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praise

The Louder Our Song

by TerryLema 
(I am having problems with cervical vertebrae pressing on nerve bundles. Had the MRI, waiting on the neurosurgeon. Unfortunately, using a keyboard is extremely difficult and painful. So while I am getting this settled, I am going to rerun some old devotionals.  Thank you for your prayers and patience while I get this settled.)

The Louder Our Song

The greater the storm, the louder our song. We lift our voice up, we make your praise glorious.  That is a line from the song “Louder,” by Mark Redman.  That line, especially the first part, has been running through my mind over and over again … the greater the storm, the louder our song!

 Our world is ablaze with storms, both literal and figurative.  Weather patterns have been wild this year.  There have been earthquakes and volcanos, floods and droughts. Much of California is on fire because of a drought.  As bad as those are, they have affected relatively few compared to the other kinds of storms.  Wars, conflicts, radicalism, pandemic, mass murders, shooting sprees, persecutions, fears, anxiety.  It seems like the news opens every day with reports of the tempests that plague our world.

The church has felt herself assaulted in our country in ways we never thought possible.  Maybe that’s the problem, we never thought it possible!  We let our guard down.  We grew comfortable in our plush chairs and expected that would go on until Jesus came.  Whatever the reasons, in many areas of our society, Christian is no longer a welcome title.

So what should we do?  I truly believe God’s Spirit is energizing some of our new song writers and they are putting forth praise, urging us to catch the wind of the Spirit … The greater the storm, the louder our song!  The Spirit is telling the church to rise up out of their plush chairs and begin to praise, praise louder and more fervently than ever before.

It’s time to sing praise, shout praise, dance praise, clap praise and live praise.  It’s time to open our doors and let the world see us and hear us praising our God!

Louder: (1) Louder - Matt Redman (2015 New Worship Song with Lyrics) - Bing video

 

 

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From the Rising of the Sun …

by TerryLema

The days are getting longer now. The Winter Solstice 2020 happened on December 21, marking the shortest day / longest night of the year. Since then we have added a few more minutes of daylight to each day. Up until last weekend, we have had a mild winter. Temperatures in January hit the 50s and even a few days of 60s. Unusual for this part of Idaho. But then “unusual” is often the word we use to describe the weather in Idaho.

The way our house is situated, our big living room window and glass front door get the winter sunshine. From mid-day the sun (when the clouds are not blocking it) shines through the window and door and heats our house. I have a big lounge chair sitting by that window and I can get all toasty and warm spending the afternoon sitting in it reading.

I enjoy the shorter days and winter months; I am not a summer person at all. I do not mind if sunset is early in the day. I do, however, like the earlier sunrises.  Being a morning person, it is nice to have the light when I am at my best.

I was up early last Monday morning, sitting in my bonus room where I pray and study, read and write. It was still dark outside. I was waiting for sunrise when I checked my inbox and found one of my daily Bible verses for that day.  It was out of Psalm 113:3.

“From the rising of the sun to its going down The Lord’s name is to be praised.”  [HCSB]

That verse made me smile.  Praising the LORD is one of my favorite things to do. I love to think of all the wonderful things about God and praise Him for them. I love to think about the ways He blesses me and bless Him for them. It doesn’t really matter if it is during the time from sunup to sundown, or if it is early in the morning when it is still dark and I am waiting for sunrise.

It is good to simply praise Him whenever I am awake, even if that be the midnight of the day. Amen & Amen.

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Things that are superior …

by TerryLema

I do not know about you, but I am bombarded every day with so much stuff. It comes through the television, the online news pages, Facebook, emails, snail-mail, and a host of other avenues. It wants my attention. Often it wants my money too.

Just the other day I was invited to pursue hearing aids, burial insurance, life insurance, new windows for the house, lawn care, a new home, a new car … and that was just in the mailbox. The commercials on television were worse. The ads on Facebook popped up constantly. My phone rang with robo-calls telling me my auto warranty was up on cars we no longer own!

