CONTINUAL PRAISE

Why should we go reeling and staggering under the burdens and cares of life when we have such prospects before us?  If there is nothing but glory beyond, our faces ought to shine brightly all the time. - D.L. Moody

Psalm 33:1, Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright.

Our Saviour has provided a lot to keep us praising Him for the rest of our lives. I’m not going to take the time to name any reasons this morning. I want you to listen to this link: https://youtu.be/FIsaDvbPgXw

Then reflect and begin to praise Him for all He’s done!

FOREVER WORSHIP AND PRAISE

“Never doubt in the dark what God has revealed in the light.”- Paul Chappell

Psalm 66:1-2, Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: Sing forth the honour of his name: make his praise glorious.

           Child of God, when you are going through a dark time, remember to worship and praise the Lord! It won’t be long before your darkness becomes light to guide your steps, making a way for you when no one else could do it!

STILL COMPLAINING

Constant complaint is the poorest sort of pay for all the comforts we enjoy. –Franklin  

Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. 1 Corinthians 10:10

            After the Children of Israel had fled the grips of Pharaoh in Egypt they started complaining about everything. They got to the Red Sea and said, “Is not this the word that we did tell thee in Egypt, saying, Let us alone, that we may serve the Egyptians? For it had been better for us to serve the Egyptians, than that we should die in the wilderness.?” Despite all the complaining the Lord provided safe dry passage across the Red Sea.

            Did they stay faithful to Him and follow His Word? Fast forward to when Moses sent the 12 spies to check out the Land God had given them. Ten of them came back complaining, they said “Nevertheless the people be strong that dwell in the land, and the cities are walled, and very great: and moreover we saw the children of Anak there.” When we get our eyes off of the God of the circumstances and on the circumstances themselves that is when we moan and complain. Not thanking the Lord for what He has done and what He is doing in our lives.

            I was wondering this morning, if God was to write a summary of my life would it be like that of the Children of Israel? Would it be a lot of complaining and not enough praising? Would it be a life of disobedience or obedience?

            Are we still complaining about things God has brought us to? Instead of complaining, shouldn’t we praise Him a little more today and a whole lot more tomorrow?

QUIT YOUR WHINING!

One of the most essential preparations for eternity is delight in praising God- Chalmers

Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul. Psalm 146:1

            There are literally thousands of things we could whine and complain about. But God doesn’t invite us to whine or complain, He invites us to praise Him! Why? Because He is worthy of it! He deserves it! He desires it! He wants us to recognize who He is and what He has done for us.

            When is the last time you just praised the Lord for who He is and what He has done? Are you too busy whining and complaining about life’s circumstance? Quit your whining and get busy praising!

DO YOU HAVE AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE?

Constant complaint is the poorest sort of pay for all the comforts we enjoy. –Franklin

Even to day is my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning. Job 23:2

Comforts we enjoy; heated homes, indoor plumbing, vehicles, electricity, and instant grits are some of the comforts the Lord has blessed us with. Why is it when the car doesn’t crank, the toilet doesn’t flush or the power goes out, we whine and complain like these are rights of ours? I’ll tell yah why…WE ARE SPOILED! Most of the folks reading my post live in the United States and have been blessed to the hilt compared to 44% of the world living on less than $20 a day. Yes, $20 a day!

Let me remind you of this great truth this morning: Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful. Psalm 116:5 Not only has the Lord given us salvation, He has blessed us with every comfort of life we have as well! Do you thank Him for them? How about when the water is frozen? How about when we have to replace the well pump? How about when the battery is dead? Do you have an attitude of gratitude? Praise the Lord— even in the valleys of life!

I AM THANKFUL!

He who sincerely praises God will soon discover within his soul an inclination to praise goodness in his fellow man. --Oliver G. Wilson

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

There are so many things we could thank the Lord for on this Thanksgiving Day in America. For those of our friends not in the United States, this list applies to you as well. For the sake of time I will narrow it down to three:

We ought to be thankful for His Word. Psalm 119:14, I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.

We ought to be thankful for His Work. Psalm 145:10, All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee.

We ought to be thankful for His Will. Romans 12:2, And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

What will you give thanks for on this Thanksgiving Day 2018?

