Title
Praise, the Purpose of the Believer
Scripture
Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful.
(Psalm 147:1)
Devotional
Praise is to be the purpose of the believer. Think about it. We were created for the praise of His glory. All that we do is to glorify the Lord. Nevertheless, there is no clearer way to do so than singing praises to our God. It is to be delightful both to the recipient as well as the proclaimer. Praise is not only pleasant; it is beautiful according to the Word of the Lord. The King James version of scripture says that it is “comely.” To be comely is to be appropriate. Therefore, praise is upstanding, courageous, honorable, and correct; it is quite simply the in thing to do. I understand that to openly praise and worship requires that we come out of our comfort zones, but we are better off being a little uncomfortable here than in heaven. Life on earth is but a training camp for heaven. We are to get ourselves in spiritual shape for the reality of heaven. This we can do through praise and worship.
Thought For The Night
“To praise God fully we must suppose ourselves to be in perfect love with God, drowned in, dissolved by that delight which, far from remaining pent up within ourselves as incommunicable bliss, flows out from us incessantly again in effortless and perfect expression. Our joy is no more separable from the praise in which it liberates and utters itself than the brightness a mirror receives is separable from the brightness it sheds.” C.S. Lewis, (1898-1963), Author of The Chronicles of Narnia, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.
Evening Text
Psalm 147:1: Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and praise is beautiful.
Looking for Answers
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What does God consider to be praise?
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What do you or have you considered praise?
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Should we praise Him with just songs and words of adoration or with our whole life? (Sorry for the Loaded question)
Evening Study Guide
Defining: “Praise”: Noah Webster said of it, “The expression of gratitude for personal favors conferred; a glorifying or extolling,” And he also said of it, “There are men who always confound the praise of goodness with the practice.”
Referencing: “He has put a new song in my mouth—praise to our God; many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord,” Psalm 40:3.
Applying: Praise Him with a song, Praise Him with a shout, Praise Him with a smile, Praise Him with thanksgiving, let everything you do, Praise the Lord.