Posted on Friday, November 28, 2025 at 10:33 a.m. (EST) , NOVEMBER 2025 Edition

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Thankful Heart Always Nurtures Kindly Souls, Giving Immanuel's Victorious Inspiration Now Graciously!" (T.H.A.N.K.S.G.I.V.I.N.G)

Ramesh C. Reddy
Publisher

SCRIPTURE:
"Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his loving-kindness continues forever. Give thanks to the God of gods, for his loving-kindness continues forever. 

Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his loving-kindness continues forever. Praise him who alone does mighty miracles, for his loving-kindness continues forever. Praise him who made the heavens, for his loving-kindness continues forever. Praise him who planted the water within the earth,for his loving-kindness continues forever. Praise him who made the heavenly lights, for his loving-kindness continues forever: the sun to rule the day, for his loving-kindness continues forever; and the moon and stars at night, for his loving-kindness continues forever.....He remembered our utter weakness, for his loving-kindness continues forever. And saved us from our foes, for his loving-kindness continues forever!" (Psalm 136:1-9, 23-26, TLB)

 OBSERVATION:
I asked myself what are the reasons the Psalmist gives thanks to the Lord?
1. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good.
2.
Give thanks to the Lord, His loving-kindness continues forever.
3.
Praise Him who alone does mighty miracles.
4.
Praise Him who made the heavens.
5.
Praise Him who planted the water within the earth.
6.
Praise Him who made the heavenly lights.
7.
Praise Him who made the sun to rule the day.
8.
Praise Him who made the moon and stars to rule the night.
9.
Praise Him who remembered our utter weakness.
10.
Praise Him who saved us from our foes.

INTERPRETATION:
I asked myself why does the Psalmist reflect on everything the Lord has done?
The Psalmist reflects on everything the Lord has done to give Him all the thanks and praise but more than that to remind himself that everything the Lord has done, it is because of His loving-kindness which continues forever! Praise the Lord! Thank you Jesus!

IMPLICATIONS:
I asked myself what are the implications for my own life here?
The implications for my own life is to reflect on everything the Lord Jesus has done in my life and pour out my thanksgiving and praise to the Lord for all He has done remembering He has done all this because of His loving-kindness which continues forever. Thank you so much Jesus.

So, I decided to reflect upon what happened this past year to give my thanksgiving and praise to the Lord using the alphabet as a tool!

I am thankful to the Lord Jesus for these happenings:

NOV 2024:

Almighty Lord gave us the opportunity to host 5 Indian international students for Thanksgiving Dinner and message. Thank you Lord Jesus!

Blessed Lord gave my precious wife Chandraleela the opportunity to vote for the first time as a U.S. Citizen.

DEC 2024:

Counselor Lord being celebrated with family dinner, gifts, Christmas tree, decorations of Light to celebrate the Light of the world coming as God-incarnate on one Christmas night.

Deliverer Lord ensured girls and women will be protected in women’s sports and for the Pro-Life generation rising up.

JAN 2025:

Everlasting Lord got our family through 2024.

Forgiving Lord gives our family another year to serve Him in Jan 2025.

FEB 2025:

Guiding Lord leads Chandraleela through another year of birthday celebration.

Healing Lord healing our family through different issues.

MARCH 2025:

Immanuel Lord reminding us of the power of the Gospel as we went to Acts2Fellowship Good News Musical.

Jesus Lord empowering women even as far as Afghanistan as we watched the true story of Rule Breakers on ANGEL Movies

APRIL 2025:

King of kings and Lord of lords reminding us of the sacrifice He paid, shedding His precious cleansing Blood on the cross on a Friday and Resurrecting on a Sunday as We celebrated Resurrection Sunday!

Loving Lord by His grace saves my precious Esther and she gets baptized at Pittsburgh Chinese Church Oakland – Oakland International Fellowship Combined Service.

MAY 2025:

Messiah Lord gives my precious Evangeline to celebrate her 10 year birthday with a sleepover with her friends and have a cosmetic shopping spree with her uncles, grandma, and mom.

Nurturing Lord gave another year of life to celebrate for my youngest brother and my loving mommy.

