Psalm 150:1-6 "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord."
Perhaps no book exemplifies the spirit of praise and worship more than the Book of Psalms. It has more verses of praise than any other book in the Bible. Obviously, God desires the prises of His people and me for one am glad this book was written to inspire us to praise God.
Our heavenly Father tells us to give Him thanks in everything (1Thess.5:18)-even when things press against our souls. We may not understand what is happening; we may never understand it. But God's will in each circumstance is that we praise and thank Him.
But Why?
It's because praise is the clearest and most direct means you and I can declare our dependence on God. We can trust in Him in the darkest hour. We confess our allegiance and devotion to Jesus Christ, who was crucified for us and whom we are eternally joined.
Here are some specific benefits that derive from praising the Lord:
Praise magnifies God. Praise puts our focus on God, not on our problems. God's power, presence, and ability transform our thinking.
Praise humbles us. When we worship God, we gain a right view of ourselves. Praise deflates excess pride and ego. WE gain a healthy self-image based on God's view of us. By removing pride, praise strengthens us against temptation.
Praise reveals our devotion to God. If I love Christ, I will praise Him. If He has first place in my life, I will honor Him with worship and thanksgiving.
Praise motivates us to holy living. Praise opens our hearts to want to live the way God desires-holy and separated unto Him, to do His will above our own, to want to be like Him more than like anyone else. The more we worship Him, the more like Him we will become.
Praise increases our joy. Joy is the constant companion of praise. If we feel depressed or discouraged, praising God will soon bring us joy.
Praise establishes our faith. The greater we see our God; the smaller we see our problem.
Praise elevates our emotions. Worry, fear, and doubt cannot survive for long in an atmosphere of praise.
If you want to see a difference in your relationship with Christ and in your walk with Him, start to praise Him today. Continue even when you feel prone to give up. Commit yourself to a life of praise and fellowship with Jesus-and experience the fullness of what God means by "joy."
God Bless.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Thursday, February 4, 2010
REPENT, CONFESS AND BE BAPTIZED
Thirty years after Jesus’ birth the appearance of John the Baptist comes into the region of Judea [Matthew 3]. He resembled the prophet Elijah in the way he dressed, that is clothes of camel’s hair and a leather belt [2 Kings 1:8; Zech. 13:4]. And he ate locusts and wild honey. [Leviticus 11:21] Like Elijah he was a rough outdoorsman with a forthright message. The heart of his message to those in Jerusalem and Judea was repentance and confession of their sins. The significant action that identified John’s message was Baptism. The Jews were familiar with the rite of baptism, but this was different for them. It signified the repentance, confession of sin and a commitment to a holy life in anticipation of the coming Messiah [Jesus Christ].
However, not all believed. The Pharisees and Sadducees, who came to see what he was doing, rejected his message. They believed that they, as physical sons of Abraham, were automatically qualified for Messiah’s kingdom. John repudiated the Pharisaic Judaism and called them to repentance and to renew their Covenant with God again, this time through repentance and the act of commitment through baptism.
In Genesis 15 God renewed his vows to Abraham and then in Chapter 17 he seals His covenant in Abraham’s flesh through circumcision. Now in the New Testament God is using his “Ambassador,” John the Baptist to introduce a new covenant with Jews and the sign of this commitment is baptism.
Today, the Scriptures say to all who sin: “ If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) The repentance and confession of our sins becomes our commitment with God and it is sealed with baptism. It is the outward sign of commitment, but to be effective an inward change of attitude leading to a changed life must occur and that can only be accomplished by the work of the Holy Spirit. My friend, if you haven’t repented and confessed your sins to Christ Jesus – it is time while the door is opened. “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”(1 Corinthians 6:1) Your next step after repentance and confession is your sign of commitment to change your behavior and you can do this through baptism. This is written in God’s word!
God Bless.
Thirty years after Jesus’ birth the appearance of John the Baptist comes into the region of Judea [Matthew 3]. He resembled the prophet Elijah in the way he dressed, that is clothes of camel’s hair and a leather belt [2 Kings 1:8; Zech. 13:4]. And he ate locusts and wild honey. [Leviticus 11:21] Like Elijah he was a rough outdoorsman with a forthright message. The heart of his message to those in Jerusalem and Judea was repentance and confession of their sins. The significant action that identified John’s message was Baptism. The Jews were familiar with the rite of baptism, but this was different for them. It signified the repentance, confession of sin and a commitment to a holy life in anticipation of the coming Messiah [Jesus Christ].
However, not all believed. The Pharisees and Sadducees, who came to see what he was doing, rejected his message. They believed that they, as physical sons of Abraham, were automatically qualified for Messiah’s kingdom. John repudiated the Pharisaic Judaism and called them to repentance and to renew their Covenant with God again, this time through repentance and the act of commitment through baptism.
In Genesis 15 God renewed his vows to Abraham and then in Chapter 17 he seals His covenant in Abraham’s flesh through circumcision. Now in the New Testament God is using his “Ambassador,” John the Baptist to introduce a new covenant with Jews and the sign of this commitment is baptism.
Today, the Scriptures say to all who sin: “ If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) The repentance and confession of our sins becomes our commitment with God and it is sealed with baptism. It is the outward sign of commitment, but to be effective an inward change of attitude leading to a changed life must occur and that can only be accomplished by the work of the Holy Spirit. My friend, if you haven’t repented and confessed your sins to Christ Jesus – it is time while the door is opened. “I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”(1 Corinthians 6:1) Your next step after repentance and confession is your sign of commitment to change your behavior and you can do this through baptism. This is written in God’s word!
God Bless.
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