The Ambassador of Christ

ADVICE BOOK

2009-06-06T05:47:00.001-07:00

This week i must study about JOOMLA, Joomla is an award-winning content management system (CMS), which enables you to build Web sites and powerful online applications. i study about joomla to make a website for ministries of someone. Someone gave me 3 books about joomla and about web, he want me read it first before try to make a good web.

I'm to be in hurry, i just try make a web site without reads the advice books. I start from installation, sixth times i try and always failed. I think it's cause of error system. I try again without reads the book and just positive thinking, remember Alfa Adison that try 10000 times to make a lamp. He never give up, so i try to start from installation again, until sixth times. I felt so tired and wanna cry, why it can happened.

I stop to try and looking for the books. I read from page one. I read carefully and finally i know if the failure that happened cause of my mistakes. So simple but it's influential in all system. The system will not working. The awareness appear and it make me cry. Why?? because i'm so unwise. I have 3 advice books but i did't read it before try to make a web.

Oftentimes we try to solve many problem, make a good job, make something beneficial, etc. But not read the BIBLE as advice books to do all of that. We don't care about it. Just try to do anything without read first. passiveness about BIBLE as advice book of live will bring us to a trouble area, and after we there, we'll complaint why it can happen, how to solve that, who can help, etc. If we want to read the BIBLE first before do something or say something, we'll know wich is the best and like God's will.

Now... back to the BIBLE and use it as advice book in our live. Read it everyday and ask God what He want us to do in this live, how to solve the problem, how get a vision, who is a good partner, what should we do, etc. we can find all about it in BIBLE. Don't complain about anything. just believe and be grateful to our God. Trust whit read the BIBLE we'll more wise, get clearly guidance and can make a great decision. Wanna try it?

Yeah... let's get start everything with read the advice books first, it's BIBLE. our advice live, our guidance, voice of God for us.

I Timothy 3:16-17
"All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works"

God Bless You

A Prayer

2009-06-03T10:01:00.000-07:00

Dear Father in heaven, You are the only Peace and Joy of life.

Lord, give us the unshakeable faith. The Ruthless faith toward You. Total surrender and complete trust for whatever will happen in our life.

For when the circumstances around us are uncertain and sometime frightening, we will choose to trust in You. Because it is better to be in Your plan even when You put us in the midst of great danger compare to running away from your will.

For there is no safer place but to be in Your plan and be obedient in it.

Destruction and harm shall not come near us when we live in Your will for You shall cover us with Your feathers. But even when You allow us to experience hardship and pain, Your faithfulness and grace are always sufficient for us.

Help us to life full of impact to this world around us. Help us to shine like candles in this dark world.

Father give us courage and power to leave behind all things that are hindering us from following and obeying You.

All glory and honor to You, our Lord, Awesome and Powerful God.

Amen.

by:eric
taken from --> http://sabdaspace.info/prayer_1

I'm Falling In Love With You

2009-05-31T06:59:00.000-07:00

This week i learn something that make me knowing about ralationship with God. Let me share it with you and i hope it will bless you all.

I don't know why, i meet someone who have a different typical with me. He is firm, sometimes funny, and i like all about his caracter. everyday i want meet him, want to know what his activity, his condition, etc. everytime i hear message tone, i hope that one of them comes from him . Then when he send me message, i will smile, i feel so happy and enjoy with this feeling. I call him with "ai" it's taken from chinnese language means : love. But... maybe i will never say " i love you" to him, because i know he don't have same feeling like me. i hear it from his lip. Yeah.. i know i'm just ordinary girl.

when i pray, i got some understanding about relationship with God according my condition now. When feel falling in love with Jesus, we want to meet Him everytime and everywhere, we like to pray, worship n prise Him, live changes, character changes, smile in every condition and also look so happy. Why?? because we are falling in love,. falling in Love with one person who died for us.

