Praise!

Praise!

Pastor Tim spoke on miracles recently. A couple of our beautiful church members, came out the front and spoke of recent miracles in their lives. I too have had a miracle, just this week. 

My 2-year-old granddaughter managed to get her fingers stuck in a cupboard, really stuck. My daughter, Olivia, had to use some considerable force to pry open the door.

Now I know young children’s fingers are pliable, however this was different. When Heidi was free from the cupboard, the tip of her first finger was pointing backwards. Definitely not an ordinary look. Do you know, I don’t remember praying in this moment! Heidi was screaming and Olivia was comforting her. Heidi’s sister, Kristelle, was also crying, because she absolutely hates to see her baby sister hurt and I was comforting Kristelle.

As all men are when disaster strikes, Corey was at work when this happened. We can’t complain about this either, because someone has to pay the bills, while mothers are at home with the children. And so, we dealt with it, as women do, with lots of hugs and reassurance (and some angst on the part of little Heidi’s mother).

I remember saying to Kristelle; “It’s ok, Heidi’s fine.” I felt the Lord say Kristelle isn’t believing you. So, I rephrased the sentence and said; “Well she isn’t fine, but she will be.” And although I hadn’t prayed at that exact moment, the very moment I said this, I looked across to see Heidi’s finger had straightened out and it was perfectly fine. There was no bruising, no swelling, only a little bit of a graze over her two middle fingers. Even though I hadn’t prayed, God still moved on my behalf.

God is our miracle worker in our time of desperate need. But how do we get to this point, particularly if we haven’t prayed in the moment? I have a theory and I’m pretty sure it’s a good theory. Well, I hope it is. I believe one way we see miracles is through praise.

Gen 49:8-12 talks about praise, or more to the point; Judah. Did you know Judah means praise? Judah is placed ahead of all his brothers, when Israel blessed the children, in his final days on earth. Whenever Judah goes with the other tribes, Judah is always the first tribe to move. Judah has the first parcel of land allotted to them, as it is divided among the tribes after Joshua’s death. Othniel, the first judge of Israel, comes from the tribe of Judah. 

All this is intended to teach us a lesson, to set us an example; let praise go first! Praise the Lord first, praise the Lord always. When we offer our sacrifice of praise, we’re offering the fruit of our lips, always giving thanks to His precious name.

Caleb, one of the twelve spies who were sent into the promised land, came from the tribe of Judah. As we know, David came from the line of Judah and his kingly line continued all the way through to Jesus and Jesus passed it on to us.

In this passage, Judah is called a lion’s whelp. A whelp is one of immaturity and little power and isn’t that every one of us, at least until we mature in Christ? And, just as a lion’s whelp will grow to be formidable and mighty, so too will we grow to be mighty in the Lord.

As cats do, they follow their own course without regard to those around them. A young lion is curious, just as Jesus was curious, staying behind in the temple, asking questions. As a lion matures, they begin to hunt their own prey, resting, satisfied after their meal. 

The tribe of Judah eventually matures, prospering in all they do. Jesus also matured, defeating His enemies; whether spiritual, physical or mental, easily overcoming by standing on the word of God. And then He too rested, once His work on the cross was complete.

My point in all this; Praise! We must give praise at all times. And keep searching, finding those hidden treasures buried within the word of God. Proverbs 25:2 states; It is the glory of God to conceal a thing, but the glory of kings is to search out a matter.

Revelation 1:5 says; And hath made us kings and priests unto God – so we are kings, from the kingly line. We must be searching for the deeper, hidden meaning of God’s word, while continually giving praise. And then we shall have good success.

Jesus cast out a demon and the disciples asked why He could do it, when they couldn’t. Jesus said this kind only comes out only through prayer and fasting, and yet in that moment, Jesus had neither prayed nor fasted.

Jesus was successful because He did spend time in prayer and fasting, going up to the mountain every morning, to commune with God. Giving His time to God and when He needed it, God gave back to Him, to meet His need.

One passage tells us - But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in that law doth he meditate, day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by rivers of water, that bringeth forth fruit in its season; His leaf also shall not wither; And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. (Psalm 2;1-3)

We can’t be a part-time Christian and expect to be successful. Although it's not by our works that we see breakthrough, God is hoping we will have a relationship with Him. We should want to meditate day and night, to spend time with God every moment we can. When you focus continually on the Lord, when you give Him your time, your talents and your praise, then you will have good success.

Partaking in the elements, taking the symbols of body and blood, is another way of acknowledging God and all He has done for us. When we do as we aught, God sees it from heaven.

The word isn’t just a book to rush through. It’s not there just to tick a box on our daily to-do list. God's word is there to tell us what God expects and when we act on what we’ve read; then we shall have, not only good success, but great success.

And I believe, even though I didn't pray in the moment, God anticipated my prayer. As soon as I rephrased my sentence to; "Heidi will be fine," God acted on my behalf. 

Just as Jesus neither prayed nor fasted, but cast out a demon, so too was Heidi healed even though I had neither prayed nor fasted.

That is the power of God, moving in the miraculous. When we do our bit, God does His.