Pure Praise
“But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed.” Acts 16:25-26 NKJV http://bible.us/114/act.16.25-26.nkjv While the content of praises to God is straightforward, the context of every praise worship is often complicated. Praising God for what He has done is easier than worshipping the Creator of heaven and earth for who He is and what He knows about our prevailing situations and circumstances. Knowing fully well that what Paul and Silas knew about what God has done permitting their persecution and imprisonment does not warrant praise, we know that the context of their praise must be centred on the superior knowledge of God and their confidence in His ability to bring good out of a seemingly ugly situation. Fulfilment of promises for provision an...