Although we are christian, undefinity we falling in love with Him, it's mean that if we want feel more close with God, we must falling in love with Him. And remember this : JESUS LOVE US TOO, so we can say " i love You Jesus" . Don't be affraid to say that because Jesus love all of us, without seeing our identity, we are same in His eyes. it's proofe when He gives His Live for Us. He always waiting to speak with us . He love Us so much...

give thanks for Jesus although i feel confused, because i feel something and i must hide away it in my deepest heart, but i know, i learn some precious wisdom.
Now i can say " I love You Jesus, i'm falling in love with You" , i'm not affraid to say that because i know You love me too.

Thank You for loving me and giving me Your all.
I LOVE YOU SO MUCH.

with love
~ keZia~

THE SECRET TO CHOOSE GOD’S BEST

2009-03-04T09:50:00.001-08:00

THE SECRET TO CHOOSE GOD’S BEST

Now it came to pass, as they went, that He entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard His word. But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to Him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me. And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things: But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
( Luke 10:38-42 )

How to choose God’s best?

1. Prioritized relationship withGod.
Luke 10:39 -> And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus' feet, and heard his word.

• Daily sacrifice and holy live

Daniel 11:31 And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate.

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

• Christ Mind Set -> Non secular

Col 3:5-9 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them. But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;

Col 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

Phi 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

2. Believe and raly on God in everything
Luk 10:40 -> But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

• we must believe that God will give the best for us, certainly!
Jeremy 17:7 Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.

• Keep our tongue, don’t be like MARTHA.

• Not Woried about live
1Timothy 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

3. Choose the Best
Luk 10:42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.

GOD’S BEST is a chosises, not automatically happen. We must take a decision. We must choose the best.

Don’t choose The Second Best!

1. Loss priority of live
Luk 10:40 -> “But Martha was cumbered about much serving,…”

2. Complain and grumble
Luk 10:40 -> “… and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.

3. Fullworried live and troubled about many things
Luke 10:41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:

For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;
( Colose 1:9-10 )

“LIVE IS ABOUT MAKING DECISION SO CHOOSE THE BEST ONLY!”

Jesus Bless You

Good Morning Jesus.... I Love You

2009-02-28T09:03:00.000-08:00

My Father in heaven...it's my prayer this morning, i want to be like a child who have a pure heart. I want to know you more today, I want to love you more today, i want to serve You more. Thanks for Your love. This morning, You give me a new day, new live, new heart and i know You will give me more, Thanks for Your grace. I need You Lord. I love You Jesus. I am Yours.
Amen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6foPGcWAAo&feature=related

I WILL SING

2009-02-28T08:18:00.000-08:00

I like this song. It's expression from my heart. Sometimes i feels God so far like today, I don't know what should i do, i can't say anything when i pray, i just ask : What happen with me? And i just do one thing : SINGING.

Lord You seem so far away
a million miles or more it feels today
though i haven't lost my faith
i must confess right now
that it's hard for me to pray

**
but i don't know what to say
and i don't know where to start
but as You give the grace
with all that's in my heart

Reff :
I will sing i will prise
Even in my darkest hour
through the sorrow and the pain

i will sing i will prise
lift my hands to honour You
because Your words is true
i will sing

***
Lord it's hard for me to see
all the thougs and plans
You have for me
but i will put my trust in You
knowing hat You've died
to set me free

back to **

~ I Will Sing , By. Don Moen~
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MAdhEtrX7Yg&feature=related

I Know, Jesus always understand. Thanks God for Your love.

WISDOM OF A DANCER

2009-02-28T04:57:00.000-08:00

WISDOM OF A DANCER

Ecc 3:4 A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;

~ there is a time you worship on dance~

Jer 31:3,4 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee. Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets, and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.

~because of His Evarlasting love and kindness, come express your worship~

Jer 31:13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.

~because He has made you glade,come express your worship~

1Sa 18:6,7 And it came to pass as they came, when David was returned from the slaughter of the Philistine, that the women came out of all cities of Israel, singing and dancing, to meet king Saul, with tabrets, with joy, and with instruments of musick. And the women answered one another as they played, and said, Saul hath slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands.

~come celebrate and express your worship~

2Sa 6:14,15 And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet.

