Praise God

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow,
Praise him, all creatures here below.
Praise him above, ye heavenly host, 
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen

These beautiful words of praise were written by Thomas Ken in 1674 and is commonly used in worship.  I remember standing next to my mother in church as a child singing these words, but not really considering what they mean. It was just another part of the service, but as an adult I have come to  appreciate this verse as more than mere words, but sweet refrains of worship and praise for our Father.   

Psalm 9:1 

I will praise you, O’ Lord, with my whole heart; I will tell of all of your marvelous works.

Psalm 79:13

So we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture, will give You thanks forever; we will show forth Your praise to all generations.  

The Psalms written by King David are filled with prayers and songs of praise.  The Psalms are uplifting and inspirational.    

Many times however, when I am communing with God, I find that I am usually asking him for something, sometimes thanking him for something, but rarely praising him. In reality, praising God should always be the first thing on my list and not the last. To praise God is to honor and glorify him through our behaviors as well as with our words.

This started me thinking about what are some ways I can demonstrate my praise for God each day.  Here is what I came up with and will focus on going forward: 

• Acknowledge him to all for His beautiful creations and blessed works in each of us.
• Worship him through song, prayer, study and communion with others.
• Start each day with a grateful heart, giving thanks for the glorious dawn.
• Honor him by living each day according to his commandments.
• Walk through each day with hope, faith and joy.    
• Be happy, humble, forthright and gracious to all.
• Talk, but also do the walk. 

How do you praise God? 

I love this YouTube video of the common doxology of praise.  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6SHl_BmTqfk

Enjoy!  May God Bless You and give you peace. 

Praise be to God!

I Will, God

To know God’s will, say, “I will” to God.  Author Unknown

It seems that for some people understanding and committing to God’s will comes easily, clearly and early in life. For others, the struggle for understanding is a lifelong pursuit. We become lost in the world and search blindly for a complicated grand plan. But if we stop and quietly pray and listen with our hearts and open our minds without judgment to the possibilities we may learn that the plan is right in front of us. 

Making a commitment to say, “I will” to God and living life as a Christian is where it begins and ends. Paul wrote some very clear guidelines on what “good” looks like when it comes to being Christian.

Romans: 12: 9-18 (NKJV)

9 Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 
10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord;
12 rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing steadfastly in prayer; 13 distributing to the needs of the saints, given to hospitality. 
14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. 
16 Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion. 
17 Repay no one evil for evil.  Have regard for good things in the sight of all men. 18 If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men. 

Living and behaving as a Christian is the beginning of honoring God and it will lead to doing God’s work and to understanding His will.  Living God’s will is as unique and special as we are as individuals. It requires perseverance, trust and faith in what we don’t know, understand or cannot see.

It requires a belief that God has a specific plan and is ready and excited to direct our path accordingly, if only we ask.

Behaving as a Christian is a great place to start as we take a step one day at a time to find clarity. It starts with three little words:

“I will, God”!    

Romans 12:2 (NKJV)

2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. 

1 Thessalonians 5:16-19

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.  Do not quench the spirit.

But I came to learn that God never shows us something we aren’t ready to understand. Instead, He lets us see what we need to see, when we need to see it. He’ll wait until our eyes and hearts are open to Him, and then when we’re ready, He will plant our feet on the path that’s best for us…but it’s up to us to do the walking.”  Immaculee Ilibagiza, Left to Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust.   

Uncertainties of Life

Ecclesiastes 11: 5-7 

5 Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mothers womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things. 

6 Plant your seed in the morning and keep busy all afternoon, for you don’t know if profit will come from one activity or another - or maybe both

7 Light is sweet; how pleasant to see a new day dawning. 

Most of us have well laid plans for each day. We wake at a regular time and go about our responsibilities at work or at home caring for loved ones. We check off our lists as tasks are complete with a feeling of accomplishment and comfort. We are conditioned to routine, discipline and responsibilities and most find comfort in knowing and having set plans. 

We also know that there is a whole spectrum of things that can and will happen during the day that are unexpected and can throw the day, week or even our life direction into a flurry of change and uncertainty. A sudden serious illness, an accident, a divorce, a loss of a loved one or a job are life changing and force us into a position of uncertainty. 

There are some people though who make the choice to make significant life changes and are challenged by the uncertainty.  Accepting a job that requires a move to a different city or even more daring moving to another city without a job. Or if you are like me, quitting a miserable job without having another job lined up.  

I like having security and a plan so before making the change, I prayed about it and felt in my heart without any doubt that it was the right decision. Even though I am confident in my decision, I admit that dealing with the reality of uncertainty at times is frightful as I am filled with second thoughts and worry. But other times the uncertainty feels exciting and adventurous. I ask God each day to direct my path and I am confident that he will put me where he wants me to do his work according to his plans for me.     

Deuteronomy 31:6 (NKJV)
Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord you God, He is the One who goes with you.  He will not leave you nor forsake you”

Trusting in God’s plan takes courage, hope and believing beyond all doubt that God walks with us continually.  There is not one-second during the day that he leaves us alone.  As with everything in life, it is courage, faith, hope, love and trust in God that will bring us through to a better place and a stronger faith. 

Today I am filled with peace, hope and excitement as I look forward to what God has in store for me.  I give thanks to God for all I have and pray for his blessings for each of you.

Romans15:13 (NKJV)

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  

All who call on God in true faith, earnestly from the heart, will certainly be heard, and will receive what they have asked and desired. Martin Luther