“Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness .Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD” (Psalm 150:1-6).

Do you get the feeling that this is a Psalm of praise and all out joy in the Lord? These words of praise are inspiring and they encourage us to praise God everywhere and for everything. Do you do that? Probably not as much as God deserves. I know I am lax in praising Him like I should. Too often my prayers are: “I want…” or “Please do such and such.”

Then there are the complaints and the questions that I direct to Him—but where is the praise? Psalm 150 does not give a specific reason to praise Him, it is just pure praise because He is. We don’t need a specific reason to praise Him because there are many, many reasons to proclaim His praise.

Christians today have many cares weighing down upon them and we sometimes forget that we have a multitude of blessings that we take for granted. God has provided us with air to breathe, yet we forget how vital that is for our survival. Praise the Lord! We have water to drink, but do we praise Him for making that water? Most of us have food to eat and clothes to wear, but how often do we stop and thank God and praise Him for all He has provided?

“Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth forever” (Psalm 106:1).

Many of the Psalms are filled with praise as if the psalmist couldn’t contain his praise for God.

“Who can utter the mighty acts of the LORD? Who can shew forth all his praise?” (Psalm 106:2).

Who indeed?

God is the giver of all good things and we have so much to praise Him for. Praises to Him should always be in our hearts…and also on our lips. Most worship services today are very reserved and very organized. Don’t get me wrong, organization is good and needs to be encouraged.

“Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40).

Being done “decently and in order” doesn’t mean they have to be “shy and reserved.” We need more all out praise in worship and in daily living. Do you lift your hands to worship and praise Him, or are you more afraid of what those sitting in the pew next to you might think. Worship and praise is all about Him. Psalm 150 also says to praise him with timbrel and dance. A timbrel is a type of tambourine and dance is…well it is just that, dance. There are many references to dance in the Old Testament; some are in worship of pagan gods, but many are in praise of God Almighty.

I would have loved to have seen Miriam and the women of Israel dance in worship and praise when the Egyptian army was drowned in the Red Sea. I would have also loved to see King David dance with joy as the Ark of the Covenant was coming to Jerusalem. Most dances today certainly don’t glorify God, and a Christian should never participate in a dance that is self-directed nor should it tempt someone to sin. Remember all things are to be done “decently and in order.”

“And David and all the house of Israel played before the LORD on all manner of instruments made of fir wood, even on harps, and on psalteries, and on timbrels, and on cornets, and on cymbals” (2 Samuel 6:5).

King David certainly knew how to praise God. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to have a leader of our nation that was so in love with God that he could not keep quiet about praising the one true God? David chose to go with a group of men to bring the Ark of the Covenant to the City of David. There was true joy in David as he and the others played various musical instruments before the LORD.

“And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet” (2 Samuel 6:14-15).

Yes, it would be wonderful to have one such as David to lead our nation.

There are miracles recorded in the Bible, especially in the New Testament. Miraculous healing would certainly be cause for praising the Lord. One such case occurred near Jericho. A blind man was sitting by the road begging when he heard a multitude of people passing by and asked about it. He was told that Jesus was passing by. What a thrill that must have been!

“And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me” (Luke 18:38).

What faith he had! “Son of David” is a Messianic title of Jesus, so even though this man could not see, he wasn’t as blind as to who Jesus was. Jesus heard his cry and stopped and asked what the man wanted from Him. The man only wanted was to see.

“And Jesus said unto him, Receive thy sight: thy faith hath saved thee. And immediately he received his sight, and followed him, glorifying God: and all the people, when they saw it, gave praise unto God” (Luke 18:42-43).

Praise ye the Lord!

It’s easy to praise God when things are going good, but His praise should always be on our lips. Paul was one who seemed to cause a ruckus wherever he went. If there was someone who opposed him he stood firm on God’s Word. On one such occasion he and Silas were in Philippi when a young woman began to follow them. She was possessed by a spirit of divination and her masters made money from her.

“The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying These men are the servants of the most high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation” (Acts 16:17).

Though she spoke the truth, the truth was not in her. After many days of this Paul had enough and in the name of Jesus Christ commanded the spirit to come out of her. It did, but now her masters could not use her for monetary gain. They took Paul and Silas to the magistrates who commanded that they be beaten and thrown into prison. Not only were they imprisoned but their legs were put in stocks. After a beating this must have been miserable. Did this subdue them and stop them from praising God? No, it didn’t.

“And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them” (16:25).

