Begin to Praise

"Rejoice in the Lord, O you [uncompromisingly] righteous [you upright, in right standing with God]; for praise is becoming and appropriate for those who are upright in heart." (Psalm 33:1, The Amplified Bible)


Praise. According to the Word of God, that's the most appropriate, becoming, thing that you as a believer can do.

Let me warn you though, God's idea of appropriate praise and yours may well be two very different things. The praise He calls for is joyous and uninhibited. And, at times, it's just plain loud!

If you don't believe it, look in the Bible and see the kind of praise that goes on in heaven. Read Isaiah 6 and find out how they act in the throne room. The seraphim shout in there until the doorposts shake! And when they do, the glory of the Lord fills the house.

Stop, Look And Listen

Growing in the Lord.

A corn plant when it is fully grown and at harvest may have 2 -3 cobs per plant.

However when the plant is only a few weeks old and has sprouted it doesn't have the strength or ability to hold the corn cobs. 

If we focus upon growing the harvest will eventually come.

Too often we focus upon the wrong areas of life.

So how do we grow in the Lord.

One way is by knowing what God says about you and accepting this. 

I consider this to be one of the hardest areas of our lives.

Don't Forget the Joy

"Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice." (Philippians 4:4)

Years ago, I decided I was going to walk by the Word of God. I told God that, as far as I was concerned, His Word was final and I'd confess it the rest of my life no matter what. That was the most important decision I've ever made.

Not too long after that, I decided that no matter what happened, whether I felt like it or not, I'd walk in love. Because the Bible clearly says "faith worketh by love." It won't work any other way.

Those two decisions--to operate by faith in the Word of God and to walk in love--are the two most important decisions I've ever made in my life.

Recently, though, God pointed out to me that there was something I'd been leaving out. The force of joy. He told me I have no right to walk by faith and love and just leave joy dormant in my spirit. It's too important. As He taught me about it, I soon came to realize that joy is an essential part of a life of victory. Without it, I might have an occasional triumph now and then, but I wouldn't be able to sustain them. They'd quickly slip away.