WHAT PRAISE CAN DO
Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand, to execute vengeance on the nations, and punishments on the peoples; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute on them the written judgment—this honor have all His saints. Praise the LORD (Psalm 149:6-9 New King James Version)!
When we give God praise for all things- our troubles, tests, low points, high points; when we praise Him for our jobs, or joblessness, the things He’s blessed us with and for what we don’t have; when we praise Him for where we live, and our government – He responds. He is sovereign, nothing escapes His watchful eye. He desires for us to praise and give thanks so we fully understand how we can do nothing apart from Him, and how He is our all in all. He created us and gave us life; He breathed His breath into us after speaking us into existence. His Word is a living two-edged sword.
Lately, many Christians have forgotten the power of praise and prayer, turning instead, to bashing our fellow man, especially those in leadership positions. We would do well to remember God places princes and kings on their seats, calling us to pray for all men. Proverbs 24:17-18 says, “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls, and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; lest the LORD see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him.” When our enemies fall, we are to continue to pray for them, not call attention to their failures. The Bible says God may see it and turn away His wrath from him, in other words…God may change His mind regarding punishment of our enemies if we rejoice when they fall. 1 Timothy 2:1-3 says, “Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.”
We must also remember those who don’t call themselves by Christ’s name are lost, and we who are saved are not to judge the lost, but to share with them the love of Jesus Christ and His gospel. We give bad witness when we bash others and grumble against them. We become more like the world in those instances and less like Christ. We are to be salt and light, we are to stick out and be peculiar, not hate-mongers and gossipers.
When we praise God for all things, and when we pray for all men, we give God the okay to act on our behalf. Psalm 146:3 says, “Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man, in whom there is no help.” Praising God for all things indicates our trust is solely in the Lord, and His outcome is better than any we could have constructed on our own. Our world is the way it is today because many have forsaken the biblical truths of praying for all men and not rejoicing in an enemy’s fall. It’s time to repent of this, Church, get back on our knees and begin to take our government, our pastors, our bosses, our teachers, our authority figures before the Lord in prayer and allow Him to raise them up or take them down.
Let’s Pray: Dear Heavenly Father, You are Holy and Righteous; You breathed Your life into us, You spoke this world into existence. All things were created by You, and You constantly and consistently care for all things. You feed the sparrows and clothe the lilies; You provide for us when no other source of provision is available or visible. Your Holy Spirit guides us, whispering into our hearts; You have seated kings and princes; You have raised up and taken down whom You choose. Father, there is nothing too hard for You, and nothing that we can do apart from You. Father, I lift Your Church up to You. It is my prayer that Your Church becomes the peculiar and different Body that You have called it to be in Christ. I pray and ask that the Church recognize Jesus Christ as its true head, and that the petty differences and squabbles be set aside in order to meet the call of Christ to be His hands and feet among this world. I ask that a desire to pray spread like wild fire through Your Body, a desire to lift up our leaders, our neighbors, our friends, co-workers, classmates, all of mankind, in prayer and ask for God’s will to be done. I pray that a Holy Spirit fire be ignited in the hearts of Your church, and that a stirring up of Your gifts become evident – that the Body truly functions as the Body You meant it to be. Cut off that which is of the world, burn it Lord, and may we come to repentance and develop a strong distaste for this world. May Your Children be bold and courageous for Jesus Christ, may they speak Your truth in Love and may those who hear have ears to hear and eyes to see. May we come before You in praise, true praise, heartfelt praise and may we fully understand how to worship You in spirit and in truth. May we not conform to this world, but be transformed. Father, we love You, we give You all glory and honor. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Today’s Attitude of Worship: We are living in tumultuous times. Our government has shut down while the two parties bicker like small children. Uncertainty and fear are prevalent forces woven into the fabric of our nation. I have been praying about the ACA and still do not have peace in my spirit about it. There is a spirit of control hovering over our country driven by fear, and we must take our place in the battle lifting our praises high. There is nothing too hard for God, His mercy and faithfulness are unmatched and unending. Take time today to get before the Lord and praise Him for all things – even this government shutdown! As we collectively come before Him in praise regarding this and lifting these leaders up to Him in prayer, I’m confident we will see His hand at work.
Additional Scriptures: Hebrews 4:12-13; Amos 9:5-6; 1 Samuel 12:23; 1 Kings 13:6
Shalom,
Prudence Ramos
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