~ come dance with David’s dance and express your worship~

God Bless

St. Valentine's Day Christian Custom? -- or Pagan Holiday?

2009-02-12T08:59:00.000-08:00

WHERE did St. Valentine's Day come from?
You might suppose school teacher educators would know. But do they?
How many of you were ever taught the real origin of Valentine's Day? Were you ever told in school why you should observe the custom of exchanging valentines?
The Silence of Educators
Teachers are all too often silent about the origin of the customs they are forced to teach in today's schools! If they were to speak out, many would lose their jobs!
Isn't it time we examined why we encourage our children to celebrate St. Valentine's Day - when it is never mentioned in the Bible as a practice of the New Testament Church?
Today, candymakers unload tons of heart-shaped red boxes for February 14, while millions of the younger set are annually exchanging valentines. Florists consider February 14 - St. Valentine's Day - as one of their best business days. And young lovers pair off - at least for a dance or two - at St. Valentine's balls. Why? Where did these customs originate? Where do we find any such practices in the Bible? How did we come to inherit these customs?

A Christian Custom?
Did you know that centuries before Christ, the pagan Romans celebrated February 15 and the evening of February 14 as an idolatrous and sensuous festival in honor of Lupercus, the "hunter of wolves"?
The Romans called the festival the "Lupercalia." The custom of exchanging valentines and all the other traditions in honor of Lupercus - the deified hero-hunter of Rome- was also linked anciently with the pagan practice of teen-agers "going steady." It usually led to fornication. Today, the custom of "going steady" is thought very modern. It isn't. It is merely a rebirth of an old custom "handed down from the Roman festival of the Lupercalia, celebrated in the month of February, when names of young women were put into a box and drawn out by men as chance directed." That's the admission of the Encyclopedia Americana, article, "St. Valentine's Day."
hen Constantine made Christianity the official religion of the Roman Empire there was some talk in church circles of discarding this pagan free-for-all. But the Roman citizens wouldn't hear of it! So it was agreed that the holiday would continue as it was, except for the more grossly sensual observances.
It was not until the reign of Pope Gelasius that the holiday became a "Christian" custom. " As far back as 496, Pope Gelasius changed Lupercalia on February 15 to St. Valentine's Day on February 14." (p. 172 of Customs and Holidays Around the World by Lavinia Dobler).
But how did this pagan festival acquire the name of "St. Valentine's Day"? And why is the little naked Cupid of the pagan Roman so often associated today with February 14? And why do little children and young people still cut out hearts and send them on a day in honor of Lupercus the hunter of wolves? Why have we supposed these pagan customs in honor of a false god are Christians?
Who Was the Original "St. Valentine"?
Valentine was a common Roman name. Roman parents often gave the name of their children in honor of the famous man who was first called Valentine in antiquity. That famous man was Lupercus, the hunter. But who was Lupercus? - and why should he have also borne the name Valentine among the heathen Romans?
The Greeks called Lupercus by the name of "Pan". The Semites called Pan "Baul," according to the Classical Dictionaries. Baal - mentioned so often in the Bible - was merely another name for Nimrod, "the mighty hunter" (Genesis 10:9) It was a common proverb of ancient time that Nimrod was "the MIGHTY hunter before the Lord." Nimrod was their hero - their strong man - their VALENTINE!
How plain that the original Valentine was Nimrod, the mighty hunter of wolves. Yet another of Nimrod's names was "Sanctuc" or "Santa", meaning Saint. It was a common title of any hero-god. No wonder that the Roman Lupercalia is called "St. Valentine's Day"!
But why do we associate HEARTS on a day in honor of Nimrod - the Baal of the Phoenicians and Semites?
The surprising answer is that the pagan Romans acquired the symbol of the heart from the Babylonians. In the Babylonian tongue the word for heart was "bal" (Strong's Concordance Number H1168). The heart - bal - was merely a symbol of Nimrod - the Baal! or Lord of the Babylonians!
Executed at Rome
Nimrod - the original St. Valentine - was also known as Saturn, the Roman-Babylonian god who hid from his pursuers in a secret place. The Latin word Saturn is derived from the Semiticspeaking Babylonians. It means "be hid," "hide self," "secret," "conceal." The original Semitic (Hebrew) word, from which the Latin Saturn is derived, is used 83 times in the Old Testament (see Young's Concordance under "Sathar," also "sether").
