Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale Daily DevotionalSample

Focused Thanksgiving It's Thanksgiving, the day we set aside to express how thankful we are for the unique and unprecedented way America has been blessed. Granted, not everyone gives thanks to the same source for these blessings. There are those who recognize God's providential hand on our land and those who don't. But for those of us who know the truth of God's Word, we know that all credit, thanks, and glory belongs to Him. And that's a perfect segue into our theme for this month...worship. Something striking stands out when you count the number of times the words "give thanks" show up in scripture...you find the act of worship happening. Giving thanks and worship are inseparable. We see this in David's declaration: Therefore I will give thanks to You, O LORD, among the Gentiles, and sing praises to Your name. (2 Samuel 22:50 NKJV) We see it in the priestly functions of the Levites: And Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests...to give thanks, and to praise in the gates of the camp of the LORD. (2 Chronicles 31:2 NKJV) And we even see this in the heavenly vision that the Apostle John has been given: Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before Him who sits on the throne and worship Him who lives forever and ever. (Revelation 4:9-10 NKJV) Over and over again, we see that giving thanks and worship happen in conjunction with each other. In fact, we could define worship as the act of focusing our thanks in God's direction. And that makes today a day unlike any others when it comes to the potential for praise. So as you celebrate and give thanks, let your "thanks" turn into something so much more by focusing it on God and allowing it to become worship. -Bob Coy Senior Pastor, Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale Thanksgiving is the day we set aside to express how thankful we are for the unique and unprecedented way America has been blessed. worship. Something striking stands out when you count the number of times the words "give thanks" show up in scripture...you find the act of worship happening. Giving thanks and worship are inseparable. In fact, we could define worship as the act of focusing our thanks in God's direction. And that makes Thanksgiving a day unlike any others when it comes to the potential for praise. So as you celebrate and give thanks, let your "thanks" turn into something so much more by focusing it on God and allowing it to become worship. Think about it... What does this passage reveal to me about God? What does this passage reveal to me about myself? Based on this, what changes do I need to make? What is my prayer for today?