Daily Devotion with Greg Laurie “Remembering
to Say Thanks” Thursday, 28 November 2013
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Oh, that men would give thanks to the
Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!(Psalm
107:8)
In the Old Testament, we find an
interesting story of how King Jehoshaphat took an uncommon approach when his
enemies waged war against him. Instead of sending in his army first, he sent
the choir and musicians.
Imagine the scene: "All right, guys,
here's the plan today. An army is out there, armed to the teeth. So we are
sending in the choir and the musicians." If I had been a choir member or
musician, I might have wondered whether the king liked our music.
But God had directed Jehoshaphat in this
unusual battle tactic. We read that Jehoshaphat appointed people to sing to the
Lord, praise the beauty of holiness, and go out in front of the army saying,
"Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever" (2 Chronicles
20:21).
So that is exactly what they did. The
Bible tells us that when they began to sing and praise, God sent an ambush
against the enemy, and they were destroyed. God's people were able to go into
this situation giving thanks, because He was in control.
In approaching God to ask for new blessings,
we should never forget to thank Him for the blessings He has already given.
Have you recently come to God for help
and He came through for you? Did you come back to say "thank you"?
If we would stop and think how many of
the prayers we have offered to God have been answered and how seldom we come
back to God to thank Him, it just might amaze us. We should be just as
deliberate in giving thanks to God as we are in asking for His help.
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Matthew The Resurrection of Jesus
28: After the sabbath, as the first day
of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the
tomb. 2 And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord,
descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His
appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 For fear of
him the guards shook and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the
women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was
crucified. 6 He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the
place where he[a] lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been
raised from the dead,[b] and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there
you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” 8 So they left the tomb quickly
with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met
them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and
worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my
brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
The Report of the Guard
11 While they were going, some of the
guard went into the city and told the chief priests everything that had
happened. 12 After the priests[c] had assembled with the elders, they devised a
plan to give a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 telling them, “You must
say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14
If this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of
trouble.” 15 So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this
story is still told among the Jews to this day.
The Commissioning of the Disciples
16 Now the eleven disciples went to
Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 When they saw
him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them,
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Go therefore and
make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of
the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything that I
have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the
age.”[d]
Footnotes:
Matthew 28:6 Other ancient authorities
read the Lord
Matthew 28:7 Other ancient authorities
lack from the dead
Matthew 28:12 Gk they
Matthew 28:20 Other ancient authorities
add Amen(NRSV)
1 Thessalonians Salutation
1: Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God
the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:
Grace to you and peace.
The Thessalonians’ Faith and Example
2 We always give thanks to God for all of
you and mention you in our prayers, constantly 3 remembering before our God and
Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our
Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we know, brothers and sisters[a] beloved by God, that
he has chosen you, 5 because our message of the gospel came to you not in word
only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just
as you know what kind of persons we proved to be among you for your sake. 6 And
you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you
received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an
example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For the word of the
Lord has sounded forth from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every
place your faith in God has become known, so that we have no need to speak
about it. 9 For the people of those regions[b] report about us what kind of
welcome we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols, to serve a
living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised
from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.
Paul’s Ministry in Thessalonica
2: You yourselves know, brothers and
sisters,[c] that our coming to you was not in vain, 2 but though we had already
suffered and been shamefully mistreated at Philippi, as you know, we had
courage in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in spite of great
opposition. 3 For our appeal does not spring from deceit or impure motives or
trickery, 4 but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the
message of the gospel, even so we speak, not to please mortals, but to please
God who tests our hearts. 5 As you know and as God is our witness, we never
came with words of flattery or with a pretext for greed; 6 nor did we seek
praise from mortals, whether from you or from others, 7 though we might have
made demands as apostles of Christ. But we were gentle[d] among you, like a
nurse tenderly caring for her own children. 8 So deeply do we care for you that
we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own
selves, because you have become very dear to us.
9 You remember our labor and toil,
brothers and sisters;[e] we worked night and day, so that we might not burden
any of you while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 10 You are witnesses,
and God also, how pure, upright, and blameless our conduct was toward you
believers. 11 As you know, we dealt with each one of you like a father with his
children, 12 urging and encouraging you and pleading that you lead a life
worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.
13 We also constantly give thanks to God
for this, that when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you
accepted it not as a human word but as what it really is, God’s word, which is
also at work in you believers. 14 For you, brothers and sisters,[f] became
imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you
suffered the same things from your own compatriots as they did from the Jews,
15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets,[g] and drove us out; they
displease God and oppose everyone 16 by hindering us from speaking to the
Gentiles so that they may be saved. Thus they have constantly been filling up
the measure of their sins; but God’s wrath has overtaken them at last.[h]
Paul’s Desire to Visit the Thessalonians
Again
17 As for us, brothers and sisters,[i]
when, for a short time, we were made orphans by being separated from you—in
person, not in heart—we longed with great eagerness to see you face to face. 18
For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, wanted to again and again—but
Satan blocked our way. 19 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting
before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? 20 Yes, you are our glory and
joy!
3: Therefore when we could bear it no
longer, we decided to be left alone in Athens; 2 and we sent Timothy, our
brother and co-worker for God in proclaiming[j] the gospel of Christ, to
strengthen and encourage you for the sake of your faith, 3 so that no one would
be shaken by these persecutions. Indeed, you yourselves know that this is what
we are destined for. 4 In fact, when we were with you, we told you beforehand
that we were to suffer persecution; so it turned out, as you know. 5 For this
reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith; I
was afraid that somehow the tempter had tempted you and that our labor had been
in vain.
Timothy’s Encouraging Report
6 But Timothy has just now come to us
from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love. He has told
us also that you always remember us kindly and long to see us—just as we long
to see you. 7 For this reason, brothers and sisters,[k] during all our distress
and persecution we have been encouraged about you through your faith. 8 For we
now live, if you continue to stand firm in the Lord. 9 How can we thank God
enough for you in return for all the joy that we feel before our God because of
you? 10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you face to face
and restore whatever is lacking in your faith.
11 Now may our God and Father himself and
our Lord Jesus direct our way to you. 12 And may the Lord make you increase and
abound in love for one another and for all, just as we abound in love for you.
13 And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless
before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
Footnotes:
1 Thessalonians 1:4 Gk brothers
1 Thessalonians 1:9 Gk For they
1 Thessalonians 2:1 Gk brothers
1 Thessalonians 2:7 Other ancient
authorities read infants
1 Thessalonians 2:9 Gk brothers
1 Thessalonians 2:14 Gk brothers
1 Thessalonians 2:15 Other ancient
authorities read their own prophets
1 Thessalonians 2:16 Or completely or
forever
1 Thessalonians 2:17 Gk brothers
1 Thessalonians 3:2 Gk lacks proclaiming
1 Thessalonians 3:7 Gk brothers(NRSV)
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