“Praise the Lord. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens.” – Psalm 150:1

Pastor H.B. Charles of Mt. Sinai Missionary Baptist Church of Los Angeles told the following story about a woman he knew who showed up at church and prayed the same simple prayer.  “‘O Lord, thank you Jesus,’ she prayed week after week.  The kids at church would start laughing every time she opened her mouth because they knew it would be the same prayer— ‘O Lord, thank you Jesus.’  Finally somebody asked her, ‘Why do you pray the same little prayer?’  She said, ‘Well, I’m just combining the two prayers that I know.  We live in a bad neighborhood and some nights there are bullets flying and I have to grab my daughter and hide on the floor, and in that desperate state all I know how to cry out is, ‘O Lord.’  But when I wake up in the morning and see that we’re okay I say, ‘Thank you Jesus.’  When I got to take my baby to the bus stop and she gets on that bus and I don’t know what’s going to happen to her while she’s away, I cry, ‘O Lord.’  And then when 3:00 P.M. comes and that bus arrives and my baby is safe, I say, ‘Thank you Jesus.’”  She said, ‘Those are the only two prayers I know and when I get to church God has been so good I just put my two prayers together, ‘O Lord, thank you Jesus.’”  

Don’t let words hinder your heart of gratitude. Today in prayer, thank the Lord for all that He has done you.

“God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” – John Piper

God’s Word: “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord.” – Psalm 150:6

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2016, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING

“Praise the Lord! He is good. God’s love never fails.” – Psalm 136:1

Arthur Abner Luther was born on June 26, 1891, in Fairview, Pennsylvania. After accepting Christ as a schoolboy, he had a burning desire to be a foreign missionary. But it was not to be.

He did get married, became a preacher and got involved with the Dr. O.E. Williams Evangelistic team, which would go to the most remote places of America to preach the Gospel.

In 1927, Arthur was in Somerset, Kentucky when he received some very disturbing news from his family, who were 600 miles away. “Worried and homesick, I sat down at the old square piano,” he remembered. “A simple melody developed beneath them which seemed to sing, ‘Jesus Never Fails.’ Then and there the words and music of the Chorus were born. I accepted this as the answer to my heart’s prayer and I thank Him that it proved true.” Soon reassuring news came from home, indeed Jesus did not fail Arthur.

Within twenty years, Christians and missionaries were singing the song “Jesus Never Fails” to the four corners of the earth.

No matter where you find yourself this moment, remember “Jesus Never Fails.” Today in prayer, praise the Lord that He never fails!

“Jesus never fails, Jesus never fails, Heav'n and earth may pass away, But Jesus never fails.” – A.A. Luther

God’s Word: “Praise God in heaven! God’s love never fails.” – Psalm 136:26

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2016, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING

“I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.” – Ephesians 1:16

On November 15, 2016, Wanda Dench of Mesa, Arizona sent out a group text to a few family members, inviting them over for Thanksgiving dinner.

The text, meant for her grandson, was instead sent to Jamal Hinton, a 17-year-old from Phoenix.

Wanda didn’t know her grandson had changed his cell phone number. So instead her message went to Jamal, who after confirming it was not his grandmother, asked if he could get an invitation to dinner as well.

“Of course you can, that’s what grandmas do … feed everyone,” she replied.

Jamal showed up for Thanksgiving and was welcomed with a hug and treated like part of the Dench family.

“I’m thankful for all the nice people in the world,” said Jamal. “I never met her … or ever even seen her before and she welcomed me into her house so that showed me how great of a person she is.”

The Lord continually brings great people into our lives, have you thanked Him for them? Today in prayer, thank the Lord for all the godly people He has brought into your life.

“God has two dwellings; one in heaven, and the other in a meek and thankful heart.” – Izaak Walton

God’s Word: “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,” – Colossians 1:3

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2016, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING

“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!” – 2 Corinthians 9:15

In 1996, Laura Story joined the Christian band Silers Bald at Columbia International University. For five years she was part of the band and they released four independent albums.

