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  • Here are some tools to help you with the devotionals:
    • A Guide to Journaling & Prayer
    • A Guide to Self-Reflection
    • A chart to help articulate feelings

• Read & Reflect

  Today’s passage continues the survey of what we should be thankful for. Consider all that Christ has wrought for you.

  Colossians 1:11–14; 21-22 (ESV)

  ¹¹ May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, ¹² giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. ¹³ He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. …

  ²¹ And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, ²² he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present   you holy and blameless and above reproach before him.

  Colossians 2:13–14 (ESV)

  ¹³ And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, ¹⁴ by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

  What are some lessons from today’s text, and how do they apply to your life?

• Gratitude Journal & Prayer of Thanksgiving
• Write down three things that you are thankful for.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING! Hope you are able to spend your time off and spend Thanksgiving with family and loved ones.

• Journal
  • Here are some tools to help you with the devotionals:
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    • A chart to help articulate feelings

• Read & Reflect

  Above all, we are thankful for the cross Jesus bore: his body broken, his blood shed for our sins.

  Luke 22:14–20 (ESV)

  ¹⁴ And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. ¹⁵ And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. ¹⁶ For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” ¹⁷ And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it  among  yourselves. ¹⁸ For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the  fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” ¹⁹ And he took  bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁰ And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”

  Remember the body of Christ broken and the blood of Christ shed for you.

• Gratitude Journal & Prayer of Thanksgiving
• Write down three things that you are thankful for.

• Journal
  • Here are some tools to help you with the devotionals:
    • A Guide to Journaling & Prayer
    • A Guide to Self-Reflection
    • A chart to help articulate feelings

• Read & Reflect

  Consider the celebration over the lost son, and the heart of God expressed in this story.

  Luke 15:11-24 (ESV)

  ¹¹ And he said, “There was a man who had two sons.  ¹² And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the share of property that is coming to me.’ And he divided his property between them.  ¹³ Not many days later, the younger son gathered all he had and took a journey into a far country, and there he squandered his property in reckless living. ¹⁴ And when he had spent everything, a severe famine arose in that country, and he began to be in need. ¹⁵ So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, who sent him into his fields to feed pigs. ¹⁶ And he was longing to be fed with the pods that the pigs ate, and no one gave him anything.

  ¹⁷ “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have more than enough bread, but I perish here with hunger! ¹⁸ I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. ¹⁹ I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants.”’ ²⁰ And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. ²¹ And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ ²² But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. ²³ And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. ²⁴ For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.”

  In what ways were you the prodigal? How have you experienced being welcomed back by your Heavenly Father?

• Gratitude Journal & Prayer of Thanksgiving
• Write down three things that you are thankful for.

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  • Here are some tools to help you with the devotionals:
    • A Guide to Journaling & Prayer
    • A Guide to Self-Reflection
    • A chart to help articulate feelings

• Read & Reflect

  Consider the picture of the shepherd who goes after the lost sheep “until he finds it,” and the fact that he rejoices when the lost sheep is found. Thank God that he sought you, found you and rejoiced over you.

  Luke 15:1–7 (ESV)

  ¹ Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. ² And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”

  ³ So he told them this parable: ⁴ “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it?  ⁵ And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. ⁶ And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ ⁷ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”

  Write how you have personally experienced Luke 15:1-7 in your life.

• Gratitude Journal & Prayer of Thanksgiving
• Write down three things that you are thankful for.

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  • Here are some tools to help you with the devotionals:
    • A Guide to Journaling & Prayer
    • A Guide to Self-Reflection
    • A chart to help articulate feelings

• Read & Reflect

  The Christian’s contentment is based on the fact that Jesus is our Shepherd.

  Psalm 23 (ESV)

  The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
  ²     He makes me lie down in green pastures.
  He leads me beside still waters.
  ³     He restores my soul.
  He leads me in paths of righteousness
      for his name’s sake.

  ⁴ Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
      I will fear no evil,
  for you are with me;
      your rod and your staff,
      they comfort me.

  ⁵ You prepare a table before me
      in the presence of my enemies;
  you anoint my head with oil;
      my cup overflows.
  ⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
      all the days of my life,
  and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
      forever.

• What are some lessons from today’s text, and how do they apply to your life?

• Gratitude Journal & Prayer of Thanksgiving
• Write down three things that you are thankful for.

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  • Here are some tools to help you with the devotionals:
    • A Guide to Journaling & Prayer
    • A Guide to Self-Reflection
    • A chart to help articulate feelings

• Read & Reflect

  One of the fruits of gratitude is the experience of contentment.  Without  this, people find themselves yanked around by “many senseless and harmful desires.”

