OFFER PRAISES UNTO THE LORDSpeaker: Sis. Stella Dhinakaran Gist: Praise is the gateway to blessings! My dear beloved, we should bless the Lord at all times. We should bless Him with our praises. The Psalmist David blessed the Lord by praising Him seven times a day. The Bible says, “Whoever offers praise glorifies Me” (Psalm 50:23).
Noah built an altar when God saved him and his family from the flood waters and he offered sacrifices which pleased God exceedingly (Genesis 8:20,21). How grateful should we be to God who protects and keeps us safe from the evil that is all around us? Praise Him with songs of thanksgiving!
Abraham, Issac and Jacob also built altars and offered sacrifices whenever God appeared to them and gave them a promise (Genesis 12:8; 13:18; 22:14). We should praise and thank Father God more, for giving us the Holy Spirit who lives in us, for His Word, promises and blessings. The Bible says the Lord delights in the praises of His people. He says, “He will come down and bless us whenever we praise Him” (Exodus 20:24).
When Jesus Christ lived in this world, He humbled Himself and praised God in every circumstance. He thanked and praised the Father before performing miracles. Lazarus was dead and before Jesus could raise him up alive, He humbled Himself before the Father, praised and thanked Him saying, “Father I thank You that You have heard Me” (John 11:41). Then He performed the miracle. He praised and thanked the Father before feeding the five thousand with five loaves and two fish (John 6:11).
Once, a well known person and his daughter came home and visited us. It was dinner time and my wife had spread the table with food. It was usual for us to pray as a family before having dinner. My husband asked the guest to lead us in prayer, and with our eyes closed we were in a prayerful state, waiting for him to begin. There was silence. I thought to myself that he would not have heard what my husband had said. Opening my eyes, I was surprised, the daughter was giggling at her father. She said to me that her father had never prayed in his life! It is sad that people spend hours with others but hardly spend time with God.
Grumbling is a weapon of Satan and God is very much against it. When we grumble and do not praise Him for His goodness and the blessings, He will do to us according to our grumblings (Numbers 14:28).
Many of us fast and pray for the blessings of God in our lives. We make vows to God to receive the blessings. After receiving blessings and answers to our prayers, how much do we praise and thank Him? How much do we pray? The Bible says, “What shall I render to the Lord for all His benefits toward me? I will take up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord” (Psalm 116:12, 13). Let us not be like the nine lepers who received their healing but failed to thank and praise God for their healing. Jesus was pleased with that one leper who came back and thanked Him (Luke 17:12-18). Yes! The same Jesus is watching us from Heaven whether we are grateful to Him for His mercies and goodness in our lives. As you praise and thank God more and more, He will rain down blessings in your life.
I will extol You, my God, O King; And I will bless Your name forever and ever (Psalm 145:1).
There is no defeat to a person who praises. Recount the goodness of the Lord in your life and praise Him. Praise is the gateway to blessings. Yes! Blessings will abound in the life of a person who praises. The presence of God abounds more with a person who praises.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
We come to your presence with praises. Lord, give me the grace to recount all of the blessings and praise You. Lord, let my praises be acceptable in Your sight. Anoint me with anointing to praise and worship You. Give me songs of praise and worship. In Jesus’ name I pray.
Amen.
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