Praise The Lord
Written by Elliot Bannister and Michael Vincent Hudson
When you’re up against a struggle that shatters all your dreams
And your hopes have been cruelly crushed by Satan’s manifested schemes
And you feel the urge within you to submit to earthly fears
Don’t let the faith you’re standing in seem to disappear
Praise the Lord, He can work through those who praise Him
Praise the Lord, for our God inhabits praise
Praise the Lord, for the chains that seems to bind you
Serve only to remind you that they drop powerless behind you
When you praise Him
Now Satan is a liar and he wants to make us think
That we are paupers when he knows himself we’re children of the King
So lift up the mighty shield of faith for the battle must be won
We know that Jesus Christ has risen so the work’s already done
Praise the Lord, He can work through those who praise Him
Praise the Lord, for our God inhabits praise
Praise the Lord, for the chains that seems to bind you
Serve only to remind you that they drop powerless behind you
When you praise Him
Praise the Lord, He can work through those who praise Him
Praise the Lord, for our God inhabits praise
Praise the Lord, for the chains that seems to bind you
Serve only to remind you that they drop powerless behind you
When you praise Him
Praise Him, praise Him
When you praise Him
When you praise Him
When you praise
The Lord
6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.
11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.
12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.
15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
16 And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
18 And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
19 But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.
20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.
Luke 2:6-20
Ann likes to look at a local web cam on top of a mountain across the valley. We went to the web cam link this morning, and while it was dark with some city lights shining, the moon was shining a bright moon beam on the land (you can make out the moon beam in this picture. It’s on the right and was much brighter when we first viewed the web cam earlier this morning). It reminded me of the Luke passage above. The angel came at night in the darkness. Wow, that’s how Jesus comes into our lives. He says to each of us, “Fear not. I bring you good tidings of great joy. I’ve come to set you free.” He comes into our darkness – our past hurts, shame, tendencies to worry, fret, fear, etc. – and shines His bright light of freeing truth into our lives.
Ann and I were talking during our coffee time this morning about how much Jesus is helping us, setting us free, bringing us out of darkness, shining His liberating light into our lives. It reminded me of how faithful Jesus is. I thought of how there was a time when I was so bound up and how Jesus had us begin to memorize verses that began the process of Him setting us on a path to know Him, to find out how free He can make us, to experience Him cutting us loose from the chains that bound us. Wow, to be getting set free from all the things that bound us. Darkness like the fear of man, uncertainty about the future, confusion, hopelessness, bitterness, worry, fear, care, anger, frustration, shame, and on and on. Truly, Jesus’ truth is good will toward men, good tidings of great joy. What great joy Jesus is to those of us who’ve been bound by darkness. Such good news.
And the chains that bind you serve only to remind you that they drop powerless behind you when you praise Him.
We love you all.
God bless,
Mark and Ann