Releasing the Power!

I stepped out back late Friday afternoon to toss the trash bag from the kitchen into the garbage can.  As I turned around and took a step toward the back garage door, I turned and took a peek toward the towering trees that line the eastern edge of our property and even though I was fighting feeling a little down, I had to smile at the sight before me and utter thanksgivings to God for this beautiful land that He has blessed us with.

That moment looking at the trees got me to thinking of how I really am a simple guy at heart.  I would MUCH rather find myself in the midst of a campground in the mountains than at one of those fancy island resorts they advertise on TV.  As a kid I can remember a vacation at Disneyland and a number of adventures when we went down to Southern California to visit my Mom’s relatives where we actually stayed in a nice motel with miniature gold and other amenities, but again, the vacations I REALLY cherish are the many times we went camping in the Redwoods at Richardson Grove State Park.

I’m a guy who enjoys big family dinners at our home during the holidays.  Our younger son from Oklahoma told me over the weekend, about the first dinner he and his wife hosted on Thanksgiving and how special it was to them.  I whole heartedly agreed telling him that I always enjoyed looking around our house in Santa Rosa during one of those gatherings and feeling such a sense of joy at all the activity in the home, at all the small group conversations that were going on and just the overall sound of happiness in the atmosphere.

When our kids came to spend time with Piper and I last February, I was so looking forward to having the house full of family again.  Someone outside of our immediate family had suggested that we take everyone “out” to dinner and to be perfectly honest, that thought was very distasteful to me (pun intended)!  When everyone came, we all had such a great time preparing meals together, playing catch in the back, tossing balls to the dog, cleaning up after the various meals and doing A LOT of talking and catching up!  I think what I enjoyed most was sitting back in my chair and just watching all our adult children interacting and having a good time together. 

In many respects, I believe that my strong Italian family background has caused me to see many things, especially concerning family matters, the way that I do today.  I think that one could say that about most people.  In our country today, we seemed to be at a place where people’s differences and the ways that they may perceive the world around them are being so highly emphasized so that arguments easily break out around the discussion of whose ways are right and whose are wrong!

Greg Gutfeld, one of the panelist of Fox News program “The Five” made an astute comment on the show last Friday.  Greg is an interesting individual who can be quite sarcastic at times, but at other times will say some astounding truths about society today.  On Friday’s program they showed a couple of clips of Thanksgiving messages from Senator Bernie Sanders and President Trump.  While the Senator’s message was pretty negative and dark, the President whose comments were being made to our soldiers overseas via satellite, seemed to be talking about a different country!  He was positive and uplifting while he highlighted our improving economy, the growing job market, the increasing victories that our military is experiencing in the various war zones, and his plans for improvements in health care and with tax cuts.

Greg made the comment after the clips were shown, that we in our country can be compared to two people who go to see a movie and while they view the same content, they actually see two different movies… due to the way they personally interpret the events unfolding on the big screen.  I was preparing dinner while the show was on and had to nod my head in total agreement to Greg’s astute comment.

I notice just about every day as I read the daily news reports online, that in the mainline media I will always find articles that criticize just about anything the President says or does, negative reactions to the reporting done on the conservative Fox News channel, and at least one article that makes fun of Christianity.  And just like the movie scenario that Greg talked about, I will shake my head in wonder at how they could say the things they do in the mainstream media because in most cases, it is totally different than the way I see the incidents, people or beliefs they discuss.

As a strong evangelical Christian I find that I am regularly amazed at how wrong and/or mis-leading the press is when they try to explain how Christians feel about current events.  Most times I’ll think “Where did they get that idea from?”  They regularly mis-quote scripture, reference so called “Christian leaders” who tend to intellectualize the Bible and dismiss the “exceeding, abundantly above” of our God (See: Ephesians 3:20).  They tend to talk about Believers, like we are the largest group of “rubes” (ie; country bumkins) in the nation’s populace!

Talk about living in a different country or seeing two different movies!  When I look at the Words of our God within the pages of my Bible, I see and KNOW of a totally different God than what the press tries to project to its readers.  Psalm 107:1-2 encourages us to: “Erupt with thanks to the Eternal, for He is good and His loyal love (mercy, kindness, beauty, goodness, faithfulness and compassion) lasts forever.  Repeat these words in praise to the Lord, all you whom he has saved.  (for) He has rescued you from your enemies.” (The Voice)

Now the world may see that encouragement as empty words that fail to change anything in the lives (according to their way of thinking) of the naive Christian who need the crutch of religious beliefs in order to falsely deal with the happenings in society today.  But you know?  To you and me, that command is more than just empty words but expresses the way that releases the very POWER of God into the situations and events unfolding around us! 

Let’s take a look at these verses here.  They tell us to “Erupt” in praises to God for he has saved and rescued us, right?  Well then… just HOW does he rescue us?  Through our PRAISES!  Remember Jehoshaphat and the children of Israel?  How about Paul and Silas sitting in that dungeon having been publically whipped and humiliated and then chained together in that dark and dank place?  Simply put… it was THEIR PRAISES that set them free!  HOW… Well… it’s due to the fact that according to Psalm 22:3 God is “enthroned on the PRASES of Israel.” (God’s Word ©)  And since Israel in the Old Testament is a type and shadow of the Christian Church today, we can re-translate this verse to say that God is enthroned upon OUR praises!

Other translations say that God sits as King or sits down as judge upon our praises.  The Greek version declares that He is permanently housed in our praises and has the divine power and influence over the situations in our lives in that place!  The 1899 Douay-Rheims Bible calls our praises “the holy place!”  Whew!  Think on that for a moment or two! 

Consider this… Where is the seat of power in any nation? – In their capital city right?  You can see that in the America.  Each state has its own state capital where the government of that state resides and then Washington DC is the seat of the Federal government and is where the President resides.   A few hundred years ago there were individual “kingdoms” all throughout Europe and Asia and the seat of power for each of those “kingdoms” was where the King or Queen’s throne was… in their capital city.

Can you see where I am going with this?  If the all-powerful God of heaven and earth is enthroned upon our praises, then that means that the very seat of His power is located within our praises!  When you and I begin to sing PRAISES to God, we are not just saying comforting words or just worshipping God but are, in actuality, releasing the Divine Power and influence of His kingdom upon our enemies and/or the situations that we are facing in our lives!  Try to explain that one to the main stream media!  It’s like we’re living in two different realms or as Greg Gutfeld said, seeing two different movies!

So what’s my point in this long after Thanksgiving post today?  Don’t be moved by what you may see happening around you, or by what you may read in the news.  God’s truth is the only truth that has and will continue to stand the test of time!  When the rough and tumble times come to you, release the overwhelming power of the kingdom of God through your PRAISES unto Him… and see your world change!

Have a great start to the Holiday Season.  Keep your eyes on the prize of His Word and keep your PRAISES loud and strong… and as you do, keep asking yourself… Whose power am I expecting to release – THROUGH MY PRAISES unto my GOD- TODAY?