Celebration and Praise
https://youtu.be/tQUTvMtUhw4 Anthem Lights –Doxology
Have you ever wondered what it means to praise the Lord? I mean, how exactly do you praise God and what do you say? What does it mean?
Praise Often Mentioned in the Bible
The word ‘praise’ occurs 207 times in the New American Standard Bible. It most often occurs in the book of Psalms than any other book of the Bible. The first time the word praise is used in the Bible is in Genesis 29:35.
“And she conceived again and bore a son and said, ‘This time I will praise the Lord.’ Therefore, she named him Judah. Then she stopped bearing.” Genesis 29:35, NASB
Praise to Honor and Glorify God
To praise God means to declare who He is and what He does. The act of praising God brings honor and glory to Him because of His divine deeds and character. As we praise Him, we acknowledge His attributes: He is holy, good, just, righteous, infinite, all-knowing, all-powerful and the list goes on and on.
Praise with Song and Speech
Singing and speaking of the greatness of God are the ways we praise Him. Praise songs are songs that honor God and the words glorify Him. As we sing of God and His goodness, we are praising Him. To worship and honor God, choose songs that speak of Him and the words that tell of His greatness. Songs that are worded about us and our feelings are not “praise songs”.
Praise With Scripture
Anytime scripture is read, God is honored and praised. The Bible is His word and speaks of Him. Anytime we pray with faith in our hearts, we are honoring and praising God. We are acknowledging that He is the only one that can answer our prayers. He alone can change our circumstances and events. He alone can heal and change people’s hearts.
Praise With Giving
In giving our tithes and offerings, we praise God. We express our thanksgiving to Him for His abundance in our lives. This is also an act of praise. The things we do that glorify God are acts of praise throughout our lives.
Some scriptures that speak of praising God:
“Because Your lovingkindness is better than life, my lips will praise You. Psalm 63:3, NASB.
“Let my lips utter praise, for You teach me Your statutes.” Psalm 119:171, NASB
“Through Him then, let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.” Hebrews 13:15, NASB
Praise Warning
One warning that God gives us regarding praise. Praise is to be from the heart and not be a mere outward show. 15:8, “This people honors Me with their lips, but their hearts heart is far away from Me.” We must be certain that our praise to God is genuine.
Praise Him Today
Today we celebrate Independence Day! What an opportunity to praise God for the freedom we have in this country. We can worship Him in private and in public. Praise Him today for the many blessings we have received even in the midst of loud fireworks!
Happy Independence Day
Paula Wallace
Other readings for July 2016
https://www.treadingwatertiljesuscomes.com/2016/06/30/celebration/