Bombarded from every side. Even as I am writing this, an ad for faster wi-fi flashed on my screen!  Perhaps that is why I was captured by Paul’s prayer for the Philippians.

“And I pray this: that your love will keep on growing in knowledge and every kind of discernment, so that you can approve the things that are superior and can be pure and blameless in the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.” [Philippians 1:9-11 HCSB]

Paul prayed for his readers to have a growing knowledge and discernment so that they could “approve the things that are superior.”

Then he described those things. He wanted his readers to be pure, blameless, filled with the fruit of righteousness. He wanted them to lead lives that brought glory and praise to God.

I really was struck by that phrase “approve the things that are superior.”

The world bombards us with things that are inferior. It demands our attention to stuff that will pass away with the using. It wants us consumed with consumerism. Our Father God wants us to grow in the knowledge of Christ Jesus so that we might live superior lives, consumed with the desire to know eternal things that will last forever.

Maybe we should all be praying Paul’s prayer – for ourselves and for each other.  Amen.

 

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Praise!

by TerryLema

For over a year now I have battled two chronic autoimmune diseases. I am praying and hoping for remission for both so I can go back to just battling my diabetes and aging. (Smile!)  I have good days and I have not-so-good days. There are times when everything hurts and times when just some things hurt. Pain and fatigue seem to be my constant companions.

There is usually one time each day where I do not sense either pain or fatigue. Right before I get out of bed each morning is usually pain and fatigue free. I stay there for a little while appreciating those moments.  I praise God for that brief time when I feel normal, knowing it will likely not carry over into my upcoming day.

The writer of Hebrews has one last “let us” phrase that I often think about. He calls praise “a sacrifice.”

“Therefore, through Him let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of our lips that confess His name.” [Hebrews 13:15 HCSB]

For me, praising God has always been a blessed experience. I love to worship my Savior and to sing and shout His praises – not just in church but around the house or when I walk. I have praised Him in sunshine and in the shadows of life. I never considered it a sacrifice to praise Him, just a gracious and loving experience.

I never thought much about it being a sacrifice until these past months when almost every day I have been challenged with fatigue or pain. Some days I just want to sigh, or cry, or hide. Instead, I know my Savior is calling me to praise. He understands that it will require a sacrifice to do so, but He also knows that praising Him will lift me into His Presence. There I will find the strength and peace I so desperately need.

So yes, there are times when praising becomes a sacrifice. And in those times, it also becomes our lifeline to the One who loves us most. Amen & Amen.

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But as for me …

by TerryLema

I was reading Psalm 69 this morning. It is a song of David. It is a plea for rescue. You cannot read it without noticing the prophetic words about our LORD Christ Jesus and His crucifixion.

The first 28 verses are difficult to read. David is surrounded by enemies, in great distress. He recounts to God his own sin and the pain and grief he is experiencing at the hands of others. Then in verse 29, something changes. It seems that David begins to look up at God. It begins with a personal declaration … “but as for me.”

“But as for me—poor and in pain— let Your salvation protect me, God. I will praise God’s name with song and exalt Him with thanksgiving.” [Psalm 69:29-30 HCSB]

“But as for me,” David writes, even while I am “poor and in pain” I will choose to look to God. God’s salvation will protect me. I will choose to praise God’s name. I will choose to sing. I will choose to exalt. I will choose to offer thanksgiving.

It really does come down to that personal choice – that decision that no matter our poverty or pain, we will choose to offer God thanksgiving and praise. We will sing songs in the night that exalt our LORD and Savior.

No matter how great the darkness around us, it does not have the power to stifle our voices. It cannot stop our singing or exalting or thanking or praising our God. The only thing that can stifle our voices is our own choice to remain silent.

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A Thanksgiving Sacrifice

by TerryLema

Did you know that the first mention of a formal thanksgiving in the Bible is found in Leviticus 7? Most of us do not wake up in the morning excited to read through that book.  Instead we probably try to avoid it, what with all the references to mildew, sin, skin diseases, bodily discharges, and such.

