The Word of God is very clear. It says without faith, it’s impossible to please God.
What pleases God is His opinion. His opinion is His Word. Faith comes by hearing the Word of God.
People write in with incredible testimonies of how they’ve activated their faith. Some are not reasonable. There’s nothing reasonable about the fact that a man 2,000 years ago suffered, bled, and died on a cross.
I chose to believe that. It brought me to a place of being as righteous as God has called me to be. It’s just not reasonable. It’s only about faith that you can understand this.
I was reading Psalms 100:1-5, Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness. Come before Him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us, and we are His. We are His people, the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name. For the Lord is good. His love endures forever. His faithfulness continues through all generations.
This lays out an incredible pattern of activating your faith. Demonstrating faith is such a joyful experience, but we need a pattern.
We need to find out how to have an approach without reproach.
Let’s look at ‘make a joyful sound.’ I’ve heard people say, “Well, I can’t sing. I’ve got a terrible voice.” He didn’t say to sing a beautiful song. He says, “Make a joyful noise.”
Most of us can shout. Shout unto God with a voice of triumph. This is what pleases Him. God likes you to sing and shout.
Don’t show up with a long face. Serve the Lord with gladness when you come before him.
These are basic principles. When we approach the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, here’s a pattern. Come before His presence singing Hallelujah, Glory, Hallelujah. Praise God. Clap your hands. Shout unto God with a voice of presence. Woohoo! Shout!
There’s got to be some clout to that shout.
It can’t be ritualistic. Your heart has to be stirred. Serve the Lord with gladness. Come with singing. Know that the Lord is God. It is He who made us.
Let’s get this established right now. He says it’s God that made us, it’s not us that made him. It’s not about, “Well, I don’t like it. I don’t feel comfortable doing it.”
God says, “Listen, this is what I want you to do.” It’s not a request, it’s a command.
It is God who made us and not we ourselves. We are God’s people. We’re the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving. Don’t come before Him and say, “I’ve been hurt and wounded. Nobody knows the troubles I’ve seen. All around me are death, doom, and misery. Oh, woe is me.”
The Lord says, “Hey, hey, hey, put a smile on that face.”
When I was a little girl, about six, or seven years old, I wanted a puppy. I was serious about wanting a puppy. I was an only child. I said to my mother, “Why can’t we have a puppy?”
My sister, Mary Anne, I call her my sister. She was my friend, she lived across the street, and she had a puppy. She had everything. She had a bicycle. I didn’t have a bicycle. It was hard to like her because she had everything. She had long hair and she was cute.
I came home feeling sorry for myself. My mama said, “Honey, you get that face straightened out.” I said, “Well, I’m just sad.” She says, “You’re not allowed to be sad here.”
Mother was wise. She taught me and she said, “You put a smile on your face, girl. I’ll give you something to cry about.”
Did your mother ever tell you that? Straighten that face up. That comes from God. If you’re going to come before him, come with gladness in your heart.
I said, “Well, Mama, I don’t have a puppy and I don’t have a bicycle, and I don’t have… ” I felt so sorry for me. I couldn’t see anything good that I had.
She said, “Come here, let me show you something.” She took me into the backyard and said, “What do you see?” I said, “I see trees and birds.”
Mama said, “You see those birds, honey?” Those birds are going to be flying in the sky forever. That’s just like demons. They’re just flying around like the fowl of the air and you can’t keep them from flying around. Those bad thoughts, those sad thoughts, those mad thoughts, they’re all over the place, but you don’t have to ever let a bird build a nest in your head. You’ve got the power to get away from it. No, you change this and you put gladness on your face.”
She learned that from God. If you’ve been moaning and groaning and complaining and straining, take a deep breath and say, “Lord, I’m going to come before you worthy.”
Come into his courts with praise. Be thankful.
Praise God for who He is. Worship God for what He’s done. Be thankful to Him and bless His name.
The Lord is good. His mercy is everlasting. His truth endures to all generations.
Did you know that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life? Do you know the truth is the Word of God? Did you know Jesus is the Word of God?
Fill your hearts with the Word of God.
I’m coaching you into greatness. Activate the faith of God. You will see the incredible, wonderful benefits.