Saturday Open Heavens Devotional - Impulsive Praise

MEMORISE: And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. Luke 1:46-47

READ: ACTS 3:6-9

6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk. 7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. 8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God:

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: OBADIAH 1, JONAH 4 and MATTHEW 10:16-39

MESSAGE

Praise can be described as a spontaneous outburst of thanksgiving by a grateful child of God in God’s presence. When a person knows God and experiences Him intimately, he or she sings to the Lord with deepest praise! Our God is praiseworthy. He dwells in the praises of His children. Christ came so that men would be able to praise God in holiness and truth. The woks of Jesus caused men to rejoice and praise God. Luke 19:37 reports that: “And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all mighty works that they had seen;” God created us to praise Him. This will be our activity when we are gathered around His throne in Heaven. No true child of God should have difficulty thinking of reasons why God deserves his or her praise. We should enjoy the times we have to praise our Lord, both privately and publicly. If your life is not filled with praise, it may be that you have lost your appreciation of God’s mercy upon you. Please, don’t forget what God has saved you from. Never take for granted what it means to have the assurance of eternity with God. Your lifestyle should praise God in holiness and good works. Jesus in Matthew 5:16 said: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is heaven."

Moreover, don’t disregard the spiritual kinship you enjoy with other believers. Take time to recount the blessings God has poured out upon you and your family in the midst of God’s people. Jesus in Hebrew 2:12 declared thus: “Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.”

As you contemplate the boundless love and mercy God has shown you, you will want to sing praises to His holy Name. Impulsive praises is spontaneous. It is involuntary and not pre-meditated. Here you can sing praises to God or mention His redemptive Names. Here you praise God because you are overwhelmed by His greatness, loving-kindness and goodness to you. Impulsive praise is credible praise. It does not have to be manipulated or orchestrated. It is a real and personal expression of a grateful heart and wonder-filled life that has encountered the Holy God. This is what God expects from you.

KEY POINT: Sincere praise is the spontaneous response of one who meditates on the greatness and goodness of Lord.