That my preacher has taught me a great deal about the Bible.

More importantly, he is in a long line of pastors who make me want to be a pastor.

I don’t agree with him all the time.  But I thank God for him and I am more than blessed to be submitted to his leadership.

May the Lord bless Robert Morris always.

God has placed eternity into your heart and soul so that you will know that only God can fill your heart:

Ecclesiastes 3:11 (ESV) He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man’s heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

Jesus is the bread of life so you will hunger no more:

Psalm 34:10 (ESV) The young lions suffer want and hunger;
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

Jesus is the living water:

Jeremiah 2:13 (ESV) for my people have committed two evils:
they have forsaken me,
the fountain of living waters,
and hewed out cisterns for themselves,
broken cisterns that can hold no water.

... what are you going to get by drinking the water that comes from the world:

Jeremiah 2:18 (ESV) And now what do you gain by going to Egypt
to drink the waters of the Nile?
Or what do you gain by going to Assyria
to drink the waters of the Euphrates?

Check out the model prayer:

Matthew 6:11 (ESV) Give us this day our daily bread.

God provides on a daily basis:

Exodus 16:13-15 (ESV) In the evening quail came up and covered the camp, and in the morning dew lay around the camp. And when the dew had gone up, there was on the face of the wilderness a fine, flake-like thing, fine as frost on the ground. When the people of Israel saw it, they said to one another, “What is it?” For they did not know what it was. And Moses said to them, “It is the bread that the Lord has given you to eat.

Even His mercies are new every morning:

Lamentations 3:22-25 (ESV) The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him.”

The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
to the soul who seeks him.

I could go on and on and on. The point of it is that God mentions this way too many times for us not to take it to heart.

I have been accused of being crazy mostly because I take God’s Word literally.

For example, I don’t worry because Christ told me not to.  Don’t believe me? Take a look:

Matthew 6:25-34 (ESV) “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

and…

Philippians 4:6 (ESV) do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

futhermore…

1 Peter 5:7 (ESV) casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

I know we are commanded to love God with all of our heart, mind, spirit and strength and love your neighbors as well as your enemies.  But if there isn’t a higher recommendation for a “commendment” for Christians, I don’t know what is.

So because I don’t worry (again because Christ told me to), some people think I am crazy.

Then I ran into the following (verse 13 highlighted):

2 Corinthians 5:11-15 (ESV) Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

Some translations read: So if we were crazy, it was for God; if we are sane, it is for you.

I guess that solves it.

Leviticus 7:12 If he offers it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the thanksgiving sacrifice unleavened loaves mixed with oil, unleavened wafers smeared with oil, and loaves of fine flour well mixed with oil.

Leviticus 7:13 With the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving he shall bring his offering with loaves of leavened bread.

Leviticus 7:15 And the flesh of the sacrifice of his peace offerings for thanksgiving shall be eaten on the day of his offering. He shall not leave any of it until the morning.

Leviticus 22:29 And when you sacrifice a sacrifice of thanksgiving to the Lord, you shall sacrifice it so that you may be accepted.

1 Chronicles 16:7 Then on that day David first appointed that thanksgiving be sung to the Lord by Asaph and his brothers.

1 Chronicles 16:8 Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!

1 Chronicles 16:34 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

1 Chronicles 16:35 Say also: “Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather and deliver us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name, and glory in your praise.

1 Chronicles 16:41 With them were Heman and Jeduthun and the rest of those chosen and expressly named to give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever.

1 Chronicles 25:3 Of Jeduthun, the sons of Jeduthun: Gedaliah, Zeri, Jeshaiah, Shimei, Hashabiah, and Mattithiah, six, under the direction of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with the lyre in thanksgiving and praise to the Lord.

2 Chronicles 5:13 and it was the duty of the trumpeters and singers to make themselves heard in unison in praise and thanksgiving to the Lord), and when the song was raised, with trumpets and cymbals and other musical instruments, in praise to the Lord, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever,” the house, the house of the Lord, was filled with a cloud,

2 Chronicles 7:3 When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.”

2 Chronicles 7:6 The priests stood at their posts; the Levites also, with the instruments for music to the Lord that King David had made for giving thanks to the Lord—for his steadfast love endures forever—whenever David offered praises by their ministry; opposite them the priests sounded trumpets, and all Israel stood.

2 Chronicles 20:21 And when he had taken counsel with the people, he appointed those who were to sing to the Lord and praise him in holy attire, as they went before the army, and say, “Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever.”

2 Chronicles 30:22 And Hezekiah spoke encouragingly to all the Levites who showed good skill in the service of the Lord. So they ate the food of the festival for seven days, sacrificing peace offerings and giving thanks to the Lord, the God of their fathers.

2 Chronicles 31:2 And Hezekiah appointed the divisions of the priests and of the Levites, division by division, each according to his service, the priests and the Levites, for burnt offerings and peace offerings, to minister in the gates of the camp of the Lord and to give thanks and praise.

