The "Keys" of the Kingdom

GS, Silver Springs, NV

Dear Brothers & Sisters,

     In the book, "There's Dynamite in Praise" by Don Gossett, he said he had found a key Bible truth.
     In the same book, he puts a poem by Frances Metcalfe that says, "Praise is the Master Key."
     Praise is the act of glorifying God.
     We are told in Hebrews 13:15, "Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name."  In Isaiah 12:5, "Praise the LORD in song, for He has done excellent things; Let this be known throughout the earth."  

     Don Gossett says, that praise is the language of faith.  What caught my attention was the word "key".  It reminded me of the scripture in Matthew 16:15-19 "He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  (v16) "Simon Peter answered, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."  (v17) "And Jesus said to him, Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven." (v18) "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it."  (v19) "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven."

     In John 20:23 Jesus said, "If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained." This too is binding and loosing.

     In Isaiah 22:22-23 it says, "Then I will set the key of the house of David on his shoulder,When he opens no one will shut, When he shuts no one will open."  This too is binding and loosing. (v23) "I will drive him like a peg in a firm place, And he will become a throne of glory to his father's house."

     In Revelation 3:7, "...He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens,..."  This is also binding and loosening for Keys lock and unlock.

     Praise, worship and thanksgiving go together.

     Worship is an act of reverence by songs, prayers and other acts.  It is adoration to God to respect and honor Him.

     In Psalms 50:23, we are told that "He who offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving honors Me;..."

     Psalms 100:4 says, "Enter His gates with thanksgiving, And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name."

     David wrote a lot of Psalms and they are filled with praise, worship and thanksgiving.

     Repentance is also a "key".  David was quick to repent.  Acts 26:20 says, "...that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance."

     Forgiveness is a "key" that goes with binding and loosing.  Forgiveness not only sets others free, but it sets the one forgiving - free.  Matthew 6:14-15 Jesus said, "For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. (v15) "But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions."

     Obedience is a "Key".  In Acts 5:29, "But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men."  In  Hebrew 5:9 "And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation,"
We walk according to His commandments.

     Faith is a "Key".  Hebrews 11:1 - "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."  Hebrews 11:6 "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him."

     Again I quote Don Gossett - "The language of Faith is Praise"!

     1 Thessalonians 5:17 - "pray without ceasing;"

     Matthew 7:7-8 "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. (v8) "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened."

     Mark 11:24 - "Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you."

     James 5:16 -  "...and pray for one another..."

     In 1 John 5:20 - it says, "And we know that the Son of God has come, and has given us understanding so that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life."

He has given us understanding of His Word

and the judgements of God!