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It’s a password world! No password, no access.
Contrary to popular belief, passwords are not the invention of our modern,
high-tech society. There are actually two password-protected places, which
God said long ago He would love for you to access.
Psalms 100:4:
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving…
The word "enter" is not a command, but rather a gracious invitation.
It is your heavenly Father’s smile and kind gesture for you to,
“Step right this way.”
God’s gates are not barriers that you must burst through by force.
His gates are an open doorway. They also include a space inside the
gates; a meeting place. His gates are the entrance into His presence.
He longs for you to become acquainted with this place of complete
acceptance.
I want to go! What is the password?
The password is THANKSGIVING!
Did you notice the “…ING” at the end of it?
This means that there is an ongoing element.
It is not a single-use password. This password never expires!
Every day you simply say with your heart,
“THANK YOU, Father,” and He enthusiastically
escorts you into His gates.
Once you have leisurely explored His gates,
He desires that you venture further.
Psalms 100:4:
Enter…into his courts with praise.
His courts are a more private enclosure, where the two of you
can uninterruptedly enjoy each other’s company. His courts are
where you will experience the closest union with Him.
The password that moves you from His gates into His courts
is PRAISE! I was surprised by how many formats praise can come in.
It can be a thrusting forth of the arms. It can be publicly or privately
making renown the qualities of God. It can be the plucking of the strings
of a musical instrument. Or it can be the vocal adoration of Him in song.
Praise can look and sound like anything from a one-man-praise-band to an
orchestra with full choir. It’s up to you.
Perhaps I should have started with, why would you even want to enter into His gates
and into His courts in the first place?
Psalm 100:5:
For the LORD is good (pleasant, agreeable, beautiful, bountiful, at ease, etc);
His mercy (lovingkindness, tenderness, favor) is everlasting (continuous, unending);
This is just one verse that describes the amazing attributes of God. The book of Psalms
is a great place to read all about Him. And while you are at it, let Him impress upon you
who He really is.
To you He is infinitely harmless and safe.
Enter into His gates, into His courts and stay as long as you like.
By Rosann (Holdren) Wiltse
When I woke up this morning, and remembered that it was my birthday, the first verse that came to mind was:
James 1:17:
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
I wondered what the significance was of calling a gift both “good” and “perfect.” I found out that a good gift is one that is “pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy, excellent, distinguished and honorable.” Along with that, a perfect gift is one that “lacks nothing that is necessary to having integrity, virtue and completeness.” (Doesn't it just feel good reading those words?!)
As I considered what this gift might be, my thoughts began migrating away from the gift and onto the Father. I concluded that in order to give gifts like this, at His core He must BE pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy, excellent, distinguished and honorable, having integrity and virtue, able to and wanting to satisfy us COMPLETELY with His gifts. Call me a "Daddy's Girl," but this is a Father I want to hang out with on my birthday and every day for that matter!
