Promises for the Battle
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Sonnet 2025—Grateful for Ministry
As I thought about a theme for this year’s Thanksgiving sonnet-prayer, I was struck by the gratitude Paul felt and expressed for being able to contribute to the growth of the saints after they came to Christ. This gratitude appears in three of his letters, one from early in his ministry and two from later. … Continue reading
Remembering and Celebrating the Lord’s Kindnesses
When the godly see God’s wondrous work, they rejoice, and every sinner shuts his mouth. If you are wise, remember these things, and pay attention to the kindnesses of I AM. Psalm 107:42–43 This year’s Thanksgiving prayer springs from following the psalmist’s command to remember and celebrate the extraordinary kindnesses God has extended to me … Continue reading
Thanksgiving Prayer 2023
Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift. 2 Corinthians 9:15 As I thought about this year’s Thanksgiving prayer, I noticed that the Apostle Paul rarely runs out of words to express the power and scope of his delight for all that God did for his people through Christ. But at the close of his … Continue reading
I Was Just Thinking … About the Gratitude of Faith
The Bible clearly teaches that thanksgiving is essential to prayer and fellowship with God. We should never draw near to God without expressing our thanks. “Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him, and bless his name” (Psalm 100:4). Thanksgiving should accompany all our prayer requests. “In everything by … Continue reading
Thanksgiving for Being Restored
You turned my lament into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and covered me with joy. So now my heart will sing to you and not be silent; O Yahweh, my God, I will always give thanks to you. Psalm 30:11 Oh give thanks to Yahweh, for he is good, for his gracious kindness is everlasting. … Continue reading
Praise and Thanks for Grace to Serve
God is gracious to us in that he exerts himself on our behalf so that we have cause to enjoy more and more of the goodness he enjoys about himself. His grace is sufficient to effect a transformation in us that will enable us to be successful in all that he gives us to do. … Continue reading
Thanksgiving for Ministry
One of the graces God gives us is people whom we can serve in order to strengthen their confidence in and allegiance to Jesus (Romans 1:11–12). Regardless of how difficult and time-consuming this ministry can be, we can rejoice in our knowledge that the situation, the insight of what to do, and the ability to … Continue reading
Thanksgiving Sonnet 2019—Identified by Gratitude
This year’s sonnet prayer for Thanksgiving arose from my thinking about Colossians 3:15–17. As an added bonus there’s a threefold benediction that you can use at the end of your celebration of God’s grace. Colossians 3:15–17 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; … Continue reading
Thanksgiving Sonnet—A Day Is Not Enough
Always rejoice, constantly pray, in everything give thanks. For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 O Lord, we set aside this day to say That we rejoice in all that you have done; With love and joy we’ve only just begun To celebrate your gracious resumé. Indeed, a day … Continue reading
I Was Just Thinking … about Conditions for Peace
Everyone wants to experience what Philippians 4:7 calls “the peace of God which passes understanding.” God’s peace “passes understanding” in that it keeps our hearts peaceful and calm even though we understand perfectly well that there is no human or natural way that we can be extricated from some difficulty that threatens our future. Philippians … Continue reading
Promises for the Battle 