How do you fell when someone praises you for a job well done? I feel good. How do you feel when you praise someone else? I actually feel better giving praise than receiving it. How does it make the person you are praising? Do you praise people enough? Why do you praise someone? How about God, do you praise Him regularly? Do you believe that God is pleased when you praise Him? Does hope increase when you praise God? Let me share with you what I learned about how praise brings hope.
I have found the praise is something that brings me hope both when I give it and when I receive it. I have hope when I give it because it lifts up the spirit of the person I am giving it to which lifts up my spirit as well. It particularly gives me more hope when I praise God because it reminds me of his greatness. Ever since I was a small boy I remember regularly singing a song of praise to God. “Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.” It always made me hopeful of my future. This simple song helped me to focus on the source of all my hopes and dreams.
I particularly like the fact that it points out all creatures praising God as well. I have learned that God wants our praises. He wants us to recognize Him for who He is. Psalms 150:1-6 says, “Praise the Lord!
Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!” (ESV) Psalms 19 talks aboutall of God’s creation praising God. Jesus Himself told the Pharisees when they want Him to silence the praises of the crowd as He entered Jerusalem, “‘I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.’” Luke 19:40 (ESV)
God created everything in order to give Him glory. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 10:31 “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (ESV) To me giving glory to God is praising Him for everything that is happening. It is to be done in good times and bad times.
I pray you that you will join me in praising God for all that He has done for us. Knowing that God is worthy of our praise. Knowing also as we praise Him we focus on Him and His magnificent plan for our lives and the promise of eternal life. The first step of praising God is for you to seek Jesus for He is the only opportunity there is to have eternal life and with that comes the hope we find in preparation. This is to me the greatest source of hope. In doing so, I believe we will have hope and joy in our everyday lives. Understanding how Jesus Christ grants us access to eternal life, allows us to live in hope. “And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” John 17:3 (ESV) At the same time understanding you will live eternally knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ will also bring you the greatest hope. Because of the death of Jesus Christ on the cross, all of our sins were satisfied and the penalty for them was paid. His payment satisfies all my sins from the past, the present and in the future. My penalty and yours was satisfied on the cross by the death of Jesus, God’s greatest act of love and wrath, who became sin for me and you. It was also God’s greatest act of faithfulness because “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 (ESV) Because holiness shows us, we need to believe in Jesus. I hope that you join me in helping others to choose Jesus.
If you have not read my previous blogs, you can find them here. You can watch a book trailer about my book. You can find my book, Hope Amid Hopelessness: Our Abba Father Provides a Way Through Mental Illness here. eBook or Audiobook versions can be found at Westbow Press or Christianbook.com at Amazon or Google.
I mentioned that I was going through a difficult time right now. If you are interested in what I am going through, you can read about it here.