2 Chronicles 33:16 He also restored the altar of the Lord and offered on it sacrifices of peace offerings and of thanksgiving, and he commanded Judah to serve the Lord, the God of Israel.

Ezra 3:11 And they sang responsively, praising and giving thanks to the Lord, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever toward Israel.” And all the people shouted with a great shout when they praised the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.

Nehemiah 11:17 and Mattaniah the son of Mica, son of Zabdi, son of Asaph, who was the leader of the praise, who gave thanks, and Bakbukiah, the second among his brothers; and Abda the son of Shammua, son of Galal, son of Jeduthun.

Nehemiah 12:8 And the Levites: Jeshua, Binnui, Kadmiel, Sherebiah, Judah, and Mattaniah, who with his brothers was in charge of the songs of thanksgiving.

Nehemiah 12:24 And the chiefs of the Levites: Hashabiah, Sherebiah, and Jeshua the son of Kadmiel, with their brothers who stood opposite them, to praise and to give thanks, according to the commandment of David the man of God, watch by watch.

Nehemiah 12:27 And at the dedication of the wall of Jerusalem they sought the Levites in all their places, to bring them to Jerusalem to celebrate the dedication with gladness, with thanksgivings and with singing, with cymbals, harps, and lyres.

Nehemiah 12:31 Then I brought the leaders of Judah up onto the wall and appointed two great choirs that gave thanks. One went to the south on the wall to the Dung Gate.

Nehemiah 12:38 The other choir of those who gave thanks went to the north, and I followed them with half of the people, on the wall, above the Tower of the Ovens, to the Broad Wall,

Nehemiah 12:40 So both choirs of those who gave thanks stood in the house of God, and I and half of the officials with me;

Nehemiah 12:46 For long ago in the days of David and Asaph there were directors of the singers, and there were songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.

Psalm 7:17 I will give to the Lord the thanks due to his righteousness, and I will sing praise to the name of the Lord, the Most High.

Psalm 9:1 I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart; I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.

Psalm 26:7 proclaiming thanksgiving aloud, and telling all your wondrous deeds.

Psalm 28:7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.

Psalm 30:4 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his saints, and give thanks to his holy name.

Psalm 30:12 that my glory may sing your praise and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever!

Psalm 33:2 Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!

Psalm 44:8 In God we have boasted continually, and we will give thanks to your name forever. Selah

Psalm 50:14 Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and perform your vows to the Most High,

Psalm 50:23 The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me; to one who orders his way rightly I will show the salvation of God!”

Psalm 54:6 With a freewill offering I will sacrifice to you; I will give thanks to your name, O Lord, for it is good.

Psalm 57:9 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.

Psalm 69:30 I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving.

Psalm 75:1 We give thanks to you, O God; we give thanks, for your name is near. We recount your wondrous deeds.

Psalm 79:13 But we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise.

Psalm 86:12 I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever.

Psalm 92:1 It is good to give thanks to the Lord, to sing praises to your name, O Most High;

Psalm 95:2 Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

Psalm 97:12 Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous, and give thanks to his holy name!

Psalm 100:1 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!

Psalm 100:4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!

Psalm 105:1 Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name; make known his deeds among the peoples!

Psalm 106:1 Praise the Lord! Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!

Psalm 106:47 Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to your holy name and glory in your praise.

Psalm 107:1 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!

Psalm 107:22 And let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of his deeds in songs of joy!

Psalm 108:3 I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations.

Psalm 109:30 With my mouth I will give great thanks to the Lord; I will praise him in the midst of the throng.

Psalm 111:1 Praise the Lord! I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.

Psalm 116:17 I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving and call on the name of the Lord.

Psalm 118:1 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

Psalm 118:19 Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.

Psalm 118:28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you.

Psalm 118:29 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

Psalm 122:4 to which the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, as was decreed for Israel, to give thanks to the name of the Lord.

Psalm 136:1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.

Psalm 136:2 Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever.

Psalm 136:3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever;

Psalm 136:26 Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.

Psalm 138:1 I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise;

Psalm 138:2 I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for you have exalted above all things your name and your word.

Psalm 138:4 All the kings of the earth shall give you thanks, O Lord, for they have heard the words of your mouth,

Psalm 140:13 Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name; the upright shall dwell in your presence.

Psalm 142:7 Bring me out of prison, that I may give thanks to your name! The righteous will surround me, for you will deal bountifully with me.

Psalm 145:10 All your works shall give thanks to you, O Lord, and all your saints shall bless you!

Psalm 147:7 Sing to the Lord with thanksgiving; make melody to our God on the lyre!

Isaiah 12:1 You will say in that day: “I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, that you might comfort me.

Isaiah 12:4 And you will say in that day: “Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted.

