There are standards to be applied in coming before Father God.
Psalm 100:4 – Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
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We know God is good, and that He is good all the time. We know God is love and that He loves us with the greatest possible love. We know that God never changes, and that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. We know that Jesus is Lord over all, and that He has redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. We know that His redemption covers every arena of our life; our spirit man is born again, our soulish man is renewed, our physical man is healed, we are delivered from all temporal evil, and we are provisioned with every need being fully met. We know that Holy Spirit empowers us to walk at the level at which Jesus walked, and to do even greater works. We know that Holy Spirit is our Teacher, leading and guiding us into all truth. We know that God (in all three Persons) is faithful, never failing to uphold a single jot or tittle of His Word. Knowing all these things, how can we be anything less than thankful at all times, and how can we do anything less than praise His Name at every opportunity?
Now look at our Text for Today once more. There is a path to follow, steps to take, as we come before Father to be in that position in which He hears and answers our prayers, seated with Jesus on the right hand of Father, standing in His presence in the full righteousness of His unfailing work. Think of this. If you knock on someone’s door, and they open the door and invite you into their home or office, what is the first thing you typically do? You say, “Thank you.” It is common courtesy. Surely the Lord is worthy of our thanks for the great love He has shown us in making a way for us to come boldly before His throne.
And if, when you are invited into someone’s home, you find the setting in the home to be very lovely, soothing and attractive to your senses, will you not usually complimenting them on the home, décor, and appearance? Sure, you do. My friend, that compliment is a kind of praise. No, it is not wrong, but it is a natural kind of praise. How should the Christian behave upon entry into the presence of the Lord. Thanksgiving is in order for allowing entry, not to mention all the blessings He has already bestowed upon you. And praise is in order, for there is no holier place than in His presence, no more beautiful place than in His holiness, no more powerful place than in His faith, and no safer place than in His love. We should be living in a continual state of thanksgiving and praise.
Manna for Today – Psalm 100; Psalm 150; 1 Thessalonians 5:18; Hebrews 13:8-15; Galatians 3:13-29; John 14:12-14
My Second Miler by Dr. Beechard Moorefield 