thanks Archives - Pastor Terry Lema's Daily Devotions

I like the way Paul begins his letters. He begins with “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Grace and Peace. If there is anything we need right now, it is grace and peace. Grace from God our Father, giving the strength to keep on keeping on no matter what the world is doing. Peace from the LORD Jesus Christ, our Prince of Peace, giving us rest in God while the world is losing its mind!

But then, as I read on in Philippians this morning, Paul reminded me that there is something I also need to be doing, that is giving thanks for you and praying for you.

“I give thanks to my God for every remembrance of you, always praying with joy for all of you in my every prayer.” [Philippians 1:3 HCSB]

On this Thanksgiving Day, I truly am thankful for all of you. Some of you I know personally, others I only see as names and pictures on Facebook. But I am always amazed and humbled that you take the time to read these daily devotions and often comment on them. You bless me abundantly, especially when you tell me something I wrote resonates with where you are in your walk with God. I am humbled.

Please know that I do give thanks for you … I pray with joy for all of you. I cannot wait until we all get to heaven and we get to spend time getting to know each other through eternity.

God bless each of you! And may His grace, mercy, and peace flood your souls this day.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I needed an attitude adjustment from the LORD last week (after expressing my frustration for everyone to see, and ranting about the extension of the Stay-in-Place order by our governor). When you need an attitude adjustment, God does not wait long to bring it!

He brought the words of Psalm 118:24 to life in front of me, “This is the day the LORD has made, let us be glad and rejoice in it,” and with them came a call to repentance. I plan on living and praying in Psalm 118 for a few days and am hoping you will join me.

Psalm 118 begins (and ends) with the words, “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.”

Immediately after introducing that thought, the psalmist calls upon the nation of Israel and the house of Aaron (the priesthood) to also acknowledge that the love of the LORD endures forever. Then to make sure that no one is exempt from acknowledging that truth, he adds: “Let those who fear the LORD say: ‘His love endures forever.’”

God’s love endures; it endures forever. The KJV and NKJV translate it this way, “His mercy endures forever.”

Whether love or mercy, the word means God’s favor, loving kindness, mercy, goodness. Forever means just that, forever. God’s love will not disappear, dissipate, or disappoint. We do not need to beg for it, He gives it willingly to all who fear Him. I need never fear that I will wake up some morning and find God’s love has left me, or that there is not enough mercy for that day.

Because of the greatness of God’s love that remains forever, we are to live lives of thankfulness. We are not simply to be grateful; we are to express that gratefulness. That was where I got off base last week. I had not been thanking my Precious Savior as I should have been. When my voice grew silent, the world’s frustrating messages grew louder. When I began again to voice my thanksgiving, I drowned out the world’s messages.

Try that today – it works!

thanks

Happy Thanksgiving!

Shout it!