enter into His courts with praise | Finding Gems and Sharing Them

Enter into His Gates with Thanksgiving in your Heart — Enter into His Courts with Praise

November 24, 2011 — SCrosnoe

This is a wonderous holiday. It lacks the commercial spin of some of the other holidays. It is a time for getting together with family and friends and remembering the One who made us; the One we are here to serve with thanksgiving in our hearts. Bless Him and be blessed in the process.

Some scriptures about Thanksgiving for you to proclaim:

I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart;
I will recount all of your wonderful deeds.

—Psalm 9:1

The one who offers thanksgiving as his sacrifice glorifies me;
to one who orders his way rightly
I will show the salvation of God!”

—Psalm 50:23

It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
to sing praises to your name, O Most High;

—Psalm 92:1

Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous,
and give thanks to his holy name!

—Psalm 97:12

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name!

—Psalm 100:4

Oh give thanks to the Lord; call upon his name;
make known his deeds among the peoples!
Sing to him, sing praises to him;
tell of all his wondrous works!

—Psalm 105:1-2

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

—Philippians 4:6

More scriptures and references here >>>

This week I received a special historical reminder from Norlyn Raisch (Nebraska) via email which is reprinted below. It refers to one of our first Thanksgivings in 1789 with a proclamation from George Washington and a timely opening comment from Norlyn:

When we pray for our nation this Thanksgiving Day, let our prayer be first that its people return to God; only then can our nation return to the government and freedoms that God blessed us with at it at its founding, wherein we recognized that all men have been endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights.. It is only when we understand from whence our rights come that we can have the proper perspective on what are our political responsibilities as believers.

THANKSGIVING DAY 1789
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA – A PROCLAMATION

Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor – and Whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me “to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.”

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Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be – That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks – for his kind care and protection of the People of this country previous to their becoming a Nation – for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his providence, which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war –for the great degree of tranquillity, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed – for the peaceable and rational manner in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted, for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed, and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us.

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions – to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually – to render our national government a blessing to all the People, by constantly being a government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed – to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord – To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the increase of science among them and Us – and generally to grant unto all mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.

Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord 1789.

GO. WASHINGTON.

[More on George Washington available via The Papers of George Washington]

Also published here via OK-SAFE >>>

My political graphic on the holiday is a composite of the flag and the cross here (2010)

Thanksgiving Celebrations are about Thanking God and Celebrating with Family!

My little ‘sermonette’ on the matter of the importance of the holiday is here (2009)

A Thanksgiving Prayer