Thanksgiving and praise to the Lord God Most High must not be relegated to one special day of the year, set aside to stuff ourselves and think of the many blessings that have come from God’s most gracious hand (yesterday). Instead, seeing as the blessings received from God’s hand come in abundance daily, He should be thanked and praised daily. For the child of God, thanksgiving should be a way of life.
The psalmist reminds us that our God loads us up daily with benefits, pointing specifically to salvation (Ps. 68:19). Later, he tells us not to forget any of those blessings, again calling us to “Bless the Lord.” (Ps. 103:2) Here, David lists off so many things we ought to praise God for; topping his list again is forgiveness of sin – salvation. A few chapters later, in Psalm 107, it begins with a call to “give thanks unto the Lord, for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” As one reads through this chapter, it continues with four times of pleading: “Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!”
It isn’t only the Old Testament and specifically the Psalms which calls us to praise, worship, and bless the Lord. The New Testament writers often point us to praise the Lord, magnify Christ, and to live lives that are a testimony to God by the power of the Spirit. Paul, in writing to the Thessalonians, calls us to rejoice in the Lord always and to give thanks in all things, calling it God’s will for us in Christ Jesus. The key is Christ, not circumstance.
Give thanks in all things. It’s a simple command, but simple is not the same thing as easy. Sometimes when reading our Decency Minutes or when one encounters a particularly difficult moment personally, one might think, “How can I give thanks in this?” The key is to look beyond one’s circumstances to our true circumstance in Christ. It’s not about the temporal so much as it’s about the eternal which dwells in you. It’s trusting God and looking to the hills (setting our heart and eyes above) from whence comes our help.
Ira D. Sankey used to tell the following beautiful story of a little girl who went sightseeing with her father to the top of Mount Washington. Standing in the rarefied air and bright sunshine, with the clear blue sky above them, they saw to their surprise that dark, heavy clouds were gathering below. As they looked down, the lightening began to flash and with a roll of thunder a storm broke majestically over the valley below. The father, a very prosaic, unimaginative man, said apologetically. “Well, Lucy, with the clouds all around, there is nothing much to see, is there?” Unlike her parent, the child, who was deeply spiritual, was enthralled by the beauty and majesty of the scene. Grasping his hand she said, “Oh, papa, I think it is wonderful. I see the doxology! Everything seems to be saying, “Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!”
When we have been enlightened by grace to see God’s goodness and love both in the storm and in the sunshine, we are able to reverently and thankfully echo the psalmist’s words, “Bless the Lord, O my soul!” May every day be thanksgiving day for you!
In Baltimore, 70% of violent crime arrests have 3 or more priors.
In Detroit, 80% of homicides involve suspects with prior violent convictions.
Nationwide, chronic offenders account for 50–70% of incidents in high-crime areas.
18th century economist Adam Smith said, “Mercy on the guilty is cruelty to the innocent.”
Or, as Proverbs puts it, “Whoever says to the guilty, ‘You are innocent,’ will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations…”
When courts show compassion to dangerous criminals, they’re not just giving them “another chance” to change their life, they’re giving them another chance to harm the innocent.
And this doesn’t just apply to violent crime; violators of our immigration laws also absorb government resources intended to aid Americans in need.
When judges and courts favor the guilty over the innocent, of course the innocent in our culture are going to suffer.
That’s not mercy.
Jocelyn Benson, Michigan’s Secretary of State and far-left candidate for governor, has been involved in nearly 70 election-related lawsuits. Most recently, the Michigan GOP and the Republican National Committee has filed a lawsuit alleging that she’s violating the state’s constitution and breaking the law, through a directive allowing individuals who have never resided in Michigan to vote in its state elections.
The lawsuit also alleges that, as a member of the executive branch, Benson’s guidance infringes on the legislative branch’s authority to make the state’s laws.
Running for governor, Benson will be overseeing an election in which she directly has a stake and has refused to share Michigan’s statewide voter registration lists with federal authorities.
Regardless of a candidate’s political persuasion, if they cannot discharge their current duties in a legal and fair manner, they should NOT be elected to a higher position.
2025 has had many unpredictable twists and turns – so much spiritual warfare within our culture, yet also times where we could see the hand of God answering the prayers of His people!
As we near the close of this year and prepare for another year of standing for Truth, we count it a great privilege to be able to minister in His name and to have friends who enable us to stay in the fight – as we point to Christ, our ultimate hope.
We value your partnership in the cultural and spiritual battles we face. We couldn’t do what we do without God’s grace and the prayers and financial support of His people.
As God leads, will you help strengthen us to be a voice for Truth in the year ahead? To support our efforts, go to www.americandecency.org.
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