In 2002, Laura began recording her first independent album. She needed just one more song to round out the album. She trusted that the Lord would provide that last song. Soon after, she was driving down a mountain road in North Carolina, “it was a gorgeous day” she remembers and her eyes were fixed on the majesty of her Creator. She broke into worshiping and singing, “Indescribable…uncontainable…You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name…” Laura added verses on the piano and finished the song while reading God’s own description of His power and might in Job Chapter 38. Her first record was now complete.

Soon afterward, Christian artist Chris Tomlin heard the song “Indescribable” and recorded it on his album and soon “Indescribable” was being sung in churches across the world. 

Jesus Christ is truly an Indescribable gift to us. Today in prayer, give thanks to God for His Indescribable Gift!

“Indescribable, uncontainable,

You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.

You are amazing God

All powerful, untameable,

Awestruck we fall to our knees as we humbly proclaim

You are amazing God” – Laura Story

God’s Word: “I will praise God’s name in song and glorify him with thanksgiving.” – Psalm 69:30

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2016, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” – Psalm 100:4

In the far eastern section of India lies the state of Manipur. In 2012, the Manipur State formally recognized a migratory tribe known as the Mates. For centuries the Mates had been practicing animism until missionaries taught them about Christ. As a tribe, they universally accepted Christ but for years they were ignored as a people within India.

But that changed when the Mate Tribe was recognized by the Manipur state government and were included in the state’s list of Scheduled Tribes.

To commemorate their recognition, a thanksgiving ceremony was organized. Pastor Samte Thangzasiak Gangte, as well as other pastors, preached on the occasion. They urged the tribe to remember that since the beginning, God had blessed their tribe. The message of the day was for the children of the tribe not to forget their creator and to continually give thanks to Him.

No matter where you find yourself in the world today, give thanks to the Lord and praise His name.

“Thanksgiving was never meant to be shut up in a single day.” – Robert Casper Lintner

God’s Word: “All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.” – 2 Corinthian 4:15

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2016, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING

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

In July 2016, the country of Rwanda celebrated their fifth annual National Day of Thanksgiving.

Many remember Rwanda for its genocide in 1994, where more than a million people were killed in a civil war in 100 days.

But since that dark time, the Lord has been healing that country. It is now one of the safest countries in Africa. The Rwandan Thanksgiving, known as Shima Imana, is organized annually and jointly by Christian Churches in unity to thank the Lord.

From the Shima Imana organizing committee, they state:

“In our hearts, we carry memories. We, the people and friends of Rwanda, have distinctly seen how far God has brought us and our beloved country. In our hearts, we always remember God’s wondrous deeds on behalf of our nation; we don’t forget His benefits and we bless His holy name. In our hearts we indeed know God and we’re full of thanksgiving. Over and over again, the tune of our country’s heart beats ‘Thank you!’”

As we approach Thanksgiving in America, may our country’s heart beat “Thank You” to the Lord. Today in prayer, thank the Lord for He is good and thank Him in all circumstances.

“Remember God's bounty in the year. String the pearls of His favor. Hide the dark parts, except so far as they are breaking out in light! Give this one day to thanks, to joy, to gratitude!” – Henry Ward Beecher

God’s Word: “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe” – Hebrews 12:28

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2016, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING

“Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” – Psalm 107:8-9

April Geesbreght got her professional recording career started at age 16. She moved to Nashville and for 10 years wrote and recorded songs. In 2010, she wrote the Christian praise song “My Hope Is In You Lord.”

Later that year, Christian artist Aaron Shust was working on his upcoming album “This Is What We Believe.” Aaron remembers: “We had chosen seven songs that I’d written and approved for the album, so I knew that I had three more songs to write. There were two that I knew I could finish, but the idea of starting from scratch on a third one just made me want to take a nap. I was wide open to outside songs at that point. My producer Ed Cash told me that he had a song written by a girl named April Geesbreght that he and his family have had stuck in their heads for about six months. He told me that he hadn’t pitched it to any artists yet, but felt it might be perfect for my album considering where I was in my life. I played April’s version for my wife and she looked at me and said, ‘You need to record that song.’ I listen to my wife. And I thoroughly love singing and playing this song.”

The song “My Hope Is In You Lord” became the most popular song on the album and is of his best-known praise songs.

In life’s toughest moments, let your song be one of hope in Jesus. Today in prayer, thank the Lord that your hope is in Him.

