“Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two edged sword in their hand” (Psa 149:6).
If there are ‘high’ praises, there must be ‘low’ praises too. It’s natural for one to praise God for the blessings he has received, for deliverance from problems and bondages, for the graces given to him to do various things, for the friends and loved ones he has, for the prayers that were answered, etc. This is a ‘low’ level of praising God.
What is the ‘high’ level of praising God? Can you praise God when He takes away blessings—like Job (see Job 1:21)? Can you praise God for the graces God has given to others to do things well—like St Paul (see I Cor 1:14)? Can you praise God for your enemies, for those who reject you, persecute you, humiliate you or misunderstand you—for God to bless them—like Jesus taught us in Matthew 5:44? Can you praise God when He doesn’t seem to answer prayer or fulfil His promises—like Abraham (see Rom 4:20)? Can you praise God when you find yourself in prison-like situations—like Paul and Silas (see Acts 16:25)? Now, these are ‘high praises’. These are the praises that put a twoedged sword in our hand to execute judgment on the enemy (Psa 149:7-9); these are the bombs that ‘still the enemy and the avenger’ (Matt 21:16,Psa 8:2); these are the praises that shake the foundation of prisons and open prison doors (Acts 16:26).
Child of God, would you see the powers of the devil defeated? Would you see the hand of God in your life? Rise then from your low level of praising and offer the high praises of God.
– Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion
What is the ‘high’ level of praising God? Can you praise God when He takes away blessings—like Job (see Job 1:21)? Can you praise God for the graces God has given to others to do things well—like St Paul (see I Cor 1:14)? Can you praise God for your enemies, for those who reject you, persecute you, humiliate you or misunderstand you—for God to bless them—like Jesus taught us in Matthew 5:44? Can you praise God when He doesn’t seem to answer prayer or fulfil His promises—like Abraham (see Rom 4:20)? Can you praise God when you find yourself in prison-like situations—like Paul and Silas (see Acts 16:25)? Now, these are ‘high praises’. These are the praises that put a twoedged sword in our hand to execute judgment on the enemy (Psa 149:7-9); these are the bombs that ‘still the enemy and the avenger’ (Matt 21:16,Psa 8:2); these are the praises that shake the foundation of prisons and open prison doors (Acts 16:26).
Child of God, would you see the powers of the devil defeated? Would you see the hand of God in your life? Rise then from your low level of praising and offer the high praises of God.
– Taken from Morning Manna – Thoughts for Daily Devotion
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