Thanksgiving

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

- 1 Corinthians 1: 4-9

For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,

- Ephesians 1: 15-16

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now.

- Philippians 1: 3-5

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love that you have for all the saints, because of the hope laid up for you in heaven.

- Colossians 1: 3-5a

We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.

- 2 Thessalonians 1:3

I really thank God for the internet, even though it is abused,corrupted and all manners of vile stuff is placed in it. Why so? Because through it one can read of countless stories and testimonies to the manifold grace of God. In (nearly) all of his letters to the churches, the Apostle Paul begins in offering thanks to God for the grace given and displayed in those churches even though some were in great disarray (Corinth) or were churches which he had never visited and of whom he has heard of their faith only through hearsay (Colossae).

In that day and age when communication from one end of Asia Minor to the end could take months, the Apostle Paul was ever ready to glorify God for even the smallest evidence of His Grace and Power working in a people. How much more than should we, who through the mere click of a button are able to read and know about the mighty works of God from across the globe, give Him even more praise.

I was reading this story from the HeartCry Newsletter that made me stop and marvel at the beauty of a simple child-like faith.

It has been a joy to receive an uninterrupted flow of testimonies about how God has shown Himself strong on behalf of our HeartCry family in Eastern Europe. In spite of high taxes and a rising cost of living resulting in privation, our brothers and sisters have been supernaturally sustained. Earlier this year, one of our missionaries from Moldova wrote:

“One evening when the children had the flu we decided to have a vapor inhalation. I remembered the way we did it when I was just a little child. We took a brick and made it very hot in the fire. We placed it under a table on which we had put a blanket and we poured tea on the brick and breathed the hot air. We did the same with the children. We even prayed under the table. My little son Felice prayed and thanked God for the day. When he finished, the other children whispered ‘Amen’. Then he continued: ‘Lord we thank You for the brick’.”

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

- 1 Thessalonians 5: 16-18

Oh how ungrateful we are of God's exceedingly great mercies and Grace which He has given unto us. We sing that His mercies are new every morning, but do we consider them with reverence? Every breath of air that we breathe, every beat of our heart. The sun that sets in the West returns to rise in the East once again. The rains that fall, not to wipe out sinful humanity, but to bring life and produce from the earth.

Lebanon would not suffice for fuel, nor are its beasts enough for a burnt offering.
- Isaiah 40:16

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A dedication to those whom through your blog writings and your life, I am very much encouraged and spurred in much (godly) jealousy to desire to know more about Christ and the Power of His Resurrection.

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge

- 1 Corinthians 1:4-5