For To Us A Child Is BornTo Us A Son Is GivenAnd The Government Will Be On His ShouldersAnd He Will Be CalledWonderful Counselor, Mighty God,Everlasting Father, Prince Of PeaceIsaiah 9:6
Christmas is a time of joy and giving. Christians all over the world commemorate this occasion because "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son Jesus Christ that whosoever believes shall not perish but have everlasting life" - John 3:16In our celebration, we proclaim the Good News with carols on the streets and we expressed God's love to the world with our gifts to the needy and the orphans. In the midst of all these activities, do you know that the spirit of Christmas is WORSHIP? All those who came to meet Jesus WORSHIPED...
The Wisemen "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him." (Matthew 2:2)"On coming to the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh "(Matthew 2:11 - note: worship before gifts)
The Angels"Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men..." (Luke 2:13) The Shepherds"The shepherds returned, glorifying God for all the things they had heard and seen..." (Luke 2:20) Simeon The Godly Man"... Simeon, who was a righteous and devout... Took Him in his arms and praised God..." (Luke 2:25-33) The Prophetess Anna"... She gave thanks to God..." (Luke 2:36-38) We must remember Jesus not as a baby, but as our One and only LORD and SAVIOR - the greatest gift God has given to men. He gave His life for us. He suffered and died... His LOVE, His GRACE, His GLORY... The most precious gift men have ever received -SALVATION! As we celebrate this year's Christmas, let us reserve the best gift for our Lord -WORSHIP. Right now join me in simple praise and worship from your heart & spirit... JESUS IS THE REASON for the season.
CHRISTmas is all about CHRIST our Saviour Who came to this world to save us (John 3:16) but the world has crossed & deleted the word CHRIST and replaced it with an "X" and called it Xmas
"Praise is the greatest work God's children can ever do. It is the loftiest expression the saints can ever show. The highest manifestation of spiritual life is seen in men praising God" - Watchman Nee (Assembling Together)
When we contemplate the attributes of God, we can't help but thank and praise Him. Psalm 100:5 speaks of three of God's attributes that make Him worthy of our praise: 1) GOD'S GOODNESS It's part of God's nature to be kind and benevolent. He is not frowning upon us; He's smiling on us through Jesus. We see His goodness in creation (Genesis 1:31; Psalm 33:5), even though man has wrecked it (Romans 8:19-23). God even shows His goodness to the unsaved nations of the world (Acts 14:17). His goodness keeps us from fainting (Psalm 27:13). He gives us courage (Psalm 27:14). God wants to guide us (Psalm 25:8-9) and protect us (Psalm 31:19-20). We should respond to His goodness in four ways:
- We should be giving thanks always (not complain) - We should be repentant - We should want to enjoy Him - We should draw near to Him 2) GOD'S MERCY Other Bible versions interpret the word "mercy" as "loving kindness" (Amplified Bible), "all-generous in love" (The Message) and "unfailing love" (New Living Translation). When God is merciful, He does not give us what we deserve, which is eternal death for our sins. Mercy is forever a part of His nature (Hebrews 4:16; 1 Peter 1:3; Psalm 107). Isn't it good to know that "Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life?" (Psalm 23:6) 3) GOD'S FAITHFULNESS This attribute speaks of God's reliability and stability. He is faithful to chasten us (Psalm 119:75). He is faithful to accept us (1 Corinthians 1:9). He is faithful to care for us and give us victory over temptation (1 Corinthians10:13). He is faithful to forgive us (1 John 1:9). God is not going to change (Hebrews 13:8). He is faithful to all He does. GOD'S GOODNESS, MERCY, and FAITHFULNESS reveal much about Him. The more we contemplate His attributes, the more we can praise Him. Amen and amen and amen!
