Category: Praise

Please Don’t Complain About God

On By Ed AlgreenIn Ask and Receive, Bible Believing, Celebrate God, Christian, God Cares For Us, God our Provider, Obedience, Our Help comes from God, Praise, Thank You Jesus, Victorious Life, WorshipLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE: Exodus 16.  

OBSERVATION
(What is God saying here?)

6 So Moses and Aaron said to all the people of Israel, “By evening you will realize it was the Lord who brought you out of the land of Egypt. 7 In the morning you will see the glory of the Lord, because he has heard your complaints, which are against him, not against us. What have we done that you should complain about us?” Ex 16:6-7 (NLT)

APPLICATION
(How Can I apply what God is saying here to my circumstances today?)

So often we whine about each other, about the weather, about our jobs, about our finances, about the food or meals available to us, or even our own family at times. In fact, you name it and we probably complain about it at one time or another. When we come down off these tangents, we should stop and think about how we have been blessed by God to have each of these things in the first place. As we think about the ways that God has blessed us with great friends, brothers and sisters in Christ, people who care about us and love us, about the wonderful weather that we enjoy – especially compared to many other areas of the country and/or world that we read about, and we may be fortunate enough to have a job whereas many do not, we may be fortunate enough to have money to buy the necessities of life whereas many do not. Friends, I believe that, like me, you can understand what I garnered from this passage, I am, and no doubt many of you reading this are, indeed people blessed by God in many ways. So when we whine, what are we really doing? Unfortunately, and shamefully so, we are whining and complaining about how God has really messed up. Has He really? I hope that we will quickly realize that we are to be a thankful people, thankful in all things that God showers on us, His children that He loves so much that He gave up everything for. Let’s stop the belly-aching and instead be in a mode of constant praise, worship and thanksgiving to our loving God, and our provider of all good things.

PRAYER
(With God’s help, what am I going to do differently today because He said it?)

Father I am so ashamed for whining when really I have no reason to. Thank You for providing, thank You for blessing me in so many ways each and every day. I am truly blessed, and I am truly thankful for all that I have and all that You provide for me. Please help me to never whine or complain, and remind me when I do that it is against You.

In Appreciation!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Celebrate God, Christian, Obedience, Praise, Righteousness, WorshipLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: Nehemiah 8; Acts 1

OBSERVATION

Nehemiah 8:5-6 ~ Ezra was up on the high platform, where he could be seen by everyone, and when he opened the book, they all stood up. Ezra praised the great LORD God, and the people shouted, “Amen! Amen!” Then they bowed with their faces to the ground and worshiped the LORD.

APPLICATION

In the chapter before, the story is relayed about the people who returned from exile to Jerusalem and how they were called together so that Nehemiah could do a roll call. In this chapter the people were gathered at the Water Gate, and they asked Ezra, the high priest, to open the Law of Moses and read it to them, and the verses above give the rest of the detail. While I know that they had a lot to be thankful for, I am sure that God’s children today has equally as much to be thankful for. However I find it shocking how so many will allow the slightest excuse to keep them from God’s house on Sunday. Then, I find that so many will attend church but appear to be in a frozen state – either to be resurrected by the singing or hoping that the preacher will perform well. When last have we automatically stood to our feet when the Word of God was opened, or when have we bowed with our faces to the ground and worshipped the God of the universe in thanksgiving for all that He has done for us? We (Christians) were a people destined for hell, yet our loving Savior died on a cross that we may have life and have it more abundantly in Him. We know many friends or family sick or in hospital, yet in God’s love and grace He has seen fit to give us good health to enjoy each and every day. We should be like the people of Ezra’s day and be ready to stand and welcome the Word of God for hours on end. We should be in a constant mode of worship, and in respect to our Holy God, bow our heads to the ground or even lie prostrate on the ground as we petition before our God. People, friends, family, let us look for opportunities to hear the Word of God and give thanks to the Almighty, and let’s not wait until we are forced to do so because of circumstances that we might find ourselves in.

PRAYER

I pray that You will not have to force us to a position of where we find ourselves pleading at Your feet dear God, but that we might become a people who look forward to hearing Your Word. I pray that we might always be conscious of all that You did for us, and all that You do for us every day, so that we may be a people of praise and thanksgiving. Your Word is a lamp unto my feet, please help me to be constant in Your Word and look for every opportunity to learn more about You so that I may become more and more like You every day. Thank You for who You are and for all that You do in love and compassion towards me. You are an awesome God, my Savior, my Redeemer and my Friend, and I am eternally thankful to be Your son!

