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preacher31 THE REASON FOR COMING TOGETHER - Subscribe

Christmas Day

Scripture:

"All that came to be had life in him and
that life was the light of men" (John. 1:4).

Have we forgotten the reason for coming
together to celebrate the birth of the Christ
Child? Has our devotion to the cause of the
Prince of Peace come down to the level of
our "just going through the motions?"

We look into the manger and we see a
Baby. We see a Cross. We see danger.
We see risk. We see the clash between
what we are and who we are to become.
We see the struggle for redemption. We
see mercy. We see love. We see hope
for enduring peace...

..CHRISTMAS......" HE IS BORN!"

Please remember this:

The birth of Christ brought God to man;
the cross of Christ brings man to God.

MERRY CHRISTMAS HAPPY BIRTHDAY
JESUS!

preacher31 CHRISTMAS MYSTERIES 12/23/2011 03:16 - Subscribe

By Rev. Wayne Palmer

Scriptures:

Read Romans 16:25-27.

...the mystery that was kept secret
for long ages has now been disclosed
(Romans 16:25b-26a)

Reflection:

Over our lifetime Christmas is a series
of ever-changing mysteries. Our childhood
mystery "What's inside the wrapping
paper?" becomes "Where did they hide the
presents?" becomes "Is this Christmas the
right time to give her an engagement ring?"
becomes "How will we be able to afford
presents for the kids?" becomes "What can
I buy someone who already has everything?"

Is there any Christmas mystery left for you?
Is there anything about the season that
makes you smile in wonder? Does anything
still thrill you and a send a shiver down your
spine?

There is a mystery-a mystery greater and
more wonderful than all the others combined.
And that mystery isn't wrapped in colorful
paper; it's wrapped in swaddling clothes. It
isn't laid under the tree; it's laid to sleep in a
manger. It's the Baby born in Bethlehem.

What's so mysterious about that? It's the
fact that this Baby is the almighty Son of
God, stooping down to become one of His
creatures: a mere human. Why would He
want to expose Himself to all the hurt and
suffering in our crazy world? Why would God
be willing to become our substitute and earn
our way to heaven by His perfect life, and to
suffer and die in our place on the cross?

That is the greatest mystery, a mystery God
has revealed to the world. It sends a shiver
down your spine to ponder what kind of love
moved Him to do all of this for you.

PRAYER:

Son of God, Your willingness to be born of a
virgin, to share our life and to be our Substitute
is an incredible mystery to me. Fill me with
wonder, joy and gratitude for Your amazing
grace and love. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

preacher31 THE INNKEEPER 12/20/2011 05:37 - Subscribe

Nine-year-old Wally was a hopeful boy, a
natural defender of the underdog, and
well-liked by his fellow classmates. His
parents encouraged him to audition for the
annual Church Christmas play and Wally
wanted to be a shepherd. Instead, he was
given the role of the innkeeper. The director
reasoned that Wally's size would lend extra
force to the innkeeper's refusal of lodging to
Joseph. During rehearsals, Wally was
instructed to be firm with Joseph. When the
play opened, no one was more caught up in
the action than Wally. And when Joseph
knocked on the door of the inn, Wally was
ready. He flung the door open and asked
menacingly, "What do you want?" "We
seek lodging," Joseph replied. "Seek it
elsewhere," Wally said in a firm voice.
"There's no room in the inn." "Please, good
innkeeper," Joseph pleaded, "this is my wife,
Mary. She is with child and is very tired. She
needs a place to rest." There was a long
pause as Wally looked down at Mary. The
prompter whispered Wally's next line:
"No! Be gone!" Wally remained silent. Then
the forlorn couple turned and began to slowly
move away. Seeing this, Wally's brow
creased with concern. Tears welled up in his
eyes. Suddenly, he called out, "Don't go! You
can have my room."

preacher31 APPEARANCES ARE DECEIVING 12/20/2011 02:21 - Subscribe

By Rev. Wayne Palmer

Scripture

Read John 1:19-28.

