Bill wanted to clear out a few trees in his back yard, so he went next door to ask his neighbor if he could borrow his chain saw.
“Sure, you can,” Fred said. “Good luck.”
Saw in hand, Bill went back to his house to get to work.
Four hours later, a very tired and sweaty Bill went back over Fred's house.
“Sure, you can,” Fred said. “Good luck.”
Saw in hand, Bill went back to his house to get to work.
Four hours later, a very tired and sweaty Bill went back over Fred's house.
“I can't believe how long this is taking,” Bill said trying to catch his breath. “Something must be wrong with this.”
Fred took the chain saw from his weary friend. “Let's have a look.”
After a few pulls on the starter rope, the saw roared to life.
Surprised, Bill asked, “What's that noise?”
This Article Was Reprinted by the Pagosa Daily Post!
New and amazing experiences await all of us in our walk with God if we have ears to hear and hearts to perceive. As dramatic as that noise coming from the chainsaw was to Bill, so was the subject of praise to me some years ago.
My mother and I infrequently attended Catholic masses on Sunday when I was a little kid. Then when I was about twelve, we visited a Pentecostal church. Talk about culture shock! It was like going from a somber library to a home coming pep rally. The singing and loud praise to God was amazingly different.
Many years later, I heard Don Gossett preach about praising God and I purchased three of his books on the subject. Those books completely changed my understanding about praise. When I began to praise God more actively, my life changed.
Is vocally praising God something you do regularly or hardly at all? Have you ever been around others who praise and worship openly? I can understand how some might feel uncomfortable about openly praising God if they've never been taught from the scriptures about it. Everything new to us seems a bit strange at first, doesn't it?
Praising God isn't some “odd” topic. It should be front and center in our lives because the Bible is full of instruction, examples and even commands to us about praising God. To say it bluntly, if we're not comfortable praising God now, then we'll feel really out of place in heaven where praise is offered up eternally.
Psalms 113:3: From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD'S name is to be praised.
I think praise is a very misunderstood part of our spiritual lives. Some feel that quiet reverence is how we should approach God. They feel that those who openly praise and worship the Lord are a little “off.” But what does the Bible say?
Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. (Psalms 100:1-2)
O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. (Psalms 47:1)
There is a time and place for everything. Approaching the Lord should be with reverence and respect, but it should also be with obedience to how he wants to be approached. Praising, singing, shouting, and clapping our hands should be part of our walk with God. If it isn't, why isn't it?
There is an attention getting story about one of King David's wives. As we know, David was called a man after God's own heart. He was a praiser! And when the ark of the covenant was being returned to Jerusalem, David removed his kingly apparel and danced before the Lord with all of his might. Here's what happened:
And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.
Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!
And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD. And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.
Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.
(2 Samuel 6:16, 20-23)
Free Side Note: Be very careful in criticizing someone else in how they praise God. If you have despised others in their worship, and your life is barren, you might now know why.
Fred took the chain saw from his weary friend. “Let's have a look.”
After a few pulls on the starter rope, the saw roared to life.
Surprised, Bill asked, “What's that noise?”
This Article Was Reprinted by the Pagosa Daily Post!
New and amazing experiences await all of us in our walk with God if we have ears to hear and hearts to perceive. As dramatic as that noise coming from the chainsaw was to Bill, so was the subject of praise to me some years ago.
My mother and I infrequently attended Catholic masses on Sunday when I was a little kid. Then when I was about twelve, we visited a Pentecostal church. Talk about culture shock! It was like going from a somber library to a home coming pep rally. The singing and loud praise to God was amazingly different.
Many years later, I heard Don Gossett preach about praising God and I purchased three of his books on the subject. Those books completely changed my understanding about praise. When I began to praise God more actively, my life changed.
Is vocally praising God something you do regularly or hardly at all? Have you ever been around others who praise and worship openly? I can understand how some might feel uncomfortable about openly praising God if they've never been taught from the scriptures about it. Everything new to us seems a bit strange at first, doesn't it?
Praising God isn't some “odd” topic. It should be front and center in our lives because the Bible is full of instruction, examples and even commands to us about praising God. To say it bluntly, if we're not comfortable praising God now, then we'll feel really out of place in heaven where praise is offered up eternally.
Psalms 113:3: From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD'S name is to be praised.
I think praise is a very misunderstood part of our spiritual lives. Some feel that quiet reverence is how we should approach God. They feel that those who openly praise and worship the Lord are a little “off.” But what does the Bible say?
Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. (Psalms 100:1-2)
O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. (Psalms 47:1)
There is a time and place for everything. Approaching the Lord should be with reverence and respect, but it should also be with obedience to how he wants to be approached. Praising, singing, shouting, and clapping our hands should be part of our walk with God. If it isn't, why isn't it?
There is an attention getting story about one of King David's wives. As we know, David was called a man after God's own heart. He was a praiser! And when the ark of the covenant was being returned to Jerusalem, David removed his kingly apparel and danced before the Lord with all of his might. Here's what happened:
And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in her heart.
Then David returned to bless his household. And Michal the daughter of Saul came out to meet David, and said, How glorious was the king of Israel to day, who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the handmaids of his servants, as one of the vain fellows shamelessly uncovereth himself!
And David said unto Michal, It was before the LORD, which chose me before thy father, and before all his house, to appoint me ruler over the people of the LORD, over Israel: therefore will I play before the LORD. And I will yet be more vile than thus, and will be base in mine own sight: and of the maidservants which thou hast spoken of, of them shall I be had in honour.
Therefore Michal the daughter of Saul had no child unto the day of her death.
(2 Samuel 6:16, 20-23)
Free Side Note: Be very careful in criticizing someone else in how they praise God. If you have despised others in their worship, and your life is barren, you might now know why.
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Praising God isn't what we do for each other, it's what we do unto our Lord. But the benefits we receive are many, joy and peace for starters!
If praise isn't part of your day, may I encourage you to rethink it? Consider reading that book from Don Gossett. It might open your eyes and change your life like it did mine.
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)
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