December 23, 2024

I Love To Praise

November 21, 2014 by

psalmshymnsspiritualsongskjv

Holy One, Father of the Earth
Create in me a pure heart
So I can come in Spirit and in Truth
To worship You that’s what I long to do

I love to praise
I love to lift Your Holy Name
From the rising of the sun
And going down of the same
Your name is great
I will bless You all my days
‘Cause I love to praise

Righteous One, Lover of my soul
Age to age, forever still the same
Your name is like the sweetest melody
Here with You is where I long to be

You are Holy
My lips shall always speak Your praise
You are Worthy
Forever I will always sing Your praise

Singer / Songwriter: Miss Natalie Grant

*  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

Oh, how sweet it is when we choose to look at our lives and the blessings God has given us with praise.  Praise to the One Who is the Provider, the Healer, the Vindicator (and the list goes on).

Life is better when we choose to meditate on and be thankful for the good things in our lives. There is always, always something to be grateful for! I found this excerpt on what a difference being grateful can do for our lives….

“Gratitude has been linked to increased levels of happiness and life satisfaction. Giving thanks is one of the most powerful ways there is to increase your well-being.” (Click here to read a whole list quotes about gratitude.)

Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”
— William Arthur Ward

When we choose to look at our blessings and praise the One Who blessed us, our whole perspective on life will change. I would much rather be looking at what God is doing instead of the circumstances surrounding me.

Giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ
Ephesians 5:20

We are to give thanks in all things…not that all things that happen in our lives will be good. However God promises to work them for our good. ALL things…not just some thing. It is in the hardest of circumstances that we can grow and learn the most and God is ALWAYS working…

But Jesus replied, “My Father is always working, and so am I.”
John 5:17 NLT

  *  ~  ♥  ~  ✞  ~  ♥  ~  *

Heavenly Father, I thank You that You are ALWAYS working and that You never sleep.  Thank You that You work ALL things for good for those who love You…and we do love You, Lord!  It is in the hard things that we become stronger and wiser.  So for this we give thanks for we become a better person because of them.  In Jesus’ name.  AMEN!!!

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Giving Thanks In EVERYthing

November 20, 2014 by

seekingHimthanksgivinggraphic

Rejoice always
Pray without ceasing
In everything give thanks
For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

As our sisters have already reminded us this week—IN everything give thanks (not FOR everything)!

Y’know…there is a certain man whose dedication and commitment to God IN every situation and circumstance is recorded in the Old Testament.  I’ll give you a hint or two, ok?

  1. His friends tried to DISsuade him from giving thanks IN everything….
  2. His wife clearly told him the situation was so bad that he should just ‘curse God and die’….

Oh, I am SURE you recognize this man; yes?  Of course, it was righteous Job.  If ever there were someone who perceivably had nothing left for which to give thanks, it was Job.

Job was abundantly blessed by God: he had houses, and flocks, and herds of animals, and servants, and a great big family. One dreadful day, his 10 children were killed in a house collapse, his sheep, camels, oxen, and donkeys were stolen away, and all his servants (save the three who escaped and brought him the terrible news) were captured.  He could have complained to God bitterly. But he said,

Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.
Job 1:21

In all that Job went through, his attitude never wavered.  He knew that God is sovereign, that all that he had (or didn’t have) was in God’s hand.  And, like righteous Job, we too, should have this unwavering attitude of giving thanks to Almighty God IN all situations and circumstances.  Paul also reminded the 1st century Christians ( and us!) to do the same.

At all times and for everything giving thanks
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.
Ephesians 5:20

Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus,
giving thanks through Him to God the Father.
Colossians 3:17

Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father,
Who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow.
James 1:17

Truly, we should rejoice always  ♥  pray without ceasing  ♥  give thanks in everything!

Every day, throughout each day, let’s speak and sing out our gratitude and thankfulness to our heavenly Father!  May our prayer be as David’s…

To the end that my tongue and my heart
and everything glorious within me
may sing praise to You and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks to You forever.
Psalm 30:12

 

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A Heart Fixed on God

July 28, 2014 by

SeekingHimLogo

Don’t you find it easier to deal with life’s difficulties when your heart and your eyes are fixed on God…and not your current circumstances?  I know I do.  Look at the difference this made in David:

I am in the midst of lions; I am forced to dwell among ravenous beasts—men whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords.
Psalm 57:4 NIV

They prepared a net for my steps; I was despondent. They dug a pit ahead of me, but they fell into it!
Verse 6 HCSB

In these two verses David’s heart is fixed on what is going on round him. Yet, once he turned and fixed his heart on God and began to sing and to praise Him, David’s heart is lifted up.

My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is steadfast and confident! I will sing and make melody.
Verse 7 AMP

We should follow David’s example!  Ephesians 5:20 (AMP) tells us: “At all times and for everything giving thanks in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God the Father.”  In the face of trials and tribulations we need to stir ourselves up, rouse ourselves out of our circumstances, and fix our heart on the Lord instead.  Have you ever noticed that when we sing and offer praise to God, our distractions fade and we are refreshed?  Know why that is?  It is because we are reminded of how faithful He is and how great is God’s love. Praising God reminds us that He sends forth His mercy and truth, and then our hearts become confident.

For in Him does our heart rejoice, because we have trusted (relied on and been confident) in His holy name.
Psalm 33:21 AMP

He shall not be afraid of evil tidings; his heart is firmly fixed, trusting (leaning on and being confident) in the Lord.
Psalm 112:7 AMP

When our hearts are confident in the Lord, we exalt Him even more.  A heart that is fixed on God can completely change our attitude and our outlook, just as it did for David.

As a favorite hymn goes:

“…tune my heart to sing Thy grace…
Praise the mount, I’m fixed upon it, mount of Thy redeeming love.”

That what I desire, a heart tuned to sing His grace, a heart fixed on Him and Him alone.

*   ~   ♥   ~   ✞   ~  ♥   ~   *

Father God, we come with heartfelt gratitude for Your great love, mercy, and faithfulness. Fix our hearts upon You and tune them to always sing Your praise. In Your Holy name we ask this, Amen – so be it!

 

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