Tomorrow, millions around our country will gather at the table together with family and give thanks unto God. I'm thankful for my family, my friends, my church, my community, everything. I am beyond a blessed man, and God is the source of every good and perfect gift. Well...above all else, God is worthy of our praise each and every day, not just one. Let's do something different today - let's read Psalm 145 and simply pray together this Psalm of priase to our God! Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
#SetYourMindAbovePodcast
Tomorrow, millions around our country will gather at the table together with family and give thanks unto God. I'm thankful for my family, my friends, my church, my community, everything. I am beyond a blessed man, and God is the source of every good and perfect gift. Well...above all else, God is worthy of our praise each and every day, not just one. Let's do something different today - let's read Psalm 145 and simply pray together this Psalm of priase to our God! Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
#SetYourMindAbovePodcast
Welcome back to all of our listeners! I’m BJ Sipe, and you’re listening to the Set Your Mind Above podcast – where everyday ordinary events teach us extraordinary eternal truths. I’m so glad that you’ve tuned in today, I am excited to share my life and my faith with you, and I sure hope that you’ll do the same with me along the way.
Tomorrow, families across the country will gather together under one roof, just as we have done with family here in North Carolina. Most gather to participate in an extraordinary feast, with everyone bringing the best of what they have. Turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, homemade rolls, casseroles, pies, cranberry sauce, stuffing, and everything else you can think of will have been prepped from the wee hours of the morning and set on the table midafternoon. Many gather to watch the parades or football together as a family tradition before and after the big meal. We gather to catch up, play games, and forget about the cares of the world for a little while. But most importantly, tomorrow we gather with our families into one place to give thanks unto our Lord. We have spent the day telling our kids (particularly Ava since she is old enough to understand) about how special tomorrow is being Thanksgiving. We have asked multiple times today, “What are some things that we want to be sure to tell God thank you for?” Some of the answers have been absolutely precious. Ava has said, “I’m thankful you brought me here to see my Papa & Gigi,” or “I’m so thankful for my brother. He’s my best friend.” There have been many others, and all of them have made our hearts simply melt and we may have shed a tear. Tomorrow I’m sure there will be lots of joyful and thankful tears as we join hands around the table. I’m thankful to be sitting across the table from my mother & father-in-law, who both have had severe health struggles over these past few years – Gwen with her ongoing battle with Lyme disease & Shane with his cancer. I’m beyond grateful that God has seen them through some very hard years, and that my children will grow up knowing & being close their Gigi & Papa. I’m thankful to be sit next to the most wonderful woman in the world, my wife & the mother of my children. She is the most gentle, kind, patient and loving person that I know – and she brings me more joy than anyone else. I’m thankful to sit and hold the hands of my two children, Ava & Dane. My life has changed forever when I became a father, and I have never felt pride before like I have when I think about my kids. God has blessed us with healthy, happy, and hilarious children – and I am forever grateful. I’m thankful for the ones that won’t be sitting at our table but live in my heart: all of my family back in Oregon, Indiana, Alabama, Kentucky, and wherever else some have wandered off to. Not a single one will go unmentioned from my lips before the day is through, and I wish I could be together with them all. I’m thankful for our church family in Danville, for the home that they’ve made for us and the way that they have welcomed us in. I’m thankful for my Shepherds, my friends, my neighbors, and our little town. God has brought all of these relationships to my life, and each one of them has been like yet another expression of his grace & love for me. I don’t deserve this unbelievable company that I find myself in, I am a man that has been beyond blessed from God who has placed each and every single one of you into my life. It is my prayer that tomorrow and this weekend, each of one of you has time to reflect on the blessings of God as I have, especially the relationships he has blessed you with. As such, this will be the last podcast for this week as I celebrate this time with my family, and we will pick it back up on Tuesday of next week.
Naturally, our giving thanks to God does not merely fall upon one day or even merely when we have been blessed. As a matter of fact, we are called in 1 Thessalonians 5:18 to “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” God is always worthy of our praise, of our thanks, and of our gratitude. Today, I wanted to do something a little bit different with our podcast. Rather than read a short section of Scripture and share my thoughts with you as is our custom, today I merely want to share the words of the great King David. Psalm 145 is among my favorite of all the psalms, because it is a powerful testimony to the many, many reasons we have to give praise & thanks to our God. I want you to read this Psalm with me, and as you do, I want you to pray David’s words as your own with me. Lift up your hands, humble your heart, and let’s just pour ourselves out in thanksgiving to our great and awesome God. Psalm 145 - A hymn of David: “I exalt you, my God the King, and bless your name forever and ever. I will bless you every day; I will praise your name forever and ever. The Lord is great and is highly praised; his greatness is unsearchable. One generation will declare your works to the next and will proclaim your mighty acts. I will speak of your splendor and glorious majesty and your wondrous works. They will proclaim the power of your awe-inspiring acts, and I will declare your greatness. They will give a testimony of your great goodness and will joyfully sing of your righteousness. The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and great in faithful love. The Lord is good to everyone; his compassion rests on all he has made. All you have made will thank you, Lord; the faithful will bless you. They will speak of the glory of your kingdom and will declare your might, informing all people of your mighty acts and of the glorious splendor of your kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom; your rule is for all generations. The Lord is faithful in all his words and gracious in all his actions. The Lord helps all who fall; he raises up all who are oppressed. All eyes look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time. You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all his acts. The Lord is near all who call out to him, all who call out to him with integrity. He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry for help and saves them. The Lord guards all those who love him, but he destroys all the wicked. My mouth will declare the Lord’s praise; let every living thing bless his holy name forever and ever.” Amen.
Thank you so much for listening to today’s episode. Tune in, Tuesday-Fridays, as a new podcast episode will be uploaded each day. Also, be sure to follow the Facebook page for the Set Your Mind Above podcast for future announcements and video sessions. As you have the opportunity, share these thoughts with your friends and family, and share with me what important lessons you are learning from every day, ordinary events. Until next time know that I love you, that God loves you, and may we all each and every day set our minds above.