  1 Timothy 6:6–10 (ESV)

  ⁶ But godliness with contentment is great gain, ⁷ for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. ⁸ But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. ⁹ But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into   a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

  Philippians  4:11–13 (ESV)

  ¹¹ Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. ¹² I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. ¹³ I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

• What are some lessons from today’s text, and how do they apply to your life?

• Gratitude Journal & Prayer of Thanksgiving
• Write down three things that you are thankful for.

• Journal
  • Here are some tools to help you with the devotionals:
    • A Guide to Journaling & Prayer
    • A Guide to Self-Reflection
    • A chart to help articulate feelings

• Read & Reflect

  True Christian gratitude does not depend on circumstances. Our gratitude is anchored in the unchanging eternal promises of God our Savior.

  Habakkuk 3:17–18 (ESV)

  ¹⁷ Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines,

  the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food,

  the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls,

  ¹⁸  yet I will rejoice in the LORD;

  I will take joy in the God of my salvation.

  Luke 10:17-20 (ESV)

  ¹⁷ The seventy-two returned  with  joy,  saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in your name!” ¹⁸ And he said to them, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. ¹⁹ Behold, I have given you authority to tread on serpents and scorpions,  and  over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall hurt you. ²⁰ Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”

• Write your own version of Habakkuk 3:17-18 (“Though…, yet I will rejoice in the Lord”).

• Gratitude Journal & Prayer of Thanksgiving
• Write down three things that you are thankful for.

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  • Here are some tools to help you with the devotionals:
    • A Guide to Journaling & Prayer
    • A Guide to Self-Reflection
    • A chart to help articulate feelings

• Read & Reflect

  Giving thanks is so important that God directly commands this of all Christians. Failure to obey this command causes us to forfeit much joy and strength that could be ours.

  1 Thessalonians 5:16–18  (ESV)

  ¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

  Philippians 4:4–7 (ESV)

  ⁴ Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. ⁵ Let your reasonableness be known to  everyone.  The Lord is at hand; ⁶ do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and  supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

  Hebrews 13:15 (ESV)

  ¹⁵ Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.

• What are all the basic things of life that you take for granted? Who are the people in your life that you take for granted?
• Gratitude Journal & Prayer of Thanksgiving
• Write down three things that you are thankful for.

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  • Here are some tools to help you with the devotionals:
    • A Guide to Journaling & Prayer
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    • A chart to help articulate feelings

• Read & Reflect

  Psalm 19:1 (ESV)

  ¹ The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

  Psalm 8 (ESV)

  ¹ O Lord, our Lord,

  how majestic is your name in all the earth!

  You have set your glory above the heavens.

  ²     Out of the mouth of babies and infants,

  you have established strength because of your foes,

  to still the enemy and the avenger.

  ³ When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,

  the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,

  ⁴ what is man that you are mindful of him,

  and the son of man that you care for him?

  ⁵ Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings

  and crowned him with glory and honor.

  ⁶ You have given him dominion over the works of your hands;

  you have put all things under his feet,

  ⁷ all sheep and oxen,

  and also the beasts of the field,

  ⁸ the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea,

  whatever passes along the paths of the seas.

  ⁹ O Lord, our Lord,

  how majestic is your name in all the earth!

• What are some lessons from today’s text, and how do they apply to your life?

• Gratitude Journal & Prayer of Thanksgiving
• Write down three things that you are thankful for.

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  • Here are some tools to help you with the devotionals:
    • A Guide to Journaling & Prayer
    • A Guide to Self-Reflection
    • A chart to help articulate feelings

• Read & Reflect

  Being grateful is simply to acknowledge some basic facts. There is a fittingness to it. Like marveling at the grandeur of the Grand Canyon, there is something fundamentally appropriate and proper about creatures giving thanks to God the Creator.

  Psalm 147:1 (ESV)

  ¹ Praise the LORD!

  For it is good to sing praises to our God;

  for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.

  1 Corinthians 4:7 (ESV)

  ⁷ For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?

  Psalm 100:3–5 (ESV)

  ³ Know that the LORD, he is God!

  It is he who made us, and we are his;

  we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

  ⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise!

  Give thanks to him; bless his name!

  ⁵ For the LORD is good;

  his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

• What are some lessons from today’s text, and how do they apply to your life?

• Gratitude Journal & Prayer of Thanksgiving
• Write down three things that you are thankful for.