Entering His Gates With Thanksgiving

Today's Word of Encouragement from Wayne:

"Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name"

Psalm 100:4

Praise God, here is the best and certainly the most affirmative way to enter the presence of God, with thanksgiving and praise. The "gates’ and "courts" spoken of in this verse were in the temple of God. For us, as God’s New Covenant children, as a kingdom of priests (Revelation 1:6), we know the "courts" are now within us, and we are a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16). As I often say, "ministering to the Lord" (Acts 13:2) is praising with a purpose. Of course let me hasten to add that, no matter what shape you may be in, whether you are on the mountain of blessing or in the valley of trials, God’s door of His presence is always open and beckoning to His beloved child, meaning you.

However, as priests unto our Lord, we know that we are entering the inner courts of God, within, to join our High Priest Jesus Christ as we minister to God our Abba Father. Knowing this, and knowing how this pleases our Lord, definitely causes us to "enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise." Our thanksgiving and praise is our declaration that we know the Lord, in Spirit and in truth, and we know we are entering His presence, joining ourselves to Him in this most meaningful way. Praise and thanksgiving erupts from our innermost beings, like a flowing river of living water, when we connect with our God in His presence, in His temple within. Our thanksgiving shows our Lord that we are fully awake, alert, aware, receptive and grateful to Him. "Give thanks to Him, bless His name."

We direct our praise specifically to our God, and we bless His name, for Who He is and for all He has done. We are so blessed to bless our Lord and to be lifted up in the praises of our God, for He is worthy to be praised and thanked at all times. "Enter His gates" now. Hallelujah!