JUNE 2025:

Omnipotent Lord gave me paid time off to spend with Chandraleela, Esther, and Evangeline at the PCCO-OIF 60 year/30 year celebration at Geneva College hearing Pastor Hugo and connecting with dear friends Edwin and Marie and also later having an awesome time at Taj Mahal Restuarant with Elder Calvin and Elise.

Powerful Lord gives Esther amazing ability to bless students with Henna designs at a carnival using Esthey4Christ for the Lord’s glory!

JULY 2025:

Quickly Lord helps Evangeline and I to find fireworks to celebrate 4th of July near our home with Chandra, Esther, and my older brother Ravi.

Redeemer Lord uses Pastor Ridge to preach a sermon on our favorite Psalm of the Bible Psalm 139 which we have prayed for Esther and Evangeline from the time they have been in Chandra’s womb through their early years and even now.

AUGUST 2025:

Savior Lord gives Chandra, myself, Esther, Evangeline, and my mom opportunity to visit my younger brothers Rohit and Raj in Maryland, go to Ocean City, MD, go to Kings Dominion, Six Flags, and Bible Museum

Truthful Lord gives me opportunity to let others know more about His Word through Apples to Apples Bible Edition, Bible Taboo, Bible Scattegories, Bible Outburst, Discernment, Action Bible guess it game, and Bible Infographics cards.

SEPTEMBER 2025:

Understanding Lord protected my mommy and brother as their apartment complex went up in flames and by Lord’s grace were able to recover some stuff.

Victorious Lord brings Esther through 12 years of life so she can celebrate her 13th birthday as a teenager with a Friday  sleepover, Saturday OIF Picnic, Sunday Volleyball Game, and Tuesday birthday party with gifts.

OCTOBER 2025:

Wonderful Lord brings me through another year of life as I have been blessed to serve the Anthology undergraduate students with Pastor Jesse, Emily, Eugene , Mei Ru.

Xcited Lord,  feeds His Word to me helping me grow in His Word as I teach CBT from 1 Timothy 4.

NOVEMBER 2025:

Yahweh Lord gave me wonderful opportunities to serve the InterVarsity Christian Fellowship CMU students.

Zealous Lord uses His children to glorify Him as Esther serves on worship team for first time.

These are only 26 mentioned but there are  multiple areas of my life that I am thankful and praise the Lord Jesus for. I am glad to have reflected on what the Lord Jesus has done in my life saving a foreigner like me and that His healing and blessings are not limited to a particular race or ethnicity but Jesus offers Himself to the world to all who would receive Him and come to Him. For He promises, "To all who received Him, He gave them right to become children of God, children born not of natural descent but from the will of God" (John 1:12)

It is in thanksgiving that we recognize that we are nothing on our own and all the things we are blessed with come from Jesus Christ, the Creator of Heaven and Earth.

When I give thanks, I am recognizing the One who gave Himself for me with His sacrificial death on the cross coming back to life on the third day to save. When I give thanks, I am figuratively throwing myself at the feet of Jesus to show that I am nothing without Him. He alone is the One who has cleansed me of all my sin and daily transforms my life by His grace. It is His blessings that reveal His unconditional grace. Having an attitude of thanksgiving takes the focus off me and puts the focus on the One who came to change my life around.

I ask you now dear friend, what are A - Z things you can give T.H.A.N.K.S.G.I.V.I.N.G to the Lord for from NOV 2024 - NOV 2025?

Dear friend, the place you give thanksgiving in your life will determine if it is a one day in November thing filled with feasts of food with family and friends or will it be a daily 365 day event filled with the Creator's presence in your life and all the blessings He has showered upon your life. Friend, there is excitement to celebrate thanksgiving with family and friends eating a feast but when we focus on the gift alone instead of the giver then we have missed the true meaning of thanksgiving.

So when we celebrate Thanksgiving with a feast let us be thankful for all that the Lord Jesus has done in our lives. I know it should not just be confined to the last Thursday of November but daily.

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thess 5:16-17, NIV)

Jesus wants us to always be thankful and that is His will. Yet, so many times we forget to give thanks and that makes Jesus sad. I don't want to make Jesus sad but remember all that Jesus does for me each day.