“My hope is in You Lord all the day long

I won't be shaken by drought or storm

A peace that passes understanding is my song

And I sing

My hope is in You Lord” – April Geesbreght

God’s Word: “Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind” – Psalm 107:15

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2016, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING

“All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.” – 2 Corinthians 4:15

As a youth, Zhang Heng suffered from an unspecified medical condition that left him paralyzed until 1979. He was a young man living in Beijing, China without much of a future.

Up until that year, Heng said, he had no hope and there were times when he wanted to take his life. He said he cried out to God for help and God sent him a preacher who introduced him to Jesus.

The preacher told Heng: "That Jesus was the Son of God and died for our sins and three days later rose," that if Heng received Jesus, he would be forgiven and he could be healed and get into Heaven.

"I was not too much concerned about forgiveness, all I was concerned about was my own health," Heng confessed.

For his healing, the preacher instructed the desperate Heng to pray and fast for seven days and "on the seventh day, the Lord healed me," Heng testified. "I rose up and walked."

The miracle shocked Heng's family so much they immediately began praising Jesus and repented almost like a scene from Acts in the Bible.

"The whole family saw this and just knelt down to pray to receive the Lord as their Personal Savior," Heng said.

A month later Heng's family had a thanksgiving party at their house and invited friends and the preacher who told them about God.

"The preacher shared the Gospel with them and I gave out my own testimony telling everybody what Jesus had been doing in my life. More than 50 people just came to faith. We started a church that very night," said Heng.

In the next eight years, that group grew into a movement that created 200 churches that attracted more than 20,000 new believers.

Don’t let your thanksgiving be confined to one Thursday in November. Today in prayer, give thanks to the Lord for He is good and He is alive working in this world!

“I can say, Christ has been my only object; thank God, my righteousness too... Hold fast to Christ.” – John Nelson Darby

God’s Word: “You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of the Lord’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God.” – 2 Corinthians 9:11-12

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2016, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING

“Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your unfailing love, Lord, and grant us your salvation.” - Psalm 85:6-7

In 1867, at the age of seventeen, William MacKay left his humble Scottish home to attend college. His godly mother gave him a Bible in which she wrote his name and a verse of Scripture. Away from home, William soon drifted further and further from the way he had been raised. He began drinking heavily. At a low point, to satisfy his thirst for whiskey, he carelessly pawned the Bible his mother had given him.

Many years went by. Eventually, MacKay completed medical training and took up his work in a city hospital. There one day the Lord met him in a special way. He encountered a patient who was nearing the end. No hope for him. “Bring me my book!” the cried. “I need my book!” And the words seemed to echo in the hardened soul of Dr. MacKay.

The patient died and hours later, William was curious to find out what “book” had been so precious that holding it once more had been a dying man’s greatest desire. He found it was a Bible. But not just any Bible. There inside the front cover, in his mother’s hand, was his own name, William Paton MacKay. It had been many years since he had seen it, but there could be no mistake. Someone had reclaimed the Bible from that pawnshop, and it had become a priceless treasure to a dying man.

MacKay went to his office and closed the door. He opened the Bible, slowly turning the worn and weathered pages.  Many contained specially marked verses his mother hoped he would read. He was alone in that room for many hours. But when he emerged the long night of sin had been blasted away by the life-changing light of heaven. With a newly tender heart, and a desire to reclaim wasted years, he resigned his place at the hospital. After training he went on to serve the Lord as a pastor. It is W. P. MacKay who wrote one of the church’s favorite hymns “Revive Us Again.”

In this season of Thanksgiving, let us give thanks to the Lord for reviving us after we have strayed. Today in prayer, give a prayer of thanks to Jesus.