Are you beaten down by circumstances? The best antidote to our depression and anxiety is surprising to many. But those who have put into practice the prescription of Scripture have found an amazing truth: Praising God lifts us above our trials and remind us how He overcomes them. Why does that works? It's a matter of perspective. When we focus on the turmoil of life and the weakness of our flesh, we get discouraged. When we focus on the problems of the day and the people who seems to oppress us, we get intimidated. Our praise remind us of who God is. As we praiseHim, the threats and burdens that weigh us down grow smaller and He grows bigger - at least in our own eyes. The thought of an exalted God who is entirely on our side is an awesome inspiration We don't find that perspective very often. We have subtly but persistently trained our minds to think negatively. We don't feel like praising God when the bills are overdue or our loved one is lying sick in the hospital. we don't even feel like praising Him when our lives have gotten mundane and we've become restless. Perhaps we mistakenly think our praise is based on how much power and love we've seen today. It isn't - or shouldn't be, at least.IT IS BASED ON WHO HE IS. AND HE IS WHO HE IS ALL THE TIME. For that we can praise Him. ALL THE TIME! The more we praise Him, the more we see WHO HE IS and the more sincere our worship becomes. And our perspective jumps from one lowly, impossible place to the side of the God who reigns, both now and forever. Our praise opens our eyes to the truth of the situation:GOD RULES! An extract from : Worship The King by Chris Tiegreen Have a blessed & victorious week! TPWC
Thank God for corporate praise when we gather together. It helps us to get among a body of believers as we celebrate and magnify the name of the Lord. There is also a personal private praise which lifestyle worshippers must not neglect. The reason for this is that until we come to the place where we can really enter into thatprivate, personal praise, just between you and the Lord, there are always going to be some hindrances and some holding back when we enter into the corporate praise.
Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty (2 Corinthians 3:17) and God wants us to get so free that when His Spirit starts moving on us at home, in our kitchen, out in your work place, when commuting or driving down the road in your car, we can just let the spirit of praise flow like rivers of living waters in our surrounding.The Bible says that God inhabits in our praise (Psalms 22:3). The question is, "If He inhabits in our praise, how far does He inhabits it?" The answer is as far as the sound of your voice goes ... "Glory! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Blessed Be the name of Jesus!" As far as our voice sounds, God is living in those words. For example, when we are in our car praising and worshipping Him, our audible praise fills that car. When the devil gets any where near you; do you know what he gets? "Glory!" If he comes through the window of your car, "Hallelujah!" hits him. When he tries to enter by the door, "Jesus!" knocks him off. PRAISE HAS TO BE VOCALISED. The Bible says, "My lips shall praise Thee "(Psalms 63:3).If you go around with your mouth shut and not praising God, then God is not in your praise and the devil beats on you. Our praise may be as weak as babes, but it is powerful enough to silence the enemy (Psalms 8:2). There is power in the name of Jesus, that means that that power is released when we speak or sing it. When we begin to speak forth or sing our praises in His name, the spirit inside us begins to rise up and the power of darkness outside of us begins to retreat. Let the Devil hit our praiseten or twenty feet out in front of us. Let them stick their fingers in their ears each time they are near us.
Psalms 34:1 says, " ... His praise shall CONTINUALLY BE IN MY MOUTH." Most people have to stop what they are doing to try to get into praising God, but we need to have this reverse. We need topraise God so much that we have to stop praising in order to do something else.
Psalms 113:3 says, " From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same the Lord's name is to be praised." King David was a man after God's own heart. He praised God in the morning, he praised Him at noontime and he praised him in the night-time.
Psalms 119:164 David said, Seven times a day I praise Thee." The number seven is perfect and complete. God is looking for worshippers who will choose to PRAISEHIM CONTINUALLY AND ALL DAY.
PRIVATE PRAISE is a powerful experience to live in. It is the key to a victorious and abundant life with Jesus. Let us the first fruits of our day to the Lord in private praise.TPWC (An extract from Private Praise by Elbert Willis) Until the practice of praise in private is continuous and free, the practice of corporate praise will be inhibited by fear, self-consciousness and discomfort. The practice in the corporate sense is absolutely indispensable to the maximum worship experience." Jack R. Taylor - The Hallelujah Factor
Thank God for corporatepraise when we gather together. It helps us to get among a body of believers as we celebrate and magnify the name of the Lord. There is also a personalprivate praise which we (lifestyle worshipers) must not neglect. The reason for this is that until we come to the place where we can really enter into that private, personal praise, just between you and the Lord, there are always going to be some hindrances and some holding back when we enter into the corporate praise.
Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty (2 Corinthians 3:17) and God wants us to get so free that when His Spirit starts moving on us at home, in our kitchen, out in your work place, when commuting or driving down the road in your car, we can just let the spirit of praise flow like rivers of living waters in our surrounding.
The Bible says that God inhabits in our praise (Psalms 22:3). The question is, "If He inhabits in our praise, how far does He inhabits it?" The answer is as far as the sound of your voice goes ... "Glory! Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Blessed Be the name of Jesus!" As far as our voice sounds, God is living in those words. For example, when we are in our car praising and worshipping Him, our audible praise fills that car. When the devil gets any where near you; do you know what he gets? "Glory!" If he comes through the window of your car, "Hallelujah!" hits him. When he tries to enter by the door, "Jesus!" knocks him off.