"Make straight the way of the Lord" .
(John 1:23b)

It's easy to pass by the manger scene
without giving it any thought. All we see
is a small human baby lying in a manger.
But this Baby is the mighty God who
created all the heavens and the earth.
His mother feeds Him and changes His
diapers, but He provides food for all His
creatures and holds all the stars in place.
His foster-father Joseph guards His life,
but He commands the wind and the
waves.

As this small Baby grows to manhood
this same wonder continues. He who
formed the mountains and valleys learns
to be a carpenter in Joseph's shop. He,
who spread out the galaxies in the
universe, walks from place to place
teaching and proclaiming God's Kingdom
to all. He, who commands all the forces
of nature, surrenders Himself to be
arrested, beaten, whipped and nailed to
a cross. And it is through His bitter
suffering and death He wins our pardon,
forgiveness and peace.

Why did He do it all? Why did He set
aside His majesty, glory and power and
come to live in our world? He did it
because of His intense dedication to His
Father, who loved the world so much
He gave His only-begotten Son to save
us, and because of His own undying love
for you and for all people.

Our Savior still comes to us in the same
quiet, mysterious way today. He invites
you to His Church where you
will hear His ancient Word and learn more
about Him who gave His all for you. There
He will prepare you to celebrate His birth
with a profound joy, peace and hope.

Prayer:

Son of God, Your birth is a profound
mystery: God became human to live with
us. Open my mind to hear Your Word of
salvation and to believe You are God's Son,
my only Savior. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

preacher31 WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT? 12/19/2011 08:26 - Subscribe

By Rev. Wayne Palmer

Scripture:

Read John 1:6-8.

There was a man sent from God, whose
name was John. ... He was not the light,
but came to bear witness about the light.
(John 1:6,

Reflection:

Have you ever taken a close look at a
manger scene? There are a bunch of
figures all gathered together: Mary and
Joseph, the shepherds and the wise men,
perhaps even some sheep, camels and a
donkey. Usually they aren't placed in little
groups talking among themselves. Instead,
they're focused on that Baby whose birth
brought them all together in that place.

What if you were one of the characters in
that manger scene this Christmas? Would
you be focused on the Christ Child like the
others, or would your attention be somewhere
else? Would you be gazing out to the side,
staring at the Christmas tree and all the
presents lying under it? Would you be
scanning the kitchen and dining room thinking
about Christmas dinner? Would you be staring
into the family room where friends are gathered
for a Christmas party?

All those things are great parts of Christmas,
but only one thing belongs in the center as the
focus of our Christmas celebrations. That is
God's Son, born on Christmas day. The mighty
God became one of us and came into our world
to share our life, to suffer and die in our place,
and to rise to life again to guarantee our eternal
future.

His birth brings joy, hope, comfort and peace
to all our Christmas celebrations. He is always
with us to provide our needs and protect us from
all harm until the Last Day when He will come in
glory to bring us to our everlasting home.

PRAYER:

Son of God, Christmas holds so
many distractions. Please focus my mind and
heart on Your birth so every part of my Christmas
celebration will be more meaningful. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

preacher31 SHINES FOR EVERYONE 12/18/2011 10:44 - Subscribe

Fourth Sunday Sunday of Advent

[Light the first three candles of the
Advent wreath.]

After the angel came to Mary and told
her that she would conceive the child
in her womb and would call him Jesus,
Mary said, "Here am I, the servant of the
Lord; let it be with me according to your
word." (Luke 1:3

And Mary sings her Song of Praise:

…My soul magnifies the Lord…he has
scattered the proud

…He has brought down the powerful
from their thrones

…He has lifted up the lowly

…He has filled the hungry

…He has provided for the poor
(Luke 1:46-55).

We marvel at Mary, the mother of the Messiah,
herself a single, teenage mother, herself poor
and powerless. But she understood that the
baby she would call Jesus was sent, not just
to her, but to the world…
…To the hungry
…To the weak
…To the very young and the very old
…To those who suffer or are in pain.

