'THOSE WHO HAVE LEARNED TO ACCLAIM YOU...WALK IN...YOUR PRESENCE.'PSALM 89:15 NIV

Prisons in Bible times were miserable places, devoid of even the most basic creature comforts. It was in such a place that 'Paul and Silas were...singing praises to God... (when)...a strong earthquake shook the jail... The doors opened, and the chains fell from all the prisoners' (Acts 16:25-26 CEV). And it can happen for you too. If you want to shake things up, see doors open and chains break, begin to praise God on the wings of praise. David said, 'those who have learned to acclaim [praise, applaud, honor, pay tribute to] you...walk in...Your presence...Lord.’ Praise isn't simply a reaction to coming into God's presence; it creates a channel through which He enters to go to work on your problem.

When you're down and depressed there's no incentive for your natural mind to praise God. It'll actually encourage you to wallow in misery and feel sorry for yourself. But that's completely opposite to what you should be doing! God is 'Looking for: those who are...themselves...in...Worship... [who] do it out of their very being'(John 4:23-24 TM). It's not a matter of emotion; it's a matter of faith. It's not something that comes naturally; it's something you choose to do. Whether you're in the wilderness or the Promised Land, when you 'rejoice, and sing praises' (Psalm 98:4 NKJV) things start to happen; as your praises go up, God's blessings come down. Nehemiah says, 'The joy of the Lord is your strength' (Nehemiah 8:10). Praise actually helps to heal your emotions and lift the weight of negativity you're living under. Try it!

Evangelist Philip Jegede’s Reading Courtesy of DWFT: : Num 11-13, Mark 9:38-50, Ps 37:16-24, Pr 11:4 www.mpbs247.org -