Devotions about Praise | from Devotional Christian

Make a Joyful Noise

July 19, 2010

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!
Psalm 100:1-2

Psalm 100 is one of the shorter Psalms but it contains marvelous reminders of the goodness of the Lord. It begins with a call to praise, to make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! We are to be people who enjoy the Lord, who have his praise always on our lips (Ps 34:1). We are to serve him not as reluctant servants but as joyful children, glad to do the will of our Father.

The Psalmist tells us why these things should be: Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. He is the creator of all. We worship and enjoy the one who made us and has called us to be his people. We are his sheep. His pasture is rich and nourishing, providing comfort and safety and the delightful presence of the good shepherd.

We are to enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! How often are we sour and dour when we gather to praise God? We must use even our emotions to the glory of God, approaching him with joy and gladness. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and praise! Thank the Lord and bless him!

Remember that the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations. He will never leave you nor forsake you. His love is steadfast and unending. He will be faithful to all generations of those who are his children. You people of God, make a joyful noise to the Lord!

Tags praise, Psalm 100:1-2, Worship
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God Brings Us Out of Our Distresses

January 17, 2010

Filed In Daily Devotionals

Every day brings another difficulty. Systems that always worked before, fail. People we could depend upon in life, abandon us. All the good we’ve done for others is forgotten. Our very integrity is on the line. We’ve made promises we cannot fulfill. Obligations demand our attention, but we are weary. We cannot see any end to the onslaught of trials. We beat ourselves up for mistakes we made, for decisons that led us to near-ruin. We cry out to God for direction, but feel like we are drowning in a sea of sand with no solid ground to stand upon. Where is God?

“Oh, that men would praise [and confess to] the Lord for His goodness and loving-kindness and His wonderful works to the children of men!” Psalm 107:15

Sometimes the distresses in our lives become so monumental that we are smothered by their very shadow. We hurt. We’ve done all the things we believe God wants us to do; we’ve lived a life of integrity and honesty. We’ve given Him access to our lives and used our material things to bring honor and glory to Him. Yet the circumstances of life have beaten us down. We question our every decision; we analyze our motives and intentions. We scrutinize our every move and wonder where we could have done something differently. Where do we go for relief from the distresses the world has brought upon us?

“Then they cry to the Lord in their trouble, and He delivers them out of their distresses. He sends forth His word and heals them and rescues them from the pit and destruction. Oh, that men would praise [and confess to] the Lord for His goodness and loving-kindness and His wonderful works to the children of men!” Ps. 107:19-21.

We cannot praise God for His goodness when we question the drought He allows in our lives. We cannot trust God when we rely on ourselves to get us through the desert sands. Our praise is a clarion call. Our praise shows God we rely on Him no matter what befalls us. Our praise lifts our blinded eyes to the hills from whence cometh our help. Our confession of self-reliance, of pride, of anger and bitterness, opens the floodgates of heaven and releases the rain God is ready to pour down upon His devoted ones.

“And let them sacrifice the sacrifice of thanksgiving and rehearse His deeds with shouts of joy and singing!” Ps. 107:22

It is a sacrifice for those broken beneath of load to lift weary heads and weakened arms to the Father for all He is and all He has been. I know. I’ve been there. When we get to the end of our strength, and use what is left to praise the Lord, God meets us and lifts us out of the distresses. He empowers us–refreshes and restores us. When we are grateful for the strength left to praise Him in our darkest hours, He lights a lamp. “Oh, that men would praise the Lord.”