From: "Beverly French" <frenchb@vcss.k12.ca.us>
To: "G. Anderson" <ghaircut@juno.com>
Subject: Joyous Day
Date: Sunday, November 24, 2002 7:33 AM

"Praise the Lord in song, for He has done excellent (glorious) things;
 Let this be known throughout the earth."  Isaiah 12:5

We look forward this week to Thanksgiving Day.  The day set aside for the
people of this great nation to give thanks for the benefits and blessings we
are free to enjoy.  There are many who give thanks, but to no one in
particular.  We Believers know exactly who it is that deserves all our
thanks.  It is Almighty Eternal God to whom we have given ourselves for the
outworking of His plan for our lives.  He is the one who supplies all of our
needs.  Whatever the present circumstance, He is in control and we are not
alone.  Hallelujah!

Our Scripture tells us to 'praise the Lord in song' and there are verses in
both the Old and the New Testaments that strongly urge us to sing.  "But I
can't carry a tune," you say!  Well, the Palmist has an answer for us,
"Sing aloud unto God our strength;
 Make a joyful noise unto the God of Jacob."  Psalm 81:1

And again in Psalm 95:1,
"O come, let us sing unto the Lord;
 Let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation."

There is no excuse!  For we can all make a 'joyful noise' or as some
translations say, 'shout joyfully'.

As Psalm 95:2 continues,
"Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
 Let us shout joyfully to Him with Psalms."

'He has done excellent things.'  Yes, His work is perfect!
"He is the Rock, His work is perfect;
 For all His ways are justice,
 A God of truth and without injustice;
 Righteous and upright is He."  Deuteronomy 32:4

"As for God, His way is perfect;
 The word of the Lord is proven;
 He is a shield to all who trust in Him."  Psalm 18:30

The Lord's perfect work is beyond measure, now would be a good time to
thank Him for His goodness unto each of us  personally.  Since we know not
what the next moment holds, we could start with thanking Him for each breath
we take.  And how about just waking up each morning; for the family He has
placed us in here on earth; for shelter and food; and on and on.  Above all
with grateful hearts we thank Him that, He "so loved the world, that He gave
His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but
have eternal life." (John 3:16)    Then wonder of wonders, before the
foundation of the world He chose to call us unto Himself!  As we see in
Ephesians 1:4-5,
"Just as He chose us in Him (Christ Jesus) before the foundation of the
world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love having
predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to
the good pleasure of His will."

It is all His doing from beginning to end!  We are truly blessed beyond
measure!  Every day is a day of thanksgiving for those of us who belong to
the Lord!  Therefore, as the Apostle Paul exhorts,
"In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for
you."  1 Thessalonians 5:18

With humble and grateful hearts we say thank you Lord.  Amen.