PRAYER AND FASTING GUIDELINES: DAY TWO--PRAISE THE LORD

Step 2... Praise The Lord

Proverbs 9:10 ESV  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

Daniel 11:32 ESV  He shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant, but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action.

Psalms 37:4 ESV  Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

David expressed so well the joy of praising and worshipping God.

Psalms 27:4 ESV  One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple.

We all need to learn the secret of His presence in learning to worship the Lord for WHO HE IS, not just for all the things He has done. The Worship and Praise part of intercession is to BEHOLD THE BEAUTY OF THE LORD. That means to take time to meditate on who He is in all His splendor and glory, until the truth of His greatness fills us with love, awe and true adoration.  It is to bow, kneel, or lay before Him offering ourselves in humble worship. David’s true desire after God was to behold His beauty and to inquire after Him with all his heart.

Have you ever been awed by a sunset so as to just sit speechless? Have you ever studied the beauties of diamonds, rubies, and emeralds under an eye piece? Have you ever savored a delicious meal savoring each bite for the taste while it saturates your palate? These are all just small examples of what it is to "behold the beauty of the Lord." It is to pause in awe of his grandeur and majesty. It is to take time to "smell" the fragrance of the Lord.

I am afraid for all of us too often our praise is not real adoration but fumbling attempts to "DO PRAISE" so that we can get on with the real business interest of our prayer time or church time. Sometimes in prayer the asking session has become the most important to us instead of the praise time.

True worship of the Father has nothing to do with getting. It is quietly, deliberately looking into the kaleidoscope of God's character, and standing in awe of His matchless beauty and being able to do nothing but bow before Him. They that do so will find Him matchless in beauty and awesome in power. "for they that KNOW THEIR GOD will be strong and do exploits."

PRAISE HINTS:
1. Sing songs of praise to the Lord.
2. Remember (think on) His mighty works.
3. Tell of His excellent greatness. (Rehearse it to Him)
4. Exalt His different Names.
5. Read Scriptures that exalt Who He is.
6. Physically express your praise and adoration.
7. Acknowledge His Sovereignty, Power, Wisdom, Control.

Peter says we are...
1 Peter 2:9 ESV  But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

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