God Inhabits the Praises of His People

God wants to be with us...Jesus is evidence of that. God has guided His people with a cloud by day and a pillar of fire at night. He has dwelt among His people in a tent that was built to His specs. He has worked miracles and wonders to convince His people that He was real, that He was there. Then He walked among us, helped us and died for us. And now He wants to inhabit us with His Spirit and inhabit the praise we raise to Him.

God inhabits the praises of His people. If we are willing to praise God, He is willing to inhabit. The more we praise, the more He inhabits. The more He inhabits, the more we are able to do His will. The more He inhabits, the more gifts the Spirit gives to draw people to Him. The more we praise, the more people are drawn to Him.

Scripture doesn't say the more we do good works, the more He inhabits us. Nor does it say the more we go to church, preach sermons, go to Bible classes, or sing things that aren't praise....we can do those things all we want and we aren't going to get Him to inhabit. Only praise. Only praise seems to get His attention. Only praise creates an environment in which God wants to dwell.

So really, what is "church" all about? Is it to be a social club for "do-gooders?" Is it about theology or religion or maintaining doctrinal integrity? Is that what God intended? NOT! I think God wants to dwell with us again. I think He is waiting for us to give Him what He wants so He can make us into more than we can imagine. I think He wants us to praise Him so the Spirit can work miracles among us. You want spiritual gifts? Praise...continually! You want to speak prophetic words or heal the sick? Praise first! You want people to be drawn to the church, to God? Then praise. Everything else is just a shallow imitation that gets nothing...no presence, no dwelling.

You want the power of God in your congregation, stop singing goofy "non-praise" or "non-worship" songs (God doesn't live there).....instead sing praise...proclaim the goodness, power, mercy and glory of God. God doesn't dwell in anything but praise. Look into it. Experiment with it. Do an hour of praise in your church an see what happens. Do it every Sunday and see if your church doesn't become a dwelling place of God.

Questions?