"Save us, O Lord our God, and gather us from among the heathen, to give thanks unto Thy holy Name, and to triumph in Thy praise." Ps. 106:47
Do you recall reading through the Old Testament (a very good thing to keep on doing by the way.. as well as through the New..) and remember when King Jehoshaphat was in a fierce military bind so to speak? If you do think about what his choice was (2 Chron. 20). What exactly did he do and why?
Well, he first asked the Lord for some help cuz that was who he trusted and served, and then he..strangely enough..appointed some singers to go march out in front of the Israeli army...where? I'll tell you where. To march right into the battle. Singers..what? Man, that's what I was thinking as well..when I read about that. Aren't those they guys that are soft, that aren't so tough or macho for a fight? Well, I wasn't there to judge those siners, but that's what the king did.
It's an interesting story indeed, but obeying the Word of God meant victory for Jehoshaphat that day and it will for you as well. Ask God for some wisdom to rightly apply His Word, cuz that and taking action will make all the difference for you. Remember that those worshipers sang out ..not for the people..but to God, directly voicing: "Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever" (v.21). And when they began to sing out, that's when the Lord caused the enemy forces to become confused, and to attack in a different direction, and to destroy each other.
Too many of us believers sing for other people, to be heard by them so they might think well of our "spirituality", but real worship is from the heart and it happens when we sing directly to the Lord to sincerely minister to Him. Do you do that often?
"In God we boast all day long, and praise Your Name forever. Selah." Ps. 44:8
"..the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations." Isa. 61:11
"Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in His sanctuary: praise Him in the firmament of His power." Ps. 150:1
What's in front of you today? Hey, no matter what is in front of us, let's choose to sing praises to the Lord..feel like it or not..for He is always with us.
Are you in a storm, in sickness, in jail, or in pain today? Are some people trying to do you in?
Of course there is indeed a time for practical action..and many lazy believers really need to hear this..but choosing to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness (Mat. 6:33), choosing to whole-heartedly worship Jesus Christ, choosing to bless instead of cruse God, and simply finding something to thank the Lord for.. in the midst of firey trials, or in the face of threats, or serious need, or some ginormous looming challenge..it may seem counter-intuitive to us..but it's simply obeying God's Scripture. Yes, the Bible says, "..give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thess. 5:18).
But why? Cuz God delights to bless those who are wise doers, and not merely hearers of His Word.
Embattled moments, PRAISE GOD!
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD!
Happy moments, THANK GOD!
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD!
Painful moments, TRUST GOD!
Every moment, LOVE GOD!
Are you in Christ Jesus or out? What God do you serve? What or who is your master passion today? Do you live for you, for your job, for your bank account, or some flawed lover? Will you worship God today regardless of what's happening around you, what's going on in the news, or how you feel?
Are you angry at God? Are you running towards Him with your problems today, or away from Him? Are you not yet fully understanding what's been happening in your home, in your country, in your workplace or at church? Have you been running to God with your problems or away from Him? Are you running towards a healthy Bible teaching church or towards a saved pastor that's balanced and mature, or away from em? Are you so full of joy in fellowshipping with God that you've been sharing Jesus with your lost friends, or just been feeling distracted or depressed? Amidst the mess or difficult circumstances, can you find something to express gratitude to God for? facebook.com/shareJesus
