The Power of Praise

Praise is more than just a warm fuzzy feeling. Praise is acknowledging the truth of who God is and always will be. Sometimes, in the midst of living our daily lives we can forget that we are not the center of the universe and there is more to life than just what we see and feel in the here and now. Thanksgiving is linked to praise and frees to remember the goodness and greatness of the Lord God Almighty our Maker, Savior, intercessor, friend and Father. 

So, remember all the good things he has done for you and praise him for being your Maker.

Thank You, Lord, for Your Greatness

Great is the Lord in Zion;

   he is exalted over all the nations. 

Let them praise your great and awesome name—

he is holy.

Psalms 99:2-3 NIV

Lord, you truly are great. Be great in us today. Be exalted in our lives and in your church. May you be praised and your great an awesome name be lifted up today!

God, Reign in Us Today

Lord, the truth is you reign. Open our eyes to see you enthroned and exalted. Reign in our marriages, families, and jobs. Be glorified in us today. Grant us skill, wisdom and success. Reign in us.

Reality Check List

Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. In a loud voice they were saying: 

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain,

to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength

   and honor and glory and praise!”

Revelation 5:11-12 NIV

Looking from eternity we see the things as not just how they should be, but, as they truly are. Worship in one way is seeing God, by faith, as he really is and resting in that truth. We just need to make sure we are aligned with him in truth. So, I remind myself when reading these verses:

Give God the power over my life.

Remember that all that I have comes from him and is his.

The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom and if I need wisdom, ask.

Strength comes from him. Strength to believe. Strength to act in faith, to act righteously. 

When I do things I do them with his glory in mind and give it to him the glory in the end. 

Praise him for life, salvation and everything else. 

Above All

God is above all. 

He is the Rock of our salvation.

   the Great God

   the Great King.

Today as you fight the good fight, remember that what ever you are dealing with, whatever the obstacle or the enemy; God is above all gods. 

I Thank God Because...

Lord, we thank you, O Most High, for your love and your faithfulness. Thank you for my family, my job and an opportunity to serve you. Praise be to you in us today!

What are you thankful for today?

Thank God for His Favor

Thank you for your favor upon us! Open our eyes to see your favor upon our lives! Show us your favor and establish the work of our hands. Praise be to you in us today!

What Are You Thankful For?

My mouth is filled with your praise,

declaring your splendor all day long.

Psalms 71:8 NIV

I am thankful for a good day with my son. 

God Rescues: a Psalm and a Prayer

In you, Lord, I have taken refuge;
   let me never be put to shame.
In your righteousness, rescue me and deliver me;
   turn your ear to me and save me.
Be my rock of refuge,
   to which I can always go;
give the command to save me,
   for you are my rock and my fortress.
Deliver me, my God,  
   from the hand of the wicked,
   from the grasp of those who are evil and cruel.

Psalms 71:1-4 NIV

Lord, you are our refuge, we look to you in times of trouble. It is not by our righteousness that we seek victory, but by yours. Rescue us and deliver us from the evil that seeks to destroy us. Give us wisdom and discernment to deal with those who seek only to satisfy their desires. Praise be to you in us today!

Tested, Being Tested, Will Be TestedI

Praise our God, all peoples,

   let the sound of his praise be heard;

he has preserved our lives 

   and kept our feet from slipping.

For you, God, tested us;

   you refined us like silver.

You brought us into prison 

   and laid burdens on our backs.

You let people ride over our heads;

   we went through fire and water,

   but you brought us to a place of abundance.

Psalms 66:8-12 NIV

In a sense we go through three stages of our lives as followers of Christ. We are either being tested, have been tested or will be tested. No matter where we are in the testing process, God is faithful to be with us and bring us to a place of abundance. Remember, his testing is to refine us like silver so that we may be lights in the darkness of this world. So, whether you were just tested, you are being tested or you will be tested, God is with you and "he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ"(Philippians 1:6b).

Drop a Sacrifice of Praise in the Comment Section

I will sacrifice a freewill offering to you;
   I will praise your name, O LORD,
   for it is good.
Psalm 54:6

OK, here's the deal. I am not going to suggest you kill a dove, goat or a bull. Neither will I challenge you to set apart an hour of your day to read the word and pray. 

I will encourage you to take a moment and thank God for something in your life that he has done recently. Write it in your journal, text it to a friend, or put it on your calendar. Maybe post it in the comment section below. 

Thanks be to God because he is good!

What Trial Are You Thankful For?

Whoever sacrifices a thank offering honors Me, 
   and he prepares the way, 
so that I may show him the salvation of God.” 
Psalm 50:23

On this Christmas eve I invite you to take a moment and remember something you are thankful for. Maybe you are in a line. You might be taking a moment between errands. Whatever you might be doing, remember and be thankful. Be thankful for the really easy things to be thankful for and also for the hard lessons that you needed to learn. Each tough lesson is a highway for the Spirit of God to move in your life. 

Do You Need Some Joy?

Then will I go to the altar of God,
   to God, my joy and my delight.
I will praise you with the harp,
   O God, my God.
Psalm 43:4

Once again David doesn't allow himself to be stuck in his emotions. He is obviously feeling depressed. But he knows that his joy and his delight is going to be found in God. 

I don't think David is trying to make a deal with God. He's not saying that if God rescues him then he will praise him. David is asking God to bring him to the place where God dwells, believing that God will, and when he gets there he will praise God for bringing him there!

What battle are you in? Where do you need his light and truth to shine? 

Father, send us your light and truth to lead us and bring us to your holy mountain. We put our hope in you believing we will yet praise you for your deliverance. 

