Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.  (Psalm 100:4 KJV)

 

Thanksgiving for most individuals is a day of family, friends, food and celebrating.  Thankful for our blessings, but most especially thankful to the One who gives us our blessings.

Each day thanksgiving should be in our hearts. The world in which we live created by our amazing Lord.  The creator of such for all things and through which all things were made. We are who we are because of the grace and blessings that made it so…Our Lord, our Father.

The smallest things we should be grateful for, and things that don’t make sense be grateful for. Perhaps down the road the clarity of things that don’t make sense will become bright with recognition.

There was a book about a  lady who went undercover to help the Jewish people during the Nazi regime.  She spoke of the atrocities in which the people were subjected to. The inhuman conditions and the meager portions of food given only to keep them alive to endure more of the same horrific cirucumstances the day after.  This woman was taken to a cell with other women and she read to them from her Bible, giving them hope and courage. Nightly she would pull the Bible from her hiding place and read to the women. It became a welcome and peaceful gathering at the end of their gruesome day. There were  fleas in the cell. And, one of the ladies there would say, “We need to be thankful for all our circumstances to God..Praise Him for everything, even the fleas.”  The other women said, “We should be thankful to God for fleas?  What good is fleas? That is going too far.”  But, she continued saying, “We must give thanks to the fleas. God created the fleas for a reason.”  So they thanked God for the fleas in unision. Puzzled, they listend to her and thanked God and praised Him.

The Germans would enter into all of the cells throughout the night to do further horrific actions to the inhabitants…However, the soldiers never entered the cell where the woman who read her Bible was. They remained in that cell until they escaped. Afterwards it was told to the ladies that the soldiers stayed away from their cell because they didn’t want the fleas to bite them.  Praise God!  So, there is a reason for everything.  He knows all, sees all, and wants the best for  His children.

So, are there  “Fleas” in your life?  If so, give thanks.  Give thanks for all things, great and small, bad and good…for the Lord our Father knows what is coming and what is best for us.  Always, in so doing He will clear all paths of destruction and pave your roads with gold…now and always.

Experience true joy in your life, know God and know peace.

 

Father, we give thanks to You and all of Your powerful ways, We give thanks to You and Your amazing hands of grace, We give thanks to You and Your loving and enduring mercy, We give thanks to You and Your unconditional love, We give thanks to You and Your wisdom, insight, compassion, and patience.  We lift your name on high and exalt You forever.  Thank You for loving us. Amen

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. (1 Thessalonians 5:16 – 18 KJV)

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. (Hebrews 13:15 KJV)

 

O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. (Psalm 95:1-2 KJV)

 

O give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever. (Psalm 118:1 KJV)

 

O give thanks unto the LORD; call upon his name: make known his deeds among the people. Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: talk ye of all his wondrous works. Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.   (Psalm 105:1-3 KJV)

 

 

 

Gates and landscape by God–the picture captured by Scott Birge~

 

 

 

 

 

These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. (John 15:11 KJV)

His joy in us! How amazing is that?

We are to rejoice and praise God for all things. Each of us in our way…He loves us all. He doesn’t love anyone more…but as a any parent, you love your children all. We each possess different gifts, and we are to use them willingly as we go forward in His name…and sacrifice our days to Him.

In song, in praise, in doing good deeds, in helping others. Reaching out, always in His name to which all good things flow. We surrender and give it all to Him. The joy will double and overflow with endless joy. The more we rejoice and give thanks, the more we want to do in His name.

Father is a loving God, His character unchanged since the beginning of time. The Creator of the universe, our mighty God. Truly amazing in every way.

Throughout the bible we see examples of our brothers and sisters rejoicing in the Lord, and giving Him thanks and praise. Giving Him all the glory, and waiting for His approval to do so.  Listening and approaching with love in their hearts.

So too it is today. It may be a different “time” on the calendar, but not a “different way” of approaching, loving, or honoring our Father. That is the same, throughout the ages. Prasing Him for all He is and all He has done throughout the ages, and continues to do at this moment, is critical to our devleopment as His faithful followers, as His children and as His very own.

Romans 12:12 states: Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing in prayer:.  To wait patiently in all we do. Waiting for God, when He will return, but doing things in which we should while we’re waiting. Not just staring up at the sky. As Jesus said, “You won’t see it, you won’t know when” — what we do know is that it’ll happen, and until such time…we praise, rejoice in knowing His promises will be fulfilled…and we give Him all the glory.

