Giving Thanks to Whom it is Due and a Joy to Praise.

¹Oh come, let us sing to the LORD;
   let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
²Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving;
   let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!
³For the LORD is a great God,
   and a great King above all gods.

To those reading,
      I hope your thanksgiving is enjoyed in the light of God's Glory. That you remember as you're with family that they are a gift from God, and even a part of your sanctification (How you love and interact with them). If you have any contention, lay it down, if you have any bitternes, enmity or anger, lay them down. Repent and believe in God's Gospel and enjoy fruits of fellowship, love, grace and kindness with your family. It is a glimmer of the banquet in some sense.
Grace and Peace to you.

Homework assignment...The best homework EVER @ RTS Orlando!

Jesus doesn’t just demand right actions in line with the law. These are certainly required but only out of the genuine faith given by grace because of the mercy of God. This summary is clearly stated in 2 Samuel 15:22 “Behold to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than to the fat of rams” (ESV). This was true in OT times just as NT and ours. Sacrifice is only meaningful given our posture to God. If we are prideful or boastful in his presence he will knock us down. If we are humble and penitent he will hear us.

In this humble posture we may pray and ask God for those riches of the spirit he has promised. We have faith that believes the impossible, i.e. casting down a mountain into the sea, or a man being raised from the dead. We will have hope in the return of the Christ and the promise of the kingdom filled and perfected in glory.

There is also a warning in the summary. We should constantly seek to lean on Christ during this life so as not to go astray from the faith. In John 15 Jesus teaches “¹"I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. ² Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. ³Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. ⁴ Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. ⁵I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (ESV) John using the words of Jesus to teach the Jews and the gentiles shows that real ‘fruit’ or life can be ‘produced’ or lived in real faith or abidance in Jesus as Lord.