In Prison or Abundance God is God

Praise our God, all peoples,
   let the sound of his praise be heard;
he has preserved our lives
   and kept our feet from slipping.
For you, God, tested us;
   you refined us like silver.
You brought us into prison
   and laid burdens on our backs.
You let people ride over our heads;
   we went through fire and water,
   but you brought us to a place of abundance.
Psalms 66:8-12 (NIV)

Thank you, Father, that even though our trials have been harsh and difficult you have been faithful to bring us through. Help us to remember that even though our own sins sting us, you still are faithful to provide a way out to freedom in Christ. Praise be to you that in the end you will bring us to a place of abundance and work all things for our good. Praise be to you in us today!

WHICH SIDE OF PRAISE ARE YOU ON?

Which side of this Song of Praise are you on? 

Songs of Praise 

In that day you will say: 
      “I will praise you, Lord.
   Although you were angry with me,
your anger has turned away
   and you have comforted me.
Surely God is my salvation;
   I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense;
   he has become my salvation.”
With joy you will draw water 
   from the wells of salvation. 
In that day you will say: 
“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
   make known among the nations what he has done,
   and proclaim that his name is exalted.
Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things;
   let this be known to all the world.
Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion,
   for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”
Isaiah 12:1-6 (NIV)

I think I have found myself on both sides of these verses. There have been times where God has worked and I am filled with relief, joy and thankfulness. And there are times when I am looking for salvation, for "glorious things" to be done in my life. I think I am looking for some more glorious things to be done in my life, but, I look back to what he has done to give me hope and faith to seek him at this time.

What side of praise are you on today?

REMEMBER TO KEEP YOUR PRAISE IN SHAPE

Shout for joy to God, all the earth!
   Sing the glory of his name; 
   make his praise glorious. 
Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds!
   So great is your power 
   that your enemies cringe before you.
All the earth bows down to you;
   they sing praise to you,
   they sing the praises of your name.”
Psalms 66:1-4 (NIV)

My son and I went camping with his Boy Scout troop this past week end. It was a nice overnighter, my son's first backpacking adventure and my first and too long. I knew I was out of shape, but man alive, that just proved it. I am very sore today. 

I tried to stop and enjoy the view, but because I was out of shape I really didn't get to soak it in. I think that is a little like praise and thankfulness. If we don't make it a practice to take the time to be thankful and praise God for the things he provides like our daily bread, jobs, families and friends, we will miss out on much of what warrants our thankfulness and praise. 

So I encourage you to, spiritually speaking, keep your thankfulness and praise muscles in shape. 

Father, open our eyes to see all that you do for us each and every day. Praise be to you in us today!

PRAISE GOD FOR...

Extol the Lord, Jerusalem;

   praise your God, Zion. 

He strengthens the bars of your gates

  and blesses your people within you.

He grants peace to your borders

   and satisfies you with the finest of wheat.

Psalms 147:12-14 (NIV)

What can we be thankful for today? 

He strengthens us!

He just plain blesses us!

He blesses us with peace (with him and others)!

He satisfies us with all we need!

Father, thank you for all these blessings! Praise be to you in us today!

GOD'S ANSWERS ARE AWESOME AND RIGHTEOUS

You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds, God our Savior, the hope of all the ends of the earth and of the farthest seas, who formed the mountains by your power, having armed yourself with strength, who stilled the roaring of the seas, the roaring of their waves, and the turmoil of the nations. The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy.

Psalms 65:5-8 (NIV)

Two things this Psalm makes me think. One, how do I look for God to answer my prayers and two, do I sing songs of joy?

I don't believe I can coerce God into answering my prayers let alone answering them a specific way. But, I maybe I don't see what God is doing sometimes because I am not looking. For example, I always pray that God will bless my family and I often miss that we have never gone a day hungry without a place to live, and we are fairly healthy despite the fact we aren't heath nuts. God is good but I don't always "see" it. 

Sometimes being thankful for the "little" things helps me see the "big" things God is doing or wants to do. Or, it a least allows me to have the faith to wait on him. 

May you be thankful for all God does do and your eyes be opened to what he is doing.

Father, thank you for all you are doing in my life whether I see it or not. Praise be to you in us today! 

DO WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO

"Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him with oil in the name of the Lord." James 5:13-14

James is nothing if not to the point. Pray, praise and seek prayer. If things aren't going well seek God in prayer. If things are going well praise God in song. If you are ill ask the leaders to pray for you. 

What do you have to do? If you are like me, a husband and father of four, you may have a bit of everything going on in your life. James' message is in a way to encourage us not to overthink things too much.

If it's time to pray, pray. 

If it's time to praise, praise God.

If it's time to seek prayer, go ask for it.

Father, help us to do what we need to do. Thank you that you will hear our prayers. Thank your for all your grace and mercy to us. Thank you for providing our daily bread. Praise be to you in us today!

OCCUPIED?

"On my bed I remember you;
     I think of you through the watches of the night. 
 Because you are my help,
     I sing in the shadow of your wings. 
 I cling to you;
     your right hand upholds me."
Psalms 63:6-8 (NIV)

Our minds, our hearts, what we allow ourselves to think about is really what is our hearts desire. With David, it is very apparent what occupied his inner being. It's really who David's inner being was occupied by and that was God. 

David was a very human person. He had very human desires. He sinned like everyone else. Not everyone has committed adultery and murder like David, but we all have sinned. The thing about David that we all should learn from is that David turned to God. After victories, after defeats, in the desert as a shepherd and in the palace as a king, David sought God. 

This is the lesson of David we all should learn: seek God. Seek God where you are at and where you will be. Seek God in victory, defeat, loneliness and satisfaction. Seek God and praise him because he is your Help. 

Father, help us to seek you and praise you. Thank you for being our help and upholding us in the shadow of your wings. Praise be to you in us today!