James 1:2 – My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations: Even during our trials and temptations, we give Praise, we SHOUT PRAISE and continue in prayer of thanksgiving to our Father.

Galatians 5:22 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith:  The fruit of the Spirit is love, patience, understanding.  To all things we do with love and walk in the Spirit. We offer love, guidance to those where we can and when we can…and we do it all in the glory of God.

John 16:24 – Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full:  When we go forward in Jesus’ name we are fulfilling His doctrine along with our purpose. When we do this…joy will bubble within. It is a joy to praise and be obedient unto Jesus. All things flow accordingly when we do.

Psalms 16:11 – Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence [is] fulness of joy; at thy right hand [there are] pleasures for evermore: Forever more. Joy in the path of life, in His presence, pleasures and joy. Praise His name.

To al lthings we do are done through Christ. Our purpose and our accomplishments are because of His grace and love. There isn’t anything that we can do that can’t be undone by God. There isn’t anything that we can’t do that GOD can do.

All things were made by Him for Him and all things that were are because of Him.

A daily journey in life, a warmth of emotions by the spirit and a drive to love Him and serve Him in the fullest capacity is exceedingly joyful in all aspects.

Praise Him, acknowledge Him in all things for all things. Love Him, honor Him, and above all…don’t forget to praise Him no matter what the circumstances.   Every prayer, every word that comes out of our mouths should be filled with love for Him, and demonstrated through our actions of others.

Have you lifted your hands in praise today? Have you felt His joy as you praise His name and give Him all the glory?  Have you prayed with joy and a contrite heart?

He’s waiting to make your cup overflow.

Thank You Lord, Praise Your name forevermore! Amen.

Philippians 1:4 – Always in every prayer of mine for you all making request with joy,

Acts 13:52 – And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.

Psalms 30:11 – Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness;

Matthew 25:21 – His lord said unto him, Well done, [thou] good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.

Luke 1:46-56 – And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord

Psalms 28:7 – The LORD [is] my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You will show me the path of life: in your presence is fullness of joy; at your right hand there are pleasures forevermore. (Psalm 16:11 KJV)

Forever connected to His Spirit because of His sacrifice.   We love him, because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19 KJV)  The ulitmate sacrifice, taking the sin of the world upon His shoulders, and nailing it to the cross.  Our Savior gladly chose to align with His Father in order to save us.

His presence, a peaceful essence of purity and tranquility that supercedes all else.

His glory, a mainstay of the path of a Christian which seek His face and His kingdom that supercedes all else.

His love, an eternal  bond that reinforces our bones and marrow providing nourishment for our soul that supercedes all else.

Committed to God. Those of us who are committed to God will use wisdom and common sense to build, thereby using wisdom to always think positive and edify. To build up the body. God builds us by filling us with love, and guidance, and support. Our Father will never let us down, or use condemnation. He is a force of love and patience and understanding…with very few conditions, if any.  We are strong in Christ. And by knowledge shall the chambers be filled with all precious and pleasant riches. A wise man is strong; yea, a man of knowledge increaseth strength. (Proverbs 24:4 KJV)

God doesn’t or didn’t leave anyone out. Salvation is offered to all. If you are committed, the Father will bless you and utilize you. If you aren’t committed, He simply cannot use you. For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men. (Titus 2:11 KJV)

Jesus redeemed us from all sin. Don’t ever let anyone change your mind, know that our sin was forgiven by Christ. We are a new person, don’t allow anyone to use condemnation to chain us with past sins. Jesus purified us unto Himself.  He is our Kinsman Redeemer. Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. (Titus 2:14 KJV)

If we are committed to doing good…God’s eyes are watching over the righteous. He hears our prayers. We are precious in His sight, we are the apple of His eye. The tender pupil of which all things transcend, through Him and for Him.

Our heavenly Father is the One who will do great things for those of us who are committed to Him. When Father observes and knows our heart, we can’t fool Him, He knows who is committed and who is  not.

He loves us and has warm genuine feelings for us. He wants us to prosper,as He guides us and touches us.

Each day we are blessed with the opportunity to love Him anew. To learn more about His character, and to grow stronger in the Word and in Him. Each day there will be various ways to love Him deeper, and commit to Him further. To feel His presence forever anew.

Love Him, follow His ways, and reflect His character with His light shining through us…only then can He deliver His blessings.

 

 

 

 

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For the eyes of the LORD are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the LORD is against them that do evil. (1 Peter 3:12 KJV)

 

 

 

Glorious landscape by the Master…Our Lord.  Picture captured by Scott Birge~