Fruit of the Spirit – Be Still…

Thanksgiving 2025 – Giving Thanks

What are you thankful for? Thank God right now for the top three things that came to your mind.

Perhaps you live in the United States, and you’re off work today because you’re celebrating Thanksgiving. Perhaps you’re surrounded by family and friends. Perhaps you’re looking forward to new beginnings. Perhaps you’re remembering what Jesus did for you on the cross.

If you’ve followed my blog for a while, you know we have been reading through the New Testament, starting in the book of Mark. We’re taking a break today to focus on gratitude and giving thanks. We’ll pick up Mark soon.

Let’s start by reflecting on Psalm 100:4-5, which says:

Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
    go into his courts with praise.
    Give thanks to him and praise his name.
For the Lord is good.
    His unfailing love continues forever,
    and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

When we come before God, we should gladly bring our praises and offerings of thanksgiving. Look around at the bounty God has given. The LORD loves it when we give him the honor and glory he deserves.

Did you know that when you are busy focusing on your gratefulness, your sadness, loneliness, or despair just floats away. The two emotions can’t co-exist. I think God knew that, and so did the psalmist when he encourages us to remember God’s goodness and unfailing love that lasts forever.

I’d like to share a few more Bible verses that speak to our thankfulness using the acronym THANKS. I am thankful for all of these things, especially God’s Word.

T – for Truth, for God’s Word, alive and life-changing, the sword that protects us is part of the armor of God. Hebrews 4:12 and Ephesians 6:17

H – for Heroes of faith, like Moses and Daniel and Paul, together with those gathering in the great cloud of witnesses in Hebrews 12:1.

A – for Angels that protect us and bear messages from God. Hebrews 2:1-4 speaks of the message the angels brought to us to heed.

N – for being No longer slaves to our sins. We have a Redeemer who has taken away our sin. 1 John 1:9 reminds us to confess those sins and not keep them inside.

K – for Kindness and the ability to be kind. When we let the Holy Spirit work in our lives, kindness is one of the great benefits we can be given. Galatians 5:22-23

S – for Songs that praise the name of God. The book of Psalms is a great place to find lyrics you’ll recognize in many contemporary praise songs, as well as hymns we sing. Our opening Psalm 100 above speaks to that privilege we have to show God our gratitude.

My Thanksgiving prayer includes you as you read these verses, allowing the gratitude to sweep over you. May you feel God’s loving touch on your life in exactly the right place, where you need it most. He knows–I don’t have to.

Have a happy Thanksgiving, and if you’re reading this from outside the USA or on a day other than the 4th Thursday of November, then remembering to be thankful is an exercise we should do daily. God deserves our giving thanks in every prayer.

Let’s pray. Father God, my heart overflows with gratitude as I look at my life and what you have done with it, and are continuing to do with it. Help me get out of my own way when I need to, and show me what that looks like. I want to represent you well in this world in all I say and do. Thank you for walking with me through each new challenge, helping me to lean in to your help more often. Thank you for being my all in all. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Luke 3:7-18 – John’s Message

Read Luke 3:7-18

We met John in our last Advent reading. His preaching was certainly no nonsense as he prepared the people to meet Jesus. By this time, Jesus was all grown up. You may recall earlier in Luke when John’s mother, Elizabeth, was visited by Jesus’ mother, Mary, while pregnant with Jesus. Even while in his mother’s womb, John couldn’t stay still in Jesus’ presence. John could sense even then that Jesus was someone to be honored and celebrated.

How does John describe Jesus in this passage? As someone “greater than I am—so much greater that I’m not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandals.” Imagine having grown up as cousins with Jesus, the Messiah. For others to be ready to meet the Messiah, the people needed to act. Here, John gives them tangible examples of changes they should make to be ready for Jesus. Continue reading “Luke 3:7-18 – John’s Message”

1 Chronicles 10:1-14 – Unfaithful Saul

Read 1 Chronicles 10:1-14

The story of Israel’s kings begins with Saul. You’ll recall the genealogies ended with reference to Saul’s family. But right before that the Chronicler had been speaking about those returning from Exile. To get our “bearings,” so to speak, this reading goes back many generations from the time of those returning from exile.

There’s a lot more to Saul’s story that can be read in 1 Samuel. The Chronicler glosses over Saul’s life, but in terms of lineage, we’ve been told Saul was descended from the tribe of Benjamin, Jacob’s youngest son.

In this passage, we see Saul under attack by the Philistines. This rivalry had been ongoing but now turns deadly for Israel’s leadership. The Israel people find themselves without a king or an heir to the throne. How did God let this happen?

Ecclesiastes 5:8-20 – Wealth in Spirit

Read Ecclesiastes 5:8-20

Why does it seem like the problems Solomon wrote about centuries ago are still problems facing our culture today? There are still wealthy people and poor people, and the gap seems to be enlarging all the time. People are always complaining about the red tape in government, including ineffective measures. And, we still die, taking nothing with us.

This isn’t the first time Solomon focused his lament on having riches. Remember, he was king, and God had given him more than wisdom to enjoy. How lavishly he lived his life, we can surely imagine from all the descriptions we have in the Bible. When you have that much “stuff,” it must be hard to imagine not having it or leaving it all behind.

2 Peter 1:5-11 – Responding to God’s Promise

Read 2 Peter 1:5-11

In our last reading, we explored how faith is a gift from the Lord along with his promise we can reflect his divine nature. This text gives us more insight into how we should respond to this gift. Apparently, we need to “take action” to enjoy the richness of the promise’s fulfillment.

To accomplish this task, Peter teaches us how to acknowledge and handle the gift we’ve been given. I’m guessing Peter expected people would not take advantage of all God has to offer. It’s helpful to know a response is needed so we don’t leave God’s promise behind. Did the prescription Peter outlines seem a bit daunting?