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PRAISE
Bro. Michael Jacob
Praise is the
greatest work God's children can ever do. Remember God's name is exalted through praise.
There is nothing a Christian can offer to God which surpasses praise.
The word of God states, the sacrifice of the wicked and the
prayer of lawbreakers shall be an abomination (Prov 21:27, 28:9). Never does the word
states praise is abominable. Now let us turn our meditation to the praise book of the
Bible, Psalms. Here David says he prays 3 times a day but praises 7 times a day (Psa
55:17, Psa 119:164). Praise is also added to priestly functions. All matters related to
worship, the tabernacle, the sacrifice, the priesthood are given in detail in the book of
Exodus. The pattern shown to Moses is not subjected to any addition or subtraction. Yet
years later, David and Solomon seemed to make changes in the priesthood. They appointed a
great number of people to the work of praise unto God. This change was accepted by God.
PSALMS OF PRAISE
The book of Psalms is full of praise. The word shows the song
composed by Moses after crossing the Red Sea in Exodus 15. This is also another song of
praise. "Who is like unto thee, O Lord, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises
(Exodus 15:11). Dear believers in Christ, for genuine Christians, praise is loudest and to
the maximum when they are in distress.
NATURE OF PRAISE
Praise in its nature is
sacrifice. The Bible gives a beautiful description of praise in Hebrews 13:15. "Let
us offer sacrifice of praise to God". What is sacrifice? Sacrifice involves death and
loss. Similarly God wants men today to offer praises as if offering a sacrifice. In other
words, He enables you to offer praises to Him by wounding you, grinding you and cutting
you deeply. God's throne is established in praise. Growing believers in Christ must learn
to praise. After you have learnt to do so there will come a day when you cannot, still you
have to continue praising God. Remember, the throne of God never changes. His name and His
glory change not. Then your praise turn a sacrifice.
THE WAY TO VICTORY
When we praise satan must flee. Praise is something more
efficient and necessary than prayer. Prayer is a battle but praise is victory. Praise is
the spiritual warfare, praise is the shout of triumph. When Paul and Silas 'prayed',
Notice the break of the verse here in Acts 16:25,26. When they sang praises, the results
were great and viewable. Prayer may not always open but praise does. Prayer resides in the
environment but praise over the environment. Prayer is bound by the thing but if we are
brought by God beyond the prison and stocks, we should praise the name of God.
Dear believers in Christ, if you cannot pray, why not praise?
Pray when you are able, praise always and when you cannot pray. The Lord has set a good
example of praise in wartime in II Chr 20:20-22. When the people began to praise God, the
Lord smote their enemies. See beloved people in Christ, here it is clear that victory is
not due to fighting but praise.
Our faith in the Lord is feeble if we pray much but it is
strengthened if we praise much. So we don't have to fight even with our worldly enemies
but just praise God. Psalms 106:12 says, the Israelites believed and sang praise after the
sea swallowed up the Egyptians. We Christians should not be of the same heart. We should
praise the Lord not after our foes flee away but before. Praise is the perfect knowledge
of a Christian on the Lord.(Psa 50:23) "Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me".
PRAISE BE UNTO THE NAME OF GOD
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