[Light the fourth candle of the Advent wreath.]

We light this fourth candle to remember Mary,
the mother of Jesus. May the light of this candle
also remind us that the light of Jesus shines
for everyone.

COME, LORD JESUS. AMEN

preacher31 WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? 12/17/2011 06:22 - Subscribe

By Rev. Wayne Palmer

Scritpture:

Read John 1:6-8.

There was a man sent from God,
whose name was John. ... He was
not the light, but came to bear
witness about the light. (John 1:6,

Reflection:

Have you ever taken a close look at
a manger scene? There are a bunch
of figures all gathered together: Mary
and Joseph, the shepherds and the
wise men, perhaps even some sheep,
camels and a donkey. Usually they
aren't placed in little groups talking
among themselves. Instead, they're
focused on that Baby whose birth
brought them all together in that place.

What if you were one of the characters
in that manger scene this Christmas?
Would you be focused on the Christ
Child like the others, or would your
attention be somewhere else? Would
you be gazing out to the side, staring
at the Christmas tree and all the
presents lying under it? Would you be
scanning the kitchen and dining room
thinking about Christmas dinner?
Would you be staring into the family
room where friends are gathered for
a Christmas party?

All those things are great parts of
Christmas, but only one thing belongs
in the center as the focus of our
Christmas celebrations. That is God's
Son, born on Christmas day. The
mighty God became one of us and
came into our world to share our life,
to suffer and die in our place, and to
rise to life again to guarantee our eternal
future.

His birth brings joy, hope, comfort and
peace to all our Christmas celebrations.
He is always with us to provide our needs
and protect us from all harm until the Last
Day when He will come in glory to bring
us to our everlasting home.

PRAYER:

Son of God, Christmas holds so many
distractions. Please focus my mind and
heart on Your birth so every part of my
Christmas celebration will be more
meaningful. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

preacher31 A CHRISTMAS GIFT 12/16/2011 02:27 - Subscribe

The parents of three grown children would
divide their Christmases among their children’s
families. But with the difficulties involved in
holiday preparation and extensive travel,
sometimes they were tempted to throw up their
hands and say, “It’s too much! It’s just not
worth the effort.” Whenever either of the parents
got that feeling of exasperation, they would give
the other a wink and say, “Long walk, dear, long
walk,” and they would laugh and get back to
work.” “Long walk” was one of their code signals.
They began using it years ago earlier after
reading a story about an African boy who gave
his missionary teacher an exquisite seashell as
a Christmas gift. The lad had walked miles for it,
to a special bay, the only place where such
shells were found. “How wonderful of you to have
traveled so far for this present,” said the teacher.
The boy’s eyes shone as he replied, “Long walk
part of gift.”

preacher31 FEELING IMPORTANT 12/14/2011 08:15 - Subscribe

Scripture:

Read Mark 11:1-7.

... "The Lord has need of it ...."
(Mark 11:3b)

Reflection:

How do you like Christmas shopping?
Are you looking forward to playing
"chicken" for that elusive parking spot?
Are you excited about your chance to
push your way through the crowded
aisles? Do you get a thrill out of arm
wrestling for that last box on the shelf?

Wouldn't it be great just once to be an
important person? Imagine walking
down an aisle and watching people
step aside to let you pass, or standing
in front of an empty shelf and having
someone hand you that must-have
present you want to give your kids.
Best of all, imagine everyone motioning
you to the front of the line at the checkout!

On that first Christmas when God chose
to send His Son into our world as a tiny
baby, we might have expected Him to
choose an important family. Perhaps it
would be the Jewish high priest, the ruler
of the Jews, or even the Roman Emperor
himself. Instead, the most important
person ever born lived as the obscure
Son of Joseph and Mary-two very
ordinary and unimportant parents.

