Sunday, September 13, 2009

Why Should We Praise God?

by Pr. Timothy Lo Shen Loon

The Christian faith is a singing faith. Throughout the history of the church, music has played an important role in the life of the church. Paul exhorts the believers in Ephesus, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God”. Why should we praise God? Let me offer you 3 reasons.

1. We praise God because God is our creator and He is most worthy of praise.
We praise God because God is our maker and we are His creation. “Great is the Lord, and most worthy of praise (Psalm 48: 1). “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.” (Revelation 4:11) God created this world and all that is in it, so it is only proper that all His creation praise Him. Martin Luther said, “A person cannot praise God, unless he understands hat there is nothing in himself worthy of praise, but all that is worthy of praise is of God and from God. But since God is eternally praise worthy, because He is the infinite God and can never be exhausted, therefore they will praise Him forever and ever.” We have been created by God for the purpose of declaring his praise. “The people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise”. (Isaiah 43: 21). Indeed, we praise God because God is our creator and He is most worthy of praise.

2. We praise God because there is power in praise.
When we stop trying to fight our battles and simply begin to praise God who has said He will fight for us, then God is free to release His power and provision on our behalf. There is power in praise. When we praise God, God releases His power for us so that we can have victory in spiritual warfare. Praise brings victory, deliverance and blessing. When we praise God we stop to think about our weaknesses but instead focusing on God’s power and strength. God then releases his power and strength to us so that we can be victorious Christians.

3. When we praise God we have a relationship with God.
When we praise God, we are able to come into a proper relationship with God. It is hard to have a relationship with anyone if there’s no communication. When we praise God, we are communicating and expressing to God our love, our adoration, our devotion and our commitment to God. This in turn will help us to develop an intimate relationship with God.

Today is Church Music Sunday, let us all be reminded by the Psalmist to praise God at all times. “I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth’. (psalm 34:1)

2 comments:

  1. Such a clear and straight forward message! Prefer this more than the history lecture last week.

    Let's ask yourself! Doesn't matter whether you're a new believer or not, would you like to listen to stories which related to your current life and able to teach, correct, rebuke and train you?

    OR

    A mono tone history class which hardly can be understand and doesn't see the need of it! well we can't ignore that history is important, maybe history can be taught in other more formal training or classes?

    I strongly believe that it will be better if the message ( or sermon ) able to relate with real life.^^

    Come on bccms, don't be so dry! We're not ashamed of the gospel!(Rom 1:16) We're serving the God and not others! We know who's the saviour! (matt 3:16) Come on brothers and sisters, seek His words! All scripture is God-breathed! (2 tim 3:16)

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  2. there's a typo at the first point, "unless he understand *that* there is..

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