PRAISING GOD

“Praise the LORD! I will praise the LORD with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright and in the congregation" (Psalm 111:1 NKJV).

The theme of this verse is praise for God. Thus we want to note the command for praising, the consecration for praising, and the crowds for praising.

Command for praising – “Praise the Lord.” In spite of what the world thinks or does, we are to praise God. And while much of the world only mentions God in profanity, believers are to mention God in praise. We are to praise God with our lips as well as our lives. The trouble with our world and in our own lives can be traced back to the failure to praise God. Regarding praising God, Charles Spurgeon said, ‘Do it now, do it always; do it heartily, do it unanimously, do it eternally.’

Consecration for praising – “I will praise the Lord with my whole heart.” The best way to teach is by example; we must practice what we preach. And so the Psalmist is setting a good example by praising the Lord himself. Further, this was not just empty rhetoric, or words without sincerity. This was praise from the “whole heart.” It is the only kind of praise that counts.

Crowds for praising – “In the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.” Some folks only praise God when and where it is acceptable to do so. Yet, the Psalmist mentions two different crowds and two different situations for praising God. The first crowd (assembly of the upright) represents a small group while the second crowd (congregation) represents a large group. The lesson here is that we are to praise God no matter where we are or how many people are present. Being in a small church with few in attendance should not stop our praising God. Nor should being in a large crowd where some may oppose our praising, stop us from praising God. We are to praise God everywhere regardless of the circumstances.

(Adapted from Butler Daily Bible Reading)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“If you find yourself wearing a spirit of heaviness, put on a garment of praise!”

Anonymous

Word Study

Divided

In Luke 11:18 we read, “If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? Because you say I cast out demons by Beelzebub!” (NKJV).

Divided is the Greek word diamerizō (διαμερίζω = dee-am-er-id'-zo). It is made up of two words: “dia” which means through, and “merizō” which means to divide, separate, share, distribute, apportion. Thus, the word literally means to divide, separate into parts, distribute. Figuratively, it refers to a kingdom that is divided, a family divided by being forced to choose for or against.

In Classical Greek diamerizō simply means to divide, distribute part, or separate. In the Septuagint diamerizō was used in regard to dividing the earth, the nations, land, plunder, and food. In the New Testament diamerizō carries idea of dividing among, distributing, and sharing. The Lord Jesus said that for Satan to act against himself would be self-destructive. No group will last long if it’s fighting itself. It will fall. So, that the idea that the Lord Jesus was casting out Satan by satanic power makes no sense whatsoever.

Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus

Old Testament Prophecy – Messiah would receive a special anointing by the Holy Spirit (Psalm 45:7)

New Testament Fulfillment – Matt. 3:16; Heb. 1:9

Did You Know…

In the desert, God provided bread from Heaven (manna) to feed the Israelites (Exodus 16).In the book of John 6, Jesus Christ said that He was the bread of life, and if we eat this bread, we shall live forever (John 6:48-50).

Bible Quiz

According to Psalm 113 how often was the name of the LORD to be praised?

**Answer to last week’s trivia: According to the Book of Romans, how does faith come? “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17).

Everyday Expressions Alluded to in the Bible

"Cross my heart and hope to die”

“And when all the people came to persuade David to eat food while it was still day, David took an oath, saying, God do so to me, and more also, if I taste bread or anything else till the sun goes down!” (2 Sam. 3357 NKJV).

“Cross my heart and hope to die” - The expression “cross my heart and hope to die” carries the idea of kill me if I’m wrong. The murder of Abner by Joab hit David very hard. This is seen in his mourning. After pronouncing a curse on Joab and his house, David decreed a time of mourning, and was present at Abner’s funeral. David further showed his grief by weeping at the grave of Abner. And, as a sign of his sincerity, David took a vow to fast and eat nothing until sunset. David would not make a time of mourning a time of merriment.

Did You Know – Christian History

Gerard Groote was born October 1340 in the city of Deventer in Utrecht (Netherlands). He was a Dutch evangelical preacher, founder of the Brethren of the Common Life and of the Devotio Moderna (Modern Devotion), a religious movement which contributed to the Protestant Reformation.

Born of wealthy parents Groote received extensive education in law, medicine, and theology. But about 1375 his life changed dramatically when he experienced a spiritual conversion. He gave up his wealth and possessions, turned his family home into a shelter for poor women and entered a Carthusian monastery. After 2 years, he was ordained a deacon (not a priest) and left the monastery and became a missionary preacher.

From the start, Groote, gathered men around him to copy scriptures and religious texts. From the revenues they earned, they supported themselves and helped the poor. They did not beg for alms. The band became known as the Brethren of Common Life. Groote also gathered a group of women called the Sisters of Common Life. These groups did not take monastic vows, their aim was to live the life of Christ while engaged in toil.

Groote’s popularity was the result of his preaching in the everyday language of the people and his appeal to the spiritual ideals of the times. Popular religious feeling centered on the imitation of Christ, the idea that all Christians should practice his virtues.

Although his career was cut short, Groote is tremendously important for his influence on others. A member of this order was Thomas à Kempis, author of The Imitation of Christ.

When he died on this day, August 20, 1384, Gerard Groote left behind him a band of followers dedicated to reforming the church, spreading the gospel and putting the scriptures into the hands and minds of the common people. His death, like his life, was devoted to the body of Christ. He had labored only ten years for Christ. Decades later, another pupil, Erasmus, became the greatest scholar of his age and an agent of reform. With Groote’s death, his influence did not die.

A Little Humor

Little Johnny was bothered with a question that he had to ask his Sunday school teacher. “Miss Davis, are there any animals in heaven?” “I’m not sure, Johnny,” his teacher responded. “Well, I just wanted to know, ‘cause last Sunday we sang about “Gladly the Cross-Eyed Bear.”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“The sin of one person often brings tragedy to many!”