the reason for PRAISE

Now of course, if you already love God with your whole heart, your whole soul, you might find this blog title a bit odd. After all, why would need reasons to praise God? God is, after all, the One God.

But if you are not sure who God is, perhaps presenting some good reasons will help open the door to a breath-taking new view of your relationship to God.

We have all had moments that take our breath away – natural beauty of the dark night sky, the birth of a child, a rousing concert, a song sung from the heart, a victory over all odds. There is a sacredness to those moments, and digging deeper, we find strong and consistent currents of pure spirituality. The source behind all that we reverence and hold in awe is God.

I found a blog on Christian Broadcasting Network that spelled out some reasons for praising God that were so good, it just made sense to share them here. I've put their ideas in italics and mine without italics.

THE NATURE OF PRAISE

Praise, according to the Scriptures, is an act of our will that flows out of an awe and reverence for our Creator. Praise gives glory to God and opens us up to a deeper union with Him. It turns our attention off of our problems and on the nature and character of God Himself.

As we focus our minds on God and proclaim His goodness, we reflect His glory back to Him. The results can fill you with peace and contentment ( Isaiah 26:3) and transform your outlook on life.

REASONS TO PRAISE

God is worthy
Very simply, we praise God because He is worthy of our praise ( 1 Chron. 16:25; Rev. 5:11-14). He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End, the King of kings and Lord of lords. He is our Creator, Provider, Healer, Redeemer, Judge, Defender and much more.

Obedience to and love for God
Another foundational reason to praise God is simple obedience. The Bible says God is a "jealous" God who demands and desires our praise. "You shall have no other gods before Me," says the first commandment (Deut. 6:7). As the psalmist said, "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord" ( Psalm 150:6).

For all His Benefits
As we praise God, we will discover incredible benefits for our lives. That's because human beings were created by God to praise Him ( Isa. 43:7, Matt. 21:16). …..Praising God helps restore us to that right relationship, for God actually dwells in the praises of His people ( Psalm 22:3). As we draw near to the Father in praise, He draws near to us ( James 4:8).

…....

In considering how often the word “praise” is used in the Bible - 246 times, most of which are in the book of Psalms, - I realized that the act of praise serves as a cleansing of and a preparation of the heart: it opens thought, it protects and purifies, but most importantly it lets us know where we stand. Praise establishes us in the understanding of God. We recognize what we know. And when we give God the glory, we also are affirming what is already inherent in us. We see Love because we know Love and therefore we praise God for all His love.


"Sing to the Lord, all the earth; Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day. Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples. For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; He also is to be feared above all gods" ( 1 Chron. 16:23-25).


Other thoughts on PRAISE
Psalm 33:1-4, Psalm 100:1-5, Isaiah 43:7 -- We are created for praise
1 Chronicles 16:7-36, Revelation 5:11-14 -- God is worthy of our praise
Psalm 34:1-9 -- Promised protection and praise
Hebrews 13:15-16 -- Perseverance in praise

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