This Rejoice & Praise God Sunday Open Thread, with full respect to those who worship God on the Sabbath, is a place to reaffirm our worship of our Creator, our Father, our King Eternal.
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We have a policy of mutual respect, shown by civility. Civility encourages discussions, promotes objectivity and rational thought in discourse, and camaraderie in the participants – characteristics we strive toward in our Q Tree community.
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In The Q Tree, we’re compatriots, sitting around the campfire, roasting hot dogs, making s’mores, and discussing, agreeing, and disagreeing about whatever interests us. This board will remain a home for those who seek respectful conversations.
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https://www.theqtree.com/2019/01/01/dear-maga-open-topic-20190101/
A Reason For Joy
Today is a special day for joy, thanksgiving and praise to God.
Due to the efforts of the five sane members of the U.S. Supreme Court, millions of babies may be spared from dismemberment on bloody sacrificial altars in baby mills throughout our country, denying the disgusting devil’s servants who run these baby mills both their prey and their profit. The procedures used by the butchers in these baby mills are truly barbaric and sickening in the extreme . . . clearly the devil’s handiwork. Shutting down a large number of them is unquestionably a compelling reason for celebration.
A Song of Praise for the Lord’s Faithfulness to His People
Psalm 100 – A Psalm of Thanksgiving.
Make a joyful shout to the Lord, [a]all you lands!
Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.
Know that the Lord, He is God;
It is He who has made us, and [b]not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
For the Lord is good;
His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.
Shout joyfully to the LORD (100:1). The term “joyfully” doesn’t appear in the Hebrew. Literally rendered, it’s “Shout to the Lord!” The word “shout” comes from a Hebrew word meaning “to raise a noise, to give a blast (as on a trumpet).” The composer calls for the kind of shouting that erupts from a person so full of joy he can’t contain his emotions, the kind of uninhibited whooping you hear from fans at a football game. He says, in effect, “Shout in joyful approval of God!”
It’s hard to imagine feeling that joyful about the Lord, isn’t it? Let’s face it; when’s the last time you shouted like a sports fan because of something you read in Scripture? When have you ever pumped your fists and shouted after a sermon on God’s attributes? I’m not suggesting we become charismatic; but certainly we should feel some excitement, at least a little joy. Sometimes the Lord does things that defy natural explanation, accomplishing something completely beyond our capabilities. When He comes to our rescue, don’t accept this silently. Shout to Him. Lift up your voice in praise! By doing so, we counteract that grind of ingratitude that so easily can climb aboard.
Serve the LORD with gladness (100:2). A healthy sign of the grateful life is serving. Few decisions are more effective in easing the daily grind of ingratitude than serving others. In doing God’s work, we serve Him, not the local church, not the superintendent of some department, not the pastor or some board. We serve the Lord. It is He we worship and for Him we labor—not people! And please observe that the motivation is neither grudging nor guilt-ridden; we are urged to serve “with gladness.” The Hebrew term for this phrase was used to describe pleasant things that gave happiness.
Now let’s get real for a moment. You don’t always feel like serving. Yet waiting until you feel grateful isn’t a good plan; you’ll never serve! The psalm doesn’t imply we should serve only when our hearts are filled with joy. On the contrary, we are commanded to serve regardless; gladness will soon follow. In fact, when I start feeling sorry for myself or my attitude takes a cynical turn, I know it’s time to serve someone who’s in worse shape. It’s not long before gladness pushes negativity out of my heart.
Come before Him with joyful singing (100:2). Let me simply emphasize the word “joyful.” I get the picture that God prefers to have us be happy people, rejoicing in His presence, for He has mentioned it in each line of this psalm thus far.
Are you joyful? Really now, is your face pleasant—is a smile frequently there? Do your eyes reveal a joyful spirit within? When you sing in church, for example, is it with joy? The next chance you get, glance at the people around you. Are they smiling? Look at the people ahead of you or behind you. Any smiles . . . any joy?
It’s time to lighten up! After all, joy is a choice. Dress up your testimony with a genuine spirit of joy! It does the heart good and it’s truly contagious.
Joy is a choice. A genuine spirit of joy does the heart good and it’s truly contagious.
— Charles R. Swindoll
What to think about when . . .
Everything around you seems to be going wrong . . .
We know that God makes all things work together for good for those who love him and who are called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28
We see people trying to get ahead by lying and cheating . . .
In their hearts human beings plan their lives, but the Lord decides where their steps will take them. Proverbs 16:9
We’re thinking our future looks pretty dismal . . .
No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined the things that God has prepared for those who love him. 1 Cor 2:9
We see those liars and cheaters acting like rich aristocrats above the law . . .
Wait for the Lord and keep to his way, and he will exalt you to inherit the land; you will look on the destruction of the wicked. Psalm 37:34
We feel all the troubles of the world on our shoulders . . .
But not only that, let us also rejoice in our troubles; because we know that trouble produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope; and this hope does not let us down, because God’s love for us has already been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:3-5
Every day seems just part of a long, grinding existence . . .
The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes. The Lord has done it this very day; let us rejoice today and be glad. Psalm 118:22-24
We see the world literally going to hell . . .
Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with Him in glory. Colossians 3:2-4
We see traitors trying to take over our country . . .
God wins!