What has been awesome for me to do in the past was write down 5 things that I have been thankful for each day not duplicating any response during the week, otherwise it just becomes a routine and I would write the same things each day.

Before the Thanksgiving meal, take time to write 26 things you are thankful to the Lord for this past year using the alphabet A-Z as a guide. Your focus should be on the Lord Jesus for these 26 things. 

The place we give thanksgiving when that place involves the Lord Jesus Christ will make us well spiritually too as Jesus promised the Samaritan: Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."

When we are thankful and grateful remembering what the Lord has done for us, it is also a reflection of our faith. There is a positive correlation between being thankful and our faith.  How appropriate is this passage on this day of Thanksgiving 2025 so we do not forget the true meaning of Thanksgiving.

Thank you Jesus for all you have done in my life. I love you Lord Jesus.

Let us remember what the Pilgrims did when they came on the Mayflower as their hearts were filled with gratitude and thanks for how the Almighty Savior rescued them and brought them through the harsh times in a new land. Thank you Jesus. This is the origins of Thanksgiving.

I also believe our health and joyfulness in life is tied to thanksgiving! No wonder Jesus says, "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thess 5:16-17, NIV)

What is giving of thanksgiving anyway than praying continually to the One who is the Giver of all things daily in our lives. Praise the Lord! Thank you Jesus.

May you remember this day that Thanksgiving is more than just turkey, stuffing, parades, and football but the essence of Thanksgiving is JESUS CHRIST. Amen!

The purpose of today's devotional is to understand the importance of being thankful for the things the Lord Jesus has done in our lives instead of taking things for granted knowing there is a positive correlation between being thankful and our faith.

"Thankful Heart Always Nurtures Kindly Souls, Giving Immanuel's Victorious Inspiration Now Graciously!" (T.H.A.N.K.S.G.I.V.I.N.G)/"What are A - Z things you can give T.H.A.N.K.S.G.I.V.I.N.G to the Lord for from NOV 2024 - NOV 2025?"

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for everything that you have blessed our life with. Help me to be specific each day Oh Lord to thank you and count my blessings in this life you have given me. Thank you so much Jesus. Thank you for all that you have done for our families. I love you Lord and need you. Thanks Lord as we celebrate Thanksgiving, it does not have to be a one day event but a daily event for you are the Giver of all Gifts and the Source of life for us. Thank you so much Jesus for this time and being our Lord and Savior to all who turn their lives to thee because you have given an invitation at the cross of Calvary. Thank you for that invitation which is a free gift of your grace. Thank you that you want us to be thankful in all circumstances so please help us Lord. I love you Jesus and need you. Take me as I am and use me for your honor and glory. Help me live for you Jesus. Thanks so much Jesus for dying for my sin to cover me in your precious blood and coming back to life to save me. In Your Name I Pray Jesus!

 

Prayer:
Lord Jesus,
You are my all in all. You are my Prince of Peace, Rock, Savior, and Friend. You are my Holy Father guiding me through to live a life of righteousness, holy righteousness. Oh God, I need you more than ever. I need to feel your hands around me holding me tight. I need your love to surround me so that you can glow in my life. Help me please Jesus. I desire in your presence. Thank you for guiding me to live a life of righteousness. Oh God you love me more than ever. You hear my voice when I cry out to you. When I seek your face, you fill me up. You are my all in all. Thank you Jesus so much for your help no matter what I face, your grace is available and you take my case. Thank you for hearing us and answering us. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! AMEN! (Most of the prayer is from a vineyard song called “All in All”)

No matter what you feel in your heart, know that Jesus has come in and resides with you! You are not alone! To make your walk strong with the Lord, spend time in prayer talking to Him as you would to a friend. You don’t need special words to talk to the Lord. Spend time in His Word reading Psalms and turning them into prayer. Next allow God to heal you and speak to you through the Gospel of John or Gospel of Mark before moving on to other Books of the Bible! Slowly, let the Lord show you to which Scriptures He wants you to go to next. It is also important to be part of a body of believers to help you grow in the faith. Find a Bible believing church that preaches the Word of God from Genesis to Revelation proclaiming Jesus Christ our crucified and risen Lord who brings us hope, healing, and help!

 
   
 

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