MORE If You Want More, Praise the Lord

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If You Want More, Praise the Lord

                       

One of the most common commands in the Bible is “Praise God”

Approximately 250 times we read commands

And declarative statements regarding praising the Lord

Our delight-filled praise not only glorifies God and gives Him pleasure

But also lovingly points others to the same glory we’re seeing and the same delight we’re feeling — because we always praise (to others) what delights us

God is commanding us to love Him, love others, and be happy

So if you want more in your life

Praise the Lord and you will have all the reason in the world to be happy

More praise = More happiness

More complaining =?????

If You Want More, Praise the Lord

One of the most common commands in the Bible is “Praise God”.

Approximately 250 times we read commands

and declarative statements regarding praising the Lord.

To understand what this command is

we need to think about how praise is carried out.

Many of us think that merely saying or singing

“Praise the Lord” or “Hallelujah” is praising God.

So maybe it might help if we think of it in terms

of everyday life with the people around us.

Image saying to your mom or dad…

 Praise Mom or Praise Dad

They would think you were acting strange

and might suggest you seek mental health services.

When we praise others we express

to that person what we appreciate.

We might say…

 “Mom you have shown me such great love.” or

“Dad I appreciate the help and wisdom you have given me.”

We might give a person praise by telling others

of the wonderful things that person has done.

We find this regularly in the Scriptures.

The following are a few examples…

"Praise the Lord. . . For His merciful kindness is great toward us,

and the truth of the Lord endures forever"

Psalm 117:1-2

"Praise Him for His mighty acts;

Praise Him according to His excellent greatness"

Psalm 150:2

"I will praise Your name, for You have done wonderful things. . ."

Isaiah 25:1

"Praise the Lord! For He has delivered the life of

the poor from the hand of evildoers"

Jeremiah 20:13

"And all the people, when they saw it

[the healing of a blind man],

gave praise to God"

Luke 18:43

Praising God is not a feeling.

Praising God is a conscious activity.

We praise Him by thoughtfully extolling

His goodness, His greatness, His majesty,

His love, His grace, His mighty deeds on our behalf, etc.

The mere saying or singing of the words

"Praise the Lord" or "Hallelujah" is not praise.

Praise is conscious admiration and thanks

for who God is and what He does.

The next time someone says, "Praise the Lord,"

try saying something back to them like,

"God is good," and see what they say.

After all, they commanded you to praise Him.

The least you could do would be to comply!

God’s command to praise Him is to draw our

attention to who He is and what He has done.

Our focus on those things brings joy

to our hearts and hope to our lives.

This result is more abundant living.

Our delight-filled praise not only glorifies

God and gives Him pleasure…

But also lovingly points others to the same glory

we’re seeing and the same delight we’re feeling —

because we always praise (to others) what delights us.

God is commanding us to love Him,

love others, and be happy.

So if you want more in your life…

 Praise the Lord and you will have all

the reason in the world to be happy.

More praise = More happiness

More complaining =?????

Scripture Reading

Psalm 103:2-5 NIV

2 Praise the LORD , O my soul,

and forget not all his benefits — 

3 who forgives all your sins

and heals all your diseases,

4 who redeems your life from the pit

and crowns you with love and compassion,

5 who satisfies your desires with good things

so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Psalm 16:7-11 NIV

7 I will praise the LORD , who counsels me;

even at night my heart instructs me.

8 I have set the LORD always before me.

Because he is at my right hand,

I will not be shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;

my body also will rest secure,

10 because you will not abandon me to the grave,

nor will you let your Holy One see decay.

11 You have made known to me the path of life;

you will fill me with joy in your presence,

with eternal pleasures at your right hand.

Psalm 150 NIV

Praise the LORD.

Praise God in his sanctuary;

praise him in his mighty heavens.

2 Praise him for his acts of power;

praise him for his surpassing greatness.

3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,

praise him with the harp and lyre,

4 praise him with tambourine and dancing,

praise him with the strings and flute,

5 praise him with the clash of cymbals,

praise him with resounding cymbals.

6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.

Praise the LORD.