Day 254 | Saturday, 28 November 2020

Day 254 - Audio Version

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Day 254 | Saturday, 28 November 2020

 Continuing the Thanksgiving theme for another day, I want to share with you a Hymn written by Jane Marshall in 1980.  It is titled “What Gift Can We Bring”.

1. “What gift can we bring, what present, what token? What words can convey it, the joy of this day? When grateful we come, remembering, rejoicing, what song can we offer in honor and praise?”
2. ​“Give thanks for the past, for those who had vision, who planted and watered so dreams could come true.  Give thanks for the now, for study, for worship, for mission that bids us turn prayer into deed.”​
3. “Give thanks for tomorrow, full of surprises, for knowing what ever tomorrow may bring, the Word is our promise always, forever; we rest in God’s keeping and live in God’s love.”
4. ​“This gift we now bring, this present, this token, these words can convey it, the joy of this day!  When grateful we come, remembering, rejoicing, this song we now offer in honor and praise!”

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I used Psalm 65 on Thanksgiving Day.  Here it is again only this time from The Message.

1. Silence is praise to you, Zion-dwelling God, And also obedience.
2. You hear the prayer in it all. We all arrive at your doorstep sooner or later, loaded with guilt,
3. Our sins too much for us - but you get rid of them once and for all.
4. Blessed are the chosen! Blessed the guest at home in your place! We expect our fill of good things in your house, your heavenly manse.
5. All your salvation wonders are on display in your trophy room. Earth-Tamer, Ocean-Pourer,
6. Mountain-Maker, Hill-Dresser,
7. Muzzler of sea storm and wave crash, of mobs in noisy riot -
8. Far and wide they'll come to a stop, they'll stare in awe, in wonder. Dawn and dusk take turns calling, "Come and worship."
9. Oh, visit the earth, ask her to join the dance! Deck her out in spring showers, fill the God-River with living water. Paint the wheat fields golden. Creation was made for this!
10. Drench the plowed fields, soak the dirt clods With rainfall as harrow and rake bring her to blossom and fruit.
11. Snow-crown the peaks with splendor, scatter rose petals down your paths,
12. All through the wild meadows, rose petals. Set the hills to dancing,
13. Dress the canyon walls with live sheep, a drape of flax across the valleys. Let them shout, and shout, and shout! Oh, oh, let them sing!

 
An Affirmation of Faith: Abundance and Blessings
(Genesis 1:11-12, 29; Leviticus 27:30; Philippians 4:12-13; 2 Corinthians 9:10-11)

“We believe that God said, "Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it." And it was so.

We believe that the earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good.

And we believe God said, "See, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit; you shall have them for food."

We affirm that all tithes from the land, whether the seed from the ground or the fruit from the tree, are the LORD'S; they are holy to the LORD.

We believe that in our Lord we can know what it is to have little, and we can know what it is to have plenty, because we can do all things through him who strengthens us.
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We believe that he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply our seed for sowing and increase the harvest of our righteousness, and that we will be enriched in every way as we cultivate the fruit of the Spirit called generosity, which will produce thanksgiving to God through us.”