Still Got a Reason to Praise

The final command in Psalm 100 is for us to bless the name of the LORD. To bless God means to kneel before Him and adore Him.

Still Got a Reason to Praise

"Make a joyful shout to the LORD, all you lands!
Serve the LORD with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.
Know that the LORD, He is God;
It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves;
We are His people and the sheep of His pasture.
Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him, and bless His name.
For the LORD is good;
His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations."

(Psalm 100:1-5)

Cory Asbury's song "Reason to Praise" is a good reminder that no matter what may be going on in our lives, we always have a reason to praise Him. Part of the song's lyrics read:

"You're the God of the breakthrough, When I'm breaking down. You'll be working a way through, When there's no way out. This one thing I know, You're still on Your throne. So whatever I'm feeling, I've still got a reason to praise."

I have enjoyed walking through the 100th Psalm with you this week. We have looked at four of the seven commands so far: 1. Make a joyful shout, 2. Serve the LORD, 3. Come into His presence, and 4. Know God. Today, we will wrap up our study by looking at the three remaining commands of Psalm 100.

5. Enter with thanksgiving and praise (vs. 4).

Yes, that is a commandment for us as God's people to enter, to come before Him, with thanksgiving and praise. We begin our worship services and prayer meetings at church with this command in mind. Before anything else, we start with praise. This is right and proper not only for corporate worship but also for you and your personal time with the Lord. Let me encourage you to begin each day by thanking God and praising Him. No matter how hard life is right now, as Asbury reminds us, you can still praise Him. It is in those hard moments when you offer to God a sacrifice of praise, your burdens become much lighter.

6. Be thankful to Him (vs. 4).

God literally commands His people to be thankful. It is His will that we thank Him in every circumstance of life. In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 we read, "In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." Some events in our lives are very difficult, but even in the middle of the pain and hardship, we still have reasons to praise God. We can thank Him that these trials will not last forever. Praise the Lord that in heaven there is no suffering! It is most therapeutic to have a heart of thankfulness. Being thankful is the key that releases us from revenge and bitterness.

7. Bless His name (vs. 4).

The final command in Psalm 100 is for us to bless the name of the LORD. To bless God means to kneel before Him and adore Him. Commenting on this command, Jim Denison writes, "The 'name' of God denotes His presence, personality, and very essence. This means to thank and praise God Himself."

He is the God of the breakthrough even when you break down! He loves you; He is for you; He will never leave or forsake you. Will you stop right now, praise the LORD, and tell Him how much you love Him and how grateful you are for the gift of life, both temporal and eternal?

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Podcast of the Week

Mission Trip to Asia, Pt. 1

Pastor Danny shares about his recent 13-day mission trip to 2 different Asian countries (which cannot be named for security reasons, since the emphasis of the trip was ministering to persecuted pastors). He expounds upon what he has shared in his daily devotions, offering additional details, information, and testimonies.

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