Isaiah 38:19 The living, the living, he thanks you, as I do this day; the father makes known to the children your faithfulness.

Isaiah 51:3 For the Lord comforts Zion; he comforts all her waste places and makes her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of song.

Jeremiah 30:19 Out of them shall come songs of thanksgiving, and the voices of those who celebrate. I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; I will make them honored, and they shall not be small.

Jeremiah 33:11 the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voices of those who sing, as they bring thank offerings to the house of the Lord: “‘Give thanks to the Lord of hosts, for the Lord is good, for his steadfast love endures forever!’ For I will restore the fortunes of the land as at first, says the Lord.

Daniel 2:23 To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the king’s matter.”

Daniel 6:10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.

Amos 4:5 offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving of that which is leavened, and proclaim freewill offerings, publish them; for so you love to do, O people of Israel!” declares the Lord God.

Jonah 2:9 But I with the voice of thanksgiving will sacrifice to you; what I have vowed I will pay. Salvation belongs to the Lord!”

Matthew 15:36 he took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.

Matthew 26:27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you,

Mark 8:6 And he directed the crowd to sit down on the ground. And he took the seven loaves, and having given thanks, he broke them and gave them to his disciples to set before the people; and they set them before the crowd.

Mark 14:23 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it.

Luke 2:38 And coming up at that very hour she began to give thanks to God and to speak of him to all who were waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem.

Luke 17:16 and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.

Luke 22:17 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves.

Luke 22:19 And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

John 6:11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted.

John 6:23 Other boats from Tiberias came near the place where they had eaten the bread after the Lord had given thanks.

Acts 27:35 And when he had said these things, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all he broke it and began to eat.

Romans 1:21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

Romans 6:17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed,

Romans 7:25 Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself serve the law of God with my mind, but with my flesh I serve the law of sin.

Romans 14:6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God.

Romans 16:4 who risked their necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks but all the churches of the Gentiles give thanks as well.

1 Corinthians 1:4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus,

1 Corinthians 10:30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?

1 Corinthians 11:24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

1 Corinthians 14:16 Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying?

1 Corinthians 14:17 For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up.

1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 1:11 You also must help us by prayer, so that many will give thanks on our behalf for the blessing granted us through the prayers of many.

2 Corinthians 2:14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.

2 Corinthians 4:15 For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.

2 Corinthians 8:16 But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you.

2 Corinthians 9:11 You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God.

2 Corinthians 9:12 For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.

2 Corinthians 9:15 Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

Ephesians 1:16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,

Ephesians 5:4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving.

Ephesians 5:20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Philippians 1:3

Thanksgiving and Prayer I thank my God in all my remembrance of you,

Philippians 4:6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

Colossians 1:3

Thanksgiving and Prayer We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you,

Colossians 1:12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.

Colossians 2:7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Colossians 4:2 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

1 Thessalonians 1:2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers,

1 Thessalonians 3:9 For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God,

1 Thessalonians 5:18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

2 Thessalonians 1:3 We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.

2 Thessalonians 2:13 But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.

1 Timothy 2:1 First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,

1 Timothy 4:3 who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.

1 Timothy 4:4 For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,

Revelation 4:9 And whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to him who is seated on the throne, who lives forever and ever,

Revelation 7:12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”

Revelation 11:17 saying, “We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign.

1 Chronicles 16:8-36 (ESV)

Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name;
make known his deeds among the peoples!
Sing to him; sing praises to him;
tell of all his wondrous works!
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice!
Seek the Lord and his strength;
seek his presence continually!
Remember the wondrous works that he has done,
his miracles and the judgments he uttered,
O offspring of Israel his servant,
sons of Jacob, his chosen ones!

He is the Lord our God;
his judgments are in all the earth.
Remember his covenant forever,
the word that he commanded, for a thousand generations,
the covenant that he made with Abraham,
his sworn promise to Isaac,
which he confirmed as a statute to Jacob,
as an everlasting covenant to Israel,
saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan,
as your portion for an inheritance.”

When you were few in number,
and of little account, and sojourners in it,
wandering from nation to nation,
from one kingdom to another people,
he allowed no one to oppress them;
he rebuked kings on their account,
saying, “Touch not my anointed ones,
do my prophets no harm!”

Sing to the Lord, all the earth!
Tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples!
For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised,
and he is to be held in awe above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
but the Lord made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and joy are in his place.

Ascribe to the Lord, O clans of the peoples,
ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
bring an offering and come before him!
Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness;
tremble before him, all the earth;
yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved.
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice,
and let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!”
Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
let the field exult, and everything in it!
Then shall the trees of the forest sing for joy
before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.
Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever!

Say also:

“Save us, O God of our salvation,
and gather and deliver us from among the nations,
that we may give thanks to your holy name,
and glory in your praise.
Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel,
from everlasting to everlasting!”

Then all the people said, “Amen!” and praised the Lord.