- Where should God be praise? Everywhere
- Why should we praise God? for Everything
- How should we praise Him? in Everyway
- Who should praise Him? Everyone
Sunday, 20 July 2025
Let There Be Praise
Sunday, 27 April 2025
In Search Of Worship - Simplicity
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James (5 months) and Ah Kong |
I used to sing the praise song, “I love you Lord” to my grandson James every night before he slept. James is 12 years old now, then he was 5 months old. Like every 5 month old, James will fight sleep but when he listened to this song, he would stop crying, become calm and would soon be ready for bed. It is a simple four line tune:
O my soul rejoice!
Take joy my King in what you hear.
May it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ears.”
James just loved to hear this song repeated to him over and over again. In the singing I imagined we were praising God together, grandfather and grandson.
Worshiping God with a five month old in tow does not trivialise the act of worship. True worship is hard to find. If one could capture the right inspirational moment, an unfettered time, one should take the opportunity to worship. Make it simple. It is quite natural to worship with James in hand, for this baby is indeed a blessing from God; a clear and present evidence of God’s creative power and of His goodness.
Falzarego Pass, The Dolomites |
Once, when Jesus was in the temple in Jerusalem, the little children were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David," The priest and scribes were indignant at the commotion and they complained, "do you hear what these children are saying?" meaning to accuse him of instigating the children to blasphemy, "Yes," Jesus replied, "have you never read, "from the lips of children and infants, You have perfected praise?" (Matt 21:16 and Psalms 8:2). Perfect praise exudes from pure simplicity. Babies, by their very lives are testaments to God’s bountiful grace.
In contrast, there is much that is contrived and showy when adults worship. Words that come out forced can be hypocritical. Catchy tunes are sung repeatedly without thought to the adequacy and appropriateness of the lyrics. The Rev (Dr) Ben Witherington, Asbury Theological Seminary speaking in Singapore at the Aldersgate Convention in May 2008 asked the question, “Who is doing the worshiping? Who is the beneficiary?"
Speaking about congregational worship Dr Witherington (Ref 1) said, “We often hear people say I don’t go to that worship service because I don’t get anything out of it. But who is supposed to be doing the worshiping here? If it is the congregation, then the primary question should be where can I go to best give praise and worship to God, not where I can go to get the most out of it. Any experience that put us on God’s level is not worship. It is inappropriate and even shocking familiarity; indeed it can even be called idolatry. God condescends and remains God, we do not ascend and become as gods. Worship happens when the creature realizes he is not the creator and bows down to the One who is.”
In speaking to the Samaritan woman at the well, Jesus told her that where one worships, what styles one would use do not really matter. He told her one day, the true worshiper will be worshiping in spirit and in truth. No hypocrisy. God is more concerned with the attitude of the heart than the melody of the song; the motive of the people than the performance.

When we worship, it is not fulfilling an obligation, it is a human delight. Come back to 'The Heart of Worship.'
Lionel
1 Methodist Message 110(7) Jul 08
2 Mary Tileston, ed. Daily Strength for Daily Needs
Sunday, 10 September 2023
Day By Day
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Sunday, 3 September 2023
Praying In The Spirit
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Weakness and inadequacy in the art of prayer are not surprising to God. He never intended that prayer should be left to our own unaided faculties. So He gave the Holy Spirit to instruct, inspire, and illumine our hearts and minds. Unaided by Him, we would be likely to pray for things not only contrary to God’s will but injurious to ourselves.' (Ref 1)
We all do struggle with praying as noted by Andrew Murray. Don Moen also experienced the distance from God as he struggled to find the inspiration to write songs. He said that in that struggle, God led him to write this song 'I will Sing, I will Pray'
Ref 1: J Oswald Sanders Praying in the Spirit 2004https://www.cslewisinstitute.org/resources/praying-in-the-spirit/
Sunday, 26 March 2023
Somebody's Praying For Me
'I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people.... that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.' 1 Timothy 2:1-2
Lionel
Sunday, 26 February 2023
Facing God
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Facing God |
- Plea for God's mercy, be humble enough to plea for God's help.
- Recollect God's goodness
'Lord, I have heard to your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord. Repeat them in our day, in our time make them known; in wrath remember mercy.' Habakkuk 3:1-2
'But in my distress I cried out to the Lord; yes, I prayed to my God for help. He heard me from His sanctuary, my cry to Him reached His ears.' Psalm 18:6
- Proclaim God's greatness
- Recollect God's glory, what He has done in your life.
'His glory covered the heavens and His praise filled the earth. His splendor was like the sunrise. He stood and shook the earth; He looked and made the nations tremble.' Habakkuk 3:3a,4 and 6a
- Pledge to God's praise
- Recollect God's provision
'Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my saviour. The sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to tread on the heights.' Habakkuk 3:18-19
In the face of God, a penitent Habakkuk accepted that the will of God will prevail,
'Though the fig-tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the sheepfold and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour.' Habakkuk 3:17-18
shall humble themselves,
shall humble themselves
and pray.
If My people
which are called by My name
shall seek My face
and turn from their wicked ways
Then will I hear from heaven
then will I hear from heaven,
Then will I hear
and will forgive
forgive their sin.
If My people
which are called by My name
shall humble themselves,
shall humble themselves
and pray.
I will forgive their sin,
I will forgive their sin,
I will forgive their sin,
and heal their land.
Lionel
Sunday, 18 December 2022
God Answers Prayers
'I prayed to the Lord and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. Those who look to Him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.' Psalm 34:4-5 (NLT)