The Source of our Strength

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, Faith, Power, Power of Prayer, Praise, Thank You Jesus, Victorious Life, WorshipLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: Zechariah 12

OBSERVATION

Zechariah 12:3-5 ~ …. When all nations on earth surround Jerusalem, I will make every horse panic and every rider confused. But at the same time, I will watch over Judah. Then every clan in Judah will realize that I, the LORD All-Powerful, am their God, and that I am the source of their strength.

APPLICATION

God had protected Judah in so many ways, yet they kept on sinning and committing such evil deeds. Yet He (God) did another miracle in this particular battle realizing that His power would have to be recognized and then He would be given credit as the source of that miracle. Wow, what an awesome God! However I believe that I can very aptly reword that passage into something like this today: God had protected America in so many ways, yet they kept on sinning and committing such evil deeds. For God has blessed us so much as a nation, but yet we see Christians lackadaisical about reaching those that denounce the power, or even the existence, of God. Let’s consider this even in our local churches, where we see miracles wrought by God – yes, things that can only be explained as answer to prayer where we have seen God intervene and heal in a person’s life, or a total change of a situation that may have been affecting the church, yet we sit back and doubt the power of God or doubt the effectiveness of prayer? These are reasons to recognize God for the awesome power that He has displayed and for His compassion to work in our midst, then as His blessed servants, to celebrate in praise to the Almighty. In fact, this gives us reassurance and reason to be even bolder in our approach to the throne of God for even greater needs. Let us be quick to recognize God for His wonderful mercy and His great miracles that He works in our midst. There is nothing that our God can’t handle, for He is the source of our strength!

PRAYER

Father God, I have seen Your hand at work on more than one occasion and I have heard praise reports of even more cases where You have intervened through healing, protection, or just facilitating a situation that seemed impossible to myself or a fellow Christian. I recognize that You are the source of my strength, and our strength as a church, or a body of believers. May I always look for the work that You do, and use that to not only build on my dependence of You, but to especially use that to praise and glorify Your holy name. You are an awesome and all powerful God, may I be quick to not only ask for help, but to recognize Your hand at work and to celebrate that in praise to You. Thank You for loving me enough to be the source of my strength!

Let’s Just Praise the Lord!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Christian, Power of Prayer, Praise, Thank You Jesus, Victorious Life, WorshipLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: Luke5

OBSERVATION

Luke 5:24-26 ~ … Jesus then said to the man, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk home.” At once the man stood up in front of everyone. He picked up his mat and went home, giving thanks to God. Everyone was amazed and praised God. What they saw surprised them, and they said, “We have seen a great miracle today!”

APPLICATION

The man that was once lame, after being healed, took up his bed and walked home giving thanks to God! Everyone was amazed at what they had seen and they praised God! My God is alive today and miracles are still happening. What has happened to God’s people for us to seem so unmoved by the miracles of God today? I believe that several reason have attributed to this, although none of them should really stop us from giving God praise for the mighty works that He does every day:

  • We often give doctors credit for things wrought by God. Thank God for the great doctors we have today and for the way that medical science has developed, but my family once asked a doctor if a family member would live to overcome a serious illness and the doctor correctly and honestly responded “I don’t know that, I’m not God”. There are times that doctors are amazed by the progress someone has made, or how they have overcome a certain medical condition. They know that there is nothing medically that they have done to help that person and, if that doctor knows God personally, they will quickly say where that healing must have originated. There is so much to praise God for each time we see a brother or a sister overcome illness. Let’s not forget to go back to the throne where we petitioned God to touch that person, and offer up thanksgiving and praise for answered prayer.
  • False prophets – there is so much being done today for the sake of television, publicity, or for self edification, that children of God discern, and then doubt, when they hear about what some consider ‘healing’ from an individual, rather than from God. This has been so widespread that we tend to question everything (in our own minds) anymore. This is unfortunate, but should be a discerning factor and therefore not interfere with our praising God for His amazing work in the lives of those that we pray for.

Bottom line is that we need to remember each time that we pray from someone and see answers to prayer, we need to rejoice personally, and we need to share that with our church family so that they could praise God with us, and so they could be encouraged to also pray for loved ones they know who may need a touch from God. God is still in the miracle working business. Join me in looking for those miracles and then let us praise the Almighty for the great work that He does in our midst. ‘

My Name’s in the Book!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Born Again, Eternal Life, Faith, Praise, Resurrection Day, Thank You Jesus, The Book of LifeLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: Revelation 20  

OBSERVATION

Revelation 20:12 ~ I also saw all the dead people standing in front of that throne. Every one of them was there, no matter who they had once been. Several books were opened, and then the book of life was opened. The dead were judged by what those books said they had done.

