I love the word of God, it is for us an encouragement, an exhortation, a rebuke and forever a profound insight into the God of the universe, and often it is all four at the same time.

In prayer a few days ago, praying specifically for my weak faith, righteous men and women, who by definition lived by faith came to mind, and my soul was indeed convicted, exhorted and encouraged.

It is a prayer that I have added to my daily prayer life in part or in whole. It is my prayer that the Lord might use my little fish and meager bread to encourage you to more prayer and greater faith. 

Gratitude would be very difficult for me if I was covered with seaweed, and all manner of digestive juices. (Don't even mention the digested material.) All without a shower!

Our brother Jonah, has a thing or two to teach us about that. What else might we learn about thanksgiving from the Bible?

This episode of the Free Range Preacher on Prayer podcast aims to cast light on Biblical thankfulness, even when covered with seaweed.

You will also learn the main vocation of a Tickle Monster. 

I truly enjoyed the devotional with my grand babies a ton, and thought we would do one more with them while they were in town.

My grand babies again, warts and all, well almost all, talking thanksgiving.

Thank you again for your listening and patience. 

Fred

Until I get another opportunity, this is my favorite episode.

I get to talk to three of my five grand babies, and see what they know about prayer.

What a great time we are having and have on this Devotional episode of Free Range Preacher on Prayer.

God told me before in His word, how great it is to see your children's children, but I did not listen until He allowed me to see my children's children.

And, by the by, my children are now chopped liver.

My biggest challenge, is to be full of faith.

Our God hears.

Our God Listens.

Our God comforts.

Through His word,   

For such is God, Our God forever and ever; He will guide us until death. Psalm 48:14

 "Here, in that moment, the Lord answered my prayer, now I had not voiced a prayer for peace in my soul, but as with Nicodemus, and the women at the well, and Mary at the wedding feast, God knew what my heart was really needing, and His provision was in that very instant." 

True gratitude, not appreciation, but true gratitude is solely the purview of Christians. 

There is no greater way to ensure you are praying what your loved ones need, especially if you have not seen them in a while, than to pray Scripture for them.

My favorite passage to pray for others is Ephesians 3:14-21. 

And I'm old and I know stuff.

Everyone in our lives are or have been in our lives for a reason. Some we don't remember, but the ones we do have a special place of some sort in our lives. 

There are ways to pray for those instruments of God and their impact on us, furthermore, doing so adds comfort to our souls even as we pray for them.

There are ways we can make those prayers appropriate and meaningful, even for the people we have not seen in many years.

Find out how in Devotional 23 of Free Range Preacher on Prayer. 

A personal encounter with my own hard heart, and how I learned gratitude to God.

From the Seraphim in Isaiah, to David, reminding his soul to take care of business, to the doxologies in the New Testament, and finally glimpses of our eternal state, we will see our occupation and preoccupation: the worship and praise to God, Father Son and Holy Spirit. Our Creator and the Savior of our souls.