PRAISE HAS TO BE VOCALISED. The Bible says, "My lips shall praise Thee "(Psalms 63:3). If you go around with your mouth shut and not praising God, then God is not in your praise and the devil beats on you. Our praise may be as weak as babes, but it is powerful enough to silence the enemy (Psalms 8:2). There is power in the name of Jesus, that means that that power is released when we speak or sing it. When we begin to speak forth or sing our praises in His name, the spirit inside us begins to rise up and the power of darkness outside of us begins to retreat. Let the Devil hit our praise ten or twenty feet out infront of us. Let them stick their fingers in their ears each time they are near us.
Psalms 34:1 says, " ... His praise shall CONTINUALLY BE IN MY MOUTH." Most people have to stop what they are doing to try to get into praising God, but we need to have this reverse. We need to praise God so much that we have to stop praising in order to do something else.
Psalms 113:3 says, " From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same the Lord's name is to be praised." King David was a man after God's own heart. He praised God in the morning, he praised Him at noontime and he praised him in the night-time.
Psalms 119:164 David said, "Seven times a day I praise Thee." The number seven is perfect and complete. God is looking for worshipers who will choose to PRAISE HIM CONTINUALLY AND ALL DAY.
PRIVATE PRAISE is a powerful experience to live in. It is the key to a victorious and abundant life with Jesus. Let us the first fruits of our day to the Lord in private praise. TPWC (An extract from Private Praise by Elbert Willis)
God uses trials in our lives to refine, beautify, and strengthen us.. In our natural state our personalities resemble unrefined gold. The heat of our difficult circumstances melts the gold and brings to the surface the dross in our characters - the pride and unbelief, the unloving attitudes, the self -will. PRAISING God brings our hearts in line with His intentions, so that He can work in us more freely. It opens us to His will, so that we can cooperate with Him in His plan to remove the impurities. Yet, instead of PRAISING, we so easily complain and resist His working. By our complaints and resistance we stir the scum back into our personalities. This may necessitate the heat of continued chastening to accomplish what God wants to do in us. It may delay His answers to our prayers for both ourselves and our loved ones. In contrast, PRAISE and THANKSGIVING can serve as catalysts, speeding up the refining process in our lives.
God uses trials to perfect FAITH as well as character. Again and again trials bring us to the end of our human resources, so that we allow to meet our needs and satisfy our longings. Trials rip away the filmsy fabric of our self-sufficiency. This allows God to weave into our hearts His strength, love, and wisdom. Trials exercise our FAITH, developing strong confidence that says, "I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me, [that is, I am self-sufficient in Christ's suuficiency - Philippians 4:13] With God no probelm in our personalities or circumstances is impossibile or even difficult. Our troubles never surprise Him. They never catch Him off guard, causing Him to wring His hands and wonder what to do. As we repeatedly focus on God's sufficiency in difficult situations, we develop a steady trust in Him.
CHOOSING GOD'S PERSPECTIVE PRAISE helps us to stand back from our difficulties and fix our attention on our infinite, loving God. It helps us measure our probelms look like molehills rather than mountains. In the light of God's sovereign kindness and wise purposes, we see them as stepping-stones rather than stumbling blocks, as opportunities rather than obstacles. They are raw materialsfor God's miracles and the prelude to greater obedience. As our perspective changes, our feelings often shift from negative to positive. But even if they are slow to respond, we can continue to give thanks with our minds and wills. We can choose to rejoice thatGod is our source of wise guidance and overcoming power though we still feel angry or confused about our circumstances. OVERCOMING CONTRARY INCLINATIONS God has given us His WORD to reassure our hearts. Through it He reminds us of His loving goodness, which always plans for our best, of His wisdom, which never makes a mistake, and of His power, which can make something glorious our of the sorriest fragments of our lives. God has also given us His Spirit, who energizes us to obey His command to give thanks. As we choose to thank Him simply because we want to obey and please Him, we switch on His power by faith. we give Him opportunity to work in us, making us both willing and able to give sincere thanks in spite of contrary feelings. By natural temperament we may differ from one another in the time that elapses between event and our choice to give thanks, of between that choice and our upsurge of joy. As we can shorten our periods of inner resistance or adjustment. This is growth. Growth does not mean that we have no struggles, but that we more quickly resolve our inner conflicts.
