A Nugget from New Life Network
Scripture for the Day (September 14, 2015)
(from Chris Musgrove’s Future Now)
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. (Psalm 100:4)
The only way to come into God’s presence is with thanksgiving and praise. You don’t come in by begging or pleading and you definitely can’t come in with grumbling and complaining. The scripture for the day says you enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise, so there is no other way to enter in.
John 4:23 says, “Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.”
It’s interesting to note that Paul in his letter to the Philippians said, “do not be anxious or worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God”. (Philippians 4:6) Notice Paul said by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving. Remember Psalms 100:4 said, “Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise.”
In Acts 4 Peter and John are arrested and are threatened and told not to speak at all or teach in the name of Jesus. In verses 23-24 it says, “And being let go, they went to their own companions and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said to them. So when they heard that, they raised their voice to God with one accord and said: “Lord, You are God, who made heaven and earth and the sea, and all that is in them,” They didn’t start out their prayer with grumbling and complaining. They began their prayer with praise and worship to the Lord God creator of heaven and earth. So instead of magnifying the problem they were facing, like a lot of people do in prayer, they magnified God and He showed up. In verse 31 it says, “And when they had prayed, the place where they were assembled together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.”
In Acts 16 Paul and Silas are thrown into the Philippian jail. Right in the middle of a bad situation at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God instead of grumbling and complaining. In verse 26 it says, “Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.” Again in Acts 13:2 it says, “While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting the Holy Spirit spoke.”
In all these instances, God showed up as people began to worship, praise, and give thanks.We need to stay in an attitude of worship, praise, and thanksgiving no matter what we’re facing. That is when we’ll see God move, speak and deliver.
I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. (Psalm 9:1)
