Enter His Gates with Thanksgiving - Word-Filled Wednesday

As a little girl, there was one way to guarantee remembering scripture - put it to song. 

Do you remember Potsie from Happy Day's?  He was my favorite character.  When he made up a song to pass his anatomy test, he earned a special place in my heart.  I could relate to him.

I learned Psalms 100 through singing it at a young age. The scripture was forever engraved on my heart in the King James Version.  Since then, Psalms 100 has been my favorite Thanksgiving song.

Will I sing it for you?  Sure.  Thankfully, you can't hear me, but I'll sing as I type the words.

Make a joyful noise unto the Lord,

all ye (all ye) lands.

Serve the Lord (the Lord) with gladness:

come before His presence with singing.

Know ye that the Lord He is God:

It is He that hath made us,

And 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 unto Him,

and bless (and bless) His name.

For the Lord (the Lord) is good;

His mercy is everlasting;

and His truth (His truth) endureth

To all (to all) generations.

(Halleluiah, glory halleluiah.

Praise God . . .)

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone. 

Oh, and the photo was taken during our vacation to St. Augustine last month. 

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For more Word-Filled Wednesday, visit our precious hostess, Susan at Forever His.

Go to the Ant - Word-Filled Wednesday

Go to the ant, O sluggard,
Observe her ways and be wise,
Which, having no chief,
Officer or ruler,
Prepares her food in the summer
And gathers her provision in the harvest.

How long will you lie down, O sluggard?
When will you arise from your sleep?
"A little sleep, a little slumber,
A little folding of the hands to rest" -
Your poverty will come in like a vagabond
And your need like an armed man.

Proverbs 6:6-11 (nas)

Okay - okay - I'll admit it -
I'm wanting to have a lazy day today,
but there is far too much to do.
I can't be lazy.

Still, I'll try to be a kinder, gentler ant
than the fire ants in the picture.
You wouldn't want to mess with those ants.
They will hurt you!

Thank You, Lord, for another lesson from the ants.
I'm going to get busy now - with a smile.

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Visit our host - Christy at Critty Joy - for more Word-Filled Wednesday.

Because God Could - Monday Manna

There is a story from Daniel, chapter three, most of us heard in Sunday School when we were very young. It is about three men – Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego – who refused to bow down to King Nebuchadnezzar’s golden image. Their rebellion was a really big deal.

King Nebuchadnezzar had taken over Jerusalem. He had sought out young Israelite men who were of nobility, without physical defect, handsome, smart, and qualified to serve in his palace (Daniel 1:1-4). Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were among those young men.

In chapter three, King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold and commanded everyone to bow to the image or die. The threat of death by fire sent almost everyone to their knees, worshiping the golden image. Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to bow.

Of course, when they didn’t bow down with everyone else, someone had to go tattle. Can you imagine grown men at King Nebuchadnezzar’s feet, whining? “But there are some Jews whom you have set over the affairs of the province of Babylon – Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego – who pay no attention to you, O king.”

Nebuchadnezzar was furious. He sent for Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and asked them, “Is it true?” He offered to give them a second chance, with a warning, “- if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?”

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego had already made up their mind who they would serve. They answered boldly, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.”

These three men were ready to die for the One True God. They knew their God ‘could’ save them.

Because God could, they refused to bow.

Because God could, they watched as Nebuchadnezzar ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual.

Because God could, they were cast into the blazing flames while the soldiers who carried them dropped dead from the heat.

Because God could, King Nebuchadnezzar ‘leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire? – Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”

Because God could, three men walked out of the furnace, not even smelling like smoke.

That day, Nebuchadnezzar believed and ordered a nation to worship no other god but the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego -

because those three men knew - God could.

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Joanne Sher at An Open Book hosts Monday Manna every first and third Monday.  The purpose of Monday Manna is to get together and get to know Christ more through His Word.  Today's verse is Daniel 3:16-18. 

To hear more thoughts on this verse, or to share your thoughts, take time to visit Joanne - read her thoughts - and visit other links you'll find at her site.