29/01/14

Where and how to Praise the Lord

Psalm 150:1,2 - Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.


This psalm is the last psalm in the book of Psalms and it ends the book beautifully. It ends with telling man where and how to praise God.

The first 2 verses tell man where to praise God and verse 3 to 6 say how. In today's message I will take only the where factor in a little detail; the how factor would make this message too long for each instrument and how to use them has a meaning and understanding.

The where factor has 4 points:-
1) In His sanctuary
2) In the firmament of his power
3) For his mighty acts
4) According to his excellent greatness

1) Paul says we are the Temple of God and our bodies are tents in which we dwell. Note in the wilderness the Sanctuary was made in a tent, not in a fixed structure. True children of God are people who know they are passing through this place which hates them like the Israelites passed through the wilderness. Like the Lord provided them every day through their journey so also the Lord will provide for us (and in the days He did not, He had already made the provision). That is why true children of God do not worry of their needs for their God is their Provider (Father).

2) If we read the book of Moses and other books of the Old Testament the power of God was manifested most in His people when they carried/possessed the Ark of Covenant. The Ark symbolizes and its study gives us the true meaning of the Cross of Christ. When we carry the Cross of Christ, it is the Lord who protects us and manifests His power over us.

3) In the Bible we see Jesus did great wonders and He did those through the power of the Holy Spirit that is why He said in the later days we would do greater wonders than He did. So we people become an instrument for God to do His mighty acts because we have received His Spirit.

4) Jesus said if they saw Him they saw the Father for the Father and He are one. After Jesus died and resurrected He gave us His Spirit so that the Spirit of Him (God) would dwell in all who believe in Him. Today as we have the Spirit of God (Christ) in us we project the Father for Jesus Christ and the Father are one. That is why we are called ambassadors of the Kingdom of God.

So we see all these 4 points, point to us being the place wherein the Lord can be truly praised. So to praise the Lord we need to be the Temple of the Lord, we need to do the mission of Christ, we need let the Holy Spirit work through us and lastly we need to project the nature of Christ.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, the Israelites did not truly know You. Although your grace was on them yet they did things that were symbolic which was shadow of the truth, yet your glory led them and shined through them such that the world took notice of them. Today Lord the curtain that was between us is torn and we have received Grace and Truth through our faith in Jesus Christ. Today things that were hidden to them are revealed to us through your Spirit, the Spirit of Truth. We pray Lord that your greater glory shines upon us when your praise truly dwells in us...

This prayer we make in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference ]
Psalm 150
1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.
2 Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness.
3 Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.
4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.
5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals.
6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)