Calvary Baptist Church,
Psalm 136:1-3 “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, For He is good! For His mercies endure forever, Oh, give thanks to the God of gods! For His mercy endures forever, Oh, give thanks to the Lord of lords! For His mercy endures forever.”
I love our Thanksgiving holiday! Not for turkey and pilgrims, or for parades and pumpkin pie. Not for a day off of work, or football, or midnight shopping. No, I love Thanksgiving because of the Language of Praise. The Language of Praise is a unique language that God grants to those with a thankful heart. It’s a language that is uplifting and encouraging. It’s a language that exalts the Savior and edifies the Saints. It’s a language that can be expressed in song, or even in silent meditation. It’s a language that will inspire, will impact the lives of all who will hear you. It’s a language that unashamedly glorifies the one who is being praised. It’s a language that is motivated by the Spirit of God, that is engaged continually by the angels of God, and that empowers the people of God. I am learning more and more that the language of praise is a learned language. It must be intentional, it must be studied, and it must be developed. Some may say that I’m not very good at expressing my praise to God, and that may be genuinely how we feel or even where we are in our relationship with God. But the good news is, we can learn to speak the language. It may seem foreign or uncomfortable at first, but as we commit ourselves to it, it will become a part of who we are, not an exercise that we discipline ourselves to embrace. When that happens, you will find that praise comes naturally from your heart and lips, and you will find yourself closer to your Lord than you have ever been before. Let us truly become disciples who speak the language of praise.
In closing, I would like to express my gratitude to my church family. I have truly enjoyed your expression of appreciation not only for me and my family, but also to the staff of Calvary . Each Sunday my heart has been filled with joy as I have watched you give to the lives and hearts of our church staff. You will never know just how much this means, you may never know just how far this will take them in their work and journey, but one day when you stand before the Lord, you will know the benefit of your gift of encouragement. Thank you for giving to the Lord. Phil 2:4 “Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interest of others.”
I look forward to greeting you and worshipping our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ with you this coming Lords Day.
In His Grace,
Pastor David Jones