"A Thanksgiving Prayer...comes from the heart"

As the American holiday...a "Day of Thanksgiving" approaches, everyone is "talkin' it up', a time to plan...plan...plan. How many people are coming to dinner?....What time are we going to have dinner?   Who is bringing sides and desserts?...What pro football games are on and what time do they start? And the thing about all these plans...as it has become our yearly ritual, is that in these days and times people involved seem to change more often..." Uncle Ed has a new wife with the same name as his first wife (Laura)...we will call her Laura #2....Laura#1 is remarried and has an entirely new family...but the kids of Uncle Ed and Laura#1 will be here; my cousin Timothy came "out of the closet" and is bringing someone named "Andrew"....and so on and so on...as the saying goes: "Welcome to America".

 So...I have ask the question...Why is it we call it Thanksgiving?...What are we thankful for?...And who are we suppose to be thankful to?

 Since rededicating my life to the Lord Jesus in 2007, getting serious as to His call He gave me decades ago: "Follow Me", I have found the Christian lifestyle is one that demands practice...and practice...and more practice, including the practice of giving thanks. I wish I could say it just came naturally after I gave Jesus entrance into my heart...but that would not be true. Often setting aside time to offer up a prayer of Thanksgiving... really is a type of sacrifice because it is a battle of my will...a part of me does not want to do it, yet another part knows I should do it. 
 The benchmark I have set for myself in reference to taking the time to offer up a prayer of Thanksgiving is this: that this type of prayer becomes a "reflex of the heart"...rather than a "battle of the wills". Yet, with that being said, the more I practice the "art of giving Thanks"... I have noticed there are those moments where the heart does overtake the will, where I look forward to the "Sacrifice of Thanksgiving". It is like a musician who practices for years...and then one day the music he/she plays is simply natural and beautiful to the ear, or like an athlete who trains for years...and one day the goal is attained. Giving thanks from my heart...grows each day I live...and I am grateful for His Grace in my life...for I have learned even the "art of giving thanks"...is a gift from Him.

 Jesus spoke one time about taking the time to honor the Lord...in fact any prayers we say must come from the heart. In Matthew 15:8-9 it reads something like this: " People often say they honor Me, yet their hearts are far from Me...they are not even thinking about Me. This type of worship is utterly useless...it's worthless, because they have no desire to follow My Commands. It's all one big cover-up...and the only teachings they follow...are the ones that "suit their fancy". 
 So, as we plan our day for Thanksgiving, it seems to me it would be a good idea to take some time and be grateful for all we have and lift up a prayer of Thanksgiving...that is supported with a lifestyle that gives honor to Him. Then, it would seem our prayers would have "a bite" to them...meaningful, heartfelt, and with purpose.

 In Psalm 50:23...the Sacred Scriptures describes what a real prayer of Thanksgiving should "look like"...one that is a sacrifice from our hearts: " Here is a real Thanksgiving prayer...one that is meaningful and costs you something. It is a prayer that originates from a grateful heart, a heart that is genuine about this type of prayer, and a prayer that gives honor to Me. A prayer of Thanksgiving is one that has a heart determined to obey Me...who choose to walk down the path of life I have made for you...for you will soon find this path is filled with a demonstration of God's glory...operating in your very lives." (Gleaning format)
 The Scriptures go further and explain what our hearts should be like when offering a "Thanksgiving Prayer"...a Gleaning from Psalm 51:16-17: " If  going through the motions is what you do when offering a prayer of Thanksgiving, and this is your idea of being thankful...wouldn't life be easy?...no demands, no need to change, and no need to be overly concerned as to what the Scriptures desire from us. You don't even need to "put your heart into it" ...just know when to bow your head, when to read the words in a prayer, and to have a serious look about you when you recite the prayer. Yet...prayers like this will not do anything...both for you or in giving honor to the Lord.  So, what type of Thanksgiving prayer is meaningful?...Having a genuineness to the words that are spoken?...It is a prayer that comes from a heart that is broken...having sorrow in its depth, and willing to live a lifestyle that does not hurt...You. You always look for a heart that is willing to change and follow Your commands...for when we do...then our Thanksgiving Prayers are ones You never refuse."

