I Bless Your Name....

Psalm 34:1 says "I will bless the Lord at all times. His praise shall continually be in my mouth..." We read in Psalm 33:1 that "praise is comely for the upright."

Have you ever been in a "prison in your mind?" Did life ever seem so bleak that you simply could not see any way to get on top or ever feel that life would have meaning again? I believe we CAN find an answer for these difficult times in something as simple as praise.

I recently listened again to a song sung by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir which really blessed me. It talks about Paul and Silas being in prison, having been beaten. We read in the scriptures of that account in Acts 16:19-39. They had cast out a spirit of divination from a young woman which caused her masters great concern, for how could they continue to receive such great gain from her? No longer would she be able to supposedly tell fortunes. Her masters brought Paul and Silas into the marketplace, complained loudly against them, and before it was all said and done, Paul and Silas had been beaten and thrown into prison.
Wouldn't that make you want to keep preaching the gospel? Hardly. But, for Paul and Silas, a "praise meeting" commenced at midnight. They sang the praises of God, and something amazing happened. An earthquake occurred, the prison was shaken, the doors were opened, and all the prisoner's had their chains loosed! Another miracle awaited in that the jail keeper and his entire family were saved!
Here we see the power of praise from the upright! The soloist for the Brooklyn Tabernacle sings so beautifully, these words:
"Some midnight hour, if you should find.
You're in a prison in your mind.
Sing out in praise, defy the chains.
And they will fall in Jesus name!

I bless Your name! I bless Your name.
I give You honor, give You praise!
You are the Life, the Truth, the Way!
I bless Your Name, I bless Your Name!"

Praise can bring you into the presence of the One who can break chains!
Sometimes it will only be a conscious decision. We will not feel like praising.
But, He can lift us above our circumstances. He can bring us out of darkness. He can help us to see the He will be with His child, even IN the darkness. He can help us to see that He is still ruling, reigning and living!

So, my friend, start praising Him! Bless His Name!