Right around this time of year, or a little before, the Jews had a national time of rejoicing and giving thanks to God. This was the final festival in the Jewish calendar, the Feast of Tabernacles. Of this time we are told, “now the people came with their tributes of thanksgiving to God, who had thus richly blessed them.” Patriarchs & Prophets, 540. At the end of the harvest season, the people gathered together to remember what God had done for them anciently and to praise Him for His blessing to them through that year. As we approach the Thanksgiving season in our national calendar, how beneficial it would be for us to do the same.

Bro. Kasongo preaching in a new church

“Our voices should be oftener heard in praise and thanksgiving to God. His praise should continually be in our hearts and upon our lips.” Voice in Speech and Song, 148. The lesson of praise and thanksgiving to our God, is a practice we need to develop more. “We do not pray any too much, but we are too sparing of giving thanks. If the loving-kindness of God called forth more thanksgiving and praise, we would have far more power in prayer. We would abound more and more in the love of God and have more bestowed to praise Him for. You who complain that God does not hear your prayers, change your present order and mingle praise with your petitions.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 317. God longs for our praise so that our praise to Him will change our hearts! This is a song that we must learn to sing. “Those who in heaven join with the angelic choir in their anthem of praise must learn on earth the song of heaven, the keynote of which is thanksgiving.” Testimonies, vol. 7, 244. May the keynote of heaven’s song be heard more on our lips today that we may be prepared to join in the anthems of heaven very soon!

This month, I want to thank God for what He is doing around the world through your prayers and support! We thank the Lord for the radio ministries broadcasting to thousands in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and throughout Honduras through Redemption Radio. We praise the Lord for the lives being touched through welfare ministry leading hungry souls to the Savior. In Dominican Republic, there is a bakery that helps to teach regarding healthful living and provides funds to help needy families. In addition to this, some of the workers there have started a branch Sabbath school reaching out to the poor Haitian immigrants there. In Panama, the Acosta family is serving the indigenous people through health, agriculture and many other ways. In the rainforests of northern Brazil, the Lord is sustaining the De Senna family to educate the children of the town not just for usefulness in this life, but for eternity! In Congo, the believers are operating dozens of schools in remote villages, giving the children of these isolated villages an opportunity for a better life here and when Jesus comes. The Bible workers are continuing to share the message of the three angels with those who have never heard before, and the Lord continues to work through their faithful efforts. In Togo, churches are being raised as the message is proclaimed among the forgotten villages there. In Ethiopia, the workers are facing opposition, but the Lord continues to sustain them as the truth is spread and more churches are built and more decisions are made. In the Philippines, Nanding continues to share the love of Jesus through evangelistic meetings in the mountain villages while Titing continues his nurturing and educating work of the youth. There are so many others doing faithful service for the Master: the Orellana family with their mission outpost in Ecuador, Deborah working in Senegal, and so many

A recent baptism in the Philippines

more. I praise and thank our great God for the work that He is doing in taking His message to the ends of the earth through radio, health ministry, Bible work, public evangelism, literature ministry, educational efforts, outpost ministry and so much more! God’s work is going forward! We continue to solicit your prayers and support that His truth may continue marching around the globe until Jesus comes!

Yours in thanking our Lord for His goodness,