125: Enter His gates with thanksgiving | Psalm 100:4

What if we went to church already praising God rather than spiritually drained and looking for the pastor to give us something to make it through another week? "Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise." That is a quote from today's One Verse out of Psalm 100:4. Psalm 100, in my opinion, is one of the greatest praise Psalms. It is short, only five verses, but is so uplifting and encourages us to shout God's praises. It is a feel-good passage, for sure! But it also a great reminder to praise God's name. It is worthy of our praise. How many times to we (spiritually) drag into church each week, look at the pastor, and basically say, "Please give me something to make it through another week." I understand. I've been there countless times. Sometimes life is on fast forward and we can't keep up. But can I be real for a second? Maybe a little tough love? How many times is that actually on us? I'm not saying we can never be tired. We are in the middle of a move right now, so I've been tired for two weeks straight! We all have those times. But in general, are we always showing up to church like that? Maybe that means we aren't connecting enough with God throughout the week. Are we starving ourselves throughout the week and then trying to score a quick spiritual meal on Sunday mornings? No wonder your spirit is tired. Just like in the real world, feeding yourself once a week is not very healthy. But how would it change our churches if we all dove into God's Word throughout the week, spent time with Him in prayer, and then Sunday morning became a celebration and time of reflection. A response to what God was already doing in our lives during the week. I think that would radically change the atmosphere of a lot of churches. Have you ever met someone like this? They're easy to spot. They are the happiest, most joyful person on Sunday morning. You know, the person who you think had 3 cups of coffee already, only they haven't. There is something different about them. It's infectious. It spreads to everyone they contact. But it's more than simply a good mood. It's the Holy Spirit. I can guarantee that they spent time with God throughout the week. I don't know about you, but that is how I want to be when I'm at church. I want to enter His gates with a song already in my heart and I want to be praising God, even silently, as I walk through the door! About One Verse One Verse is a short, free podcast devotional designed to help you grow closer to God through less than 5 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Consistency trumps intensity. When it comes to working out, eating healthy, or managing our finances, consistency always trumps intensity. We reach our major life goals through small, purposeful steps taken daily. The same is true in our spiritual lives. I truly believe you will grow closer to God by spending just 5 minutes a day with Him versus cramming in an hour once a month. The One Verse Devotional is here to help take away the barriers of spending time with God. Now, during your workout, drive to work, or even shopping for groceries, you can invest in your spiritual life. http://phosphorusproject.com