Psalm 135 starts and ends with the command to "Praise the LORD!" Upon reading through that particular psalm this morning, I was reminded of something I read yesterday - an excellent list of benefits to praising God:
* Praise magnifies God. Praise puts our focus on God, not our problems. Our thinking is wrapped in God's power, presence, and ability.
* Praise humbles us. When we worship God, we gain a right view of ourselves. Excess pride and ego are deflated. We have a healthy self-image based on God's view of who we are. By removing pride, praise strengthens us against temptation.
* Praise reveals our devotion to Christ. If we love Christ, we will praise him. If he has first place in our life, we will honor him with worship and thanksgiving.
* Praise motivates us to holy living. Praise opens our hearts to want to live the way God desires - holy and separated unto him, to do his will above our own, to want to be like him more than anyone else. The more we worship him, the more like him we will become.
* Praise ministers to three aspects of our life. Praise ministers to our spirit by creating humility and releasing joy. Praise ministers to our inner self by clearing our mind, calming our emotions, and setting our will. Praise ministers to our physical body by releasing tension and stress and replacing it with God's supernatural energy.
-- Dr. Charles Stanley
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