God and praise Week 8, 2017

Does praise move God? I mean when we praise Him from our hearts in all sincerity is He intoxicated with the worship and beyond a certain threshold begin to pour out blessings, abundance, and healings?

“Now what are you up to with those questions?”

Don’t get me wrong. Someone in teaching the power of praise mentioned that David being a man after God’s heart though he would sin would praise and praise and God in sheer delight would not punish him but instead look away from his sins and pour out blessings on him. Does high praise intoxicate God?

“Well let’s find out from the scripture. You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel Ps 22:3(ISV).So praise has a way of drawing God’s presence. When we praise Him from the heart the trigger is set for the enthroned King to manifest in blessings and deliverance to His people. And when they began to sing and praise, the LORD set an ambush against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah, so that they were routed2Chr 20:22(ESV). ”

But we must never forget praise cannot manipulate God. David and all of Israel were dancing in the presence of God with all of their might with songs, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets 1Chr 13:8(ESV) yet when Uzzah touched the ark God slew him there and then. Praise can’t replace repentance or obeying the instructions of God. If we persist in disobedience the singing becomes irritating to Him. Take away from me the noise of your songs; to the melody of your harps I will not listen. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream Amos5:23-24 (ESV). There are those who when in trouble flatter God with their mouths. It doesn’t deceive Him. They remembered that God was their rock, the Most High God their redeemer. But they flattered him with their mouths; they lied to him with their tongues Ps 78:35, 36(ESV).

“Could it be that praise attracts the manifestations of Jehovah, be it blessings and judgement: blessings on the faithful, and judgement on the disobedient? Sincere praise and deliberately living in iniquity are incompatible.”

Well when the upright praise Him. Praise is fitting for the upright, and God blesses us for simple acts of love and obedience. Shout for joy in the LORD, O you righteous! Praise befits the upright Ps 33:1(ESV). It’s not only the singing of praise that attracted God in the passage.

“What are you referring to?”

Obed-edom. And the ark of the LORD remained in the house of Obed-edom the Gittite three months, and the LORD blessed Obed-edom and all his household2Sam 6:11(ESV)  . He is not looking for a way to deal with you but to bless you. Just hosting the ark got him and the entire household blessings; God is no terrorist.