Showcase: Assorted Treats

  • Paradigm Questions +

    Paradigm Questions To which of the following commands of Christ’s do you only pay only lip service? Love your enemies Read More
  • July 27 Devotional: FB Meyer +

    He suffered thee to hunger. Deuteronomy 8:3 Read More
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SylviaPraise is adoration of God for who He is, His person, His character, His names. It is loving God because He is God. The Bible gives more exhortations to praise than to pray, because God is altogether lovely, holy, and completely worthy of our worship.

Reasons to praise
Praise is the atmosphere of the throne room of heaven. Rev 4
Praise is where God lives. Ps 22:3
Praise provides access into His presence. Ps 100
We are created for praise. Eph 1:12, Isa 43:21
We are saved to praise. Ps 106:47
God delights in it. Ps 149:1, 4
God inspires it. Ps 40:3
God is due it. Ps 29
God commands it in the Scriptures. Ps 34:1, 3
Jesus modeled it by example. Matt 6:9
Praise is the God-given garment in exchange for spirit of heaviness. Isa 61:3
Praise stirs up faith. Rom 4:20-21

You are probably facing a battle today. Praise is a strategic weapon that comes before spiritual victory or deliverance. God releases power against the enemy when His people praise. Praise has been winning wars throughout the ages. Look at these biblical examples.

Joshua 5:14-15, 6:2 Joshua bowed to worship, and God told him that Jericho was already in his hands. As the Israelites marched around the city, they walked out the victory already won in worship.

Judges 7:15 Gideon bowed to worship, returned to his camp, and reported, "Arise, God has given the enemy into our hands."

2 Chronicles 20:22 "When they began singing and praising..." The Israelites used praise at God's direction for winning a tremendous victory. They had not even reached the battlefront when God acted and completely destroyed their three-fold enemy.

Acts 16:25-26 Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns. Suddenly a violent earthquake shook the foundations of the prison. The prison doors flew open, and prisoners were set free.

It is sometimes more important to persevere in praise than to continue to petition. Why?
Because in praise, we take our eyes off people and stop struggling on the human level. We focus our spiritual eyes on God and see beyond ourselves and our problem. Then we can lay hold of His infinite ability, availability, and sovereignty. Praise stirs up our faith to stand in His mighty name.

Because God has already judged the adversary, and he is a defeated foe. Praise executes upon him the judgments that God has already written (Ps 149:6-9).

Because praise acknowledges the victory Christ already won. Jesus is far above all rule, authority, power and dominion, and every name in this age (Eph 1:20-21). His victory over Satan was legally accomplished at Calvary. Praise speeds victory. Let's use our valuable weapon of praise for the battles we are facing today.

Reflections to Consider

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Publications

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Music

  • Jesus be the centre

    Center is a song that speaks of the essence of our life in Christ, and echoes the words the Christ Read More
  • I Lift My Hands

    A powerful hymn of adoration and praise Arkansas Gospel Mass Choir. This succinctly captures the joy of knowing our savior. Read More
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Audio & Video

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Favorites

  • Transforming this World: The Hope of Glory by NT Wright +

    Wright confronts the perspective that this world doesn’t matter, and that we live only to be in heaven. He shows Read More
  • What is Good in a World that Defies Hope: a talk by NT Wright +

    This is the second part of three talks by NT Wright at Harvard University in November, 2008 on the topic Read More
  • The Stream, the Lake and the River: NT Wright +

      Acts 2.1-21; John 7.37-39; a sermon at the Eucharist on the Feast of Pentecost, 11 May 2008, by the Read More
  • Jesus in the Perfect Storm by NT Wright +

    Zechariah 9.9-17; Luke 19.28-48; A sermon for Palm Sunday, April 17, 2011, In the University Chapel of St Salvator, St Read More
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Hidden Blessings

  • Christ is a Great Savior: a review of the movie Amazing Grace +

    Amazing Grace is a historical drama about William Wilberforce who was elected to British Parliament at the age of 21 Read More
  • Wilberforce, Hollywood's Amazing Grace, Charlotte Allen +

    William Wilberforce's relentless campaign eventually led the British Parliament to ban the slave trade, in 1807, and to pass a Read More
  • Making Beauty out of Ugly Things: Grace by U2 +

    Grace, she takes the blame She covers the shame Removes the stain It could be her name Grace, she carries Read More
  • The True Nature of Grace and Love: a movie review of the Soloist +

    The 2009 movie The Soloist is based on a book by the same name, written by Los Angeles Times columnist Read More
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