TOUCHING GOD 11
MEMORISE: By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. Hebrews 13:15
READ: 2 Chronicles 1:6 -12
6 And Solomon went up thither to the brasen altar before the LORD, which was at the tabernacle of the congregation, and offered a thousand burnt offerings upon it.
7 In that night did God appear unto Solomon, and said unto him, Ask what I shall give thee.
8 And Solomon said unto God, Thou hast shewed great mercy unto David my father, and hast made me to reign in his stead.
9 Now, O LORD God, let thy promise unto David my father be established: for thou hast made me king over a people like the dust of the earth in multitude.
10 Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge this thy people, that is so great?
11 And God said to Solomon, Because this was in thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made thee king:
12 Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.
MESSAGE
You can touch God through Your worship. In Acts 16:25-26, at midnight, Paul and Silas sang praises to the Most High God, in prison, God saw them praising Him while they were bound in prison and was touched. Instead of grumbling, they praised God and this made Him force open the prison doors. Apostle Paul was a man who knew how to touched God through worship. He is the one who wrote about the sacrifice of praise in Hebrews 13:15:
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name
What is the sacrifice of praise? The sacrifice of praise according to the above Scripture is the fruit of our lips. When you put this side-by-side with Matthew 7:16 which says "Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?" you would then see that such a sacrifice does not come from lips that only praise God once in a while, or that only praise Him when things are going well. The sacrifice of praise comes from lips that glorify Him all the time, lips which only bear worship and thanksgiving to the Most High God, lips that have been sacrificed on the altar of praise to the Lord.
You want to touch God with your worship? Give Him a sacrifice of praise from your lips which are dedicated to praising Him at all times.
God will however, not accept praise from a sinner because His eyes cannot behold iniquity (Habakkuk 1:13). As a matter of fact, sin hides His face from sinners and He will not hear them (Isaiah 59:1-2) unless they repent and forsake their wrongdoings.
Surrender your life to Jesus Christ today if you have not done so, then you can rest assured that when you worship Him, He will hear you and you will indeed move Him to perform wonders in your life.
KEY POINT
Make praising God your lifestyle.
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: John 18-19
HYMN 19: O WORSHIP THE KING ALL GLORIOUS ABOVE
1 O worship the King all-glorious above,
O gratefully sing his power and his love:
our shield and defender, the Ancient of Days,
pavilioned in splendor and girded with praise.
2 O tell of his might and sing of his grace,
whose robe is the light, whose canopy space.
His chariots of wrath the deep thunderclouds form,
and dark is his path on the wings of the storm.
3 Your bountiful care, what tongue can recite?
It breathes in the air, it shines in the light;
it streams from the hills, it descends to the plain,
and sweetly distills in the dew and the rain.
4 Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail,
in you do we trust, nor find you to fail.
Your mercies, how tender, how firm to the end,
our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend!
5 O measureless Might, unchangeable Love,
whom angels delight to worship above!
Your ransomed creation, with glory ablaze,
in true adoration shall sing to your praise!
