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The Lord's Prayer begins and ends with praise. Giving praiseto God helps us to understand just how awesome He really is! We should praiseHim for how powerful He is. We should praise Him for how givingHe is. We should praise Him for how loving He is. We should thankHim for all that He has done, is doing and will do for us as His children.And the list goes on
In the New Testament Paul tells of giving thanks to God:
3"We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,.
12Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: 13Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: 14In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins."
Colossians 1:3,12-14
15"Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints, 16Cease not to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers."
Ephesians 1:15-16
3"Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; 4Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God."
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
We are actually commanded to give praise and thanksgiving to God:
15"By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. 16But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."
Hebrews 13:15-16
16"Rejoice evermore. 17Pray without ceasing. 18In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."
I Thessalonians 5:16-18
28"Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: 29For our God is a consuming fire"
Hebrews 12:28-29
4"Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. 5Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. 6Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
Philippians 4:4-7
In the Old Testament one can find passage after passage of praises to God;especially in the book of Psalms which is packed with chapters on the praiseof God and His power and glory. Here are two examples:
1"O LORD, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. 2Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. 3When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; 4What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? 5For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. 6Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet: 7All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; 8The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas. 9O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!"
Psalm 8
1"O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph. 2For the LORD most high is terrible; he is a great King over all the earth. 3He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet. 4He shall choose our inheritance for us, the excellency of Jacob whom he loved. Selah. 5God is gone up with a shout, the LORD with the sound of a trumpet. 6Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises. 7For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding. 8God reigneth over the heathen: God sitteth upon the throne of his holiness. 9The princes of the people are gathered together, even the people of the God of Abraham: for the shields of the earth belong unto God: he is greatly exalted."
Psalm 47
Copyright © 2001 by the author or Christianity Today, Inc. For reprint information call 630-260-6200. All Scripture is taken from the King James Version of the Bible. Public domain.
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