According to ancient tradition, Saturn (Nimrod) fled from his pursuers to Italy. The Apenine mountains of Italy were anciently named the mountains of Nembrod or Nimrod. Nimrod briefly hid out at the site where Rome was later built. The ancient name of Rome, before it was rebuilt in 753 B.C. was Saturnia - the site of Saturn's (Nimrod's) hiding. There he was found and slain for his crimes. Later, professing Christians in Constantine's day made Nimrod - the St. Valentine of the heathen- a Saint of the Church and continued to honor him under the name of a Christian martyr.
Why February 14?
But why should the Romans have chosen February 15 and the evening of February 14 to honor Lupercus - the Nimrod of the Bible? (Remember that day in ancient times began at sunset the evening before.)
Nimrod - Baal or sun god of the ancient pagans - was said to have been born at the winter solstice. In ancient time the solstice occurred on January 6 and his birthday therefore was celebrated on December 25 and now called Christmas. It was the custom of antiquity for, the mother of a male child to present herself for purification on the fortieth day after January 6 - Nimrod's original birthdate - takes us to February 15, the celebration of which began on the evening of February 14 - the Lupercalia or St. Valentine's Day.
On this day in February, Semiramis, the mother of Nimrod, was said to have been purified and to have appeared for the first time in public with her son as the original "mother and child."
The Roman month February, in fact, derives its name from the februa which the Roman priests used in the rites celebrated on St. Valentine's Day. The febru were thongs from the skins of sacrificial animals used in rites of purification on the evening of February 14.
Cupid Makes His Appearance
Another name for the child Nimrod was "Cupid" - meaning "desire" (Encyclopedia Britannica, article "Cupid"). It is said that when Nimrod's mother saw him, she lusted after him - she desired him. Nimrod became her Cupid - her desired one - and later her Valentine! So evil was Nimrod's mother that it is said she married her own son! Inscribed on the monuments of ancient Egypt are inscriptions that Nimrod (the Egyptians called him Osiris) was "the husband of his mother."
As Nimrod grew up, he became the child-hero of many women who desired him. He was their Cupid! In the Book of Daniel he is called the "desire of women" (Dan. 11:37). Moffatt translates the word as Tammuz - a babylonian name of Nimrod. He provoked so many women to jealousy that an idol of him was often called the "image of jealousy" (Ezekiel 8:5). Nimrod, the hunter, was also their Valentine - their strong or mighty her! No wonder the pagans commemorated their hero-hunter Nimrod, or Baal, by sending heartshaped love tokens to one another on the evening of February 14 as a symbol of him.
Nimrod, the mulatto son of Cush the Ethiopian, was later a source of embarrassment to the pagans of Europe. They didn't want an African to worship. Consequently, they substituted a supposed son of Nimrod, a white child named Horus, born after the death of Nimrod. This white child then became a "fair Cupid" of European tradition.
It is about time we examined these foolish customs of the pagans now falsely labeled Christian. It is time we quit this Roman and Babylonian foolishness - this idolatry - and get back to the faith of Christ delivered once for all time.
Let's stop teaching our children these pagan customs in memory of Baal the sun god - the original St. Valentine - and teach them instead what the Bible really says!
For information about the origins of Mother/Child worship, the history of Nimrod and how PAGANISM has found its way into the churches and holidays (like Valentine's Day) of the world, access the complete book on this Web site called The Two Babylons.

Written by: Herman Hoeh

KINGDOM CHARACTER

2009-02-04T12:22:00.000-08:00

KINGDOM CHARACTER

CHRISTIAN IS NOT RELIGIOUS BUT CHRISTIAN IS RELATIONSIP

(CHARLES SWINDHOLL)

Not Just Righteousness

- Mathew 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Poor In Spirit:

- Mathew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Humble under the mighty hand of God

- 1Pe 5:5-6 Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:

hunger and thirst after righteousness

- Mat 5:6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

- John 4:13-14 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again: But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.

suffer as a Christian

- Mathew 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

- 1Peter 4:12-16 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other men's matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.

