DAILY DISCIPLINE #35
By Colleen Donahue
"Praise the Lord. Praise the name of the Lord, give praise, O servants of the Lord." Psalm 135:1
Since the 1960's, P.T.L., standing for Praise-the-Lord, has been part of the jargon made popular during the "Jesus Revolution". It became a slogan used to greet each other, a phrase almost synonymous with "groovy", and the call letters for popular television and radio ministries. Just as we have massacred the word "love", so have we taken this important command to praise and honor our God and turned it into meaningless jargon.
To praise the one true God is much more than merely repeating this word as though it were a "mantra" and had any value in itself. Rather, praise reflects a heart attitude encompassing love, reverence, and a true commitment to the Lord. A man who loves God with all his heart and soul and strength cannot help but sing and shout and praise his God because it comes from a fullness within that is longing to be expressed.
Our study this month takes us back primarily to the book of Psalms--to the time of King David. As you look up many of the verses in this famous book you can't help but be struck by David's recurring theme. Perhaps you will come to your own conclusion as he did in his life that--everything that has breath is meant to....
"PRAISE THE LORD"
Day 1- WHO is commanded to praise God?
Psalms 67:3 / 74:21 / 147:12 / 150:6 / Revelations 19:5
Day 2- Who else?
Psalms 148:2 / Luke 2:13-14
Day 3 -WHAT else praises God?
Psalms 65:13 / 69:34 / 98:8 / 148:3,4,7 / Isaiah 44:23
WHY is praising God so important in our lives?
Day 4- Because praise is the fitting response of an upright man to his God.
Psalms 33:1
Day 5- So that others will put their trust in God.
Psalms 40:3 / Luke 18:43
Day 6 -So that the problems of life can't crush us.
Psalms 42:5,11
Day 7- Because God's love is better than life itself. Therefore He is worthy to be praised.
Psalms 63:3-5
Day 8- Because praise is due to the Creator from his creation.
Psalms 65:1 / Psalms 148:5
Day 9- Because God is holy.
Psalms 99:3 / 147:1
Day 10- Because God is our salvation, our healer, and our deliverer.
Jeremiah 17:14 / 20:13
WHAT has God done that He should be praised?
Day 11- He gave us Jesus, who died to bring us back to God.
I Peter 3:18
Day 12- He has turned his anger away so that we can choose to live for Him.
Isaiah 12:1 / 48:9
Day 13- He has done great miracles.
Luke 19:37
Day 14- He has done everything He said He would do.
I Kings 8:56 / Luke 2:20
Day 15- In times of desperate circumstances, God is often waiting to come to our aid. Notice in these verses WHEN God came to the rescue.
2 Chronicles 20:20-22 / Acts 16:25-26
Day 16- WHEN should we direct our hearts to praise God?
Psalms 35:28 / 71:6, 14 / 104:33 / 119:62 / 145:1-2 / 146:2
In a practical way, HOW do we go about praising God?
Day 17- By telling what God has done before others.
Psalms 22:22,25 / 35:18,28 / 51:15 / Hebrews 2:12 / 13:15
Day 18- With songs.
Psalms 9:2 / 69:30 / 95:2
Day 19- With instruments.
Psalms 33:2 / 150:3-5 / I Chronicles 23:5
Day 20 -With choirs.
2 Chronicles 5:13 / 20:19-21 / Nehemiah 12:46
Day 21- By celebrations and dancing.
Psalms 45:17 / 149:3
Day 22- Notice in these verses how the angels praised God.
Luke 2:13-14/ Revelations 5:11-12 / 7:11-12
Day 23- Even God's creation of nature praises God by existing the way He created it.
Psalms 19:1-6 / 65:13
Day 24- Notice that praise of God goes hand in hand with a grateful heart. Therefore, thanks and praise are usually found together.
I Chronicles 29:13
Day 25- Where can NO praise to God be found?
Psalms 6:5 / 30:9 / 115:17 / Isaiah 38:18
It thus becomes so important that we praise God while we have a life to do so.
Day 26- Read this description of the early believers. Notice the correlation between a sincere, grateful, praising people, and those that were "being saved" and becoming part of the church.
Acts 2:42-47
Day 27- How was the greatness of God to be passed along through the generations?
Psalms 79:13 / 102:18 / 145:4-7
Day 28- Praise is to be a universal reality.
Psalms 48:10 / 67:3
Day 29- How are we to go to church or worship with others?
Psalms 100:4
Day 30- What is in fact the whole purpose of our individual lives?
Ephesians 1:12-14
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