Improving our Praise

The following excerpt from Discipleship Journal online is helpful. We need to build up our praise muscles!

Parting Thoughts: Worthy of Praise

Last week, while preparing for our small-group study on Isaiah, I was reminded of how often I still choose to focus on the things of this world. Though these things are decaying, dying, and ultimately going to be destroyed, that's still where too much of my time, energy, and attention get directed.

Instead, my activities should be evaluated in light of the eternal, with a kingdom focus. I need to choose to live thankfully, worshipfully, with a growing sense of God's joy and peace in my heart–trusting in and praising the worthiness and faithfulness of my loving Savior.

Here are a few reasons (from Isaiah 24–26) why our God is worthy of praise:
He is the Righteous One.
He is personal (my God).
He is perfectly faithful.
He does marvelous things.
His plans are solid and sure.
He is all-powerful.
He is a refuge.
He is our Saviour.
He is our salvation.
He is our peace-giver.
He is eternal.
He is our Rock.
He is upright and just.
He is renowned.
He is gracious.
He is behind everything that we accomplish.
He has gained glory by all He has done and will do.

In light of these truths, these chapters also give us some natural responses. We're to:
Raise our voices and shout for joy.
Give Him praise from every corner of the earth.
Celebrate Him.
Honor and worship Him.
Bear testimony to the awesomeness and worthiness of our God.
Sing the joys of His salvation.
Set our hearts and minds on Him.
Persevere.
Depend on God.
Wait on God.
Be content.
Passionately pursue our relationship with God.
Live in the light and expanding glory of God.

Need some help getting started? Try praying this passage from 1 Chronicles 29:10–13 (NIV): "Praise be to you, O LORD, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. "Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.

"Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all.

"Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name." With adoration!
Dave Wilson, Editor DJ Online News