
Hello friends and family, and God bless you all! It has been a tough week already. With everything going on in our country, many believers are feeling discouraged and hard pressed by the persecution and hatred we are experiencing. Yesterday, I didn’t write because I was even dealing with some discouragement from religious Pharisee types. This post will not be about that because today the Lord lifted up my heart with a time of worship. Even in these dark times, it is fitting to praise the Lord for He is worthy of our praise at all times. His joy is our strength, and there is great joy and power in praising the Lord.
“We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”
-2 Corinthians 4:8-9
The Lord knew my heart was heavy, so He urged me to get out my guitar today. I haven’t played in a very long time. Many of you probably don’t even know that I play guitar. I don’t talk about it often, but I love jamming out with the Lord and singing praises to Him. I make up my own songs and just let the Spirit flow.
Today I cried out for mercy and justice to be poured out. As I sang to Jesus, the Holy Spirit washed over me and it was beautiful! I will call the song “Jesus Christ is Lord.” There is great power in our praise to the Lord and I encourage all believers to lift their voices to Him and worship Him in the power of the Spirit! The Lord will lift you up and encourage your heart and soul!
As I sang to Him, I was caught up in the Spirit, and I thought about the verse that talks about the stones crying out if we are silent. I also thought about the verses that talk about the trees, animals, and all of creation singing praises to the Lord. I sang some of those verses to the Lord as they came to my mind and I gave Him praise!
“When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
“Blessed is the king who comes in the
name of Lord!”
“Peace in heaven and glory in the
highest!”
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
Luke 19:37-40
Jesus is so powerful and worthy of our praise that if we remain silent, even the stones will sing praises to Him! Think about that amazing truth for a moment!
“Praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD from the heavens,
praise him in the heights above.
Praise him, all his angels,
praise him, all his heavenly hosts.
Praise him, sun and moon,
praise him, all you shining stars.
Praise him, you highest heavens
and you waters above the skies.
Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for he commanded and they were
created.
He set them in place for ever and ever;
he gave a decree that will never pass
away.
Praise the LORD from the earth,
you great sea creatures and all ocean
depths,
lightning and hail, snow and clouds,
stormy winds that do his bidding,
you mountains and all hills,
fruit trees and all cedars,
wild animals and all cattle,
small creatures and flying birds,
kings of the earth and all nations,
you princes and all rulers on earth,
young men and maidens,
old men and children.
Let them praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is exalted;
his splendor is above the earth and
the heavens.
He has raised up for his people a
horn,
the praise of all his saints,
of Israel, the people close to his
heart.
Praise the LORD.”
-Psalm 148:1-14
If we remain silent, all of creation will sing praise to His Holy Name! Blessed be the Name of the Lord! May our praise be pleasing to Him, and may He encourage and strengthen our hearts as we praise His Holy Name!
“Give thanks to the LORD, call on his
name;
make known among the nations what
he has done.
Sing to him, sing praise to him;
tell of all his wonderful acts.
Glory in his holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the
LORD rejoice.
Look to the LORD and his strength;
seek his face always.”
-1 Chronicles 16:8-11
“Sing to the LORD, all the earth;
proclaim his salvation day after day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous deeds among all
peoples.
For great is the LORD and most worthy
of praise;
he is to be feared above all gods.
For all the gods of the nations are idols,
but the LORD made the heavens.
Splendor and majesty are before him;
strength and joy in his dwelling
place.
Ascribe to the LORD, O families of
nations,
ascribe to the LORD glory and
strength,
ascribe to the LORD the glory due his
name.
Bring an offering and come before him;
worship the LORD in the splendor of
his holiness.
Tremble before him, all the earth!
The world is firmly established; it
cannot be moved.
Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be
glad;
let them say among the nations, “The
LORD reigns!”
Let the sea resound, and all that is in it;
let the fields be jubilant, and
everything in them!
Then the trees of the forest will sing,
they will sing for joy before the LORD,
for he comes to judge the earth.
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his love endures forever.”
-1 Chronicles 16:23-34
How beautiful and fitting it truly is to praise the Lord! When your heart is heavy and you feel dismayed, put your hope in the Lord and give Him praise! Let Him lift you up and you will soar on wings like eagles once again!
No matter who persecutes us, judges us, or points their fingers at us, we will trust in the Lord and He will never let us down. May the darkness and discouragement of this world never drag us down! May the false preachers, unbelievers, and Pharisees never steal our joy! Keep calling on His Name, keep preaching the truth of His Holy Word, keep sharing the Gospel, and keep declaring His praise! May His Holy will be done and may His Name be glorified forever and ever! Jesus Christ is Lord!
“Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise him,
my Savior and my God.”
-Psalm 43:5
Do not lose hope, the Lord is with us! He alone is God and every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father!
No ruler on earth is more powerful than the Lord! No darkness can withstand His glorious light and power! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Amen! Praise the Lord!
Grace and peace to you all!