 The other thing about a "Thanksgiving Prayer", it is not dependent on circumstances...good or bad. Even when times in our lives are tough...this should not prevent us for offering prayers of thanks...we do it anyway!
 Look at the pilgrims, 1/2 of the original group that came over on the Mayflower...were dead within a year, the pilgrims had to learn how to hunt new game, catch different species of fish, and learn which crops would grow well in the "New World"...and this all came about with the assistance of Native Americans.
 Even at the first Thanksgiving, they had been through a series of tragedies, and although they had been successful in raising their first year of various crops. their supply was still limited and demanded an act of faith...to share what they had with others. The prayers at the first Thanksgiving...had come with a price.

 Recently I have been reading on the life of Rose Kennedy, the mother of President John F. Kennedy and Senator Bobby Kennedy, who both had been assassinated while in office. In her journals she had written of her outlook on life after suffering the loss of her 2 sons... describing her thoughts in this matter.. by comparing her life to how birds react after a severe storm.
 She wrote of how a terrible storm had caused birds to lose their nests in the trees, lost newborns, and even eggs within the nests for upcoming births. Yet, after the horrendous storm had passed and the winds had calmed and it was quiet in the aftermath...these very birds...began to sing once more. 

 May our Thanksgiving Prayers...come from our hearts...hearts that desire to please and trust...in Him!

The story of the song: "You'll Never Walk Alone"

In 1945, Rodgers and Hammerstein produced a musical entitled "The Carousel". During the 1940's and 50's Rodgers and Hammerstein produced a number of Broadway Musicals which became extremely popular during this period, some of these musicals included "Oklahoma!", "South Pacific", "The King and I", and "The Sound of Music". The musical "Cinderella" was put on via a national television broadcast.

 Broadway musicals at this time consisted of approximately 40 professional theaters with 500 seats or more in what is known as the "Theater District" and the "Lincoln Center" along Broadway, located in  New York City in the neighborhood of Manhattan, usually extending from 40th street to 54th street and from 6th avenue to 8th avenue...including Times Square.

 The musical and story that created the song "You'll Never Walk Alone" is from the musical "The Carousel". It is about a girl named Nettie Fowler, who is a cousin to a female protagonist (main character) named Julie Jordan.
 In this musical, Nettie Fowler sings the song "You'll Never Walk Alone" to encourage Julie. The reason behind this is in the musical Julie's husband, a Billy Bigelow had killed himself to avoid being captured by police in an unsuccessful robbery attempt.

 This song is later reprised in the musical to encourage a girl in a graduating class named Louise...who is the daughter of Billy and Julie. 
 Billy Bigelow, who had been the one who killed himself during a robbery, has now been granted a chance to return to Earth for one day to redeem himself. During this graduation ceremony which his daughter Louise was a part of, this saddened daughter is quietly motivated and encouraged by his father Billy to join in singing of this song "You'll Never Walk Alone".

 Although the Christian theological thought is in question (lol), there is no doubt as to the "power" this song radiates to those who face the element of fear in their lives.
 Numerous recording artists have performed this song including Judy Garland, Doris Day, Perry Como, Frank Sinatra, Barbara Streisand, Patti LaBelle, Louis Armstrong, and Elvis Presley...to name a few.
 From 1964 through 2010, Jerry Lewis concluded his yearly "Jerry Lewis MDA (muscular dystrophy assn.) television "telethon"...with this song.

 The performance by Andre Rieu and his orchestra and singers was played in Maastricht, in the southeastern country of The Netherlands in 2013. Maastricht is a very old city with evidence of it's origin dating back to the days of the Roman Empire in the 1st century.
 What will forever stand out in the minds of those familiar with Netherland history...it is the place where Anne Frank and her family hid for 2 years during WWII when Nazi Germany occupied The Netherlands. In 1944, Anne Frank and her family were discovered by the German forces and Anne along with her family were taken to the concentration camps and she died there at the young age of 15 from typhoid fever. Yet, Anne wrote a diary of her experiences during this horrific time and now her diary has been read by millions, entitled "The Diary of Anne Frank". 
 The city of Amsterdam in The Netherlands, where her family had been hiding...is home to the"Anne Frank House", a museum which is visited by many today.

