The message : « To praise God » is to lift up His name and to give Him the highest honours. Indeed, He is above all names, and His glory pervades the earth, the heavens, and the heavens of heavens (Deut 10:14). Different reasons motivate the fact of giving glory to God, which are His greatness, the works and the signs which He accomplished, His victory over His enemies, etc. But all this can be summarised by His love, which leads to singing: « Give thanks to the Lord, for his steadfast love endures forever » 2 Chr 20:21. It is the song of a man who remembers the love of God who did not abandon Him, after having faced hard battles and crossed waves of various trials, and who expresses himself thus: « Out of the
depths I cry to you, O Lord » Ps 130:1. It is true, he called upon the Lord who saved and freed him, because He said: « Call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me » Ps 50:15, meaning especially by that, « you shall give Me glory ». Glorifying God is the attitude that differentiates the believer from the unbeliever. Indeed, it is the believer who « lives by faith » who can glorify God, and whom He accepts, as it is written: « For in death there is no remembrance of you; in Sheol who can give you praise? » Ps 6:5. Indeed, « He is God not of the dead but of the living » Mt 22:32. Jesus declares: « Because I live, you also will live » Jn 14:19b. God has established His people as a kingdom of priests (1 Pet 2:9),
so He addresses these words to them: « Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones, and give thanks to his holy name » Ps 30:4, yes, « Sing to the LORD, bless his name, proclaim the joy of his salvation from day to day! » Ps 96:2. It is the sign of a great rejoicing to praise God, the Lord Master of salvation, but it is certainly also the source of blessings, because « God rejoices him who finds his joy in Him », according to the words of the song of the psalmist saying: « Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart » Ps 37:4. For He declares: « For those who honor me I will honor » 1 Sam 2:30c.
Monday, 08th: Praise God for His Name’s sake.
« Give thanks to the Lord; call on his name » Isa 12:4a.
Reading 1: Acts 22:6-16. Reading 2: Isa 12:2-4. Preaching 1 (free choice). Preaching 2: Isa 12:4.
Introduction: The name of God is holy and almighty, great and exalted above all other names. And since there is no other name given to us to save us (Acts 4:12), the Holy Scriptures declare: « Therefore God exalted him even more highly and gave him the name that is above every other name, so that at the name given to Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father » Phil 2:9-11.
Tuesday, 09th: Praise God for His mercy.
« I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for though you were angry with me, your anger turned away, and you comforted me » Isa 12:1.
Reading 1: Ps 103:8-16. Reading 2: Isa 12:1-2. Preaching 1 (free choice). Preaching 2: Isa 12:1.
Introduction: The Lord declares: « I love godliness […] » Hos 6:6a. Indeed, God does not keep sins but forgives the transgressions of those who return to Him (Isa 55:7) and saves them. Give glory to Him, praise His name, and let all tongues say, « O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever » 1 Chr 16:34.
Wednesday, 10th: Praise God for His works.
« Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be known in all the earth » Isa 12:5.
Reading 1: Eph 2:4-10. Reading 2: Isa 12:5-6. Preaching 1 (free choice). Preaching 2: Isa 12:5.
Introduction: The first great work that God made, and that all eyes still see today, was the creation of all things, as it is written: « God saw everything that he had made, and indeed, it was very good » Gen 1:31a. But the one of His works that is without equal, forever unforgettable, is the redemption that He accomplished, namely the forgiveness of our sins by which He made us « vessels of honour » (2 Tim 2:20), that is to say children « heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ » Rom 8:17.
Thursday, 11th: Praise God for His priesthood.
« You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek » Heb 5:6.
Reading 1: Isa 53:4-8. Reading 2: Heb 5:1-10. Preaching 1 (free choice). Preaching 2: Heb 5:5-6.
Introduction: The priestly work that Jesus Christ accomplishes for us is that He intercedes unceasingly on our behalf (Rom 8:34) in order to justify us who believe in Him. Thus, « who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ who died, or rather, who was raised, who is also at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us » Rom 8:33-34.
Friday, 12th: Praise God in holiness.
« Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth » Jn 17:17.
Reading 1: Mal 3:1-4. Reading 2: Jn 17:9-17. Preaching 1 (free choice). Preaching 2: Jn 17:17.
Introduction: The Lord declares to His people: « For I am the Lord your God; sanctify yourselves, therefore, and be holy, for I am holy » Lev 11:44; indeed, He said: « I the Lord, I who sanctify you, am holy » Lev 21:8. And the apostle Peter to insist on justifying the call of God and the consecration of His own: « But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light » 1 Pet 2:9.
Saturday, 13th: Praise God with eternal praise.
« They sing a new song: You are worthy to take the scroll and to break its seals » Rev 5:9.
Reading 1: Jer 33:8-11. Reading 2: Rev 5:6-10. Preaching 1 (free choice). Preaching 2: Rev 5:9-10.
Introduction: The « new song » is the « song of those whose sins have been forgiven »; they wear a long white robe, purified by the blood of « the Lamb of God », Jesus Christ (Rev 7:13-14). In fact, they wear this garment in particular to approach the sovereign throne of God’s glory, in order to sing and praise Him saying: « Praise the Lord, for He is good, for His mercy endures forever! » Ps 118:29. « Let everything that breathes praise the Lord ! Praise the Lord! » Ps 150:6. Glory to God forever!
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