Let's Lead By Example

Psalms 111:1 Praise the Lord! I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright and in the congregation.

This Psalm is a praise to the great works of the Lord. Although God Himself is worthy of praise, simply for who He is, the psalmist gives praise for the work of His creation, His providence, and His guidance. He praises His work of love, grace, and compassion. When we stop and consider who God is, and the works of His hands, how can we not break out in thanksgiving and praise? My question for us is this, "What are we doing to lead the way in encouraging others in praising and thanking the Lord"? In the very first verse of this Psalm, the psalmist states that he will proclaim his praise for Jehovah in the assembly of the upright and in the congregation. In other words, he will praise the Lord within his personal, intimate, circle of influence, and within his extended circle of influence. What are we doing to promote the praise of God within our personal intimate circle of influence? What are we doing to encourage praise for the Lord when we gather with other believers? I am not talking about bragging sessions that draw attention to us personally. I am talking about genuine praise and thanksgiving that encourage others, because it comes from our whole heart, and reminds them of the hope they have in Jesus. If we want to see God exalted amongst those we love and care about; and see Him exalted within the local church, then it must begin with us. Just like revival must start with us, so an atmosphere of praise needs to start with us. We all have needs, and we all go through difficult times, but we need to break out of the mindset of the world that tells us to only give praise when good things happen to us. No...we must learn to be steadfast in giving God the praise and honor that He deserves, regardless of our circumstances. Let us start to lead by example, when it comes to encouraging others to lift the Name of Jesus in genuine praise and thanksgiving.

Today, God extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 7:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing your sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).