A teaching by Rev. Barbara Williams, President of the Ministry of the Watchman International
Week of November 22-26, 2021
This week we will examine the ways in which God gives us victory through the giving of thanks.
MONDAY
Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:56-57
There are two accounts of Jesus giving thanks in the Bible that I want to mention here. They both involved miracle multiplication of food. The one was the feeding of the multitude (Mark 8:6) and the other was the last supper (Luke 22:17). In both situations, Jesus was about to partake of food. It was His custom to thank the Father for the provision. One reason is that he recognized God as the source of the food. The other involved a principle that establishes success for us in everything we do, that is the multiplication factor involved in the giving of thanks.
If you are in need of healing, there is good news! Proverbs 4:20-22 SAYS:
My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
So there is life and health in God’s word. Since God’s word is medicine, we must take it like we would a prescription. I suggest three times a day, like you would your food. Remember, healing is the children’s bread. Consider this your “dose” for today. Remember, read, and meditate three times a day the following:
Rx: Psalms 107:19-21 ~ Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses. He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Oh, that men would give thanks to the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!
“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
2 Timothy 2:15
If you’ve never studied the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, we invite you to join us as we read through the Bible in a year. Read and meditate on these chapters this week:
November 22: 1 Chronicles 17, James 4, Jonah 1, Luke 6
November 23: 1 Chronicles 18, James 5, Jonah 2, Luke 7
November 24: 1 Chronicles 19-20, 1 Peter 1, Jonah 3, Luke 8
November 25: 1 Chronicles 21, 1 Peter 2, Jonah 4, Luke 9
November 26: 1 Chronicles 22, 1 Peter 3, Micah 1, Luke 10
November 27: 1 Chronicles 23, 1 Peter 4, Micah 2, Luke 11
November 28: 1 Chronicles 24-25, 1 Peter 5, Micah 3, Luke 12
TUESDAY
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:56-57
When Jesus thanked God for the loaves and fishes, He was expressing gratitude to the Father for the provision. Jesus was not mindful of the amount, as the disciples were, but He was mindful of the source. Whenever we give thanks to God, we are respecting the source. This is important to recognize. We never need to fear what man has or lacks, but when we recognize the source we will always get the victory. Jesus was able to triumph over lack, because He thanked God for the seed (seven loaves, two fishes) but He had a vision for the full provision (feeding the multitude). The seed sown in thanksgiving brought in the harvest. Giving thanks brings success to the seed sown.
WEDNESDAY
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:56-57
At the last supper, Jesus offered Himself up for the sins of the world. He introduced the New Testament in His blood. The elements of the communion table were blessed by thanksgiving. In essence He was saying, “I am inviting you to become a part of Me. When My body is broken for you, you will be released into eternal life, if you believe.” This is offered to whosoever believes. So these small elements of food symbolizing His broken body, were increased and multiplied and are reintroduced into the Christian experience even today. The miracle of the communion table continues in most Christian services.
THURSDAY
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:56-57
The success of a nation depends upon thanksgiving. When this country was founded, it was done with thanksgiving as the foundation. We mostly credit the Pilgrim colonies with beginning Thanksgiving Day. There is historical evidence that there were at least two thanksgivings celebrated prior to the 17th century, both identical to that of the Pilgrims. Coronado (1598) and Aviles (1541) may have predated the Plymouth Rock celebration. Martin Frobisher celebrated one in Newfoundland in 1578. At any rate, it appears that those who founded this country and set up the government that we now call North America were all on the same page. They all shared in a covenant meal with the resident Native people and worshipped the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
FRIDAY
The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:56-57
Could it be that the Native Americans embraced the covenant of peace with these different people groups because they were waiting for God to send someone who served Him? Could it be that the all-wise God had prepared the hearts of the indigenous Americans in what we now call Canada and the USA to embrace those that he sent bringing peace? This is the foundation for every victory that we claim in this nation. Because we are founded on the rock of Thanksgiving to God, we are assured to triumph in every situation. We always have, and always will.