New to our church? Connect with us by clicking this link! http://mycornerstone.me/connect
Please consider partnering with us financially. Click the link to our fast and secure online giving. https://bit.ly/2VU1y2H
Psalms 100
1 Let the whole earth shout triumphantly to the Lord!
2 Serve the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.
3 Acknowledge that the Lord is God. He made us, and we are his— his people, the sheep of his pasture.
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name.
5 For the Lord is good, and his faithful love endures forever; his faithfulness, through all generations.
Passwords: Nothing more frustrating than having to change passwords
Prayer
Prayer is one of the most powerful things we have in life
Changes people
changes circumstances
Changes perspectives
But when we come to God, it sometimes feels like trying to access with the wrong password
Feel not heard
Eventually, get frustrated
Feel rejected
Doesn’t mean that prayers are ineffective, just need to find an effective way to pray
Change the Password to Praise
►Praise before petition
Reminds us who is in charge
Reminds us what he has done
Reminds us of our future
Praise Reminds us who is in charge
We live with the assumption that we are actually in charge
Free people
Do as we will
Our like is our
Culture feeds this
Be and do whatever you want to be and do
Self-validation and self-truth
Many of us struggle with spiritual pride
Spiritual pride is the illusion that we are competent to run our own lives, achieve our own sense of self-worth, and find a purpose big enough to give us meaning in life without God. ~ Timothy Keller
One of the main drivers in our life is to be known
To be trusted
To be loved
To be valued
That’s why we value things like:
Relationships
Reputation
These things act like a gauge to tell us how well we are doing in controlling our lives
If they don’t work out, we are destroyed emotionally
Trying to be in charge of yourself just leaves you by yourself
Never being know
Never truly knowing deep love and value
Psalm 100
3 Acknowledge that the Lord is God. He made us, and we are his— his people, the sheep of his pasture.
Praise Before Petition Reminds your heart and mind that you belong to God
You are valuable because he gives you value
You are loved because he loves you
You have purpose because he directs you
Praise Reminds Us What He Has Done
►Ever notice how you never remind yourself about Good things?
Remind me to take a breath
Remind me to enjoy the little things
Remind me to have a good attitude
Remind me to be in awe of the sunset God gives every day
Remind me to love my neighbor
Remind me that I’ll get through this
Remind me that God’s got me
Remind me that Jesus dies for me
Remind me that the best is yet to come for his people
We all need a little reminding every now and then
Psalm 100
4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and bless his name.
Don’t just see this as instruction, its a reminder
God has given — Give thanks
Let’s be honest, we’re not the best at remembering to be thankful
We have a whole holiday about it (Thanksgiving)
But are you still thankful on Friday?
Are you still thankful when it’s no longer Instagram worthy
Because here’s the trust about being thankful, you don’t always have to do it with a smile on your face
You can be thankful in tears
You can be thankful in heartache
Sometimes we need to be reminded to praise and be thankful because its hard to praise and be thankful
Praise before Petition – Before you ask God anything, praise him first
That’s the password
It will allow access to prayer that you have never experienced before
Sometimes you just need to praise – No other praying
if you have never really praised, then you have never really prayed
Praise Gives You Access To His Presence
Praise before petition
Reminds us who is in charge
Reminds us what he has done
Praise Reminds Us Of Our Future
Psalm 100
5 For the Lord is good, and his faithful love endures forever; his faithfulness, through all generations.
We know what the writer of this psalm didn’t – What the faithfulness of God really looked like
Looked like a baby born in a little town to parents that nobody knew
Looked like a teacher who wanted no position
Looked like a savior who was nailed to a cross
Looks like a risen Lord who reigns on high
And when God looks at you and me, he doesn’t just see his creation, but his sons and daughters
Bought with a price
makes you priceless
So when you come to prayer – Praise him for faithfulness
Praise him how he has carried and will carry you through
Praise him for how he has met and will meet your needs
Praise him for he is not done in your life and the world
Praise him for the plan he has for you
Praise him for the future restoration of his creation
It’s time to change the password
Praise before petition
Praise gives you access to his presence