“My lips will pour forth praise, for you teach me your statutes. My tongue will sing of your word, for all your commandments are right. Let your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts.” Psalm 119:171-173
“Out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.” Luke 6:45
What is in our hearts today? Is praise pouring forth from your heart to your mouth? If not, why?
For years and years and years, I was good at doing. Doing, specifically, for God. Oh yes, I loved Him – I really did – and I was grateful for His grace. I grew up singing that Jesus loved me this I know, I knew that the Bible told me so. But it hadn’t permeated my heart. I didn’t really get it. And so, the doing took place of praise flowing out of my heart and onto my lips.
There was no praise because there was not deep understanding, or admittance, of God’s statutes.Â
“The gospel says you are more sinful and flawed than you ever dared believe, but more accepted and loved than you dared hope.” -Tim Keller
It wasn’t until I understood really deep down at a heart level just how sinful and flawed I really was that I understood what David is saying in our verses today. When you truly look at God’s statutes, the commandments, and measure yourself, you can’t help but realize how bad it is {For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Romans 3:23}. How bad you are.
And then…
FORGIVEN. ACCEPTED. LOVED.Â
This is what brings us to our knees in worship of the Almighty God. For WHO He is, and what He has done for us. This is when the overflow of our hearts speak praise.Â
And this is what God desires from us. He wants our love. Our praise.
I invite you to sit with Him today in the stillness. Search your heart and ask Him to bring you understanding of your sin and then of His acceptance. And allow that praise and gratefulness to bubble up out of your heart and onto your lips.
Let’s Talk: Have you been there? Where you were good at working for Him, but not praising Him? Are you there now? I want to hear from you in the comments!
With Love From Uganda,
Ohh friends, we are so excited to announce that our NEXT session will be a 6-week study in the book of Galatians! We invite you to join us starting September 7th as we dig into this amazing book this Fall! Also, stay tuned for more exciting information to be announced in the coming weeks. We can’t wait to share with you all that God is doing behind the scenes at Love God Greatly!
More detailed info coming soon, but for now mark your calendars, spread the word, and personally invite the women in YOUR life to join us for our study in Galatians: Freedom to grow in Christ…
It’s easy for me to get so caught up in the doing that I forget to praise. I do and I get tired and I wonder why no one notices or helps.
God, please remind me to praise always.
Dianne,
I think we all get wrapped up in our stuff and get a little self-centered. What a simple, but poignant prayer! “Remind me to praise always.” Thank you for posting!
~Terria (LGG Encourager)
Me too!! I’m a Martha always getting the job done. But this is so good for me!!:) I sat and read it aloud to my puppy just now:)
I had been following your Bible studies for years and have shared these studies with many others. I had been receiving your emails regularly until 7/13 when they just stopped coming. I checked my junk box, but there is nothing there. I tried to subscribe again, but it says that I am currently enrolled. I have since been following you on the blog on the internet, but sure do miss getting the emails in my inbox.
I am having the same trouble Linda Morin. I had to contact my provider (Comcast) and they are working on fixing the problem.
Linda, what a bummer! I’m sorry the emails aren’t going through anymore, yikes! Could you reach out to our team on the Love God Greatly Facebook page? Just click on “message” and send a message via Facebook with your name and email. They’ll do their best to see if it’s something on the back end on our side. 🙂 Thank you for letting us know!!
Blessings, Marlene (LGG Encourager)
PS: just in case here’s the link to the LGG Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Love-God-Greatly/109768529062766
Or, if you prefer you can email to [email protected] with that same information. But, Facebook message will probably be a bit faster 🙂
At times we forget to Praise God. I have learned to Praise God at all times. We praise Him through songs, but most of all with our doing unto Him. We will go through things but we could Praise ourselves through it. Praise is a powerful weapon that the Lord has given us. So I encourage all my sisters that no matter what we could through that we trust Him to get us through and praise His Holy Name at the same time. Stay encourage and I hope to see you all back on September 7th for the study on Galatians. Be bless!
