Praise Ye the Lord
We so often talk about “Praising God” and we often go to The Book of Psalms and from there we read and treasure the wonderful and inspiring words, which are Poetic, as the Psalms were actually set to Music, and were sung. Praise ye the Lord, usually is set as a concept of; Words, Speech and Song, but the concept is way much wider, as it covers our Character, the way we live and the way we act, the way we treat others.
Zechariah 4:6 “Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This [is] the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.” Luke 11:2-3 “And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread.” Now the word “Hallowed” means, to set apart, consecrate, to make sacred, dedicate, sanctify and Holy. Now in Scripture your Name is a word that actually describes your Character, and God’s Character is absolutely perfect and above blemish, to be kept clean and pure. Deuteronomy 5:11 “Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold [him] guiltless that taketh his name in vain.”
“The Lord’s Prayer” is expounding God’s Amazing attributes, and the 10 Commandments advises us that by degrading God, by thought word or action, then God will mete out the serious punishment on all guilty parties. Now as a Christian; 1 Peter 4:15-17 {MSG} “If you are abused because of Christ, count yourself fortunate. It’s the Spirit of God and his glory in you that brought you to the notice of others. If they’re on to you because you broke the law and disturbed the peace, that’s a different matter. But it’s because you are a Christian, don’t give it a second thought. Be proud of the distinguished status reflected in that name! It’s Judgement time for God’s own Family. We’re first in line. If it starts with us, think what it’s going to be like for those who refuse God’s Message!”
As they say “Actions speak louder than words,” and “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough Evidence to convict you?” In Hebrew, your name was your Character, God’s name is his character, So, what would your name be? Would you be proud to speak it publicly? Revelation 2:17 “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth [it].” So what is your Heavenly Name? Do you want a change of Character right now so that Heavenly Name is much nicer to share? 1 John 2:16 “For all that [is] in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” Proverbs 6:3 “Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.” Revelation 20:12-13 “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.”
Scripture give us a doubling, parallel concept, Firstly your Character is who you really are and thus your Name, Secondly your Works through your life is a reflection of your Character, and this gives you your Reward or Pay-Packet. There are only four Groupings that everybody is cataloged by, and this is from their works, Revelation 22:11 “He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” There are but two end results, we have only the “Sheep-Goats” and the “Wheat-Tares,” But Your Character and works in this life has forever set your rewards and future.
Paul puts it in this concept as found in 1 Corinthians 3:11-17 “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and [that] the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which [temple] ye are.”
So, what about you and I, are we living a life that really needs to be drastically overhauled? Maybe some major repentance, confession and its past time we left the Pig Pen of sin, and came home to God. Let us always resolve that as long as there is Breath, to live a Godly life in Words, Deeds and Actions, and by this we shall be always a living; “Praise ye the Lord!”