PRAISE THE LORD—FOREVER

Praise is the rehearsal of our eternal song.  -Spurgeon

 Praise ye the LORD. Praise the LORD, O my soul. While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being. Psalm 46:1-2

What a privilege we have to praise the Lord for all of His benefits. Oh, have you forgotten the benefits of the Lord? Let me name a few: the air we breathe, the sun that shines, the rain that falls, the roof above your head, the job He has given, your health, His faithfulness, His mercy, His grace, His missions, His salvation, His righteousness, His provision, His longsuffering, His work, His way, His servants, His selflessness,…. Oh, we could go on but you probably don’t have enough time. We have something to praise Him for everyday of the year!

LET'S GO TO CHURCH!

Going to church is more than being part of a social group, it’s a touch of Heaven on Earth.

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Matthew 18:20

I rejoice in Sundays because its the time we can join with fellow believers to worship our Lord and Saviour! It’s a time when we can praise Him for taking care of our most essential needs. It’s a time we can praise Him for who He is and what He’s done. It’s a time when we can invite others to hear the old story of Jesus and His love. It’s a time when the Word of God is given the preeminence, the Holy Spirit has free reign, saints can worship Him in spirit and truth, and sinners can hear the Gospel. So, GET UP, GET READY, and COME join us this morning as we worship our Saviour!

AM I PATTING MYSELF ON THE BACK?

For the wicked boasteth of his heart's desire, and blesseth the covetous, whom the LORD abhorreth. Psalm 10:3

Do you remember when you were growing up bragging about what you were going to be doing over the weekend? A lot of the time it went something like this; “I'm going to get a keg and go down to Mr. Jones’ farm, camp out, and get drunk.” “I'm going off with Mary Lou and get frisky with her.” “I'm going to the mall and steal some new shoes!” 9 times out of 10 what we were bragging about wasn’t anything good. As a matter of fact, it was wicked and God said He hates it!

Don't be like the wicked! Make sure you're not bragging on self and patting yourself on the back! Brag on Jesus! Brag on what He has done for you! Brag on what He is doing for you! Brag on what He has in store for you tomorrow!

WHAT A PRIVILEGE!

I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people. Psalm 35:18

The living Church, though never neat, keeps God's world from complete disaster. -Macleod

What a privilege it is to be a member of a Bible believing church. What a privilege to be able to worship our Saviour with fellow believers. What a privilege to sing the songs of Zion under one roof. What a joy it is to praise Him in church!

Will you GET UP, GET READY, and GO TO CHURCH TODAY? Don’t forget, it is a privilege we may not have one day!

EXALT THE LORD TODAY!

Praise is the rehearsal of our eternal song.  –Spurgeon

O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together. Psalm 34:3

With so much to thank the Lord for, there should never be a day that goes by that we do not sing His praise. Think about our Salvation! Think about the godly friends! Think about the blessings He gives day by day! Think about His love and His goodness! The list is endless when we stop long enough to think about who He is and what He has done!

TIME TO RISE AND SHINE AND GIVE GOD THE GLORY- AT CHURCH!

I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people. Psalm 35:18

Sure we can praise the Lord anywhere and at any time but there is one place where the Word of God commands us to come together and corporately praise Him—at church! Before you make that excuse, “I can worship anywhere I want to”, just remember the Lord commanded us to do it in church! So GET UP, GET READY, and GO TO CHURCH!

JUST CAN’T PRAISE HIM ENOUGH!

Praise is the rehearsal of our eternal song.  –Spurgeon

“…I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.” Luke 19:40

            If you’re saved this morning you have a lot to praise the Lord for! This is one of many ways I can give my testimony of praise… One day the Lord transcended space, pierced our galaxy, enter our solar system, counted over three plants from the sun, jumped on the jet stream, flew over the North American continent, landed in the Good Ole USA on the State of North Carolina, skidded across to Alamance County, through the town of Graham, and took a left onto Brier Lane on July 12, 1992, and saved my sin sick soul! What a Saviour is mine! Do you remember the day He saved you? 

WHAT ARE YOU USING YOUR MOUTH FOR?

