Praise and Thanksgiving

Thought For Today May 6
Praise and Thanksgiving
By: Robert A. Searles

"Ye that fear the Lord, praise him; all ye the seed of Jacob, glorify him; and fear him, all ye the seed of Israel." Psalm 22:23.

To fear the Lord does not mean that we are afraid of God as some one who is out to get even with us or to catch up with us and take vengeance upon us. If we have sought the redemption offered to us by the Lord Jesus Christ, then we are the children of God by adoption, and we can enter into a wonderful relationship and fellowship with God. To fear God means to be fully aware of his great power, and omnipotence, and his right to rule the universe; it means that we recognize ourselves as helpless creatures on this ball of earth , and that we are completely dependent upon the Spirit of God to guide us and lead us in right paths.

When we approach the throne of God and the mercy seat, we ought to come before God with fear and trembling, in the sense that we realize that we can enter God's presence only by his grace, and only after a terrible price was paid for our redemption, namely, the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. We ought to come before God uplifting the name of Jesus. Our chief purpose ought to be to praise God, and glorify him.

God is spirit and they that worship him must worship him in spirit. God is a rewarder of all those who diligently seek him. Many times we fail to worship God properly. We ought to be absorbing the essence and spirit of God as a sponge absorbs water, so that when God sees fit to squeeze us a little, his spirit will be poured out on others through us like water pours from a saturated sponge.

Most of the time that we are in prayer or fellowship with God ought to be in praise and it ought to glorify his name. All the host of heaven are watching and listening to see if God is glorified in us. We ought to always lift up the name of Jesus; praise God from whom all blessings flow; praise God for salvation; praise God for life everlasting; praise God for his protection; praise God for his love; praise God for our health; praise God for our food; praise God for our homes; praise God for each other's companionship; praise God for the fellowship of the Holy Spirit; and praise God for opportunity to serve.

"Rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright." Psalm 33:1.

"Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely." Psalm 147:1

"I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth." Psalm 34: 1.

"O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together." Psalm 34: 3.

 "Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the salvation of God." Psalm 50: 23.

 "Make a joyful noise unto God, all ye lands: sing forth the honor of his name: make his praise glorious." Psalm 66: 1,2. "Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp (out in the world) bearing his reproach. For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come. By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name." Hebrews 13: 13,14,15.