Derek Prince - Gates of Praise
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. - Psalms 100:4-5, NIV
How important it is for each of us to know the way into God’s presence. How do we enter in His gates? How do we come into His courts? There’s only one accepted way: We enter His gates with thanksgiving; we enter His courts with praise. It’s as we come to God with thanksgiving and with praise that we have access.
In the prophet Isaiah we told that salvation is like a city with walls and gates, and that every one of the gates is named Praise. In other words, there is no way into the presence of God, the place of salvation, except through the gate of praise. There’s no other way that we can have access to God.
It’s so important that we realize this. Sometimes we are tempted to say, But what do I have to thank God for, what do I have to praise Him for? The psalmist gives us three reasons. The Lord is good. His love endures forever. His faithfulness continues through all generations.
There are three reasons why we should always praise and thank God. And notice that none of those reasons ever changes with our situation or our circumstance. No matter what the circumstance, those three reasons for praising and thanking God always hold good.