“Do all things without grumbling and faultfinding and complaining [against God] and questioning and doubting [among yourselves], That you may show yourselves to be blameless and guileless, innocent and uncontaminated, children of God without blemish (faultless, unrebukable) in the midst of a crooked and wicked generation [spiritually perverted and perverse], among whom you are seen as bright lights (stars or beacons shining out clearly) in the [dark] world” – Philippians 2:14-15 (AMPC)
LIGHT FOR NOW: God’s graciousness, goodness, mercy, kindness, and love towards us, his children, are enough reason for thanksgiving.
Still on the reasons why we are thankful, Jesus had this to say in John 16:33 (AMPC) “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world, you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage, be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you]”. Is this not reason enough to give thanks?
Truth is, grumbling after praying amounts to a waste of time. Someone who was grumbling over a “bad day” was asked if he would rather have no day at all. Nothing matters in life more than life itself. The most important thing in life is life itself. Hezekiah repeated this in Isaiah 38:18-19 “For the grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee: They that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth.
The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: The father to the children shall make known thy truth”.
Jesus had something to say about the man that is double minded about God; he said “let not that man think that he shall receive anything from God”. James 1:5-7 “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord”. When we pray about circumstances, whether family, personal, or for our nation, let us give thanks to God. Glory!
INSTRUCTION: See reasons to give God thanks.
CONFESSION: I am thankful for the gift of life in Christ. I am qualified with an inheritance in the saints, I am thankful for the forgiveness of sins, and I am thankful that I am in the kingdom of his Son, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
QUOTE: God is graceful to us, so we are to be grateful and thankful to Him.
DAILY BIBLE READING: MORNING: JAMES CHAPTER 1; EVENING: JAMES CHAPTER 2
LIGHT FROM THE WORD 