EVERY PRAISE

Originally written several years ago – some content may be dated but the message is timeless.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You don’t have to know me for very long at all to realize how much I LOVE MUSIC!!!  I was so blessed to be born into a family that loves music.  Not just any music but Praise and Worship music, whether it is the good old hymns (check out this link to the old hymns) from long ago to today’s contemporary Praise and Worship.  I tell people that I have sung since before I was born.  How?  When my mother was pregnant with me, she was in the church choir.  I have been washed with music my whole life!  I love most all music, The Beatles is one group, The Monkeys, good old classic rock like ZZ Top, and many other types of music.  However, there is just something about the music that points folks to The Lord God Almighty!  I get so wrapped up in a good praise and worship song that it brings me to tears many times.  We were created to praise Him!  When we praise Him, we are close to God’s heart!  King David was one of the first Praise and Worship leaders… lol.  He knew how to praise God for sure!  I love the scripture that talks about him dancing “before the Lord with all his might”.  Here is the scripture:

2 Samuel 6:12-15  – ^12″ Now King David was told, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So, David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing.¹³ When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf.¹⁴ Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might,¹⁵ while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.”

It goes on to say that he was “leaping and dancing” as they brought the Ark of the Covenant into the City of David… This is a Video from an old movie, but it is great!  Watch it!

King David dancing before the Ark of the Covenant

King David totally let it go and worshiped God with his entire being!  We should be so excited as well!  We may not all can “dance before the Lord” but why shouldn’t we sing praises to our God?  If for no other reason… because He created us!   He gives us breath each day.  He loved us so much that He sent His only Son Jesus to us to walk among us and be an example for us.  Then that only Son – Jesus – died on that cruel cross to pay our sin debt to the righteous and just God so we could live with Him forever in eternity!  He is our Redeemer, our Deliverer, our Healer!  That is plenty of reasons to Praise Him!

In Luke 19:40 it says that when Jesus was entering the city of Jerusalem, all of the disciples and crowd were praising Jesus and laying palm branches and cloaks in the way of Jesus path. They were excited that the “King” was coming. The so called “leaders” of the time were not so excited. They told Jesus to tell His disciples to be quiet. His response is priceless! Here is the scripture!

Luke 19:40 – ⁴⁰ “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” One of the commentaries that I read said that even inanimate objects know more than the leaders of that day. Here is the exact text from the commentary.

The IVP New Testament Commentary Series

“Irony drips from Jesus’ response. He cannot silence his disciples, for if he did, then creation itself would take up the song: “If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” Even inanimate creation understands events better than the leaders do—so deep runs their blindness. All the way back to Abel’s blood crying out to God, when rhetoric portrays the creation as speaking, there has been serious misunderstanding of God’s ways (Gen 4:10; Hab 2:11; Jas 5:4).”

So, if we don’t praise Him, all creation will! He – Jesus deserves to be praised! He is … enough said. He simply is! I read all that He did for mankind and still am amazed every time I read it or listen to it. He paid the ultimate price for us. He loved the world (humankind) so much that He chose to die on the cross so we would not have to pay for our sins. God is a Righteous and Just God and without Jesus’ sacrifice (The Perfect Lamb of God) we would have no hope! BUT… that is not the best part! Yes, He did die on the cross… but He also ROSE ON THE 3^RD DAY A-L-I-V-E!! He lives! Thank God He Lives! He is waiting for the time to come back and take us home to be with Him forever! I am ready too! I cannot wait for the day where there is no sorrow, no tear, no pain. Thank You, Jesus, for paying the price for our sins. Every Praise truly belongs to you!

If you haven’t thought about praising Him today, find at least one reason. There are many, but I challenge you to find at least one. Tell Him how much you appreciate Him and all He has done for you! Thank Him for what He has done for you in your life. If you don’t know Jesus, reach out to Him. He is waiting for you to get to know Him better. He loves you so much! After all, He calls you His beloved!

Someone posted a new video on Facebook here while back and I found the song on iTunes… It is so good!  It is by this man… Bishop Hezekiah Xzavier Walker, Jr. He is a Grammy Award-winning gospel music artist, founder and leader of the Love Fellowship Choir, and Pastor and Bishop of the Love Fellowship Tabernacle.  I have never heard of him until last night… but I absolutely love this song!

(Below is a flash mob type video… excellent!)

The Song – Every Praise – Hezekiah Walker and Choir

Leah,
Le**@My*******.com