“Hallelujah! Thine the glory. Hallelujah! Amen. Hallelujah! Thine the glory. Revive us again.” – W.P. MacKay

God’s Word: “For this is what the high and exalted One says—he who lives forever, whose name is holy: “I live in a high and holy place, but also with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.” – Isaiah 57:15

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2016, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING

“Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song.”   - Psalm 95:2

A. J. Jacobs is the acclaimed author best known for completely immersing himself in his research. He read an entire set of Encyclopedia Britannica for his book The Know-It-All and spent another year living like an Old Testament Hebrew. Among his unique quests, he once embraced the original version of Thanksgiving. He came to realize it was quite a celebration with games, riddles, races, contests, and foods like eel and lobster. Most profound to Jacobs was the realization that this time of gratitude in 1621 followed a year in which forty-eight of the original one hundred two Pilgrims died. Scurvy and exposure claimed half of them, yet they rejoiced with thanksgiving. His conclusion was, “If they could appreciate life amid such chaos, pain, and uncertainty, I could give thanks for all the good things in my relatively cushy life.”

No matter where we are, we can come into Christ’s presence with thanksgiving. Today in prayer, give thanks to the Lord for He is worthy of our praise.

“Come into His presence With thanksgiving in your heart Give Him praise Give Him praise” – Lynn Baird

God’s Word: “Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; sing praise upon the harp unto our God” – Psalm 147:7

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2016, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING

“When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.” – Acts 16:24-25

John Balca was one of the early missionaries in Eastern Europe during the 20th century. He was particularly focused in the country of Yugoslavia in the 1930-1950’s. In his autobiography, he writes of one imprisonment he had in Janosik.

During the interrogation, his captor screamed: “‘What are you doing in Janosik?’

I replied, ‘I was invited to perform a wedding.’

Then he yelled, ‘I will teach you a lesson! You will no longer wander around here and there and talk to people about some God who doesn’t exist!’ Immediately he began to slap me in the face. While he was beating me he asked, ‘Does God exist?’

I replied, ‘Yes! And He created everything!’

He beat me even more furiously and yelled some more, ‘Then why did God allow the War (World War ll)?’

I answered as best as I could in the midst of the blows, ‘It wasn’t God! It’s people’s hate and the evil of sin in the heart of man that causes devastating wars.’”

John was beaten unconscious and nearly died. His interrogator became afraid because President Tito had just passed a law that killing was no longer allowed until there had been a fair trial. He called for a policeman to release John.

John concluded: “We traveled home and on the way we praised the Lord for giving us patience and for counting us worthy to suffer for Him like the apostles.”

The mark of a mature Christian is to be able to praise God during the worst of circumstances. Today in prayer, praise the Lord no matter what circumstances you find yourself.   

“I have realized that whatever good comes to me, comes from God, whatever bad comes to me, God has allowed it, and I choose to be thankful for both.” – Jeff Goins

God’s Word: “In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy,” – 1 Peter 1:6-8

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2016, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” – Romans 12:1

Judson W. Van DeVenter was raised in a Christian home. At age 17, he accepted Jesus as his Savior. He graduated university with a degree in art and was employed successfully as a teacher and administrator of high school art in Sharon, Pennsylvania. He was, in addition, an accomplished musician, singer, and composer. Judson was also an active layman in his Methodist Episcopal Church, involved in the church's evangelistic meetings. Recognizing his talent for the ministry, friends urged him to give up teaching and become an evangelist. Judson wavered for five years between becoming a recognized artist or devoting himself to ministry. In 1896, he finally surrendered his life to Christian service, and wrote the text of the hymn “I Surrender All” while conducting a meeting at the Ohio home of noted evangelist George Sebring.

Judson said: “For some time, I had struggled between developing my talents in the field of art and going into full-time evangelistic work. At last the pivotal hour of my life came, and I surrendered all. A new day was ushered into my life. I became an evangelist and discovered down deep in my soul a talent hitherto unknown to me. God had hidden a song in my heart, and touching a tender chord, He caused me to sing.”

The words and melody of I Surrender All have appeared in virtually every English hymnal, and are just as readily sung in churches that prefer contemporary music.

The best praise to God is a surrendered life to Him. Today in prayer, surrender all that you are to Jesus Christ.  

“All to Jesus, I surrender;

All to Him I freely give;

I will ever love and trust Him,

In His presence daily live.” - Judson W. Van DeVenter

God’s Word: “ Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness.” – Romans 6:13

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2016, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING

“Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and his greatness is unsearchable.” – Psalm 145:3

The following praise poem is attributed to Francis of Assisi:

“You are holy, Lord, the only God,

and Your deeds are wonderful.

