Teaching Notes

It is wonderful to praise the Lord.  Some wonder, what do I have to praise God for if my life is not what I want?  Well, let's just start first with the beauty around us.  We can thank God for his wonderful work in nature.  The beautiful things he has given us to see and experience.  What ever you do, just start to praise him.

Praises To God

Philippians 4:5-7 (The Message)

4-5Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!

6-7Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Notes: This encouragement from the book of Phillipians is to call the believer to a place of total trust in God.  The call is to revel or delight in God all day long, every day.

Question: Why is it important to praise God as directed in this scripture?

Answer: The importance is, if you are rejoicing in God then you will not allow the cares and worries of this world to make you get off the mark.  If you praise God even when things are difficult you can find your rest in God. Tell God your concerns and then trust him to take care of them.  If you do it that way, then you will not have the cares making you get worried about the answers.  You know how it is sometimes, you can get fretful about how something is going to work out.  Yet, if you trust God, praise his name and stay focused on him, he will answer your prayers and keep you calm in the midst of a worrisome situation.

Prayer: Lord, today we seek you because we do not want to fret or worry about any problems we face.  We know that we will have cares, but we also know that you are greater than our cares.  Help us to know you hear us and you will take care of what we need.