thanksgiving... the prelude to praise... and worship...

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,

and his courts with praise!

Give thanks to him; bless his name!

Psalm 100:4 ESV

Contemplating thoughts from Sunday's message... led me to a series of questions... surrounding reasons to worship Him...

The answers to the questions... did not stir my heart to worship... the reasons alone... stirred my flesh to criticism... not worship... making my spirit... most uncomfortable...

I found that the first step to worship... is to submit to the truth... that God is God...

Know that the Lord, he is God!

It is he who made us, and we are his,

we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Psalm 100:4 ESV

From this posture... the only appropriate response is... thanksgiving...

If He is God... then everything He does... allows... creates... and purposes... is perfect...

And all that's left to do... is thank Him...

With this realization... I began... giving thanks... for all... without regard to how I felt about it... or if it was good or bad... in my judgment...

For everything God created is good,

and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving,

for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.

1 Timothy 4:4-5

My faithful prayer of thanksgiving... 

transformed to prayers of praise...

humbled in His presence...

thankful for His purpose... care... and love...

for all He has brought into my life...

An unexpected experience...

a new understanding... of His Word...

Thanksgiving... the prelude... to praise... and worship...

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!

Serve the Lord with gladness!

Come into his presence with singing!

Know that the Lord, he is God!

Psalm 100:1-3 ESV

[Note: Click here... for more on my thoughts from Sunday... at Growing in Faith at FUMC...]