Daily Encouragement | A scripture-based, 60-second, challenge toward fidelity in living-out the call to Christian discipleship! | Page 809

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“I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.” (Psalm 13:6, NIV)

What has the Lord done for you?

What has been your response?

The psalmist credited God as the ultimate source of all that was good in his life; not others, not luck, not happenstance or fortune, not even himself. Then, having correctly identified the One behind every gracious act and every gift; the psalmist’s sang the Lord’s praise in response.

To whom are you giving credit for all of the good in your life; and what is your response? – Luther

Tagged gratitude, praise, thanksgiving, the book of Psalms

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“My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism.” (James 2:1, NIV)

There is nothing more natural than choosing favorites.

However, as disciples of Jesus, we are to take our natural life and — through obedience to God — create a spiritual reality.

The reality referred to in today’s scripture verse is a reality where persons are not evaluated and elevated by the clothes they are wearing.

Persons who are obedient to spiritual laws have chosen to live in a spiritual reality. This does not mean being ignorant of natural preferences. It does mean being scrupulously obedient to God when He requires that our natural choices reflect a spiritual perspective.

Beware of preferring others by how they are dressed. Kings can dress like paupers; and paupers like kings. – Luther

Tagged bias, favoritism, the book of James

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Thanksgiving Day

“. . . give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18, NIV)

There is a small, but helpfully significant, difference between giving thanks in all circumstances; and giving thanks for all circumstances.

There are situations and circumstances for which you and I should never be thankful: War, disease, marital discord, gross economic inequality, the persistence of evil. . . Yet, even in such circumstances, the disciple of Jesus is encouraged to be thankful — and it baffles the watching world.

In war, we know the Prince of Peace. In sickness, we are attended by the Great Physician. He is our Reconciler; and through your and my obedience, He feeds the poor. Evil may, for a time, persist; but evil shall not, ultimately, prevail!

True thanksgiving knows no season. – Luther

Tagged gratitude, thanksgiving, Thanksgiving Day