You are strong.

You are great.

You are the Most High.

You are Almighty.

You, Holy Father are King of heaven and earth.

You are Three and One, Lord God, all Good.

You are Good, all Good, supreme Good, Lord God, living and true.

You are love. You are wisdom.

You are humility. You are endurance.

You are rest. You are peace.

You are joy and gladness.

You are justice and moderation.

You are all our riches, and You suffice for us.

You are beauty.

You are gentleness.

You are our protector.

You are our guardian and defender.

You are our courage. You are our haven and our hope.

You are our faith, our great consolation.

You are our eternal life, Great and Wonderful Lord,

God Almighty, Merciful Savior.”

No one is like our God. He is worthy of our praise. Today in prayer, praise the Lord for He is our Almighty, Merciful Savior.

“Praise and worship shouldn't be a few hour church service entertainment. It should be our heartbeat and should never depart our lips. 'Let us come before him with thanks giving and extol him with music and song' (Psalms 95:2).” - Euginia Herlihy

God’s Word: “Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!” – Romans 11:33

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2016, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING

"The LORD lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God, the Rock, my Savior! He is the God who avenges me, who puts the nations under me, who sets me free from my enemies. You exalted me above my foes; from violent men you rescued me.” – 2 Samuel 22:47-49

On St. Helena Island, South Carolina, most of the population is Gullah, descendants of enslaved Africans. On the island are three buildings that are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. They are called Praise Houses.

The original Praise Houses were built by plantation owners for their slaves so they could worship. But freed slaves built the current 3 buildings. They were built because there were few formal church buildings on St. Helena in the early 20th century and they became the neighbor places of worship.

The three Praise Houses were built close to communities of former slaves and their descendants. There were services that were held on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday nights. A typical Praise House service might consist of singing, prayer, and a member’s testimony of a religious experience, praising the Lord that they had been freed.  

In Jesus Christ, we are free. Today in prayer, praise the Lord that He frees us from all that would enslave us and we are free to worship Him.

“In their cry for freedom, it may be said, the voice of the people is the voice of God.” – Grover Cleveland

God’s Word: “The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him.” – Exodus 15:2

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2016, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING

“As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.  – Psalm 42:1

In 1971, Dave Bilbrough became a Christian as a teenager living in East London. Dave found that, "Many of the hymns and songs used language and terminology I couldn't relate to". He picked up his guitar and began singing and writing songs of worship in a contemporary style. Seeing the importance of the worship ministry, the leadership in his home church encouraged and developed Dave in his calling, and gave Dave "the freedom to make mistakes". By the age of 19 he had led worship at the Royal Albert Hall, London.

In 1977, Dave heard a sermon where the preacher said: “Abba is an Aramaic word from Bible days meaning ‘father.’” He did a word study on Abba and found it to be a very intimate name, akin to “daddy.” Soon the lyrics for “Abba Father” were written as Dave strummed on his guitar.

Dave gave the following assessment why the praise song “Abba Father” became popular: “The secret of its success lies, I believe, in its simplicity and honest prayer-like quality and sentiment.”

We need to praise the Lord in honest, simple heartfelt words. Today in prayer, praise your “Daddy” in heaven who loves you so much.

“Abba Father, let me be Yours and Yours alone

May my will forever be Ever more Your own

Never let my heart grow cold Never let me go

Abba Father, let me be Yours and Yours alone” – David Bilbrough

God’s Word: “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?”  – Psalm 42:2

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2016, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING

“My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you-- I, whom you have redeemed.” – Psalm 71:23

In early January 2016, Justin and Cynthia Wagner of Newport, Tennessee lost most of their belongings when a fire that started in their garage. Gone were their cars, their household possessions and their house.  

But amid the ashes, the couple found a charred yet readable Bible.

Justin said that while the Bible's cover was burned and its pages charred, the Good Book had been opened to a page with John 3:16 that reads: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life," (NIV).

"That tells you right there that God is still here with us, He's still here for us," Justin said praising the Lord.

The homeowner went on to suggest that he and his wife have taken this discovery as a sign that God wants them to do more on Earth.

