Praise The Lord

I know not why.

Let us sing

As we enter into a time of prayer know that Jesus loves you

Time Of prayer

Father God, you have given guidance in scripture on how we should behave. I desire to be a believer that is pleasing to you and to exhibit kindness and forgiveness at all times. I want to live a life always marked with kindness and compassion, not just when it is easy. Please examine my heart and show me areas marred with pride and hatefulness. We all have areas that need to be cleansed by Your holy touch. I pray for that cleansing presence in my life, one that will change me into a kind and compassionate child of God. I pray that I will have the heart of a good Samaritan. I pray that I will not tire in doing what is good. You have promised that You will provide good works for me to do as I live out my life. Please give me the eyes to see opportunities for random acts of kindness. I also pray for courage to administer Your kindness no matter how awkward or inconvenient the situation may be. I pray You make me Your good Samaritan in this dark world. Amen.

Please share with me in the Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven,

hallowed be thy name;

thy kingdom come;

thy will be done;

on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our trespasses,

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

And lead us not into temptation;

but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom,

the power and the glory,

for ever and ever. Amen.

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The Power Of Praise

When things aren’t going well for us, the last thing we feel like doing is praising God. And yet, praising God is the single, most powerful thing that we can do, to lay hold of His joy and peace in our lives – even amidst the worst of circumstances.

Thankfulness really is a heart attitude that lifts the burdens off our shoulders and fills us with the unspeakable joy that only comes from God. But there is something more that thankfulness does – it takes us to another, deeper level of gratitude. Thankfulness and gratitude are closely related, but they’re not quite the same thing.

Here’s how nineteenth century Swiss philosopher and poet Henri–Frederic Amiel put it: Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts of love and kindness.

I love that, because it’s true. When we go to God with thanksgiving, it changes our hearts to the point where we end up living in deep gratitude. And that gratitude, that new perspective, causes us to think differently, act differently, speak differently. It’s life-changing, to the point where we are filled to overflowing with the joy of the Lord.

We get to the point where we just can’t contain it anymore.

Methodist William Arthur Ward, back in the 20th century put it this way: feeling gratitude and not expressing it, is like wrapping a present and not giving it. When we have that gratitude and joy welling up in our hearts we need to do something with that. We need to express it and that’s where praising God comes in. There is nothing so uplifting and empowering as laying down our lives before God and praising Him. And yet, praising God isn’t the easiest thing to do, when things aren’t going well. That’s why we being with thankfulness, focussing on all the good things that God has done for us and continues to do for us. Thanksgiving fills us with joy and in rejoicing, the natural thing that we want to do is to praise God.

Well, that’s a great theory, but is it possible? Is it feasible? Is it real?? To answer them, let’s go to the best place of all, the Bible, God’s Word. Lets look at story of the Apostle Paul and his helper Silas, who were out there, proclaiming the Good News of the risen Jesus. Remember, they were doing good, and then, something bad, something really bad, happened to them. Lets look

One day, as we were going to the place of prayer, we met a slave-girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners a great deal of money by fortune-telling. While she followed Paul and us, she would cry out, “These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation.” She kept doing this for many days. But Paul, very much annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And it came out that very hour. But when her owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities. When they had brought them before the magistrates, they said, “These men are disturbing our city; they are Jews and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to adopt or observe.” The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates had them stripped of their clothing and ordered them to be beaten with rods. After they had given them a severe flogging, they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to keep them securely. Following these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. (Acts 16:16-24)

Well, things have never quite happened like that for me, but to be sure, I’ve experienced things similar, if not quite so drastic. There is nothing more disheartening than getting out there and serving and honouring God, and then, finding that you’re punished, hurt, disadvantaged as a result. The most common thing is to throw your hands up, look at God and ask Him – Well Lord, that worked well? What were you thinking? Where were you when I needed you?

But let’s take a look at how Paul and Silas responded:

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was an earthquake, so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were unfastened. When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, since he supposed that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted in a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” The jailer called for lights, and rushing in, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them outside and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” They answered, “Believe on the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. At the same hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized without delay. He brought them up into the house and set food before them; and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God. (Acts 16:25-34)

Paul and Silas, responded to their beating and imprisonment by, what? Grumbling, complaining, shaking their fists angrily at God? No! They responded by praising Him. By praying and singing hymns – so loud that everyone could hear them.

And then it happened. The power of God was unleashed in that place, prisoners were set free, the guard and all his family came to know Jesus. And, just quietly the other prisoners were impact by this amazing turn of events.

If only we understood the power, the incredible power of God that is unleashed in our lives when we choose to praise Him in our affliction. Let me say it again, if only we understood the power, the incredible power of God that is unleashed in our lives when we choose to praise Him in our affliction

That’s why the Bible commands us to rejoice in the Lord always – again I say rejoice. That’s why the Bible commands us – Ephesians 5:20:

TO GIVE THANKS ALWAYS AND FOR EVERYTHING TO GOD THE FATHER IN THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

That’s why the Bible commands us to:

Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! Let everything that breathers praise the Lord! (Psalm 150:1-6)

Because you and I, we are more than conquerors through Him who loves us. God isn’t interested in making us happy for a short time. God wants to fill us with His abiding joy, forever. Every moment of every day – especially when we’re in chains, especially when we’re being beaten, especially when we feel like a caged animal.

It’s in that place that your God wants you to experience His joy – for the Joy of the Lord is your strength. And it’s His strength that makes you not just a conqueror of your circumstances, but more than a conqueror.

And if that doesn’t make you want to shout HALLELUJAH! I don’t know what will.

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Jesus keep me near the cross

The LORD bless thee, and keep thee:

The LORD make his face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:

The LORD lift his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace