Why I Praise!

"I will praise and give thanks to You, O Lord"

Part of Psalm 57:9

When I wake up, I try to make a habit to stop and listen

to what the Lord would have to say to me today.

Before I get out of bed.

In my life as a Christian (14 years as of last November),

I have enjoyed times where I hear,

or am impressed in my spirit quite often.

There are also those many times, where I just was too busy getting up

to pay attention just then,

maybe later.

And times where, Nope, got Nothing!

I'm pretty sure we all have our variations of this same dance with God.

That doesn't mean He is not talking to us.

Just means we have to seek Him a little more.

For a little while I have been considering doing a post

on Praise & Thanksgiving, and what they mean to me.

But, I have to say, I have put it off,

because

I really do not feel able to do this post.

Today, my impression was to look up Psalm 57:9.

Imagine my surprise to see it was about the much pondered topic of late!

A topic I have been e-mailing back and forth with some of my friends,

and talking about with my friends.

Praise! Thanksgiving!

Worship is also a big factor in these chats,

but, that is not the purpose of this post...that is a WHOLE 'NOTHER post! :)

My reluctance comes,

because I do not want to be guilty of trying to make God and His ways,

fit into a formula, a 3 step program, a BOX!

He is much too big, too sovereign,

too much for that!

So that said,

I hope you will take this, in that spirit,

just some of my thoughts, musings and understandings...

and as we put all our thoughts and musings together,

we hope to gain a more clear picture!

FACTOIDS

Here are several translations of Psalm 8:2. All respectable!

• Out of the mouths of babes and unweaned infants You have established strength because of Your foes, that You might silence the enemy and the avenger. (Amplified)


• Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou established praise because of thine adversaries, to still the enemy and the avenger. (Darby)


• From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. (NIV)


• Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have ordained strength, Because of Your enemies, That You may silence the enemy and the avenger. (NKJV)


• You have taught children and infants to tell of your strength, silencing your enemies and all who oppose you. (New Living Translation)

The Strongs Concordance shows that in the KJV strength, as it was used in the original Hebrew, means: Force, security, majesty, praise, boldness, loud, might, power, strength.

So, we can see that bold, strong, majestic praise has been appointed to and ordained of God,

for the purpose of stilling the enemy, silencing the enemy.

So, praise is a weapon! Very clearly.

It is the right thing to do, to praise Him,

because He deserves ALL our praise, ALL the time!

BUT, as always in the economy of God,

when we do right, when we obey, when we give,

we are in turn blessed, strengthened, provided for, etc.

I know in my life, I can think of at least 3 significant times,

that I choose to praise no matter what,

and I praised in pain and tears and in faith.

And I KNOW that I saw complete turn arounds on 2 of those occassions,

and in the 3rd instance it has been a long process, but success none the less.

In one of the occassions, I did praise expecting to see a turn around,

I was doing it on behalf of my husband, in my kitchen,

doing household chores and school work,

with music blaring and my heart singing

(and my mouth!:)

and the outcome of that situation was dramatic, complete,

and exceedingly, abundantly beyond anything we could ask think or imagine!

One of those times, I didn't expect anything on our family's behalf.

I chose to praise, because satan was NOT going to win.

I chose to praise with no strings attached on our behalf.

All I asked the Lord was that anyone else in the congragation that night,

who was dealing with the same issue,

that He would heal them, that He would help them, that He would turn it around.

I will never KNOW this side of heaven who was helped,

but I believe with everything in me, anyone who needed it,

got that help that night.

When I went home that night,

my situation was completely turned around. And quite unexpectdly.

So, these are some of my thoughts and experiences in this area.

I will close with this.

Consider the many times in the Old Testemant that the army was preceeded with Praise & Worshipers! And victory followed!

Consider Paul & Silas (Acts)! And all those prisoners freed,

and that jailer and his whole family saved the same night!

If you think differently, that's cool.

There was a time in my life, I didn't know what I know now,

and had nothing like it in experience.

If someone had tried to talk to me about it,

I would have thought they were loopy!

But, once you have seen with your eyes,

heard with your ears and understood with your heart,

no one can change your mind!

I didn't even get to Thanksgiving, so that will be another post!

Have a great night, Ya'll!