Psalms 100:1-5 A Psalm of Thanksgiving. Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands! 2 Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. 3 Know that the LORD, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture. 4 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.
Many families across the U.S. are gathering today to celebrate “Thanksgiving.” But let’s take a moment to turn our hearts to the ultimate source of thanksgiving: God Himself. Psalm 100 is often called the “Psalm of Thanksgiving,” and it’s a perfect guide for how we should approach God—not just during Thanksgiving but every day.
Most people overlook the “Psalm of Thanksgiving” as just an introductory comment, but it holds deep significance as part of the inspired Hebrew text. The Hebrew word for “thanksgiving” in this passage, “todah” refers to offering a thanksgiving sacrifice — so the Psalm is about a heartfelt act of gratitude through worship!
The psalm begins with a call to action: “Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!” (Psalm 100:1). It’s not just a gentle nudge; it’s a call for everyone to lift their voices in joyful praise. Why? Because God deserves it! He is our Creator, our Sustainer, and our Good Shepherd.
Verses 2 and 3 invite us to serve the LORD with gladness and know that He is God. This isn’t just about singing songs or saying prayers—it’s about serving with a heart full of joy and truly knowing Him. When we know God deeply, we recognize that we belong to Him. We are His people, His sheep. The illustration of us being sheep reminds us that we are defenseless without Him—dependent on His care, His guidance, and His protection.
The psalm continues with an invitation to “enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise” (Psalm 100:4). Picture yourself coming into God’s presence, not empty-handed, but carrying a heart full of gratitude. Why? Because, as verse 5 reminds us, the LORD is good, His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations.
Consider this passage — the Psalmist declares that God’s goodness doesn’t fade, His mercy never runs out, and His truth stands firm forever. I don’t know about you, but that’s worth shouting about!
So ask yourself, “Are you thankful to be alive? Are you grateful for God’s protection, provision, and presence?”
Then don’t keep it to yourself—shout it out! Serve Him with gladness, know Him intimately, and worship Him with all your heart. When we approach God with thanksgiving and praise, we align our hearts with the truth of who He is—a good, merciful, and faithful God who loves us beyond measure. Truly, this message is not just a Thanksgiving message … but instead, it’s an invitation to make every day a day of Thanksgiving!
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[worthy_plugins_devotion_single_body]Continuing our exciting account of the Moravian Revival, I have to highlight the minuscule quantity of saints involved. This was, in proportion to its astounding effect, a very small group, a little church. Yet the amazing demonstration of God’s principle of power through unity re-echoes the events at Pentecost when 120 believers also were in profound unity waiting on the Lord. It wasn’t the numbers but the removal of contention and division that paved the way for a 100-year revival.
The Moravian revival, our current subject, began in the little community of Herrnhut on August 13, 1727, with a tremendous outpouring of the Holy Spirit likened to that of Acts 2. It was a work of God that would transform this group of splintered Christian settlers into a unified missionary endeavor committed to reaching the unsaved around the world.
It never ceases to amaze me how our little girl, Elianna is growing and developing. I remember when she first came into this world, she was so helpless and frail — she couldn’t even move her head without our help. Now, just having turned two, she’s running around and tumbling, jumping, singing and dancing!
We found an interesting story in an old copy of “Our Daily Bread”: In 1883 in Allentown, New Jersey, a wooden Indian — the kind that was seen in front of cigar stores — was placed on the ballot for Justice of the Peace. The candidate was registered under the fictitious name of Abner Robbins. When the ballots were counted, Abner won over incumbent Sam Davis by 7 votes. A similar thing happened in 1938. The name Boston Curtis appeared on the ballot for Republican Committeeman from Wilton, Washington. Actually, Boston Curtis was a mule. The town’s mayor sponsored the animal to demonstrate that people know very little about the candidates. He proved his point. The mule won!
You may recall a few months ago we sent out an unspoken prayer request on behalf of the ministry without giving any details. At the time, among many other things going on, we went in for an ultrasound and the doctor told us that he wasn’t able to see a nose bone. He went on to say that this was a likely indication that the baby had Downs Syndrome and strongly suggested we get some tests done. When Rivka politely told him that we wouldn’t need any tests and that even if the baby did have Downs, he is a gift from God and there was no way we would abort him, the doctor was taken aback. He insisted that we would be causing an injustice to allow a baby to be born with a defect such as this. And believe it or not, two other doctors agreed.
At any time, how receptive your heart is will determine your response to God’s word. If your heart has been trampled, and harden by bitterness and unforgiveness, then receiving God’s message for you will become more difficult. If your heart is like shallow soil on top of a rock, then your mind comprehends God’s truths, yet these truths do not penetrate your heart to make a real difference in your actions. Or if you are concerned about the riches of this life, then your focus is on the here and now, and these pursuits prevent God’s Word from taking hold and producing quality fruit. But a heart that is on good soil, receives the Word, applies the Word, and in due time bring forth abundant fruit! This is God’s desire for you — to have a heart cultivated on good soil!
For those of you who didn’t get that title, it’s a well known children’s Suzuki violin rhythm.
Not long ago, I came across an old issue of Homemade, where Dr. Ernest Mellor writes on fostering good relationships. This is so good I had to share.