"Maybe God let this happen to us so we could get a new start in life," he said. "After I had seen the Word of God and I seen it on that, I felt like God was reassuring me, I saved your life through all this. I brought you guys through this for a reason."

Jesus Christ risked His life and laid it down so that we may be redeemed. Today in prayer, thank the Lord for loving you and saving you.

“Even if nothing else called for thankfulness, it would always be an ample cause for it that Jesus Christ loved us and gave Himself for us.” – D.L. Moody

God’s Word: “I will praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praise to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel.” – Psalm 71:22

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2016, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING

“For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” – 1 Corinthians 13:12

During a series of evangelistic meetings in 1898, several faithful and hungry workers were gathered in a pastor's home to grab a snack between sessions. Among the crowd was musician Grant Tullar.

As an almost empty jar of jelly was being passed around, the pastor and his wife, knowing how much Tullar liked the jelly, handed it over to him. Their thankful guest grinned and said 'So, this is all for me, is it?' As the words came out of his mouth, Grant was inspired to go to the piano. He sang some bantering words about the jelly, but it was the new beautiful melody that caught people’s attention.

The next day, Grant received a letter from Carrie Beck. A mother of five small children, Carrie would write poetry as she sat rocking one or more of her children. She wrote more than 2,000 poems during her lifetime. Carrie was tone deaf, but several of her poems were set to music by various musicians. In her letter to Grant, Carrie asked him to compose a tune for a poem she had recently written. The poem was entitled: “Face-To-Face.” The meter and sentiment of the poem fit the melody Grant had written the night before. God had brought together writer and musician; words and music to become the song “Face-To-Face” that was destined for many a worship book; and to bring many a blessing.

Do you know one day you will see Jesus face-to-face? Today in prayer, praise the Lord that He loves you and will be with you always.

“Face to face with Christ, my Savior,

Face to face, what will it be,

When with rapture I behold Him,

Jesus Christ Who died for me?” – Carrie Beck

God’s Word: “Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears,[a] we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” – 1 John 3:2

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2016, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING

“There is no one like you, LORD, and there is no God but you, as we have heard with our own ears.” – 1 Chronicles 17:20

John Wesley was an Anglican minister and the founder of the Methodist church. In the year 1764, John found himself estranged from his brother Charles, as well as an array of problems governing the church.

But one day in April 1764, he found encouragement from a woman who had endured much hardship.

In his journal, John wrote on April 21, 1764 “I visited one who was ill in bed; and, after having buried seven of her family in six months, had just heard that the eighth, her beloved husband, was cast away at sea. I asked, “Do not you fret at any of those things?” She said, with a lovely smile upon her pale cheek, “O, no! How can I fret at anything which is the will of God? Let Him take all besides: He has given me Himself. I love, I praise Him every moment.”

No matter what circumstance you find yourself, praising the Lord can lead to joy. Today in prayer, praise the Lord that He is Lord of all.

“You are my strength when I am weak


You are the treasure that I seek


You are my all in all


Seeking You as a precious jewel


Lord, to give up I'd be a fool


You are my all in all” – Dennis Jernigan

God’s Word: “Among the gods there is none like unto thee, O Lord; neither are there any works like unto thy works.” – Psalm 86:8

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2016, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING

“I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus.” – 1 Corinthians 1:4

In 1989, at the height of South America’s drug wars, Kurt Muse was the most-wanted man in Panama. A U.S. army veteran raised in Panama, Muse first rose to fame when he led a band of Panamanian patriots for two years in a plot to overthrow the oppressive narco-military dictator General Manuel Noriega by broadcasting an underground opposition radio station dubbed The Voice of Liberty.

He was captured by Noriega and subjected to torture for 9 months.

Under threat of imminent execution, elite and secretive U.S. Army Delta Force operators fought their way into Modelo Prison and freed Muse in a daring rescue mission.

Kurt has been forever grateful to the 23 men of Delta Force who rescued him. On the anniversary of his rescue, Kurt calls each of his 23 rescuers on the anniversary of his liberation, to thank them and to update them on the life and family of the man they saved.

We need to be thankful to those special people in our lives. Today in prayer, thank the Lord for those special people and then let them know that you appreciate them.  