Jacqueline,
Thank you for those encouraging words. Praise definitely keeps God in His rightful place as the center of our lives…no matter what we may go through! We are so glad that you will be back for the fall study!
~Terria (LGG Encourager)
Oh, so very true! My friend & I have discussed this at length. God created us as human beings, not human doings. I, too, have gotten so busy doing, that I have forgotten the price Christ paid for my sin. Today, I praise Him for He is the only One worthy of praise, glory, & honor.
Melanie, I’ve gotten caught up in the busy of doing too. I think many of us have. Praising Him with you friend!
Blessings, Marlene (LGG Encourager)
I am a very task-oriented kind of gal. I do forget to praise God in my every day living. I’m working on being more intentional about giving thanks for everything and praising God in everything. I can also relate to Joy’s posting today about “working” for God and forgetting to be in relationship with Him. I did this for many years, having been raised in the Apostolic denomination where working for God was always preached – relationship was not. I’m still a work in progress.
Thanks for stopping by today Sharon, and for sharing with us today! We’re all a work in progress for sure!
Blessings, Marlene (LGG Encourager)
Amen and amen . I like the saying “stop and smell the roses”. If I were to look at that term in the spiriutal sense, it would mean even more. Jesus is called the rose of Sharon. When I take in His beauty and goodness, it restores me. When I can focus on what He has done for me and all of mankind, it shifts my attitude. May I praise Him at all times and take time to stop and smell the roses 🙂
Love that! Praising Him with you friend! It’s been a while since I’ve heard that -> “stop and smell the roses”. Love it!
Blessings, Marlene (LGG Encourager)
Praising God for this study on Psalm 119. I look forward everyday to opening the word, praying and praising God. Praise God for His word that brings conviction, healing and life, guidance, direction and relationship. Praise God for His Son who so willingly gave His life in order that we may have forgiveness and life in His name. Looking forward to the study on Galatians. Praising God that my friend shared this online study with me or I would have missed out on the Love God Greatly study of Psalm 119. Praising and thanking God for each of you and the blessing you have brought into my life!
“Let everything that has breath praise the Lord” – Psalm 150:6. Thank you, Arlene, for your beautiful words of praise this morning! We hope that you join us again in September for the fall study of Galatians!
~Terria (LGG Encourager)
I myself get so caught up with life I forget to praise the Lord.
The mins. days and weeks go by and sometimes I only get to praise Him on Sunday’ s when I am at church.
I am really looking forward to the study on Galations in Sept.
Very excited.
Be blessed all
Thanks for being a part of this community Olivia! I hope being connected to these studies will help you take a break from the busyness of life and praise God. I find that putting on familiar praise and worship music in the car or at home helps me reset my mind to focus on Him too 🙂 So glad you will be joining us for Galations, I know it’s going to be awesome!
Blessings,
Stacy, LGG Encourager
I loved what you said today, it really hit home. I always used to do good and tried to be a good person, but I NEVER really praised God! After two divorces and feeling like everything I ever loved God took away, I was angry. Then I did a Walk To Emmaus and it was there that I learned that God had not turned from me, I had turned from him…and it broke my heart that I had hurt him. I laid my anger at the feet of Jesus and felt him fill me with love and peace. My heart swells with love and hunger to get to know him and to PRAISE HIM. Really praise him and share with others how much he loves us. God is good.
Mondee,
Thank you for sharing your story! God is so good and I am so grateful that He has filled you with his love and peace. Keep praising Him and sharing your story, you have such an opportunity to bless others when you share his faithfulness!!
Blessings,
Stacy, LGG Encourager
Oh yes I am guilty of getting caught up in the doing or just plain busy with the daily grind. I am working on being more intentional with my quiet times, this study had been a great help with that! Although Iam playing catch up this week. I have found myself realizing just how much I need this time with the Lord! At bedtime prayer time we all try to be thankful but want to work on being more thankful througout the day. A song that has been stuck in my head is the Mercy Me songs’ Flawless.’ ” no matter the bumps no matter the bruises, the cross has made you flawless. I love that reminder bc no matter what the cross has covered it! That’s reason to praise for sure!
Love your page!