  Sometimes music has a way of getting to the heart...and I think "You'll Never Walk Alone" contains that power.

                                          The words to: "You'll Never Walk Alone"

"When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high
And don't be afraid of the dark.
At the end of the storm, there's a Golden Sky
And the sweet, silver song of the lark. 

Walk on through the wind
Walk on through the rain
Though your dreams be tossed and blown.

Walk on, Walk on
With hope in your heart
And you'll never walk alone
You'll never walk alone.

Walk on, Walk on
With hope in your heart
And you'll never walk alone
You'll never walk ....alone."

Quotes from Anne Frank's..."The Diary of Anne Frank"

 "Whoever is happy...will make others happy too."
"Laziness may appear attractive, but work gives satisfaction."
"I don't think of all the misery, but of the beauty that still remains."
"I must uphold my ideals, for perhaps the time will come when I shall be able...to carry them out."
"I live...in a crazy time."

 Anne Frank is thought to have passed away sometime in March or even early April of 1945. The musical "Carousel" opened on Broadway on April 19th, 1945, and The Netherlands were freed from Nazi occupation in May of the same year...1945.

 The musical "Carousel" ran for 890 consecutive performances on Broadway...until 1950.

We too must hold to our ideals...and "Walk On"......

"The Power of Prayer"...James 5:14-15 {the expanded edition...lol}

Continuing further in this letter from James in the New Testament, I have been looking a little deeper into the meaning of some of these verses he wrote in chapter 5.
 In James 5: 14-15, it reads something like this: " Is anyone among you sick? If so, this is the right time to call upon your elders and leaders of your congregation and have them pray right along side you. Allow them to anoint you with oil, doing so in the name of our Lord Jesus.
 Prayers made in faith such as this not only brings healing, but has the power to restore you. And, if sin is involved in the pain and sorrow you now experience, this too can be forgiven, and you are able to look at life from a fresh perspective...with a new hope...a new purpose, your heart and mind as well as your voice and ears now able to face the challenges in everyday life."

 I found some rather interesting thoughts and references to these two verses, and would like to share them.
 First, in verse 14 the word for sick originates from the Greek word "astheneo", and although this word has been used to denote someone physically ill, the primary root for the use of this word is in reference to someone who feels weak or feeble, receiving insults and belittling comments that lead to stress, or someone facing severe difficulties with a friendship or relationship that can lead to a verbal or even physical abuse.
 Now, here is the thing about this: when I for example feel like I have been verbally assaulted, sometimes over and over, and often times someone who is close to you...I do not even feel like praying...for some reason it becomes for me the hardest thing to do. And, even when I do get up enough strength to utter out some type of prayer, it is often half-hearted or I have no idea how or what to pray.
 So...what am I suppose to do? Here James gives specific instructions: "Call for back-up...bring in the troops".

Second, in verse 14 it reads to "call on your elders or leaders of your congregation and have them pray over you...". This "pray over you" is an interesting phrase because it comes from the Greek word "proskales" and it's meaning has a 2 fold application. First, it means to have those among you pray with a total humility in their own hearts and second, to "be called alongside you" in prayer. This is a little different "painting" of this verse...not having people hover over you...rather having leaders support you and help you to stand "on your feet" once again through  corporate prayer with humble hearts.