That's how Christmas can transform us.
God's only Son became unimportant in
the world's eyes to make you and me
important in God's eyes. He credits His
perfect life to us as if we were the perfect
ones. Then He took all our failures, faults
and sins on Himself and suffered and died
in our place on the cross to free us from
God's wrath.

The hustle and bustle of Christmas
shopping may make you feel unimportant,
but this Christmas the birth of the Christ
Child shows just how important you are
to God.

PRAYER:

Lord, thank You for becoming unimportant
in the world's eyes to make me important
in God's eyes. Transform my view of You
and of myself this Christmas. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

preacher31 I HAVE A ROOM 12/12/2011 05:53 - Subscribe

Scripture:

7 and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.
She wrapped him in cloths and placed him
in a manger, because there was no guest
room available for them.
(Luke 2:7) TNIV

Reflection:

Nine-year-old Wally was a hopeful boy, a
natural defender of the underdog, and
well-liked by his fellow classmates. His
parents encouraged him to audition for
the annual Church Christmas play and
Wally wanted to be a shepherd. Instead,
he was given the role of the innkeeper.
The director reasoned that Wally's size
would lend extra force to the innkeeper's
refusal of lodging to Joseph. During
rehearsals, Wally was instructed to be
firm with Joseph. When the play opened,
no one was more caught up in the action
than Wally. And when Joseph knocked
on the door of the inn, Wally was ready.
He flung the door open and asked
menacingly, "What do you want?"
"We seek lodging," Joseph replied.
"Seek it elsewhere," Wally said in a firm
voice. "There's no room in the inn."
"Please, good innkeeper," Joseph pleaded,
"this is my wife, Mary. She is with child
and is very tired. She needs a place to rest.
" There was a long pause as Wally looked
down at Mary. The prompter whispered
Wally's next line: "No! Be gone!" Wally
remained silent. Then the forlorn couple
turned and began to slowly move away.
Seeing this, Wally's brow creased with
concern. Tears welled up in his eyes.
Suddenly, he called out, "Don't go! You
can have my room."

Jesus Christ came into the world to open
up for us the door to eternal life; to invite
us to share in his life of intimate union
with the Father. In and through Jesus Christ,
God invites us into His space, the place
where He lives. God is calling us into the
Kingdom prepared for us "from the foundation
of the world," where there is always room for
one more -- always room for you....

(Sunday Sermons Online)

preacher31 HIS WILL 12/10/2011 03:15 - Subscribe

Third Sunday Sunday of Advent

[Light the first and second candles
of the Advent wreath.]

If Jesus comes to us again at Christmas this
year, and if Jesus dwells within each of us,
shouldn't that make a difference in who we
are and how we live our lives? Hear these
words from 1st Thessalonians:

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing,
give thanks in all circumstances; for this is
the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."

"Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise
the words of the prophets, but test everything;
hold fast to what is good; abstain from every
form of evil."

"May the God of peace himself sanctify
you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and
body be kept sound and blameless at the
coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."

"The one who calls you is faithful, and he will
do this." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-24)

If we seek Jesus, who is born in the manger,
shouldn’t we:

…be at peace among ourselves?
…help the weak and the poor?
…not repay evil for evil, but always do good
to one another?
…in all circumstances, give thanks?

[Light the third candle of the Advent wreath.]

As we light this third candle, let us remember that
this is the will of God in Christ Jesus, who comes to us.

COME, LORD JESUS. AMEN.

end-of forward. 12/06/2011 01:36 - Subscribe

the joy
of motion:

I feel,
therefore
I must go
forward.

I live,
therefore I
must go
elsewhere.

never so
alive
as I am
with a plan;

perfection
in departure.

I breathe,
therefore
I cannot
remain here -

so I leave,
and therefore
I rebuild
my world.

striving
to find the
place I
belong in,

and once I
have found it -
to set off
again.

1 Comments
Mood: speculative.

preacher31 TOO BUSY 12/05/2011 06:25 - Subscribe

Scripture:

Read Isaiah 40:1-5.