Yet right there, in Leviticus 7:11-15, a formal offering of thanksgiving is referenced. “Now this is the law of the fellowship sacrifice that someone may present to the Lord: If he presents it for thanksgiving, in addition to the thanksgiving sacrifice, he is to present unleavened cakes mixed with olive oil, unleavened wafers coated with oil, and well-kneaded cakes of fine flour mixed with oil. He is to present as his offering cakes of leavened bread with his thanksgiving sacrifice of fellowship.” [v11-13 HCSB]

It seems odd to put thanksgiving and sacrifice in the same sentence. We usually apply thanksgiving to all the great and wonderful blessings we experience. We offer thanks readily when things are going well in life. We have our health, or financial security, good jobs, family peace. Yes, we may become forgetful at times, but once reminded we go down our list of blessings and find much to praise God.

In those tough times, when health declines, financial security disappears, jobs are tenuous or family upheavals are the norm, thanksgiving truly becomes a sacrifice. Hebrews 13:15 is clear, however: “Therefore, through Him let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of our lips that confess His name.” [HCSB]

There is no excuse for ingratitude when we remember all God has done for us in Christ’s sacrifice. All those things we found in Romans 5:1-2, in Psalm 100, are ours. They are eternal. They will never disappear or diminish or be overcome, not even by the trying circumstances of this life.

So yes, sometimes thanksgiving is a sacrifice because of what we have around us … but it must always be offered considering the eternal sacrifice of our Lord and Savior on that cross for us.

 

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What Builds Altars in Our Minds …

by TerryLema

There was one other sentence in that monthly publication on encouragement that I told you about a couple days ago that also caught my eye.  “A negative mind will never give you a positive life.”

I tend to be a positive person. I was not always that way. I spent much of my teen years and early 20’s being depressed, uncertain and fearful.  “Woe is me” was my theme song. Then I met Jesus. Things changed; I changed. It did not happen overnight, but it did happen. My negative attitude, which was generated by fear was gradually replaced with a much more positive one. Joy, that had been driven out by shame and guilt, returned once the shame and guilt was taken away by Christ Jesus my Lord and Savior.

I realized along the way that I wanted to not only live my life in words and actions that honored Christ, I also wanted to focus my thoughts and attitudes on better things – in other words – to see things as He saw them. That is why Paul’s words in Philippians are so precious to me.

“Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable—if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise—dwell on these things.” [Philippians 4:8]

What beautiful words … true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, morally excellence, praise. Those are the words that should build altars in our minds and attitudes. If we choose to see those good words in those around us, if we choose to seek those good words in our own will and ways, we will find that positive mind which will bless us even in the midst of negative situations and circumstances.

Yes, the world is in trouble. Yes, there is trouble in our own nation. Yes, we are surrounded by fear, wickedness, problems and more. But we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God who reminds us that our Savior is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, morally excellent, and praiseworthy. Amid the darkness, Jesus, LORD of Lords and KING of Kings shines brightly. Keep your eyes on Him, beloved.

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Do Not Forget …

by TerryLema

If you are looking for a quiet resting place today, take a walk in Psalm 103. It begins: “My soul, praise Yahweh, and all that is within me, praise His holy name. My soul, praise the Lord, and do not forget all His benefits. He forgives all your sin; He heals all your diseases.” [Psalm 103:1-3 HCSB]

It is so easy to forget. Last night I forgot our nighttime medications. I was getting ready for bed when Bob asked, “Did we take our pills?”  Nope, I forgot. So, I asked him to remember to remind me to remember next time. Hopefully, one of us will remember.

The LORD’s benefits to us are very real. The psalmist lists two, forgiveness and healing. We could probably list many more, rest, renewal, the promise of a future and a hope, peace that passes understanding, an inheritance in the saints, new mercies every morning. That does not even scratch the surface of blessings found in the LORD.

Still, it is easy to forget. The things of this life are often louder or seemingly more intense. They distract and pull us toward them. Will I lose my job? Can I afford groceries or gas? Can I feed my family? Will I get this virus? Will my employer provide protection? Will I die? Those are just a few 2020 distractions, not to mention the regular ones, like cancer or loss of a loved one, aging, or rebellious children or …?

