0705. Praise

Praise

"Praising God, and having favour with all the people" (Act_2:47).

This result of Pentecost is in fulfillment of that Scripture, "The fruit of the Spirit is * * joy." The disciples are described as "eating their meat with gladness and with singleness of heart" (Act_2:46). Those who come to the Lord Jesus Christ forsaking their own way and their own thoughts will surely be led forth with joy and will break forth into singing.

The beautiful part of it all, is, that the joy of the Holy Ghost cannot be broken by persecution. In Act_5:41, where the disciples depart from the presence of the council, they depart "Rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for His name." In Act_6:15 where Stephen is set upon by false witnesses, we read, "All that sat in the council looking stedfastly upon him, saw his face as it had been the face of an angel."

In Act_13:52, as Paul and Barnabas were leaving the city of Iconium, where the chief men had raised a persecution against them, we read, "And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Ghost." In the Philippian jail, Act_16:25, Paul and Silas were "praying and singing hymns unto God."

Jesus Christ hath put a new song upon the lips of those who are saved. It is a song that nothing can remove.

Illustration: There is a story told of an infidel who was happily saved. The next morning he was looking out of his window over the storm-swept yard. The leaves had been blown from the trees, the birds had gone, the snow was upon the ground, and yet, as he looked, he called his wife and said, "Wife, what makes everything so beautiful without?" She saw no special beauty on that winter morning; but, she knew what had happened to her husband, and so she said: "My dear, it is Christ in your heart that makes things lovely unto you."

The "joy of the Lord" is our strength. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Church at Philippi, and time and again he said: "Rejoice in the Lord." Surely praise is comely.

In the Book of Jeremiah, chapter 13 and Act_16:11, God speaks of causing the whole House of Israel and the whole House of Judah to cleave unto Him. "That they might be unto Him for a people, and for a name, and for a praise and for a glory: but they would not hear." God has also called us that we might both praise Him and be unto Him a praise before the peoples of the earth.

There is nothing that will bring more glory to God than real praise.

Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR