St Peters RC Church Hamilton

“By thanksgiving we acknowledge God’s goodness.
By praise we acknowledge God’s greatness.
By worship we acknowledge God’s holiness.” Derek Prince.

Pray “That you may
have a walk worthy of the Lord,
fully pleasing Him,
being fruitful in every good work
Colossians 1 v 10 and increasing in the knowledge of God.”
Pray to ask and receive, to believe in God’s goodness.
But, in addition, and at least as equally important,
offer thanks, praise and worship,
giving clear voice of agreement to God’s word.
For whereas prayer can be your asking, and inviting,
thanks, praise and worship can be your proclamation of all God does.

Thank God for the generous grace of His goodness.
Praise God for His glorious majesty and power.
Worship God for His perfect nature, His holiness.
For in so doing you are reflecting the glory of God,
not looking towards your wants and needs,
but setting time aside to focus on God.
Any relationship involves the giving out of self.
Giving of gratitude and respect, speaking of admiration and loyalty.
This can be our proclamation to God,
being open before Him in our warmth of exaltation.
Matthew 12 v 34 “Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.”

We should praise God not for what we can get,
but for what we can joyfully offer back to Him.
“A good person out of the treasure of his/her heart
Matthew 12 v 35 brings forth good things” and what could be better
than to give God all due thanks with worship and praise?
Is this not a natural human response of heartfelt gratitude,
to want to speak it out and share openly, excitedly?
Surely we must express our genuine commitment to God,
to the majestic, holy glory of His way of truth and love?

The joy of knowing God through Christ and His Spirit,
is infectious and should spread outwards being expressed.