GOD BLESS

CHRISTIAN HUMOR

2009-01-31T09:46:00.000-08:00

EYE OF THE BEHOLDER

A little girl walked to and from school daily. Though the weather that morning was questionable and clouds were forming, she made her daily trek to the elementary school.

As the afternoon progressed, the winds whipped up, along with thunder and lightning. The mother of the little girl felt concerned that her daughter would be frightened as she walked home from school and she herself feared that the electrical storm might harm her child.

Full of concern, the mother quickly got into her car and drove along the route to her child's school. As she did so, she saw her little girl walking along, but at each flash of lightning, the child would stop, look up and smile. Another and another were to follow quickly and with each the little girl would look at the streak of light and smile.

When the mother's car drew up beside the child she lowered the window and called to her, "What are you doing? Why do you keep stopping?" The child answered, "I am trying to look pretty. God keeps taking my picture."

May God bless you today as you face the storms that come your way.

J E S U S

2009-01-31T09:30:00.001-08:00

The Most Unique Person

Jesus Christ is often compared to other prophets and teachers, but He is the most unique person to ever live. Everything from His birth to after His death was miraculous and set Him apart from everyone else. Jesus was born by a virgin -- a natural impossibility. Before His mother Mary was married, she was told by an angel she would give birth to the Son of God. When she asked him how this could be, he answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Highest will overshadow you; therefore, also, that Holy One who is to be born will be called the Son of God." Just as promised, the virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ, the most incredible person to ever have lived.

An Amazing Life

Jesus' life was just as amazing as His birth. At 30 years old, He went out into the cities of Israel and began teaching and healing people. The Bible records that He was different from other preachers, for "the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." Likewise, there was no disease too great for His power. It says, "They brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments. and He healed them." Threatened by His fame and authority, the political and religious authorities conspired to kill Him.

A Sudden Death

His death had been predicted over a thousand years before. The prophet Isaiah wrote of Jesus, "He was wounded for our transgressions, bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement for our peace was upon Him and by His stripes we are healed." Jesus would pay the penalty for our sins so that we could be forgiven and have eternal life. Just as had been predicted, Jesus was given the most brutal death sentence of that day for maintaining that He was the Son of God. While hanging on a wooden cross with spikes through His hands and feet, He prayed, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do." Jesus had power to come down from the cross, but He chose to sacrifice His life for others.

The Promise is for You

Just as promised, God raised His Son Jesus back to life -- eternal life -- on the third day after His burial. He was seen by His closest friends and over 500 of His followers before He went up into heaven before their very eyes. After His resurrection, his close friend Peter told a great crowd to repent from their sins and believe in Jesus Christ to be saved, "for the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call." This promise is for you! There are many religions and prophets, but no one but Jesus Christ offers complete forgiveness from your sins and eternal life with God. He has already died for your sins; now you must put your faith in Him. "For if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." If you believe in Jesus, you can pray a prayer like this right now and receive the gift of eternal life.

Receive Him Now

"Jesus, I believe You are the Son of God and the Savior of the world. Thank you for coming to Earth and dying so that I could have eternal life. Please forgive all my sins. I am going to follow You with my life now. Please fill me with Your Holy Spirit and direct my steps. In Jesus' name, Amen."

The Power of Praise & Worship

2009-01-28T11:01:00.000-08:00

What is Praise?

Praise means “to commend, to applaud or magnify.” For the Christian, praise to God is an expression of worship, lifting-up and glorifying the Lord. It is an expression of humbling ourselves and centering our attention upon the Lord with heart-felt expressions of love, adoration and thanksgiving. High praises bring our spirit into a pinnacle of fellowship and intimacy between ourselves and God — it magnifies our awareness of our spiritual union with the most high God. Praise transports us into the realm of the supernatural and into the power of God. “Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance” (Psalms 89:15).