We all know the story. An earthquake shook the prison to its foundations and the prison doors were opened. The keeper of the prison woke-up and saw the prison doors open. If the prisoners had escaped the prison keeper would have had to pay with his life. He decided that suicide was a better option. Before he killed himself, Paul called out to him that they were all there. What joy and relief that jailer must have felt.

In the worst of situations Paul and Silas sang praises to God and when given the opportunity to escape they stayed put. What a wonderful witness they had shown. The jailer was overjoyed, “And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30). Because Paul and Silas praised God and were steadfast witnesses, not only did the jailer not commit suicide, but he gained eternal life. Praise ye the Lord!

Do you praise God continually?

If you truly understand what Jesus Christ has done for you then there should be a wellspring of joy overflowing in you continually.

“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” (Hebrews 13:15).

He alone is worthy of our praise. He left Heaven and came to earth to be our Kinsman Redeemer. He shed His blood as our once for all sacrifice in order to give us eternal life. Like the jailer you might ask, “What must I do to be saved?” First understand that you are a sinner:

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23).

You need to repent (change your mind about sin).

“Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord”(Acts 3:19).

Believe in the gift of salvation through the shed blood of Jesus Christ:

“And they said,’ Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house’” (Acts 16:31).

There is nothing more important than salvation through Jesus Christ. There is no other way to live eternally with Him. Praise ye the Lord!

“I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies.” Psalm 18:3.

Yes, He is worthy to be praised. Praise ye the Lord.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

The dry bones of Ezekiel 37 have come together. The signs Jesus spoke of in His Olivet Discourse and the events of Daniel’s 70th week loom on the horizon. The Rapture will happen first, so we know it is getting close. Have you heard about the events of Ezekiel 38 and 39? It’s on the very near horizon. Events are all coming about just as God told us through the prophets of old, but many Christians get confused because they just don’t study God’s word.

Don’t be intimidated; study prophecy. It is a great witnessing tool that can be used in a conversation with an unsaved friend or relative to show them that they need to give his or her life to Christ. Each Christian should study God’s Word and understand that we are nearing the end of time; but it’s important to study prophecy in light of today’s knowledge.

The prophets spoke what God told them, but much could not be understood even a century ago. Many commentators of yesteryear came to wrong conclusions based on the understanding of their day, so be careful when you study older commentators.

“But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased: (Daniel 12:4).

The Hebrew word “da’ath” is translated “knowledge” and means “discernment, understanding, wisdom.” Older commentators just didn’t have the understanding of events that we have today. As we study prophecy we need to increase our own “discernment, understanding, wisdom” in order to be more effective in our witnessing.

Many people close their minds to prophecy saying that it is just too hard to understand. There are Christians as well as the unsaved who scoff at and mock the Word of God when it comes to prophecy, but then that is prophetic too.

“Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation” (2 Peter 3:3-4).

Study will give you an answer for those who scoff. The “promise of His coming” will soon be fulfilled, but as Christians we yearn for the Rapture. We will not face the wrath of God but those who have not accepted Christ as their Savior will face horrendous times before Christ’s Second Coming.

“For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24:21).

Those are Jesus’ words and they should be taken seriously. He goes on to compare it to the time of Noah, and anyone who thinks God judged His entire creation because Seth’s sons were marrying Cain’s daughters has blinders on. History tells of a time when Christians were being thrown to lions for entertainment and of the horrors that took place during the Holocaust.

We shudder at mankind’s hatred toward one another but Jesus says the Great Tribulation will be worse. News headlines of today are filled with horrendous stories of people being slaughtered because their beliefs don’t line up with Muslim thinking. As we draw closer to the Rapture the birth pangs will get increasingly worse, then Daniel’s 70th week will begin, and then Jesus says the last 3 ½ years of that seven year period will bring worse tribulation than anything that has ever been seen before. Anyone who rejects Jesus will face that time of judgment, but Christians are promised that we won’t face God’s wrath.

“And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10).

Yes, prophecy can be a great witnessing tool. You shouldn’t use it as a scare tactic, but as fact.

As believers we have many challenges before us, but what can we do? We see the signs of the times and should understand the urgency of witnessing to our family and friends, but we can feel overwhelmed. We need to be in constant prayer, not only for the lost but for Jerusalem:

“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee” (Psalm 122:6).

We also need to maintain a close relationship with our fellow Christians and keep Christ first in our life. There is also a great need to study God’s word. As Peter said, “There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming?” You need to have an answer for this.

