THIS SERIES ON “POWERFUL WORDS” EXAMINES SOME IMPORTANT WORDS USED IN THE BIBLE WHICH PEOPLE DON’T UNDERSTAND ANYMORE. EVEN MANY CHRISTIANS DON’T SEEM TO UNDERSTAND THEIR TRUE MEANING.
PRAISE
Psalms 150:6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.
PRAISE. WE KNOW WE ARE SUPPOSED TO DO IT, BUT WHAT IS IT THAT WE ARE SUPPOSED TO DO ? WE KNOW WHAT IT IS (OR SHOULD KNOW) TO PRAISE OUR CHILDREN WHEN THEY DO SOMETHING GOOD. WE PRAISE SOMEONE WHO SAYS SOMETHING CONSTRUCTIVE AND HELPFUL, OR WISE. BUT, WHEN WE PRAISE GOD, IT IS A HIGHER LEVEL, A SUPREME PRAISE.
EXAMPLES OF PRAISE IN THE BIBLE:
PRAISE CAN BE AN AFFIRMATION OF SOMETHING THAT GOD SAID.
1 Chronicles 16:36 Blessed be the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the LORD.
PRAISE CAN BE A STATEMENT OF THE LORD’S CHARACTER.
2 Chronicles 5:13 It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For He is good; for His mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;
PRAISED FOR HIS NAME, AND WHAT IT MEANS.
Psalms 113:3 From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD’S name is to be praised.
- PEOPLE DO NOT THINK UPON HIS NAME TODAY.
Malachi 3:16 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon His name.
PRAISED FOR HIS GREATNESS.
Psalms 145:3 Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable.
- PEOPLE DO NOT THINK UPON HIS GREATNESS VERY MUCH. ONE THING THAT KEPT DAVID CLOSE TO THE LORD WAS THE FACT THAT HE THOUGHT UPON THE GREATNESS OF GOD. FROM THAT, WE END UP REALIZING HOW UNIMPORTANT AND DEPENDANT WE ARE.
Psalm 8:3-6 “When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; What is man, that Thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that Thou visitest him? For Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet:”
- HAVE YOU CONSIDERED HOW GREAT THE THOUGHTS OF GOD ARE TO BE ABLE TO CREATE EVERYTHING THAT IS MADE ? AND HAVE IT WORK TOGETHER ?
Psalms 92:5 O LORD, how great are Thy works! and Thy thoughts are very deep.
Hebrews 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
That very fact leads the heavens and everything God made want to praise Him. (All in different ways, but praising, nevertheless).
Psalms 69:34 Let the heaven and earth praise Him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein.
PRAISE CAN SOMETIMES BE A JOINT EFFORT, WITH SOME HELPING OTHERS TO PRAISE.
2 Chronicles 7:6 And the priests waited on their offices: the Levites also with instruments of musick of the LORD, which David the king had made to praise the LORD, because His mercy endureth for ever, when David praised by their ministry; and the priests sounded trumpets before them, and all Israel stood.
2 Chronicles 30:21 And the children of Israel that were present at Jerusalem kept the feast of unleavened bread seven days with great gladness: and the Levites and the priests praised the LORD day by day, singing with loud instruments unto the LORD.
PRAISE CAN BE ANNOUNCING OR GIVING THANKS FOR SOMETHING GOD HAS ACCOMPLISHED.
Ezra 3:11 And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because He is good, for His mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.
Luke 19:37 And when He was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;
GOD’S ACTIONS THROUGH US ARE DESIGNED TO BRING ABOUT PRAISE TO GOD.
Philippians 1:11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
GOD’S POWER, SEEN IN YOU DURING TIMES OF TRIAL, ARE TO BRING PRAISE TO GOD.
- NOT COMPLAINTS OR GRUMBLINGS.
1 Peter 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
WE SHOULD PRAISE GOD WITH WHATEVER RESOURCES WE HAVE.
Luke 1:64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God.
WE ARE TO PRAISE HIM THROUGH EVERY WORD WE SPEAK.
- WE SHOULD SPEAK AS THE ORACLES OF GOD.
1 Peter 4:11 If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
WE ARE INSTRUCTED THAT WE SHOULD PRAISE GOD.
Psalms 150:1-5 Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in His sanctuary: praise Him in the firmament of His power. Praise Him for His mighty acts: praise Him according to his excellent greatness. Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet: praise Him with the psaltery and harp. Praise Him with the timbrel and dance: praise Him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise Him upon the loud cymbals: praise Him upon the high sounding cymbals.
YOU SHOULD PRAISE HIM TODAY BY GIVING BACK TO HIM WHAT THE DEVIL TOOK AWAY–YOUR LIFE !
TRUST HIM BY FAITH, REPENTING OF YOUR SINS !