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.
It’s also a place to read, post, and discuss news that is worth knowing and sharing. Please post links to any news stories that you use as sources or quote from.
In the QTree, we’re a friendly and civil lot. We encourage free speech and the open exchange and civil discussion of different ideas. Topics aren’t constrained, and sound logic is highly encouraged, all built on a solid foundation of truth and established facts.
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.
Please show respect and consideration for our fellow QTreepers. Before hitting the “post” button, please proofread your post and make sure your opinion addresses the issue only, and does not confront or denigrate the poster. Keep to the topic – avoid “you” and “your”. Here in The Q Tree, personal attacks, name-calling, ridicule, insults, baiting, and other conduct for which a penalty flag would be thrown are VERBOTEN.
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.
Please also consider the Guidelines for posting and discussion printed here:
https://www.theqtree.com/2019/01/01/dear-maga-open-topic-20190101/
On this day and every day –
God is in Control
. . . and His Grace is Sufficient, so . . .
Keep Looking Up
Hopefully, every Sunday, we can find something here that will build us up a little . . . give us a smile . . . and add some joy or peace, very much needed in all our lives.
“This day is holy to the Lord your God;
do not mourn nor weep.” . . .
“Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet,
and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared;
for this day is holy to our Lord.
Do not sorrow,
for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
JOY
Psalm 100
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
Serve the Lord with gladness; come into His presence with singing.
Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His;
we are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise.
Give thanks to Him; bless His name.
For the Lord is good;
His steadfast love endures forever and
His faithfulness to all generations.
Psalm 100 issues three commands in the first two verses.
Shout joyfully to the LORD (100:1). This is quite a beginning! 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).” This 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!”
When’s the last time, if ever, we shouted like sports fans because of something we read in Scripture? Have we ever pumped our fists and shouted after a sermon on God’s attributes? This is not a suggestion that we become overly expressive; but certainly we should feel some excitement, at least a little joy, perhaps a lot of joy, and even maybe some unbounded joy.
Sometimes the Lord does things that defy natural explanation, accomplishing something completely beyond our capabilities. When He comes to our rescue, we shouldn’t accept this silently. Shout to Him. Lift up our voices in praise!
Serve the LORD with gladness (100:2). A healthy sign of the grateful life is serving. Few actions are more effective in creating joy 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 we are urged to serve “with gladness.” The Hebrew term for this phrase was used to describe pleasant things that gave happiness.
This 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 we start feeling sorry for ourselves or our attitude takes a cynical turn, it’s time to serve someone who’s in worse shape. It’s not long before gladness pushes joy into our hearts.
Come before Him with joyful singing (100:2). God prefers to have us be happy people, rejoicing in His presence. Are we joyful? Are our faces pleasant—is a smile frequently there? Do your eyes reveal a joyful spirit within? When we sing in church, is it with joy?
It’s time to lighten up! After all, joy is a choice. We should be saturating our lives with a genuine spirit of joy! It does the heart good and it’s truly contagious.
JOY IN BELIEVING
You love Him [Jesus] even though you have never seen Him. Though you do not see Him, you trust Him; and even now you are happy with a glorious, inexpressible joy. Your reward for trusting Him will be the salvation of your souls. (I Peter 1:8 & 9)
JOY IN HEARING
I [Jesus] say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. (John 17:13)
JOY IN OBEYING
You know these things – now do them! That is the path of blessing. (John 13:17)
JOY IN ABIDING
I [Jesus] have told you this so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow! (John 15:11)