A LIFE OF PRAISE Devotional Lesson Guam Christian Church, June 2012
Transcript
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A LIFE OF PRAISE Devotional Lesson Guam Christian Church, June
2012
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Theme Verse Psalm 33:1 Sing joyfully to the LORD, you
righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him. The
righteous (upright) are expected to praise God.
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Alive to Praise God Ps 6:5 No one remembers you when he is
dead. Who praises you from the grave ? Ps 88:10 Do you show your
wonders to the dead? Do those who are dead rise up and praise you?
Ps 119:175 Let me live that I may praise you, and may your laws
sustain me.
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The early church had the same attitude of worship and praise.
Eph 5:19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual
songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord
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Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you
teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing
psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to
God. to teach and counsel each other NLT to teach and instruct each
other ESV
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What is praise? Our English word praise comes from the Latin
"pretium," (= price, value); to set a great price on.
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What is praise? When you receive praise, you are valued. When
we praise God, we recognize his value to us; we place great worth
on him and his acts. Note: praise is different from thanks. Thanks
is usually a response after an event or action. But praise can be
given even without an event.
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Pop-quiz (praise or thanks?) Esse, bro. Si yuos maase for
letting me borrow your diving gear. We had fun. Hey Damian, thats a
great haircut. You look great, man! Glenn, we appreciate you guys
for spending time with us. You even adjusted your schedule [text]
hi hannah. got it. ty. cu Sis, you look blooming today! Patrick
(PJ), I really appreciate the advice you gave. You are so
wise!
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Praise (and thanks) for God and his works Gods character and
works are intertwined. So the psalmists sing praise to God. Praise
to God stems from who he is and what hes done.
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Who should give praise? The psalmists give praise, but then
they call everyone else to do the same. Ps 145:21 My mouth will
speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy
name for ever and ever.
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How should we give praise? I will praise you, O LORD, with all
my heart; I will tell of all your wonders. (Psalm 9:1-2) I will
praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with
thanksgiving. (Psalm 69:30 NRSV) Praise the LORD. Give thanks to
the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever. (Psalm
106:1)
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The psalmists gave praise that was liberal, exuberant, and
heartfelt. Praise in the psalms was spontaneous and varied too:
Individual and intimate, as with someone who gets up in the middle
of the night to praise God (119:62), or in community (109:30). It
can be done lying on your bed at night (149:5) or with dancing
before Him (149:3). Some speak of bowing (138:2), others kneeling
(95:6). Psalms 71, 81, 149 and 150 feature the use of instruments
to praise God.
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The edited layout of Psalms Some psalms reveal a sequence of
lament- thanksgiving-praise. And the overall arrangement of the
psalms is such that laments dominate the first part, but praise
figure more and more in the end. This is a lot like the Christian
life: We go through a variety of experiences, including many
painful ones, but the big picture is that God is moving us from
plea to praise!
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When should we give praise? All the time! This is the heart of
Psalms. Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous laws.
(Psalm 119:164) God is always who He is, so any time is a right
time to praise God.
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When should we give praise? My God, my God, why have you
forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the
words of my groaning? (Psalm 22:1) But in the same psalm: I will
declare your name to my brothers; in the congregation I will praise
you. (Psalm 22:22) I will praise you among all the people; I will
fulfill my vows in the presence of those who worship you (Psalm
22:25 NLT) They will proclaim his righteousness to a people yet
unbornfor he has done it. (Psalm 22:31)
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Psalm 57:5-7 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your
glory be over all the earth. They spread a net for my feet I was
bowed down in distress. They dug a pit in my path but they have
fallen into it themselves. Selah My heart is steadfast, O God, my
heart is steadfast; I will sing and make music.
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Praise You In This Storm [lyrics] I was sure by now That You
would have reached down And wiped our tears away, stepped in and
saved the day But once again, I say, Amen and it's still raining As
the thunder rolls I barely hear Your whisper through the rain, "I'm
with you And as Your mercy falls I raise my hands And praise the
God who gives and takes away
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And I'll praise You in this storm and I will lift my hands For
You are who You are no matter where I am And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand You never left my side and though my heart is
torn I will praise You in this storm
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So its possible to go through difficulties and still praise
God. Just remember: God has not changed. God still knows whats
best. God cares even if no one does.
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Practical Challenges Make a praise a regular part of your times
with God (not just thanks). You can use the psalms to help you.
Strive to be early for church and devo, so you can set your heart
on singing. Sing whenever you can in your Quiet Times. Make your
praise real and heartfelt.
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Pakistan Churches of Christ
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Conclusion God is a God who is worthy of praise. Each one of us
is meant to live a life of praise. Let us give God what he deserves
and let praise define our lives!
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D-group Time What is one characteristic of God that you
appreciate? Read Psalm 18. How does David describe God (descriptive
praise)? Read Psalm 59. What troubles is the psalmist going
through? Why does he praise God in the end?