The Sacrifice of Praise - Protestant Caucus/Devotional

Gracetoyou.org ^ | 1993 | John McArthur, Grace Community Church

[metmom]

"Offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (1 Pet. 2:5). Praise consists of reciting God’s attributes and mighty works.

"Praise the Lord" is a common expression today. Some see it as a catchy slogan, others commercialize it, still others reduce it to nothing more than "P.T.L." But despite such attempts to trivialize it, praising the Lord remains the believer's expression of love and gratitude to a God who has been abundantly gracious to him. That was the cry of David's heart when he said, "I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make its boast in the Lord; the humble shall hear it and rejoice. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together" (Ps. 34:1-3). That will be the song of believers for time and eternity!

God desires and deserves your praise. That's why Hebrews 13:15 says, "Through [Christ] . . . let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name." But what is praise? Is it merely saying "praise the Lord" over and over again, or is there more to it?

Two aspects of praise are obvious in Scripture. First is reciting God's attributes. That was the typical means of praise in the Old Testament. For example, Psalm 104 says, "Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, Thou art very great; Thou art clothed with splendor and majesty, covering Thyself with light as with a cloak" (vv. 1-2).

The second aspect of praise is reciting God's works. Psalm 107:21-22 says, "Let them give thanks to the Lord for His lovingkindness, and for His wonders to the sons of men! Let them also offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, and tell of His works with joyful singing."

Praise involves reciting God's attributes from a heart of love, giving Him honor and reverence for who He is. It also involves reciting what He has done on behalf of His people. Your praise should follow the same pattern so it will be an acceptable spiritual sacrifice to your loving God.

Suggestions for Prayer

Read Psalm 103 as a prayer of praise to God.

For Further Study

Scripture mentions other spiritual sacrifices that believers should offer. Read Romans 15:16, Ephesians 5:2, Philippians 4:10-18, Hebrews 13:16, and Revelation 8:3, noting what those sacrifices are.

From Drawing Near by John MacArthur Copyright © 1993. Used by permission of Crossway Books, a division of Good News Publishers, Wheaton, IL 60187, www.crossway.com.

[metmom]

Studying God’s Word ping

[Tell It Right]

Thanks for the reminder to praise God in our prayers to Him.

[Candor7]

Fundamentally, one has to be trained on how to make an offering.Sure prayer is involved, but thats only part of it.

Look to the old ways:

https://biblehub.com/luke/15-23.htm

[metmom]

I never understood what it meant by *sacrifice of praise* until I went through trials when I didn’t even want to think about praise.

Then I understood how praise can be a sacrifice.

[Tell It Right]

I never understood what it meant by *sacrifice of praise* until I went through trials when I didn’t even want to think about praise. Then I understood how praise can be a sacrifice.

Me too. It was after my ex-wife left and I couldn't see my kids for months (until later I finally had a trial in court to force her to let visits happen) that I was at one of my lowest points in my life. Yet, I felt the Holy Spirit push me to utter the three solemn words: "Bless you, Lord". At that point my prayers changed from ones of despair to ones of confidence. Not only did I get visits with my kids, but I eventually got custody.

[metmom]

There is something called by old timers by the term *dark night of the soul*.

You don’t get it until you go through it.

[imardmd1]

It is the Godly, doctrinally pure words summing up a human's interaction with the Blessed God that validates the music as being holy and praiseworthy, not the notes and cadences of the secular world and their impact on one's inner pleasure center that make a song spiritual.

I have found much of "contemporary" music quite doctrine-free, not defining or glorifying Who God is, but focused on the performer's feelings and status rather than the essence of the Almighty expressed in His words. By ignoring the words of conviction that save and free one from the bondage of sin, the "contemporary" music, often arranged with flesh-stirring rhythm or back-beat cadences, can only be called "contemptuous" music.

Going through a darkness of the soul for a long period earlier this year, I flew to the Scriptures and to the words of certain spiritual songs, seeking there to increase my sense of the Presence of my Savior, so I re-memorized Romans 6, and rehearsed it daily; and also committed to memory two hymns of remembrance and praise:

"Alas, and did my Savior bleed, and did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that Sacred head to such a worm as I?"

(The answer being yes, affirmed by the remaining assurances of this meditation by Isaac Watts.)

"I need Thee ever hour, most gracious Lord;
No tender voice like Thine can peace afford.
I need thee! Oh, I need Thee! Every hour I need thee, So bless me now my Savior, I come to thee."

(Which called out to God to exert His nearness.)

Even in tears of chagrin with the world and sadness for dear ones that seem to be missing out on the benefits of godly behavior, these songs calling on the Lord do comfort, when He responds with greater insights into His counsel that can be put into words of encouragement for others.

[metmom]

I have divided, for myself, *Christian music* into two categories.

I call them *Christian music* and *worship*.

Much of what is called *worship* these days does not lift up and exalt God or Jesus, so IMO, it is not worship, but rather nice, feel good Christian music that is often, sad to say rather self-centered.