Feb 07, 2011 How You Can Become a Person of Praise
Orginally posted on September 1, 2005
“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” I Timothy 1:17
Are you having difficulty giving praise to God? When you come to corporate worship do you find your mind wandering and your heart less than engaged? Have you found that your thoughts and words about God are small and trite? If so, you’ve probably been tempted to either feel great guilt or just assume you’re not the worshipping type.
There is hope for you. You can become a person who engages in worship by thinking great thoughts and saying great words about God.
A Man of Great Worship
It was not uncommon for the Apostle Paul to launch into words of worship while writing a letter to the first century churches (Romans 11:36, I Corinthians 15:57, Ephesians 3:20-21). Why did he do that? What prompted him to praise? In I Timothy 1:15-17 we see what made Paul such an engaged worshiper of God. Following Paul’s lead, we can become people of praise.
First, fill your mind with the truth of the gospel. “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners
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(I Timothy 1:15)
The greatest use of mental energy, the highest thought process, the ultimate intellectual endeavor is to attempt to plumb the depths of the gospel. Spend fifteen minutes writing out every reason why the death of Jesus Christ on the cross for sinners is good news. Try to fill up a page. Look up Bible verses to help you.
Second, apply the gospel to yourself. “Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost [sinner], Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.” (I Timothy 1:16)
After you have put the truth of the gospel in your mind, put it in your heart by meditating on how much mercy Christ has shown you as a sinner.
I sometimes do a little mental exercise called, “Where would I be?” I spend a few minutes looking at my life before I became a Christian and then imagining what my life would be like if Christ had left me in my sin. I always end up thanking and praising God for saving me.
I think this is what happened to Paul. “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.”(I Timothy 1:17) Paul’s declaration of God’s glory and his praise to God came just after his statement about the gospel and his reflection on his own salvation.
If you will do this, then you will become a person of praise.
Looking forward to praising God with you Sunday,
Pastor Scott