And the glory of the Lord
shall be revealed .... (Isaiah 40:5a)

Reflection:

It's only the fifth of December,
but many of us are in a near panic.
There are so many things to do to
get ready for Christmas: presents,
decorations, cookies, cards, parties,
and the list goes on and on. (Is it
just me, or are they speeding up the
Christmas music like the last minute
of a Mario game?) With all the hustle
and bustle where can we find the
peace and joy we most want this
Christmas?

It makes me think of that first
Christmas when Mary and Joseph
had just traveled 80 miles from their
home in Nazareth to the little town
of Bethlehem. Mary was about to give
birth and Joseph was trying to find a
place for her. I imagine he knocked on
quite a few doors, but no one could
make room for the out-of-towners.
Finally, they settled on a shelter for
animals.

How many of those people would have
gladly opened their homes if they knew
who was standing outside? Each of
them was busy with their own lives
and families-too busy to welcome God's
Son into their home.

In the brief moments of these devotions
God's Son is quietly knocking at your
door too, waiting for you to set down all
your Christmas preparations and welcome
Him inside. He has come to remove
your guilt, calm your fears, carry your
burdens and provide for your needs. He
wants to assure you God is at peace with
you because of His perfect life and
innocent suffering and death, and when
He returns you will live with Him in
unending peace and joy.

PRAYER:

Great Son of God, thank You for coming
to me in this hour. Quiet the busyness in
my mind and fill me with Your peace and
forgiveness, so that I may resume my
Christmas preparations with joy and gratitude.
Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

preacher31 A MESSENGER 12/03/2011 09:27 - Subscribe

Second Sunday Sunday of Advent

[Light the first candle on the Advent wreath.]

The prophet Isaiah wrote, "See, I am sending
my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare
your way; the voice of one crying out in the
wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make
his paths straight.'" (Mark 1:2-3)

And John, the messenger of God, proclaimed to
all the people who came to him in the wilderness
that they must repent of their sins and be
baptized. Many people heard his message,
repented, and were baptized in the river Jordan.

It has become our custom to prepare for the birth
of the Messiah by decorating our cities and homes,
hanging the lights inside and out, singing "Frosty
the Snowman" and "Rudolph the Red Nosed
Reindeer," and measuring the quality of our
Christmas morning by the number of gifts we receive.

[Light the second candle.]

As we light this second candle in preparation for the
coming of the Messiah, perhaps we need to listen
again to John the Baptizer's message, preparing the
way of the Lord:

…make straight the paths

…repent of your sins

…be baptized

…and live holy lives devoted to God.

COME, LORD JESUS. AMEN.

preacher31 BROKEN FAMILIES 12/01/2011 08:43 - Subscribe

Scripture:

Read John 1:29-42.
John 1:29-42: He first found
his own brother Simon .... (John 1:41a)

Reflection:

Some brothers and sisters get along really
well. They get along so well they can work
side by side at the same job, then gather
together for Christmas and the other holidays.
That appeared to be the case for Andrew
and his brother Simon Peter in the Bible.
They made a living by fishing together. And
when the Savior invited Andrew to follow Him,
the first thing he did was to find Simon and
bring him along. They had fished together
all their lives; now they would follow the Son
of God together.

I hope your family is that close. But that
doesn't always happen. Often get-togethers
are more like civil wars. We all know getting
together should heighten our enjoyment of
Christmas, but sometimes the only way to
have a peaceful Christmas is to stay apart.

Transforming a broken-family Christmas is
difficult, but not impossible. You just need a
peacemaker. The trouble is most brothers
and sisters end up on one side or the other.
We need someone from the outside to come
in and bring peace.

That's where God's Son stepped in. He
became human and came into our world to
be our peacemaker. First, He tackled our
most important broken relationship-the one
between God and us. He did that by taking
our place and going to the cross to suffer God's
wrath for all the wrongs we think, say and do.
Having won our pardon from God His Father,
He transforms us. He gives us a new heart
that feels true love and forgiveness toward our
enemies, even if those happen to be our own
brothers and sisters.