There are many actions involved with praise to God — verbal expressions of adoration and thanksgiving, singing, playing instruments, shouting, dancing, lifting or clapping our hands. But true praise is not “merely” going through these motions. Jesus spoke about the hypocrisy of the pharisees, whose worship was only an outward show and not from the heart. “This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me” (Matthew 15:8). Genuine praise to God is a matter of humility and sincere devotion to the Lord from within.

Unpretentious praise and worship pleases the Lord. He delights in the love and devotion of His children. According to the scriptures, the various expressions of praise bring blessing to the Lord. He eagerly awaits the fragrance of our affections, desiring to manifest His sweet presence and power in our midst. “...the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him” (John 4:23).

Praise to God is a Lifestyle

All too often, praise to God is something that many people leave at church, an event that happens only when they come together with other Christians. However, praise should be a part of a believers lifestyle, inter-mingled as a part of their daily prayer-life. At work, in the car, at home in bed, or anywhere; praise to the Lord brings the refreshing of the Lord’s presence, along with His power and anointing. “...I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalms 34:1).

Praise is an expression of faith, and a declaration of victory! It declares that we believe God is with us and is in control of the outcome of all our circumstances (Romans 8:28). Praise is a “sacrifice,” something that we offer to God sacrificially, not just because we feel like it, but because we believe in Him and wish to please Him. “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name” (Hebrews 13:15).

Praise Sends the Enemy Running

Since praise manifests God’s presence, we also realize that praise repels the presence of the enemy, Satan. An atmosphere which is filled with sincere worship and praise to God by humble and contrite hearts is disgusting to the Devil. He fears the power in the name of Jesus, and flees from the Lord’s habitation in praise. “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will I show the salvation of God” (Psalms 50:23).

When the children of Judah found themselves outnumbered by the hostile armies of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, King Jehoshophat and all the people sought the Lord for His help. The Lord assured the people that this would be His battle. He told them to go out against them, and He would do the fighting for them. So what did the children of Judah do? Being the people of “praise” (Judah actually means Praise), and knowing that God manifests His power through praise, they sent their army against their enemies, led by the praisers!

So on they went, ahead of the army declaring, “Praise the Lord, for His mercy endureth forever!” And the scripture says, “...when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten” (2 Chronicles 20:22).

When God’s people begin to praise His name, it sends the enemy running! I challenge you to become a person of praise, and you will experience the release of the power of God!

Biblical Expressions of Praise

Declaring of thanks (Heb. 13:15)
Clapping hands and shouting (Psalms 47:1)
Musical instruments and dancing (Psm. 150:4)
Singing praise songs (Psalms 9:11)
Psalms, hymns, & spiritual songs (Eph. 5:19-20)
Making a joyful noise (Psalms 98:4)
By lifting our hands (Psalms 134:2)
By being still (Psalms 4:3-5, 46:10)
By being loud (Psalms 33:3, 95:1-6)

FOUR STEPS TO GOD

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1. God Loves You!

The Bible says, "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life"

The problem is that

2. All of us have done, said or thought things that are wrong. This is called sin, and our sins have separated us from God.

The Bible says “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” God is perfect and holy, and our sins separate us from God forever. The Bible says “The wages of sin is death.”

The good news is that, about 2,000 years ago,

3. God sent His only Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins.

Jesus is the Son of God. He lived a sinless life and then died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. “God demonstrates His own love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.”

Jesus rose from the dead and now He lives in heaven with God His Father. He offers us the gift of eternal life -- of living forever with Him in heaven if we accept Him as our Lord and Savior. Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by Me."

God reaches out in love to you and wants you to be His child. "As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe on His name." You can choose to ask Jesus Christ to forgive your sins and come in to your life as your Lord and Savior.

4. If you want to accept Christ, you can ask Him to be your Savior and Lord by praying a prayer like this:

"Lord Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. Please forgive my sins and give me the gift of eternal life. I ask you in to my life and heart to be my Lord and Savior. I want to serve you always."