The tongue blessing God without the heart is but a tinkling cymbal; the heart blessing God without the tongue is sweet but still music; both in concert make the harmony which fills and delights heaven and earth. --R. Venning

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. Hebrews 13:15

I like the verse that says, “Let the redeemed of the LORD say so”!  We have times of testimony in church and often I sit there listening how the Lord has worked in other people’s lives. Not because I don’t have anything to say but because I really enjoy hearing Brothers and Sisters in Christ praise our Saviour! It’s better than the greatest Choir singing with the Greatest Symphony backing it up!

WE’VE GOT TO PRAISE GOD MORE—OPENLY!

          Why should we go reeling and staggering under the burdens and cares of life when we have such prospects before us?  If there is nothing but glory beyond, our faces ought to shine brightly all the time. - D.L. Moody

By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. Hebrews 13:15

           This morning I just want to praise the Lord for what He did yesterday. You say, “What did He do?” He gave me another opportunity to worship Him here on Earth with fellow believers. He gave me an opportunity to preach His Word. He gave me an opportunity to sing songs of Zion. He gave me an opportunity to be a witness of His saving grace. He gave…so we ought to praise Him for it!

JUST A SIMPLE THANK YOU WILL DO!

When is the last time you gave a little praise to someone?

He who sincerely praises God will soon discover within his soul an inclination to praise goodness in his fellow man. --Oliver G. Wilson

And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. Luke 17:14-16

            Someone holds the door open for you, do you say thank you? Someone says, “Have a blessed day”, do you say thank you? God sends a special blessing your way, do you offer Him praise? What keeps us from taking a moment to say thank you? God isn’t too busy for us we shouldn’t be too busy for Him or the lost, hurting, and dying in this world!

GET UP, GET READY, and GO THANK YOUR SAVIOUR AT CHURCH!

Earth, with her thousand voices, praises God. –Coleridge

Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. Philippians 4:6

I am thankful I can thank my Saviour anywhere and at anytime! But what a blessed privilege you and I have to gather with fellow believers to sing, praise, and worship our Saviour! Don’t take it for granted! Don’t forsake it! Don’t make excuses! Don’t give place to the devil by not going! Just get up, get ready, and go!

MUSIC- THE GREAT MOTIVATOR OF MAN

Music is the universal language of mankind. –Longfellow

            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. Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD. Psalm 150:1-6

            Music has been used to motivate mankind since the days of Cain. It has been used in worship of our Lord and Saviour since the beginning of time. It can make you cry and laugh…at the same time! It can motivate one to power lift record breaking amounts. It can create a mood of fear, honor, and anger. Music is a strong tool and in the hand of the wicked will motivate people to sin.

            Child of God, it is important to protect your ears! Letting music in that motivates the flesh will create a division between you and our Saviour. If you attend a church service where the emphasis is on the music, whether it be contemporary, bluegrass, gospel, or any other, you need to flee! There is nothing wrong with music! However, when it takes the place of the preaching there has been a failure of the Biblical Method in which one gets saved. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. 1 Corinthians 1:18

PONDERING THE WORD OF GOD

One of the most essential preparations for eternity is delight in praising God; a higher acquirement, I do think than even delight and devotedness in prayer. –Chalmers

Psalm 100- A Psalm of praise

Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

The first time I came across Psalm 100, Sharon and I had taken a trip to Antigua to visit now retired Missionaries Benny and Judy Aldridge. The church that they started sang this Psalm in a little chorus and it has stuck with me ever since. Remembering the joy on their faces singing of our great Saviour brings a smile on my face and a joy in my heart!

Do you have a scripture in your heart that reminds you of a certain event in your life? Do you remember what was preached when you were saved? Maybe a scripture that brought you comfort when a loved one graduated to Heaven? The Word of God is rich and can make an awesome impact in your life forever!

FOR ATTENTION OR FOR ADORATION?

All of our motives will be exposed one day!

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. Romans 12:1

Why do you do what you do? Why do you go to church? Why do you pay your tithe? Why do you visit the sick? Why do you help the widows? Why do I write these posts? If you and I cannot answer that question, “Why do I do what I do?” without wondering for a moment…you may want to do a check up on your motives. Is it for attention or is it for adoration? Is it to praise the Lord or to praise yourself?