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Gleanings From The Word

Category: Ephesians

  • Give Thanks – Pray without ceasing

    Give Thanks – Pray without ceasing

    The busy little gray squirrel was happily munching on some  sunflower seeds someone had left. The trail is clearly marked with don’t feel the birds’ signs, but there are always plenty of seeds left around for the squirrels and birds.

    This little fellow looked to me as if he were offering a prayer of thanksgiving. He had his eyes closed right up until I snapped the shot.

    He got me thinking about the custom of saying “grace” or giving thanks before a meal. Why do we call it grace, and does the Bible tell us to do it?

    I couldn’t find a definitive answer to why it is called a grace. From early church days, a short prayer of thanks acknowledging God’s grace and provision was called a “grace,” so perhaps that’s where it comes from.

    The Bible doesn’t explicitly tell us to offer a blessing before a meal, though it does call us, in general terms, to be thankful. 


    Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you I Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV

    We do see the practice modeled in Scripture.

    Jesus gave thanks after the miracles of the loaves and fishes (Matthew 14:19-21; 15:34-36). At the Last Supper, He called his followers to give thanks (Luke 24:30).

    When lost at sea, Paul offered thanks for the food.

    As day was about to dawn, Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have continued in suspense and without food, having taken nothing. Therefore I urge you to take some food. For it will give you strength, for not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you.”And when he had said these things, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all, he broke it and began to eat. Acts 27:33-35 ESV

    When we give thanks for our food, we acknowledge that all things come from Him.

    Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20 ESV

    For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. Romans 11:36 ESV

    Give us this day our daily bread. Matthew 6:11 ESV

    Offering a prayer of grace or thanksgiving is not a requirement given by God, but a simple acknowledgement of gratitude for His provision.

    May we learn to practice gratitude.

    Be blessed

    Hallelu Yah (Praise God)

    Be blessed, 

    Kevin

    Some Reading Suggestions

    The boardwalk – what others think of Jesus. Is He the only way

    Is it right belief or right living?

    The gospel – the best news ever

    The Seven Sayings of Christ on the Cross

  • The Last Goodbye

    The Last Goodbye

    Blue sky superimposed with the text "The Last Goodbye"

    Over the past few weeks, I’ve written a bit about life in glory and  our journey to get there (The Journey and Better Than Eden). Those posts generated a fair amount of feedback.

    People are looking forward to their eternal time with the Lord. They don’t necessarily want to go immediately, but there is a deep-seated longing to be in glory and to meet Jesus face to face.

    That longing is hard-wired into us. Adam and Eve walked joyfully with God in the Garden. It wasn’t until sin entered the picture that they began to hide from HIm.

    And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. Genesis 3:8

    It was humanity’s choice to be apart from the Lord. He had warned them of the consequences, but they chose to listen to the whispers of the evil one instead. That choice has cost untold suffering and destruction for billions of people and even to the fabric of creation itself. Fortunately, God was not surprised by this foolish choice and did not give up on us. He knew before anything was created that He would need to send His Son to redeem us. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight , making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ. Ephesians 1:3-9 ESV

    The world He has designed for our eternal home will be free from the presence, practice, and penalty of sin. There will be no possibility of us ever falling and being separated from Him again. Perfection and security forever more.

    A dear friend reminded me of something besides sin that will be absent from glory. There will be no more goodbyes.

    When someone dies, there is grief. Those goodbyes are painful even if we know the departed one has graduated to glory. It is even more so when we don’t know, or are sure that they rejected Jesus. Our hearts break doubly at that passing.

    That’s what makes this passage such a delight to read.

    And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.” Revelation 21:3-4 ESV

    There will come a time when we experience the last goodbye and say so long to death and sorrow. I can hardly wait.

    Be blessed

    Kevin

    Called to be a watchman for God

    The truth of the gospel

    Is it right belief or right living?