring out" we find in Joel 2:28 where we read: "... It shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.";  thankful as I woke to a new Sabbath morning, anticipating a day filled with fresh opportunities for praise; thankful to see those who came to the first Shadow Empire showing Friday evening; and thankful for this message from Galatians 6:9,10 where we read: "Let us not grow weary or become discouraged in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap, if we do not give in. So then, while we [as individual believers] have the opportunity, let us do good to all people [not only being helpful, but also doing that which promotes their spiritual well-being], and especially [be a blessing] to those of the household of faith." (AMP).