Week of November 29, 2009

In short, our praise is a way of doing two things: (1) acknowledging God's worth, which is reflected in His creation and redemption; (2) submitting to His sovereign rule. When we praise Him verbally, we proclaim publicly who God is, what He has done, and how we stand humbly before Him.

This well-placed doxology ends the short book of Jude, that throughout counsels the church to contend for the faith in the face of false and morally corrupt teachers. What better way to end the book than a majestic doxology to the greatness of God?

When we praise God, we acknowledge His worth by proclaiming His nature and His works. Jude speaks of God "who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy." That secure future for believers comes because of Christ's all-sufficient death on the cross.

Do you feel sometimes as if God doesn't love you? Or that your sin is too weighty for Him to forgive? Remember the cross and praise God because He is the one who saves and keeps us, even as we battle sin. We do not need to earn His love. He has freely given it to us through Jesus Christ. That truth should bring instant praise from our lips!

We praise Him by acknowledging His worth, but also by acknowledging and submitting to His rule. Jude strings together words of praise for the Lord's "glory, majesty, dominion, and authority." Glory and majesty refer to God's great honor. Dominion and authority refer to His rightful rule over us and all creation.

We praise God, not simply with words of thanks, but with hearts that bow in submission to His rule.

When you praise God, are your words filled with thankfulness, and is your heart in complete submission to Him?

1. How would you find opportunity to praise God during your day?
2. In what ways can you praise God publicly?
3. What are some of the issues that can cause you not to want to praise God?