Praise God in all things

As a Christ follower we know the importance of praising God.  It is easier to praise God when things go as we wish they would but it is much harder in tough times.  Watch this video and be encouraged by this Christ followers commitment to praise God in the hard times.  Since this video was made He has gone on to be with the Lord.

Depressed?

Why am I so depressed?

Why this turmoil within me?

Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him,

my Savior and my God.

Psalms 43:5 (HCSB)

This is an important word for the Christ Follower. I have met many who beat themselves up because sometime we get depressed. Understand that even King David, a man after God's own heart sometimes was depressed. We live in a fallen and depraved World and frankly that can be a little discouraging at times.
David asks himself why am I depressed? Why is this turmoil within me? He really never finds an answer. At least he doesn't share it in Psalm 43. But he does find a solution. Put your hope in God and praise Him.
I think there is an important principle here for the Christ follower. Hope and praise. Hope is not a might happen or wishful thinking. It is a certainty that we serve a great and powerful God who loves us very much. He never leaves us and He never forsakes us. So praise Him. Nothing will draw us out of depression faster than praising God. If we spend a little time reflecting on how great God is and all He has given us rather than our self pity and complaints, we might find the clouds of depression and discouragement dissipating.
So if you are depressed today don't beat yourself up and make yourself more discouraged. Hope and praise our awesome God!

You are God

Before the mountains were born, before You gave birth to the earth and the world, from eternity to eternity, You are God.

Psalms 90:2 (HCSB)

Our reflection, worship and prayers tend to focus on praising God for what He has done. There is nothing wrong with that because He has certainly done great things. His grace and mercy for us to experience salvation. We rejoice over His blessings and our abundant life. We gratefully look towards our future home in heaven. There is much to note for what He has done.

But the Psalmist reminds us that before the mountains were born He was God. In other words had God never sent Jesus to die on the cross for our salvation, had he never shown mercy, blessings or abundance, He would still be worthy of our praise. He is the eternal God and He is worthy of honor, praise and adoration because of who He is not just for what He does.

Today, take some time to praise Him for who He is before you thank Him for what He has done. He is God and is worthy of our adoration!

Worship Together

I will enter Your house with burnt offerings;I will pay You my vows14 that my lips promised and my mouth spoke during my distress.15 I will offer You fattened sheep as burnt offerings,with the fragrant smoke of rams; I will sacrifice oxen with goats.

Psalms 66:13-15 (HCSB)

As a Pastor people expect me to say that coming to worship together is very important. In fact some may think that a statement of such would be self-serving and seeking to elevate my importance. So let me take the "preacher" hat off for a moment and lets go back to God's Word as fellow Christ Followers.

The Psalmist says I will enter your house to worship. Why is that so important to him? Because He recognizes all the great and wonderful things God has done for Him and it brings Him to a place where worship is not an option to do but a necessity. When we realize all that God has done and how great He is the natural response should be to worship. And not to merely worship on our own but to proclaim to others, believers and non-believers how great God is.

Even if I were not "employed" to be in worship, I would have to be there. My heart, my conscience, my Spirit demands that I worship my great and awesome God. Let me encourage you, don't skip the opportunity to worship together with other Christ Followers this week!