The truth of the Rapture and believing that its time is near has led some to become complacent in their duty to Christ. Complacency is of the devil and he would love it if those who are born-again would all just sit back, relax, and wait on the Rapture. He would also love it if Christians would remain ignorant of prophecy and blind to the fact that time is short. Satan is hard at work convincing the lost that they are in good shape and not to worry or take seriously what those wacky Christians are promoting.

Even if the Rapture is still a few years off, how many of your friends and relatives run the risk of dying without knowing Christ? They need to hear the truth and understand that only Jesus Christ offers salvation. They need to stop being scoffers and become believers before it’s too late.

Satan is the evil behind scoffers and their attitude. As believers in Christ we must combat the lies put forth by Satan and those who follow him. Even Peter was used by Satan to scoff at Jesus’ words and try to stop Him from going to Jerusalem to be crucified.

“But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men” (Matthew 16:23).

Whenever we hear someone spouting off against believers, and most important, against our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we can know without a doubt that we are hearing Satan speak. I can tell you that the Holy Spirit has a louder voice and can drown out Satan at every turn if Christians will only speak up.

Christians must adhere to Jesus’ commandments in every aspect of our lives, even when faced by unbelief of those around us. We all have our own miniature world to evangelize and that means that no matter where you go you are to spread the Gospel of Christ. If you are on a business trip don’t leave your Christianity at home. When you’re on vacation or if you’re just out running errands, remember you represent Christ. Our lives should always reflect our faith in Christ. We never know when God’s going to ask us to step out in faith and talk to someone about their salvation.

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15).

If you are having dinner with a business acquaintance and the conversation turns to events surrounding Israel, can you defend Israel’s right to the land and tell how prophecy is unfolding? The answer is in God’s Word and not on the 6 o’clock news. Can you explain the hope you have in Jesus Christ? You might want to do some study in order to have answers.

Don’t neglect a regular Bible study routine. The Holy Spirit will teach us through prayer and study, and that will give us confidence and boldness to witness for Christ. The Holy Spirit will open doors for you to share the Gospel of Christ with others and prophecy is a great place to open a conversation. Most people hear what’s going on in the Middle East and if you understand that prophecy is being fulfilled you can share the Truth with the lost people around you. That will open up avenues for you to explain their need for salvation. God’s judgment is coming soon, but only Christians are given the promise that we will be saved from God’s wrath:

“For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10).

The resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ was the most important event in history and now we are rapidly approaching the second most important event in history… that is the Rapture. Christians must step out in faith to follow Jesus’ commandment to spread His gospel. I believe some huge obstacles will be thrust directly into the lives of those Christians who faithfully follow Christ’s commandment to share the Gospel. Satan isn’t just going to sit idly by whilst we take away his followers. You may feel the heat of battle but if you put on the armor of God you will have His protection.

Witnessing can be one of the most daunting tasks for believers and in many countries it is a life threatening choice. It seems as if people are offended by our Christian faith and have no qualms about scoffing and mocking our Lord. Nevertheless we aren’t to shirk our duty and keep silent. Paul was violently persecuted but still continued evangelizing. Nothing dampened his desire to share the Gospel. He prayed for relief from his “thorn in the flesh” but God answered

“… My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

Is His grace sufficient for you, or are you afraid of persecution?

Current events in the world can cause us to fear, but you can use these events to open doors for witnessing. The Old Testament is filled with prophecy concerning the birth and life of Jesus. Learn these prophecies and be ready to share. Also learn about the many prophecies concerning the events of today and of the not so distant future. If you don’t study these prophecies you will remain as blind as the lost world around you, and you will miss many opportunities to share the truth of God’s Word.

Today Christians are standing in the sandals of the disciples of old. It’s our responsibility to proclaim the Gospel of Christ and we must not retreat from our assigned task:

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).

It does take effort and study on your part, but it is worth it.

Certainly the Rapture of Christ’s Ekklesia is nigh and we rejoice in knowing that soon we will be caught up to be forever with our Lord Jesus. If you study prophecy and then follow the current events of the world, especially as they relate to Israel, you will know that Daniel’s 70th week is near and that means the Rapture is even nearer. Be bold and witness while you can.

Study prophecy and understand the times we in which we live. Use this information to share the Gospel with others. Look around you and pray that God will give you boldness to share the Gospel with the lost who cross your path. You really don’t want anyone left here to face Daniel’s 70th week because you were too fearful to tell them the Truth.

God bless you all,

Ron & Nathele Graham