Shout to God in praise

Have you ever noticed in Leviticus and through out the Old Testament how Israel was instructed to offer praise to God regardless of circumstances – remember they were homeless and had many enemies? Knowing this it almost seems mechanical at first glance but there is a reason for it. You see if we are truly God’s children then like children the ways of the father are higher than the ways of the child. Today even though we are educated and experienced as adults in a technically advanced world we are still only children to God and His ways are beyond our comprehension! There are many reasons to rejoice in Him continuously – because first of all only He is God and only He is holy and worthy of all praise but also because of His goodness towards us, His patience and unending love which has called us out of our world of striving and not being good enough. God is calling out His children to be witnesses to a world that is lost and to people who are unaware of what He has sacrificed to be with them while they (we) were still sinners. Like Israel, God wants us to understand His ways and through obedience, though far from perfect, we get glimpses of whom He is (this is relationship). Because of this relationship His Holy Spirit then compels us to be like Him. Through our steps of faith we understand more about His love for us. As we step out to love others unconditionally we understand better the love He has for us and the price of such a great love. In Him we find freedom, mercy, and grace! Only when we recognize our own deliverance can we point the way to others – through rejoicing in the Lord we are called to a life of victory even though that victory cannot be seen all the time. The Spirit of the Lord brings us to a place of freedom through worship but worship is not just song but serving and loving others – we worship God by the way we live our lives! Only by allowing the Father to use us to minister to others can we experience His fullness! (Deuteronomy 12:7 MKJV) “And there you shall eat before Jehovah your God, and you shall rejoice in all that you put your hand to, you and your households in which Jehovah your God has blessed you.”