Thanksgiving Day is this Thursday, and I've chosen Psalm 136 for the devotion leading up to that day. This Psalm uses the phrase, "Give thanks," twelve times, covering twenty-five things for which the Psalmist was thankful. Click on the link below to see what those things are. #BibleStudy #Devotions #Love #Psalms #Thankful #Thanksgiving
The season of Thanksgiving reminds Christians that Thanksgiving isn't just a day of celebration but a lifestyle to be lived every day. The writer of Psalm 100 must have been filled with excitement just by the words he used. Click on the link below to share his excitement. #BibleStudy #Devotions #Psalms #Thanksgiving #worship
https://www.ramckinley.com/enter-his-gates-with-thanksgiving-in-your-heart/
Psalm 50 tells us to offer God a sacrifice of thanksgiving continually. It also encourages us to fulfill the vows or promises we've made to Him. Click on the link below to find out why we should fulfill our vows. #BibleStudy #Devotions #Psalms #Sacrifice #Thanksgiving #worship
https://www.ramckinley.com/offer-a-sacrifice-of-thanksgiving-to-the-lord/
Three major themes of thanksgiving, praise, and joy can be found throughout the Psalms. Today we will unfold Psalm 95. Years ago as children's evangelists, each year we put together a different theme. We called one of them the Christian Garden. Click on the link below to see which veggie the writer of this Psalm planted. #BibleStudy #Devotions #Thanksgiving #worship
https://www.ramckinley.com/come-to-the-lord-with-a-thankful-heart/
In Psalm 138, David directed us not only to thank God but also to do it with a heart full of praise. Click on the link below to read about what the Bible says about thanks. Remember, God doesn't want thanksgiving to be just an event in your life; He wants it to be your lifestyle. #BibleStudy #Devotions #Psalms #Thanksgiving #worship
After Halloween, many people focus on Christmas, and Thanksgiving often gets overlooked. The Bible, however, emphasizes Thanksgiving throughout its pages, not as a holiday, but as a way of life. Psalm 145 is filled with insight that will move us to give thanks to God. Click on the link below, and let's begin the Thanksgiving season together. #BibleStudy #Devotions #Psalms #Thanksgiving #worship
https://www.ramckinley.com/give-god-thanks-for-great-is-the-lord/
The Holiday season is almost upon us. Christmas decorations were on the store shelves before the Halloween stuff was cleared away. Since we are just 3 days away from Thanksgiving, click on the link below and take a special moment to be thankful. #BibleStudy #Devotions #Psalms #Thanksgiving
This is the story of the Pilgrim’s Thanksgiving, beginning with the landing of the Mayflower at Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts. That 1st winter of 1620-21 was the time of the ‘General Sickness’. Often a lingering cold, trudging thru the snow or sleeping in the damp ground flared up into consumption or pneumonia. The Pilgrims started dying. Six dead in December, eight in January. In February, they were dying at a rate of 2-3 per day. At one time, there were only five men well enough to care for the sick. But the more adversity mounted against them, the harder they prayed to God…never giving in to despair or depression.
When the worst was finally over, 47 people had died, nearly half their total. Thirteen of the eighteen wives had died while only three families remained unbroken. The children fared best. Of 7 daughters, none died…of 13 sons, only 3 had died. And thru it all, their hearts had remained tender to God.
If any one event marked the turning point in their fortune, it would be meeting Squanto, the Christian Indian chief who would teach them to plant corn the Indian way. Learning this skill saved every one of their lives. The summer of 1621, they began to harvest 20 full acres of corn. Squanto helped in a thousand other ways like teaching them to hunt deer, refine maple syrup from maple trees, discern which herbs were good to eat and which ones were good for medicine and where to find berries to eat.