 Third, to be "anointed with oil"...this too has a little different meaning than I would perceive it to be by simply reading the verse. The "anointing with oil" referred to in this verse is not a ceremonial type ritual where a person would dab a little oil on your forehead. This word "anointing" is from the Greek word "aleipho" and it means to rub oil over a person, even crush the oil freely over another, much like an ancient athlete would have oil rubbed over their bodies to help soothe sore muscles. 
 The whole idea is this: to have prayer from hearts that are not negligent of the personal "battle" the person being prayed for is going through. This is not a dedication ceremony or a "pat on the back...you are doing a good job" acknowledgement...this is a real need for the leaders of the congregation to "roll up their sleeves", get the oils out, and totally identify with the person needing prayer support { uhhh...no, this does not mean you have to rub oil all over the "victim"...lol, it means do not take this anointing of oil as a ceremonial exercise...this person needing prayer is hurting.}

Fourth, this type of prayers offered and bring restoration is from the Greek word "sozo" and carries with it the meaning of "being rescued." Along with this, the phrase "restore the sick" has an interesting thought. The word sick is from the Greek word "komnonta" and doesn't really have reference to physical maladies. This word "sick" might be better translated "weary". In other words, this restoration James writes of has more to do with pains of the heart, weariness from everyday struggles, or injuries that are not necessarily physical, rather "spiritual injuries"....being put down time and time again, to the point you feel useless or worthless. 


So for me, God is certainly concerned over any physical illness we may have, and I wouldn't waste "a minute" to have those I consider leaders in my congregation to pray for me...that I might get well...I think this is the right thing to do.
 My thoughts and concerns are for things like: the elderly lady who attends church regularly, but battles with loneliness...her family is too busy to take time to visit her, or a mother who is facing severe problems communicating with her son...to the point where most the time the son just verbally abuses her. 

 It is for this I appreciate the letter in James...for what James declares in his letter: "There is hope and support...for the weary"!

Why we need His Word in our Hearts...Psalm 119: 137-143

About 1000 years before Christ Jesus was born in Bethlehem, there was an ancient passage in the Scripture written by Solomon, the king of Israel. King Solomon had been responsible for the building of the Temple in Jerusalem, and completed the project during his reign. The Temple had been a vision of his father King David, a place for the Lord God of Israel to make His Presence known to His people....

  The Book of Psalms is a collection of writings that are full of  experiences of God's faithfulness to both His Promises and to the people who trust in His Promises. Words like "the way" or "His path" have the same meaning in Hebrew, and are usually connected to words like "our hearts" and "to follow". The various combination of these words are often written in this matter in the Sacred Scripture: " the way or path we choose in life are often based on decisions we have made in our hearts (including our desires)... to follow after His Instructions". The stories and experiences in life we read in Psalms are often directly related to the condition of peoples hearts and the results of their decisions. If we choose "the way of good", blessings follow our decisions...if we choose "the way of evil",  the consequences of those decisions follow us as well.

 Psalms 119 is a Psalm that demands every part of us....our hearts, our minds, our wills, our emotions...He simply wants to be an influence in all of our daily thoughts in life.

                                                    A Gleaning from Psalm 119: 137-143

" Lord...the right way...is always...Your Way! You are the only One who is just, upright, and totally righteous. All of Your instructions and insights that concern our lives here on earth...are fair, right, and a clear expression of Your Will being demonstrated in our very lives.
 The instructions that You have generously given to us and teach us on how to live...are trustworthy commands in every word and letter, and provides a path for us to follow that enables us to be faithful...to You!
  Who are my real enemies in life? What causes my heart to arise in a righteous anger? Is it not those who choose to purposely ignore Your commands...neglecting their wise counsel in decisions they make?
 Your Words of Instruction are beautifully pure, thoroughly tested and completely proven throughout the history of mankind. Your commands are purer than the finest of gold and because of Your faithfulness to each of Your commands, I embrace all of your commands with all of my heart.

 As for me, by myself I am insignificant, I am lowly, and am considered a nobody....some even look at me and despise me. Yet, my life is not dependent on my own ability to succeed, rather, I am committed to one way...to embrace and adhere to Your commands. I refuse to neglect or despise any...of Your commands.
 Your instructions...are always the right instructions...and the right ones to follow. The teachings we receive from Your instructions...are eternally true.
 In those times in my life when Trouble and deep Distress have a plan to capture me and attempt to fill my heart with fear....Your instructions rise above the hardest of circumstances I face in life...and find delight in my heart. I have kept Your instructions which I received...deep in the depths of my heart...and it is through Your instructions...I find the path to Freedom!"