Friday, October 14, 2011 - Light Up Your World

  "He was transfigured before them. 

His face shone like the sun, 

and His clothes became as white as the light."  

Matthew 17:2

   Both our children experienced intense "fear-phases" at all the normal ages, according to the books I read after Julie's second fear-phase put me in my own fear-phase. Having been afraid of my own shadow as a child myself, I was sympathetic and understood when she became fixated on the witch in Disney's "Sleeping Beauty."  No mama was more sorry she let her child watch a movie until I read that four-year-olds fixate on something imaginary, regardless of what parents protect them from seeing. In other words, if it hadn't been "Maleficent" the witch, it would've been a shadow on the wall.  When Nick turned four, I was better prepared.  
     At seven(ish) both children worried about the possibilities of death, divorce, and that the evil they heard about on the nightly news might arrive at our own front door.  At 12, they worried about handling the responsibilities of growing up, wished they could go back to the simple days of being a child, and feared they wouldn't measure up to what the world would throw at them. 
     My answer to the haunting fears that dark kindles and the worries stillness can bring to mind came from personal battles with fear. Frances J. Roberts describes the power of praise in an entry called "Dynamos of Praise" in her book, "Come Away, My Beloved." The book describes what God revealed to Ms. Roberts through His Word.


"Man has contemplated the power of faith and of prayer, but only rarely have I revealed to men this far greater power of praise.  For by prayer and faith doors are opened, but by praise and worship, great dynamos of power are set in motion, as when a switch is thrown and an electric power plant such as Niagra is thrown into operation. Praying for specifics is like requesting light for individual houses in various scattered places, while worshipping and praise flood the whole area with available current."

If this is a true revelation, it certainly explains the "worship wars" our churches are experiencing. If praise and worship are the "dynamos of power" it makes sense for Satan to attack us in this area of our spiritual lives. But I digress . . 


I decided to test the power of praise in my own life and found Psalm 22:3 (KJV) true: God does indeed inhabit the praise of His people and fear can't stay where God's people exalt and enthrone Him. Perhaps David was a man after God's own heart because he learned to praise God with all his heart in every circumstance (see Psalm 5:11; 6:5; 7:17; 9:2; 18:49; 30:4,12; 34:1; 35:28; 47:6-7; 57:7,9; 59:17; 61:8; 66:1,8; 68:4 for starters).
     The truth that praise holds power led me to teach our kids to sing praises to God to "light" their minds in their dark rooms. 
     Feeling helpless, overwhelmed, unprepared, threatened, in the dark?  Lift your voice to praise God with everything in you and watch Him light up your world.   
     Lord God, teach us to praise You. Sometimes we use praise to open Your door just so we can request a personal favor. Teach us to praise You with upright hearts filled with true love and joy in You as our God. You deserve a world of people shouting and singing Your praises; help us make up for those who aren't praising You. Dwell in our praise. You are God - high and lifted up - and we praise You!
In the Name of Jesus Who said the rocks would cry out in praise if people wouldn't