That summer of 1621 was beautiful. Much work went into building new homes. Ten men were sent north to conduct trade with the Indians. Squanto once again acted as their guide & interpreter. The Pilgrims were brimming over with gratitude – not only to Squanto and the Indians, who had been so friendly, but to their God. They had trusted Him and He had honored that trust. So, Governor Bradford declared a day of public Thanksgiving in October. The Indian Chief Massasoit brought 90 braves. Counting their numbers, the Pilgrims had to pray hard to keep from giving in to despair as feeding such a crowd would seriously cut into their winter food supply. But they had learned to trust God implicitly. As it turned out, the Indians didn’t come empty-handed. They brought several deer and wild turkeys. They also taught the Pilgrim women how to make hoecakes and a tasty corn meal & maple syrup pudding. Then they showed them an Indian delicacy…how to roast kernels of corn until they popped. Yes, it was POPCORN.
The Pilgrims provided many vegetables like carrots, cucumbers, radishes, etc. They also introduced blueberry, apple & cherry pie to the Indians. It was all washed down with sweet wine made from wild grapes. I’ll bet you’re surprised to hear that the Pilgrims drank wine. A joyous occasion was had by all. This 1st Thanksgiving lasted several days. Thru it all, they thanked God for His provision and for just being with them.
In November 1621, the 1st ship from England arrived with more colonists, many of them were family members pf the original Pilgrims. In the air of celebration that followed, no one stopped to realize that no one had brought any equipment, no food, clothes or bedding with them. In the cold light of morning, a sobering appraisal was taken and a grim decision was reached. They all would have to go on half rations to make it thru the winter. This turned out to be overly optimistic.
Thus, did they enter their own time of starving in the winter of 1621-22. They were ultimately reduced to “5 kernels of corn a day per person”. It is inconceivable how anyone could exist on 5 kernels of corn per day. But, as always, they had a choice to make: to give in to bitterness & despair or to go deeper in Christ. They choose Christ and not one of them died that winter.
Then, in the summer of 1622, that years corn crop was so abundant that they traded some of it with the Indians, who had not had a good growing season. A 2nd Thanksgiving Day was planned. Chief Massasoit was again the guest of honor. This time he brought 120 braves. Fortunately, they brought venison & turkeys.
The 1st course of that 2nd Thanksgiving….on an empty plate in front of each guest was 5 kernels of corn…lest anyone should forget…
These Pilgrims were a mere handful of Light-bearers on the edge of a vast and dark continent. But the Light of Jesus Christ was penetrating into the heart of America. Governor Bradford would write with remarkable discernment, “As one small candle may light a thousand, so the light kindled here has shown unto many, yea in some sort to our whole nation…We have noted these things so that you might see their worth and not negligently lose what your fathers have obtained with so much hardship.”
May we never forget. Have a blessed Thanksgiving!
Reference book: “The Light and The Glory” by Peter Marshall & David Manuel
For His Kingdom,
Dave Maynard
http://BSSSB-LLC.com
Here's another excerpt from my book, "Random Thoughts on Life, Love, Laughter and Living for Jesus"...
Squanto was born at Cape Cod, Massachusetts in 1580 to the Pawtuxet band of the Wampanoag Indian tribe. In 1605, he and 4 other braves were ‘kidnapped’ by Captain George Weymouth and taken to England where they lived with Sir Ferdinando Gorges. It was here that Squanto learned the English language. He was hired to be an interpreter and Indian guide. They were treated well and eventually returned to Cape Cod. But in 1614, Squanto and 20 other braves were kidnapped by the English explorer Thomas Hunt. He sold them off as slaves in Spain. Spanish friars rescued Squanto from slavery. He then traveled to England where he met and lived with John Slaney, a wealthy merchant and Christian. When Slaney heard his story, he vowed to return Squanto home. It was here that Squanto became a believer.
In 1619, Squanto finally made it back to Cape Cod only to learn that his entire Paxtuxet tribe had been wiped out by disease. It was either smallpox or tuberculosis. A few months later, the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock, at Cape Cod. Imagine their surprise when they were greeted by an Indian who spoke English. I can imagine their jaws hitting the ground when this Indian said ‘Hello’! They were especially surprised to find out that he was a believer in Jesus. The Pilgrims, who were sick and dying from a difficult journey, needed help badly. Squanto taught them how to plant corn, how to farm, introduced them to local Indian tribes and acted as an interpreter for trade between them and the local tribes. Because of his help in teaching the Pilgrims farming, he literally saved the lives of all of them.