PRAYER:

Great Savior, if my family gathers
together this Christmas please bless our time
together. If there is any festering hurt or offense
dividing us, bring us together peacefully through
Your sacrifice on the cross. Amen.

(Lutheran Hour Ministries)

end-of fate. 11/28/2011 11:58 - Subscribe

I ask myself
more times

than there
are pebbles on
the beach:

why now
and here?

did my path
divide?

would I
have gone
another way?

yet.

the wheel
turns, and

things do
change.

and to see
this place
alight with

warmth and
laughter;
to feel
the sun on me

and all the
living things
that grow
and thrive;

to smell
the ocean,
a glimpse
of waves -

the wheel
turns and

my path
is clear:

I was
always
coming here.

0 Comments
Mood: content.

preacher31 COME LORD JESUS ! ADVENT 1 11/26/2011 02:09 - Subscribe

First Sunday of Advent
(November 27, 2011)

But in those days, after that suffering, the sun
will be darkened, and the moon will not give its
light, and the stars will be falling from heaven,
and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.

Then they will see the Son of Man coming in
clouds with great power and glory. But about
that day or hour no one knows, neither the
angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.

Keep alert, for you do not know when the time
will come…in the evening, or at midnight, or at
dawn. Keep awake. (Mark 13:24-26, 32, 33, 35, 37).

Such amazing things happen in the sky to
herald the return of the Son of Man:
…Jesus, coming in the clouds
…the sun grows dark
…the moon doesn't shine
…and stars fall from the heavens

So different from that first coming more than
2000 years ago:
…with angels singing of God's glory and peace
on earth
…with the single star guiding the way to the
manger
…with shepherds and wise men -- rich and
poor -- coming to worship

And so we watch, and wait, and stay alert,
waiting again for the coming of Jesus.
And we light a single candle in preparation for
that glorious day.

[Light the first candle on the Advent wreath.]

…And even if the sun should grow dark
…even if the moon refuses to shine
…even if the stars should fall from the sky

…we will have Jesus, the Light of the World, to
shine brightly in our hearts, lighting our way.

COME, LORD JESUS. AMEN.

preacher31 PLEASE READ BEFORE THANKSGIVING DINNER 11/23/2011 01:15 - Subscribe

PLEASE READ BEFORE THANKSGIVING DINNER

When you celebrate Thanksgiving this year
remember this and pray:

The poor maybe thankful for:

SMALL THINGS:
Maybe it is earning 25 cents
today, or having electricity for an extra hour,
or having a pencil to take to school this morning,
the extreme poor are grateful for little things that
come their way. What we take for granted, some
poor are giving thanks to God for them.

DAILY PROVISION:
When you don’t have a refrigerator,
a bank account, or a regular paying job the fact
that there is food for you and your children to eat
is not overlooked. Waking up in the morning, We
don't give much thought about where our next meal
will be coming from, but for the poor, today’s
challenge is providing today’s meal. My Pastor
would always pray before each meal “For what
we are about to receive, may we be truly thankful”.
Amen.

STANDING BEFORE GOD:
In our society today we shun
the poor, we look down on them, and often choose
to forget about them. When we see them we look
away from them. When no one respects them
The poor are thankful for the love and respect shown
to them by God.

PROTECTION:
A slum community is one of the most dangerous
places on earth. Drunkenness, drug use, and gangs
make slums a violent and volatile place to live.
1 Peter 5:7-9 says, “Stay alert! Watch out for your
great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring
lion, looking for someone to devour. Stand firm against
him, and be strong in your faith…”. No one feels more
vulnerable to the “enemy” than a person with no
savings, no job, and no home. God is their fortress
and their trust is in Him for protection.

HEALTH:
In a poor community a cold can easily turn into
pneumonia, a cup of water can bring dysentery,
a cut can become infected and lead to other more
serious illnesses. Doctors and medicines are hard
to come by so when you are healthy you give thanks
to God.

