What Can Stir Us Up to Praise the Lord?

    What can a believer do to stir up divine praise and never take for granted the mercy and grace of God? I suggest four things.

    1. Bear in mind always that all that we are, have, and hope to be comes from our Lord. “A man can receive nothing except it be given him from God.” “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away.” “I am what I am by the grace of God.”

    2. Realize the value of “our heavenly blessings” as opposed to the emptiness of material possessions. “What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?” The whole world is not equal in value to one man's soul!

    3. Keep a true understanding of your unworthiness and his goodness! Mephibosheth is a good spokesman for us all; “He bowed himself and said, what is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?”

    4. In order to, “give thanks always” for all things unto God, we understand that “all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” The Lord's will and purpose is the good of the whole body of Christ (the church), not just the good of one person. What takes place in each life is for the salvation and ultimate good of all the family and for the glory of the Lord Jesus.