Kirk Cameron's Testimony with John MacArthur

Prayer of Praise

" As the deer pants for the water brooks, So pants my soul for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When shall I come and appear before God? My tears have been my food day and night, While they continually say to me, “Where is your God?” When I remember these things, I pour out my soul within me. For I used to go with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise, With a multitude that kept a pilgrim feast. Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him For the help of His countenance." (Psalm 42:1-5, NKJV)

Last night in our Wednesday evening prayer service we focused our discussion on prayer. Specifically we dealt with the idea that praise should be included in our prayers. It is no coincidence that the model prayer found in Luke 11 and Matthew 6 begin with “Our Father hallowed be your name.” A major element of our prayers should be the praise towards God.

We praise God not because He needs flattery or affirmation. God does not need anything (Acts 17:24-25). We praise God because we need to be reminded of the greatness of God. The psalms are full of phrases that glorify the character and work of God.

When God is big our problems are small.

I encourage you to consider adding a large dose of praise to God in your prayers today. Thank Him for who He is and what He has done. I assure you this prayer of praise will give you assurance for what He will do.

"I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty, And on Your wondrous works." (Psalm 145:5, NKJV)

Call on the Name of the Lord

"And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Enosh. Then men began to call on the name of the Lord." (Genesis 4:26, NKJV)

The people in the Old Testament were saved or made righteous before God in the same manner as those in the New Testament.

"For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”" (Romans 10:12-13, NKJV)

This concept of calling upon the name of the Lord is foundational to a right relationship with God. From the very beginning in Genesis men recognized their sinful condition which required forgiveness by God. Becoming righteous before God then is not something you do, rather it is something that God does for you.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9, NKJV)