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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

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