Rejoice in Thanksgiving to God!

by Leonard V Johnson

There’s a beautiful hymnal song that comes to mind this year! It’s called “Give Thanks and Offer Praise!” It’s in our hymnal on page 41. It’s based upon Psalm 50──

“The Mighty One, God the LORD, Has spoken and called the earth From the rising sun to its going down.

Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God will shine forth.

Our God shall come, and shall not keep silent; A fire shall devour before Him, And it shall be very tempestuous all around Him.

He shall call to the heavens above, And to the earth, that He may judge His people:

‘Gather My saints together to Me, Those who have made a covenant with Me by sacrifice.’

Let the heavens declare His righteousness, For God Himself is Judge.

Selah

‘Hear, O My people, and I will speak, O Israel, and I will testify against you; I am, God, your God!

I will not rebuke you for your sacrifices Or your burnt offerings, Which are continually before Me.

I will not take a bull from your house, Nor goats out of your folds.

For every beast of the forest is Mine, And the cattle on a thousand hills.

I know all the birds of the mountains, And the wild beasts of the field are Mine.

‘If I were hungry, I would not tell you; For the world is Mine, and all its fullness.

Will I eat the flesh of bulls, Or drink the blood of goats?

Offer to God thanksgiving, And pay your vows to the Most High.

Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me.’

But to the wicked God says: ‘What right have you to declare My statutes, Or take My covenant [even now the New Covenant] in your mouth,

Seeing you hate instruction And cast My words behind you?

When you saw a thief, you consented with him, And have been a partaker with adulterers [even spiritual adultery; the worship of false gods and goddesses].

You give your mouth to evil, And your tongue frames deceit.

You sit and speak against your brother; You slander your own mother’s

son.

These things you have done, and I kept silent; You thought that I was

altogether like you; But I will rebuke you, And set them in order before

your eyes.

‘Now consider this, you who forget God, Lest I tear you in pieces, And

there be none to deliver:

Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; And to him who orders his conduct

aright I will show the salvation of God.’

                                                                  ──Psalm 50:1-23.

O’ let us indeed praise always our LORD God – the family of God, which at this present time consists of God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ! And, certainly, those of us who do rightly understand God’s Master Plan – From the Beginning, should be THANKFUL for God the Father calling us out of this present evil age! We are reminded to always offer thanksgiving and praise to the LORD God here in the Book of Psalms, as well as the inspired words of the apostle Paul ──

“Rejoice always, 17) pray without ceasing, 18) in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” – 2 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

Our Lord’s living words ── the Holy Bible ── is full of admonitions to give glory, praise, and THANKSGIVING to the LORD God! Here are a few glorious passages ──

“Sing praise to the LORD, you saints of His, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.” – Psalm 30:4.

“I will praise the name of God with a song, And I will magnify Him with thanksgiving.” – Psalm 69:30.

“Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. 3) For the LORD is the great God, And the great King above all gods.” – Psalm 95:2-3.

“Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. 5) For the LORD is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations.” – Psalm 100:4-5.

It is the LORD God’s will that you praise God! And, it is good that you praise and thank His holy name ──

“It is good to give thanks to the LORD, And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; 2) To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, And Your faithfulness every night.” – Psalm 92:1-2.

Notice this from the apostle Paul – again, inspired by the Mighty One, God the LORD ──

“To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

2) Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

3) I THANK MY GOD upon every remembrance of you, 4) always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy.” – Philippians 1:1, 2-3.

And I ──THANK THE LORD GOD every morning for Their lovingkindness and mercy, and every evening for Their faithfulness and forgiveness!

Let us always and forever give thanks and praise to the Mighty One, God Most High!

We have a sermon on our YouTube channel entitled “The Love of God.”

Truly, God is love (1 John 4:8, 16). The loving Master Plan ── From the Beginning will come to fruition! □