Giving Thanksgiving

Giving Thanksgiving

Colossians 3:15 NKJV
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.

   Dear Lord, thank You for today.  Thank You for my family and the love we share.  Thank You for being a forgiving, loving God; I'm blessed more than I deserve because of Your grace and mercy.  Thank You for giving me eternal life and for giving me Your Word to guide me.  Forgive me for the sins I’ve committed against You.  Help me to keep from sinning and give me strength to resist temptation.  Thank You that I’m working and my needs are being met.  Thank You I’m warm and fed and safe.  Thank You for being able to see and to hear and walk.  Help me see You in all things around me and have a positive attitude as I go out into the world.  Help me not to whine and complain over things that I have no control over.  When I face pressure from the world and it begins to overwhelm me, remind me of Jesus’ example and let me slip away for a quiet moment of prayer and praise to strengthen me.  It's the best response when I'm pushed beyond my limits.  I know that when I can't stop and kneel in prayer, You still hear me and listen to my prayers.  Help me to stay uplifted that I may have words of encouragement for others.
   I don’t always remember to pray for others.  I don’t always remember to pray for the unsaved in my life.  My heart hurts for those who are lost and can't find their way to You.  I pray for the blinded by sin; for the blinded by anger or hatred; for the blinded by fear; and for those who refuse to listen to Your Spirit when He tries to reached their hearts.  I pray for those that don't believe You exist.
   I pray for all my brothers and all their families: for each and every family member in their households.  Thank you for the legacy of my mother and grandmother who taught me to read Your Word and listen to You.  Thank you for the love of a Godly woman and the years we’ve had together.  Thank you for my kids and for their families.  Thank you for the ones who go to church and hear Your Word preached, and send Your Spirit to reach those who do not.
   Thank you for the many Christians I meet every day and for the church family I’m part of.  Thank you for a pastor who speaks Your Word boldly and without reservation.  Thank you for the pastors who have built so much into my life from my childhood up to now.  Thank you that there are still men and women who believe in Sunday school and work faithfully to teach the Word to both kids and adults.
   I repeat, Lord, I am blessed more than I deserve.  Your grace and Your mercy are beyond description and I am ever grateful for both.  Thank You for giving Your Son for me so I could escape the destruction of sin.  Thank You for Your Spirit Who speaks to my heart and guides me daily, (when I listen to Him.)
   Lord, if I missed anything, it was not intentional.  I am so overwhelmed by Your blessings, I may have overlooked one or two.  Just know that under this grumpy exterior is a grateful man who will spend eternity thanking You.


Stephen Cram                            November 27, 2011                      Colossians 2:8

Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.  Colossians 2:8