WELCOMING TRIALS AS FRIENDS Through THANKSGIVING and PRAISE we obey God's command, "When all kinds of trials and temptations crowd into your lives, my brothers, don't resent them as intruders, but welcome them as friends!" (James 1:2 - Phillips). James reminds us that trials come to test our FAITH. They develop us so that we will in no way be deficient. In view of these tremendous benefits, we are to welcome trials as friends. The KJV says that we should count it all JOY when we "fall into" many trials. The attitude of accepting trials with JOY was a principle with the Apostle Paul. He refused to lose heart when afflicted in every way, perplexed, persecuted, and struck down. He accepted these troubles as opportunities to manifest the life of Jesus to other people (2 Corinthians 4:8-11).
USING EVERYTHING FOR GOOD We serve a God Who can cause all things to work together for good, both for ourselves and others (Romans 8:28). He can produce beauty out of ashes, power out of weakness, growth out of failure, triump out of distress. As we give THANKS and PRAISE regardless of what happens, we align ourselves with God and His purposes. This prepares us to colabour with Him in using for good the worst happens to us in a fallen world. (an extract from: PRAISE - A Door To God's Presence by Warren & Ruth Myers)
May this awesome song inspires you to bring PRAISE in your situations .... have a victorious week. TPWC.
the praises of Israel [are offered]" Psalms 22:3 (Amplified Bible)
We learnt from the last two posts - The Hallelujah Factor - that the word "HALLELUJAH" means PRAISE THE LORD! The Hebrew Word "Hallal" means 'to boast, to brag on, to laud, to make a show even to the point of being clamorously foolish or mad' before the Lord. And "JAH" is simply the shortened name of GOD which means YAWEH. So when we say "HALLELUJAH" we ought to response in extreme excitement, exuberance and exultation.
It seemed foolish for the Istraelites to march around Jericho, and shout their PRAISES to see those walls fall down. But they shouted anyway, and down the walls came (Joshua 6:20). It seems ridiculous for king Jehoshaphat to have the singers and praisers lead the way singing and praising in the face of three great armies. But God was pleased, and brought them great victory and deliverance that day (2 Chronicles 20:22). It was a peculiar thing for Paul and Silas to be praising God at midnight in that filthy old jail, but God responded and sent the earthquake and freedom (Acts 16:25-26). Therefore, I believe God will meet you if you will say "HALLELUJAH" everytime you walk through the "fire or flood"!
There is certainly nothing magical about the word HALLELUJAH or PRAISING THE LORD. But God does respond to faith. Shouting HALLELUJAH or PRAISING HIM especially in difficult circumstances or situations actually show our genuine faith in His loving provision.
"I will bless the Lord at ALL time
His PRAISE shall continually be in my mouth"
Psalm 34:1
PRAISE THE LORD ANYHOW! 1) Do you feel the joy of the Lord in your soul? PRAISE THE LORD! Or do you feel blank in side or even worst, do you feel depressed? PRAISE THE LORD ANYHOW! It is "the sacrifice of praise to God continually" you are commanded to offer (Hebrews 13:15). "The sacrifice of praise" means PRAISE THE LORD ANYHOW, especially when you don't feel like it!
2) Are all your children or family saved? PRAISE THE LORD! Or are some still wandering in sin? PRAISE THE LORD ANYHOW! God promises you that, by believing, ALL your household will be saved (Acts 16:31). PRAISING the Lord for their salvation in advance of seeing them in the fold is evidence that you truly believe!
3) Are all your bills paid up to date? PRAISE THE LORD! Or are you plagued by financial problems? PRAISE THE LORD ANYHOW!PRAISE activates God's promise to supply ALL your needs accordning the Philippians 4:19.
4) Is the weather good, and to your liking? PRAISE THE LORD! Or is it unpleasant weather? PRAISE THE LORD ANYHOW! "This is the day which the Lord hath made: we will REJOICE and be gad in it" (Psalms 118:24).
PRAISE THE LORD ANYHOW! Why? "We know that ALL things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28). Don't miss God's plan by PRAISING the Lord only for things you label "blessings." His command: " In EVERYTHING give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18). (An extract from: There's Dynamite In Praise by Don Gossett)
Try it ... we can shout HALLELUJAH right in the face of adversity, illness, discouragement and needs. It may seems foolish like the Israelites but there is POWER IN PRAISE!
Last but not least, I would like to share this Youtube Video :CHRISTMAS FOOD COURT FLASH MOB. I am quite sure many of us would have would have seen it (must see if you haven't). When I first saw it, this interesting thought came to my mind - releasing His PRAISE in the market place. Think about it, God will inhabit in the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3)
For To Us A Child Is 