The psalmist provides the best way to not forget God’s benefits by reminding us to praise the LORD, to bless His Holy Name. To command our soul to praise our LORD is to put God’s blessings foremost before us. To do so drives the other things into the background.

There is nothing like praising God to find the renewal we need in those green pastures beside those still, quiet waters. Praise Him today, beloved, and see if the things of life that challenge us most are not rendered silent before Him.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=praise+music+youtube&cvid=43d7834433d84b4abf3cac5844dfb53a&pglt=803&PC=LCTS&ru=%2fsearch%3fq%3dpraise%2bmusic%2byoutube%26cvid%3d43d7834433d84b4abf3cac5844dfb53a%26pglt%3d803%26FORM%3dANSPA1%26PC%3dLCTS&view=detail&mmscn=vwrc&mid=B31EAAC8A6F497BFE0EFB31EAAC8A6F497BFE0EF&FORM=WRVORC

 

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Not Sing?

by TerryLema

We are not supposed to sing in church. At least that is the recommendation of some officials amid this virus-and-fear pandemic. Apparently when we sing, we expel droplets that may contain the virus and the risk of infection goes up.

Not sing praises to our God when we gather in our church buildings? I know for some that will not be a problem. I have seen people standing there during the music service and not singing because they just are not singers and choose to worship our Savior in a quieter or different way. That is okay.

For many others, like me, that is a big problem. I love to sing praises to my God. I sing on my worship walk. I sing when I pray. I sing in church during song service. Granted, I am not a great singer and since I have had some hearing loss, I am probably more off pitch than on. I sing anyway. I figure that if God is not pleased with my voice, He can change it to something that sounds better. (I know however, that God is pleased when I sing and worship Him, so I am on solid ground.)

Col 3:16: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you … as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.”

It seems Paul has everything covered in this verse 16. First we are to allow the Word of Christ to dwell in our hearts richly with wisdom (yesterday’s devotion), and then we are to let the Word of Christ dwell richly in us by psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude.

In essence, that reflects what we do corporately in our church services. Perhaps more importantly, it is what we are to do individually in our time “outside” the church service.

That small worship service on a Sunday morning cannot contain enough psalms, hymns. and spiritual songs to get us through the difficulties of our lives each day. There must be the “Word of Christ” dwelling in us in wisdom gleaned by our personal studies of God’s Word, as well as in gratitude through our songs in the night and in the day.

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Feeling His Pleasure

by TerryLema

I think I have come to the end of the “let us” devotions, at least for present. It is one that I consider the most vital of all. “Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise-the fruit of lips that confess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” [Heb 13:15-16]

The cross of our LORD Christ Jesus reaches two ways, it reaches up and it reaches out. The writer to Hebrews reminds us of that. He reminds us that our Christian duty is to both God and to people.

We are to remember to do good and to share with whom we walk through this life. We share our lives with others, our encouragement, our finances when we can, our time (the most precious of all our commodities), our love. It is our responsibility and our privilege to also share the Gospel with those who do not yet know Christ.

Perhaps as great a responsibility and privilege – and one that is sometimes harder during difficult times in life — is that we are to “continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name.”

 Interesting that the author calls praise a sacrifice. When things are difficult, circumstances dire, or problems arise, praising God is a sacrifice. It is our offering to Him remembering all He has done for us. Difficulties, circumstances, and problems are not eternal (they only seem that way). One day they will be gone, and we will be with the LORD where nothing like that will ever arise again.

Beloved, we cannot wait until we get in His presence to praise Him, we need to do it now amid the trying times. Offering a sacrifice of praise takes our focus off the problems and puts it on the King of kings. It demonstrates to God and this world that we are a people who trust in the LORD not just when it is easy, but when it is most difficult.

If you genuinely want to feel God’s pleasure, praise Him with your words today – and with your life. Amen.

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