November 21, Pray the Greatest Blessing Ever Over Your Thanksgiving! (Friendsgiving celebrations)

1 Chronicles 4:9–10 (NKJV)

9 Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, “Because I bore him in pain.”

10 And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!” So God granted him what he requested.

A Pastoral suggestion for building a Jabez-style, extraordinary, Thanksgiving Prayer.

What follows is a template for personal reflection so that you can prepare your own words to pray over your home, heart, and hearth this week and throughout this holiday season.

To touch the heart of God, we must be filled with humility and a willingness to response honestly to our surroundings. This honesty includes reflection as well as prospection as to what we wish for and pray will be our Blessing in the days to come. There are three steps, Look In, Look Out, and Look Up. Each step generates a thread of the prayer fabric for the tapestry of prayer you’ll be ready to pray.

Look in:

Psalm 139:23–24 (NKJV)

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties;

24 And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting.

John 14:23 (NKJV)

23 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.

Galatians 4:19 (NKJV)

19 My little children, for whom I labor in birth again until Christ is formed in you,

1 John 4:4 (NKJV)

4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.

Thanksgiving prayer-builder:

Part 1: “Oh, God of Isreal, we open our hearts to you and pray _____________________ … We pray that in each of us you see __________________...”

Look out:

Jeremiah 29:7 (NIV)

7 Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.”

John 4:35 (MSG)

35 As you look around right now, wouldn't you say that in about four months it will be time to harvest? Well, I'm telling you to open your eyes and take a good look at what's right in front of you. These Samaritan fields are ripe. It's harvest time!

Thanksgiving prayer-builder:

Part 2: “In our immediate surroundings you’ve blessed us with _____________________ … These blessings fill us with wonder and a desire to make a difference ______________________...”

Look up!

Luke 21:25–28 (NKJV)

25 “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring;

26 men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken.

27 Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

28 Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.”

Thanksgiving prayer-builder:

Part 3: “Lord, find our thanksgiving not only be earthly, but also _____________________ … Your richest rewards await those who ______________________ ...”

“For these things, inward, outward, and upward, we give you __________________________ ...”

My Thanksgiving Prayer

Putting the three parts together, here’s my Thanksgiving Prayer for 2023:

“Oh, God of Isreal, we open our hearts to you and pray ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

We pray that within each of us you see

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“In our immediate surroundings you’ve blessed us with

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

These blessings fill us with wonder and a desire to make a difference

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“Lord, find our thanksgiving not only be earthly, but also

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Your richest rewards await those who

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

“For these things, inward, outward, and upward, we offer you

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________