APPLICATION

In John 3:16 I am told in part “…so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die.” So it is with faith this morning that I celebrate that my name is in the Book of Life and I will live eternally with God when He calls me home. Praise God that I can celebrate that truth today, and not have to wait until the Book is opened to be told “Go away for I never knew you”. I cannot be proud of all the things I have done, but glory to God I have a mediator who stands in the gap for me and who guides my every step, speaks to the Father on my behalf, encourages me and leads me in a path of righteousness every day. In fact He is looking so forward to the day when I will join Him, that even today He is preparing a home for me. My earthly father took such good care of me here on this earth, but I believe that this was only a glimpse of the loving care that my heavenly Father will take care of me (and my earthly dad) when I am called away from this old earth.

Thank You Jesus!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Christian, Praise, Thank You JesusLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: Psalm 145; Revelation 20  

OBSERVATION

Psalm 145:9-12 ~ You are good to everyone, and you take care of all your creation. All creation will thank you, and your loyal people will praise you. They will tell about your marvelous kingdom and your power. Then everyone will know about the mighty things you do and your glorious kingdom.

APPLICATION

When I stop and realize how thankful I am for all that my mom and dad did for me over the years and how I just can’t seem to do enough now, in later years, to show my appreciation to them, I am reminded today that the same should apply to my Lord Jesus Christ. God created me and has protected and provided for me all along the years. I am especially mindful of the ways that His hand is upon me these days, because I can see how fortunate I am to:

  • Have food, when so many are going hungry;
  • Have good health to enjoy this life here below, while so many are either in hospital or suffering from one affliction or another at home;
  • Have a loving family, when there are so many that have deliberately separated themselves from their family because of a rift;
  • Have a loving wife, when there are so many divorces today;
  • Have a loving daughter, when so many kids today take joy in terrorizing their parents to get back at them for silly things like disagreements or arguments, or smothering them with too much love;
  • Have a loving family of God (my church family) that cares for me and will lift me up when I need them, versus many who have unfortunately chosen to follow a path that either denounces God altogether, or one that directs them into a world where they try to ignore the One that loves them more than a brother and actually sacrificed His own Son in order that they would have life more abundant and free and one with a hope for an eternal future;
  • Have a job so that I can provide for my family, while there are so many that are unemployed today;

None of the above gives me bragging rights, but they serve to remind me that had it not been for the grace of my heavenly Father, I could easily have been one burdened with any of the negative side of the above. Therefore I will praise my Savior while I have breath. I will depend on Him daily to continue blessing me with each of the above for as long as He sees fit.

 

As the latter part of the scripture says, I will praise God for all things not because I am deserving of the blessings, but because of His grace, so that others will see the mighty things that God does in and through me, and nothing on my own accord.

God – Deserving of our Praise!

On By Ed AlgreenIn Bible Believing, Celebrate God, Christian, God Reigns, Love, Obedience, Praise, WorshipLeave a comment

SCRIPTURE

Studied: Psalm 145 

OBSERVATION

Psalm 145:1-4 ~ I will praise you, my God and King, and always honor your name. I will praise you each day and always honor your name. You are wonderful, LORD, and you deserve all praise, because you are much greater than anyone can understand. Each generation will announce to the next your wonderful and powerful deeds.

APPLICATION

When I see God’s handiwork all around me in the many things that He has provided for me; when I reflect on the way that He protects me from harm each time I move/travel; when I stop and reflect on the good health that He has blessed me with; for the wonderful family He has blessed me with to help me through each day; then there’s my work family, church family, friends, work income that enables me to provide for my family each day. Wow, I will always honor and praise the name of Jehovah for being my God, my King and my provider! I pray that as I reflect on the wonderful Savior that I know and adore and I lift up His name in praise, that my daughter and all of our younger generation on which I may have influence, will truly take note and have a desire to want to also follow my Lord and Savior in a similarly intimate way, for David reminds us in the latter part of this passage that each younger generation should learn from their older generation.

PRAYER

Lord I pray that I may be a positive influence on those that are looking up to their older generation. May they be positively affected by my walk, and may I not be a stumbling block to any. Please help me to always be reminded of the ways that You are active in my daily walk of life, and help me to always reflect on this in praise and honor to You. Thank You for being my God, my Savior and my Lord! “