Thanksgiving Thinking, part 1

In order to stimulate my own heart towards biblical gratitude this week, I pulled some files last week to remind myself of what Scripture and others have said about thankfulness. Might these next few days be ones in which you and I are genuinely giving thanks to the Lord for all that He is and […]

Blessing God in affliction

Jeremiah Burroughs helps us to think about righteous responses to God in times of affliction. I have used and referred to this section often: …where contentment of heart springs from grace, the heart is very quick and lively in the service of God. Yea, the more any gracious heart can bring itself to be in […]

Temptation and gratitude

Paul says that after putting off sexual sin (Eph. 5:3-4a), the believer is also put on the contrasting righteous action of gratitude. When tempted to sin as an expression of his discontentment with God, the believer is to consciously cultivate gratitude in his heart. How might we express gratitude in our hearts and with our […]

Stimulants to gratitude

I’ve been thinking quite a bit about gratitude this week. Mostly I’ve considered things for which I am grateful as I consider the work of God in the ministry at GBC (more on that Sunday). But in my contemplation, I’ve also come across two thoughts that should stimulate gratitude in all of us. The first […]

John Piper is thankful (and so am I)

John Piper has written much about thanksgiving and Desiring God has put together some of his thoughts. If you need more stimulants to gratitude, you might try “Some Thanksgiving Reading.” A number of thoughts on gratitude from this blog can be found at “Gratitude.”

Thanksgiving is for everyday

The leftovers sit in the refrigerator, the football feast is over, and maybe even some of the Christmas shopping is ended. But thanksgiving isn’t over. Thanksgiving isn’t for a day; it’s for everyday. Yesterday morning I read Habakkuk again — and was reminded why gratitude is important. Though the fig tree should not blossom And […]

Today’s Quote – Thanksgiving (Chesterton)

G. K. Chesterton, A Short History of England: I do not, in my personal capacity, believe that a baby gets his best physical food by sucking his thumb; nor that a man gets his best moral food by sucking his soul, and denying its dependence on God or other good things. I would maintain that […]

Today’s Quote – Thankfulness (Lightfoot)

J. B. Lightfoot, Notes on the Epistles of St. Paul: …there is no event of our lives which has not its bright side as well as its dark; no incident which may not be turned to good account, and therefore nothing for which we have not reason to thank God if we view it in […]

Count your many blessings

Today’s reading in the Psalms is a precursor to the hymn, “Count Your Many Blessings.” Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which You have done, And Your thoughts toward us; There is none to compare with You. If I would declare and speak of them, They would be too numerous to count. Take […]

Today’s Quote (9/6/08)

John Piper, God is the Gospel: Gratitude that is pleasing to God is not first a delight in the benefits God gives (though that will be part of it). True gratitude must be rooted in something else that comes first — namely, a delight int he beauty and excellency of God’s character. If this is […]

Today’s Quote (9/5/08)

Thomas Watson, The Godly Man’s Picture: What shall we do to be thankful? Answer 1: If you wish to be thankful, get a heart deeply humbled with the sense of your own vileness. A broken heart is the best pipe to sound forth God’s praise.…Answer 2: Strive for sound evidences of God’s love to you. […]

Today’s Quote (9/4/08)

Thomas Watson, The Godly Man’s Picture: A gracious soul is thankful and rejoices that he is drawn nearer to God, though it may be by the cords of affliction.…When God has a rod in his hand, a godly man will have a psalm in his mouth.

On the reasons for great sin

Dwight Edwards was the pastor of Grace Bible Church in College Station, TX until he failed morally and resigned several years ago. In the great grace of God, repentance was wrought in his heart, as he recently shared in his testimony (search using his last name to find the audio). What contributed to his failure? […]

Gratitude when robbed

Last week our church building was broken into again. It’s happened several times over the years, and every time it happens, my mind immediately thinks of the words of Matthew Henry after he was robbed: Let me be thankful. First, because I was never robbed before.Second, because although they took my wallet, they did not […]

Ungrateful for the gift of Christ?

On Christmas morning, gifts will be opened that will be ungratefully received. They will be taken, but without gratitude. Perhaps the recipient will have wanted something else. Perhaps the value of the gift is unknown, or perhaps it is known and considered “inadequate.” This same Christmas season, people will be presented with the gift of […]