Monday, September 23, 2019

Pastor's Ponderings, September 23, 2019

Give God Our Total Praise

Keith L. Alexander wrote an article in the July 23, 2015 issue of the Washington Post entitled, Millions Of Gospel Fans Know Richard Smallwood's Music. But Not His Struggles. Smallwood wrote the classic Christian hymn, “Total Praise.”  Alexander noted, “He wrote it when his mother had begun struggling with dementia and a family friend was dying of cancer, leaving Smallwood to serve as a caregiver at times for both.”  In spite of the stressful situations in which he found himself, he still gave God his total praise. Some of the lyrics are, 

Lord, I will lift mine eyes to the hills knowing my help is coming from You. Your peace, You give me in time of the storm, You are the source of my strength, You are the strength of my life. I lift my hands in total praise to you.”

This powerful song reminds us that we should give God praise no matter what circumstances, pain, confusion, anxiety, or challenges that we are going through.  The Bible advises us that everyone who has breath in their body should praise God (Psalm 150:6).  God continually works for us even in our struggles.  For example, the Bible states that when Apostle Paul and Silas were locked up in prison, they were praising God openly.  During their praise, miraculously, all of their prison doors were opened in an earthquake (Acts 16:25, 26).  

He is still blessing us whether we see His work or not (Lamentations 3:22, 23). Therefore, we should lift up our voices and thank and praise Him for what He has done, is doing, and will do for us.  Let everything that has breath praise God.

Psalm 150:6
New International Version (NIV)
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD

Acts 16:25, 26
New International Version (NIV)
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.

Lamentations 3:22, 23
New International Version (NIV)
22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.



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