JESUS:
He is our Savior and friend. For the poor, faith in
Jesus gives hope for eternity. Never having to live in
a garbage dump or shanty house again, and knowing
your future house is a mansion with streets of gold
and no more illness, suffering, or death. There is a
wonderful hope.

The life of a poor person is hard; I don’t think I could ever
survive. It is awful and grotesque, but out of these horrible
conditions come some of the Godliest people. They love,
trust and thank God for simple things that we take for
granted almost every day.

Thanksgiving is about sharing food with friends and family.
But more importantly,Thanksgiving is about sharing with
those in need. It’s about helping those suffering from
hunger and poverty.
More than 46 million Americans are living in poverty today,
As you prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving with friends and
family, PLEASE, PLEASE DON'T FORGET ABOUT
THE LESS FORTUNATE. REMEMBER THEM IN PRAYER
AND PROMISE GOD THAT YOU WILL HELP THEM
TO RELIEVE THEIR SUFFERING
AND THEN PLEASE MAKE GOOD ON YOUR PROMISE!

preacher31 THANKSGIVING, SAYING THANKS 11/22/2011 04:02 - Subscribe

Scripture:

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! . . .
Let the redeemed of the Lord say so. —
Psalm 107:1-2

Unexpressed Gratitude
by Cindy Hess Kasper

The whole reason for saying thanks is
to let the giver of a gift know how much
you appreciate something. Author
G. B. Stern once said, “Silent gratitude
isn’t much use to anyone.”

When our son was young, he sometimes
needed to be reminded that avoiding eye
contact, looking down at his feet, and
mumbling some unintelligible words was
not an acceptable “thank you.” And after
many years of marriage, my husband and
I are still learning that it’s important for us
to continually express our gratitude to each
other. When one of us feels appreciative,
we try to verbalize it—even if we’ve said it
many times before about the same thing.
William Arthur Ward said, “Feeling
gratitude and not expressing it is like
wrapping a present and not giving it.”

Showing our gratitude is obviously important
in human relationships, but it’s even more
essential in our relationship with God. As
we think about the many blessings we have
received, do we express our thanks to Him
throughout the day? And when we think of
the amazing gift of His death and
resurrection for forgiveness of our sins, do
our hearts bubble over with awe and
thanksgiving? (Rom. 6:23; 2 Cor. 9:15).

Take the reminder in Psalm 107:1 to heart
each day: “Give thanks to the Lord, for He
is good!”

How great should be our gratitude
To God our unseen Friend!
The volume of His gifts to us
We cannot comprehend. —Hess

GOD'S HIGHEST GIFT SHOULD
AWAKEN OUR DEEPEST
GRATITUDE.

ESPECIALLY ON THANKSGIVING
GIVE THANKS TO GOD!

(Our Daily Bread)

preacher31 I TOOK HIM IN 11/17/2011 04:21 - Subscribe

Scripture:

"Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the
least of these My brethren, you did it to Me"
(Matthew 25:40).

HORSE-TRADER

There is a wonderful story about a horse-trader
in the hills of West Virginia. He was a sharp
dealer but he always justified his horse-trades
by quoting the Bible. He knew just what passage
to use in each case. On one occasion, he had
a very sick horse on his hands. He tried to sell
it but everybody in the area knew the horse was
sick and they wouldn't touch it. Then a stranger
came along and it was't long before he was
riding out of town on the sick horse, as the
horse-trader counted a thick wad of bills. This
upset the horse-trader's wife very much. "Don't
tell me you sold that sick horse to someone?"
"Yeah," he said. "A preacher passed through
and I sold him the horse." "Really, a man of
the cloth! You would do this to a clergyman?"
she asked. "Oh, it's alright," he replied. "As
the Bible says, 'He was a stranger and I took
him in.'"

I hope this made you smile a little, but there
is a truth here and it is:

"As you did it to one of the
least of these My brethren, you did it to Me"