“When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.” – G.K. Chesterton

God's Word: “First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.” – Romans 1:8

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2016, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING

"I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands." - Psalm 63:4

In 1977, David Moody was giving piano lessons in Vancouver, British Columbia. His students came for their lessons after school was dismissed around 3:30 pm, and on this particular day David had some free time before they arrived. “So,” he said, “I went downstairs and began to play and just worship the Lord.”

He said he wasn’t really trying to write a song; “I simply wanted to spend time in the presence of the Lord.” Then, “quite suddenly, I began to develop a melody that was coming to me- something I never played before. And just as quickly came some words that I began to sing.”

The result was the praise song “All Hail, King Jesus” about the second coming of Christ. David said: “I could just imagine believers all over the world singing this song as Christ returned to earth.”

Though he played it in church and it did not immediately spark enthusiasm, once it was published Christians began to sing it in Israel, Russia, Hungary and other areas of the world.

Throughout your day, praise Jesus for all that He is. Today in prayer, thank the Lord that in everything we can praise and honor Him.

“Throughout all eternity, I'm going to praise Him
And forevermore, I will reign with Him” – David Moody

God’s Word: “Shout with joy to God, all the earth! Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious!”  - Psalm 66:1-2

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2016, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING

“‘But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? ‘Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘Why did you make me like this?’” - Romans 9:20

Christian author Philip Yancey wrote of being contacted by a television producer after the death of Princess Diana to appear on a show and explain how God could have possibly allowed such a tragic accident. ‘Could it have had something to do with a drunk driver going 90 miles an hour in a narrow tunnel?,’ he asked the producer. ‘How, exactly, was God involved?’

“From this, Yancey reflected on the pervasive nature of the mindset that our actions are actually an indictment of God. Such as when boxer Ray ‘Boom Boom’ Mancini killed a Korean boxer in a match, the athlete said in a press conference, ‘Sometimes I wonder why God does the things He does.’

“In a letter to a Christian family therapist, a young woman told of dating a man and becoming pregnant. She wanted to know why God allowed that to happen to her.

“In her official confession, when South Carolina mother Susan Smith pushed her two sons into a lake to drown, she said that as she did it, she went running after the car as it sped down the ramp screaming, ‘Oh God! Oh God, no! Why did You let this happen!’

“Yancey raises the decisive question by asking, ‘What exactly was the role God played in a boxer pummeling his opponent, a teenager abandoning her virtue, or a mother drowning her children?’ God let us choose, and we did; and our choices have brought continual pain and heartache and destruction. Our self-destructive bent has seemed to know no bounds.”

The opposite of praise is criticism and blame, and we should never doubt God’s goodness towards us. Today in prayer, confess any sin of criticism and praise the Lord for He is good.

“The most insanely daring thing that any man can do, the most exceedingly foolish thing any man can do, the most desperately wicked thing that any man can do, is to reply against God, to enter into controversy with God, to criticize God, to condemn God. Yet that is what many people are doing.” - R.A. Torrey

God’s Word: “You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, ‘You did not make me’? Can the pot say to the potter, ‘You know nothing’?” - Isaiah 29:16

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2016, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING

"For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened." - Romans 1:21

In 2015, guest comedian Louis C.K. appeared on the late-night talk television show Conan O'Brien. During the spot, Louis talked about how “Everything's Amazing and Nobody's Happy.” During the conversation, Louis talks about how he was on a plane that offered high-speed in-flight Wi-Fi access to the Internet, one of the first planes to do so. At the announcement by the flight crew, many of the passengers broke open their laptops and began to work. Louis is amazed that he could receive live Internet while flying and began to watch YouTube clips. But when the Wi-Fi broke down in a few minutes, the man sitting next to him swore in disgust. Louis was astonished at the man’s ingratitude, and said to O'Brien, "How quickly the world owes him something that he didn't know existed 10 seconds ago."

We need to be grateful for all that the Lord has given us. Today in prayer, confess any sin of ingratitude and be thankful to the Lord.

“Ingratitude is always a kind of weakness. I have never seen that clever men have been ungrateful.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

God's Word: "People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy" - 2 Timothy 3:2

By Peter Kennedy, Copyright 2016, Devotional E-Mail

DEVOTIONS IN PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING