Q. If one does not feel like
praising God, should he or she do it anyway?
A. Praise is something that one must
learn to do by faith and not by feelings. It will always be in your heart to
praise the Lord if Christ is in your heart. Many times our spirit is ready
and our flesh is weak. Mark 14:38, "Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter
into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak."
If you sense weakness concerning praise, it may be that you need to bring your
body under subjection and praise God by faith even though you do not feel
like it. 1 Corinthians 9:27, "But
I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection."
Q. Will praising God make God more
pleased with me?
A. No, faith in the blood of Christ is
what puts you in right standing with God. Praises are an expression of
appreciation for the right standing that we enjoy as a result of our faith in
the work of Christ. Of course God enjoys our communion with Him and inhabits
our praise. Psalms 22:3, "But thou art holy, O thou
that inhabitest the praises of Israel," but His favor toward us is
based on faith in the blood of Christ. Romans, 3:25, "Whom
God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare
his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the
forbearance of God."
Q. Should one praise God when he or
she does not want to?
A. In the Old Testament, God said, "This
people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have
removed their heart far from me," Isaiah 29:13. If
you do not want to praise God, then you should search your heart as to the
reasons why. The psalmist says, "I will praise the Lord according to
his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high,"
Psalms 7:17. Not feeling like praising God and not wanting to are
two different things and one must differentiate between the two. You may have
disappointment in your heart toward God that you need to deal with. Keep in mind
that God is good, Psalms 73:1, "Truly God is good to
Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart," and He does not put
evil on His children. James 1:13, "Let
no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted
with evil, neither tempteth he any man."
Q. How can one overcome their
inhibitions concerning praise?
A. "Now faith is the
substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen," Hebrews
11:1. One must step out in faith to praise God, whom they cannot
perceive with physical senses. Through faith, we can see God with our spirit
and let go of our inhibitions to praise Him!
Q. Why does God want us to praise
Him?
A.
Praise is an expression of our love for God; therefore, the answer to this
question may be the question - Why do you need and want love and praise from
others? Remember, you were created in His image and likeness. God loves us and
has given us a very simple way in which to express our love and respect for Him.
In addition, He desires that we partake of His benefits. Praising God for them
is a means through which we can tap into them.
Q. Who do we praise when we are
praising God? The Father, Son or Holy Spirit?
A. The Lord our God is one God, 1
John 5:7, "For there are three that bear record in heaven,
the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one,"
and when we express praise to any person of the Godhead, we are expressing
our love to God as one. Therefore, one may feel inspired to express praise
to the Father, to Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit at different given moments in
their times of praise. We see examples of this in the following scriptures:
2 Peter 3:18,
"But
grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To Him
be glory both now and for ever. Amen."
Hebrews 13:21,
"Make you perfect in every good work to
do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through
Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."
Galatians 1:3-5,
"Grace be to you and peace from God the
Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he
might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and
our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen."
Philippians 2:11,
"And that every tongue should confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
John 4:24,
"God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in
spirit and in truth."
Romans 15:11, "And again, Praise
the Lord, all ye Gentiles; and laud him, all ye people."
