Thoughts on praise- 6

When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. (Deuteronomy 8:10)

This was an exhortation from God through Moses to the Israelites before they entered the promised land of Canaan. The Israelites had craved for food in the wilderness. They had murmured against God and Moses. God had given them manna and quails for food.
He had provided them with water miraculously time and again. Some of the Israelites did not follow the commands regarding the manna. They were obstinate and doubted the faithfulness of God. Yet he was merciful to them that he did not destroy them all, though some had to pay dearly for their trespasses.

Must we praise God for the food and water that he gives us? You bet, we must. There are millions who starve everyday because of poverty or famine or natural disasters, so when we eat food or drink water we must be thankful to our Provider and praise him for it.

There are many who suffer from many sicknesses and can't find satisfaction after they eat food. If you are able to eat food and find satisfaction from it, you must praise the Lord.

Praise: O Triune God, I praise you for the food and water that you give. I praise you for giving me satisfaction when I eat. I praise you for the promise of eternal life.

Stuck?

But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. (Hebrews 5:14)

Getting stuck at the top of a rollercoaster is one of the worst nightmares that rollercoaster enthusiasts might have. It happened for nine people at a Strathclyde theme park in Scotland on July 3rd 2011. Their afternoon ride turned into a long evening with nowhere to go as the Tsunami ride in the park suffered a mechanical failure. Their car stopped 60ft or around 18 metres up. Atleast they were not upside down when it happened otherwise it would have been tragic instead of traumatic. A difficult rope rescue by police and rescue teams, which saw the riders aged from nine to 49 saved one by one, was eventually completed at 12.45am in the morning.

Some believers also get stuck regarding their spiritual lives. The reasons may be diverse but the outcome similar. A stagnation. The writer of Hebrews mentions this regarding believers who do not mature spiritually.
In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk, being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil. (Hebrews 5:12-14)

Are you stuck in your spiritual life? Stagnating?

Here's a piece of advice from the writer of Hebrews,
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1, 2)

Thoughts on praise- 5

In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy, an offering of praise to the LORD. (Leviticus 19:24)

God gave the Israelites a specific rule regarding fruit trees that the Israelites would plant in the promised land of Canaan. He said,
When you enter the land and plant any kind of fruit tree, regard its fruit as forbidden. For three years you are to consider it forbidden ; it must not be eaten. In the fourth year all its fruit will be holy, an offering of praise to the Lord. But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit. In this way your harvest will be increased. I am the Lord your God. (Leviticus 19:23-25)

Notice that God spoke in specifics. The first three years they were not to eat the fruit. The fruit of the fourth year would be holy and was to be an offering of praise to the Lord. And they were given permission to eat the fruit from the fifth year onwards.

Why all this trouble? Only for God to bless and increase their harvest. An offering of praise was what God desired.

The writer of the book of Hebrews exhorts us in this manner:Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that confess his name. (Hebrews 13:15)

A continual offer of praise? Is that possible? Definitely!
Why not try it if you have still not tried it?

Praise: O Triune God, I praise you because I have access to you at all times. I praise you because you accept my praises.

Thoughts on praise- 4

He said, "Praise be to the Lord, who rescued you from the hand of the Egyptians and of Pharaoh, and who rescued the people from the hand of the Egyptians. (Exodus 18:10)

Moses told his father-in-law Jethro about everything the Lord had done to Pharaoh and the Egyptians for Israel's sake and about all the hardships they had met along the way and how the Lord had saved them. Jethro was delighted to hear about all the good things the Lord had done for Israel in rescuing them from the hand of the Egyptians.

Jethro praised God because God had rescued Moses and the Israelites from Pharoah and the Egyptians. He brought a burnt offering and other sacrifices to God. He acknowledged that omnipotence of God and said,
"Now I know that the Lord is greater than all other gods, for he did this to those who had treated Israel arrogantly." (Exodus 18:11)

We read in the book of Revelation of a proclamation by God. He says,
"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." (Revelation 1:8)

The four living creatures around the throne of God in heaven praise and glorify God day and night. They never stop saying: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come." (Revelation 4:8)

Do you acknowledge that your God is Almighty and that he has no equal?

Praise: O Triune God, I praise you because you are Almighty and you rescue me from the power of evil.

Let it all be done in love!

No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God's approval. (1 Corinthians 11:19)

Wintertime mood disorder or Seasonal Affective Disorder as it is called, affects people in some countries. Those affected sleep more, gain weight and crave high carbohydrate foods, and tend to slow down and socially hibernate from late fall to early spring. But some get Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) in the summer. As hot weather approaches, those with summer SAD sleep less, eat less, and lose weight. They're extremely irritable and get angry.

People differ so much and in so many ways. Even believers in Jesus Christ are so different in their outlook towards life in general and even in their spiritual life. The Apostle Paul writing to the Church in Corinth mentions this specifically as we read in the title verse.
Believers there, were in a contest as of who would have the approval of God. So eventually there were divisions. He adviced them to be of one mind. So also while writing to the church in Philippi, he says,
If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. (Philippians 2:1-3)

We must remember as believers in Jesus Christ that there will be differences in the ways that we worship and serve him. But we should not look down on those who do not match up to our spiritual standards or are different in their approach towards their spiritual lives. Even if we think that anyone needs correction, let it all be done in love.

Thoughts on praise- 3

The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him. (Exodus 15:2)

There was singing and dancing in the Israelite camp. God had destroyed Pharaoh and his army. God had split the Red Sea for his people so that they could walk across. Moses praised God for the great miracles he had done for his people. The song came naturally to him and the Israelites because they had experienced the mighty deeds of the Lord first-hand .

Moses proclaimed, "Who among the gods is like you, O LORD? Who is like you - majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? (Exodus 15:11)

Moses declared, "In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling. (Exodus 15:13)

Mighty are the deeds of God in our lives too. He deserves our praise day in and day out. He destroys the evil forces which try to create havoc in our lives. He opens up unknown ways for our deliverance. He puts a song in our mouth. He is glorious.

Praise: O Triune God, I praise you because you defeat the evil forces that rise up against me time and again. I praise you because you open up ways unknown to me for my deliverance.

Thoughts on praise- 2

She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "This time I will praise the LORD." So she named him Judah. Then she stopped having children. (Genesis 29:35)

Jacob had 2 wives, Leah and Rachel. He loved Rachel more than Leah. When the Lord saw that Leah was not loved, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren. Leah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Reuben, for she said, "It is because the Lord has seen my misery. Surely my husband will love me now." She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "Because the Lord heard that I am not loved, he gave me this one too." So she named him Simeon. Again she conceived, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "Now at last my husband will become attached to me, because I have borne him three sons." So he was named Levi.

Leah had great expectations from Jacob that he would love her because she had borne him not one, but three sons. Sadly, that was not the case.

She conceived again, and when she gave birth to a son she said, "This time I will praise the Lord." So she named him Judah........(Genesis 29:35)

Leah finally realized there was one who would love her at all times and that she should lean on him continually to have true happiness. When she gave birth to her fourth son, she took a decision to praise the Lord instead of desiring her husband's affection. She named her son Judah which means Praise.

God cares for us even though sometimes people around us may not care. We must praise him for that.

Praise: O Triune God, I praise you because you love me and care for me at all times.