In the diary of Pilgrim Governor William Bradford, he said Squanto “became a special instrument sent by God for our good…He showed us how to plant corn, where to fish and how to procure other commodities…and was our pilot to bring us to unknown places for our benefit, and NEVER left us until he died.” God can use even bad things (Squanto being sold into slavery) for good (Romans 8:28). He did this several times in Joseph’s life in the Old Testament (Genesis 45:1-8). Taking something bad or dead and using it for good is a GREAT example of His resurrection power (Colossians 2:13). The ultimate example of course is Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Squanto died of a fever in 1622, just 2 years after meeting the Pilgrims. He bequeathed his few belongings to God, to be used by the Pilgrims as remembrances of his love for them.
Who but God could so miraculously weave together the lives of a lonely Indian and a struggling band of Englishmen? While you’re sharing turkey and pumpkin pie this next Thanksgiving, be sure to share the stories of Squanto and the 2nd Thanksgiving (see blog#34) with your families. You will have a much fuller appreciation of Thanksgiving.
Reference: just google Squanto
Thankful for His Kingdom,
Dave Maynard
http://BSSSB-LLC.com
As Christians, we are thankful to God for the things that happen in our lives. But how often do we share those things with other people?
One such way we do this is with our “Thankful Time”. At Thanksgiving or Christmas, we always have a big family get-together. After we’ve had a big dinner and opened all the presents, we put the younger kids in another room to do something quiet, like watch an appropriate movie. Then the adults gather in our living room. With the lights down low, we pass around a lighted glass candle. When each person gets it, they share something they’re thankful to God for in the last year. Each person takes about a minute. Many people share some very personal things. We have about 20 adults, so it takes some time, but it’s time well spent.
Many times, several people tear up as they share the blessings of what God has done for them in the past year. It’s also a time when some publicly express our love for our spouses, family and friends. The year I was healed of cancer, one of my daughters-in-love thanked God for that. I was very touched as she teared up when she was sharing it.
One of our family members-by-marriage shared with tears in her eyes, how blessed she was when everyone so lovingly accepted her into our family. She had come from half-way across the country to be married to one of our family members, so she had left all of her family to move here.
We’ve been doing this now for over 30 years. In fact, we like it so much that we’ve started having our thankful time at Thanksgiving and then at Christmas, we thank God for what’s coming up in the new year. Even some of the teen-agers want to be a part of it.
Thanking God is something the bible encourages us to do (1st Thessalonians 5:18, 1st Chronicles 16:34 & Colossians 3:15). It’s even more encouraging to hear what God has done and is doing in the lives of those closest to us.
For His Kingdom,
Dave Maynard
https://bsssb-llc.com
President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and Sasha Obama lined up to serve dinner to residents of the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Northwest on Wednesday. The residence has cared for the country's veterans for 165 years, President Obama said in a tweet. "I was honored to be a small part of that mission." Last year, the first family served homeless residents and veterans at Friendship Place Homeless Center.
As he served on Wednesday, the President shook hands, laughed, and chatted with residents about sports, among other things.
And earlier that day, he participated in his final Turkey Pardon ceremony. He brought his two nephews, Austin and Aaron, instead of Sasha and Malia who "had a scheduling conflict," he said. "Actually, they just couldn’t take my jokes anymore. They were fed up."
President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and Sasha Obama lined up to serve dinner to residents of the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Northwest on Wednesday. The residence has cared for the country's veterans for 165 years, President Obama said in a tweet. "I was honored to be a small part of that mission." Last year, the first family served homeless residents and veterans at Friendship Place Homeless Center.
As he served on Wednesday, the President shook hands, laughed, and chatted with residents about sports, among other things.
And earlier that day, he participated in his final Turkey Pardon ceremony. He brought his two nephews, Austin and Aaron, instead of Sasha and Malia who "had a scheduling conflict," he said. "Actually, they just couldn’t take my jokes anymore. They were fed up."
With the holidays around the corner let’s not forget that there are many people that can’t afford a Thanksgiving dinner, so I would ask you to donate to your local food pantry.
(Also reach out to each other and wish them a Happy Bless Holiday, we have 12 new members!)
