Hebrews 13:15 Amplified Bible (AMP)
15 Through Him, therefore, let us at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name.
When I think of sacrifice, the fist word that comes to mind is death. In the old testament an animal was laid on the alter and it was slaughtered as a sacrifice. Thank God we no longer have to do that because Christ became the ultimate sacrifice once and for all.
In offering God a sacrifice of praise, we have to kill our pride and fear for if we hold on to them then we cannot elevate God. To praise is to give thanks, to confess, to honor or commend. It is to ascribe worth. The writer of Hebrews tell us to offer up praises to God at all times, not just when we feel like. We are to offer up praise through Christ who became the ultimate sacrifice for us all.
Over and over in the book of psalms we are told to praise God not just with out voices but also with various musical instruments.
During the triumphant entry into Jerusalem when Jesus was ridding on a colt the crowds begun declaring praises to him and the Pharisees were agitated and they tried to put a stop to it. This is what Jesus said;
Luke 19:40
40 Jesus replied, “I tell you, if these [people] keep silent, the stones will cry out [in praise]!”
That tells us how important praise is. Praise should not just be something we do in church on Sunday mornings, it should be a lifestyle the fruit of our lips and that can only be possible if our hears are transformed because out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.
The question we need to ask ourselves then is this;
“What kind of fruit is coming forth from my lips?”
Remember Jesus said;
Matthew 12:36 (AMP)
36 But I tell you, on the day of judgment people will have to give an accounting for every careless or useless word they speak.
Declaration Psalm 150
Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty heavens.
2Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to [the abundance of] His greatness.
3 Praise Him with trumpet sound; Praise Him with harp and lyre.
4 Praise Him with tambourine and dancing; Praise Him with stringed instruments and flute.
5 Praise Him with resounding cymbals; Praise Him with loud cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath and every breath of life praise the LORD!
Praise the LORD! (Hallelujah!)
