Good morning on this first Saturday of August. We are now seeing kids returning to school after their summer break. Some schools started this week and many more will be resuming within the next two weeks. In spite of school schedules, we still have a few weeks left in the "dog days" of summer, the hottest days of the summer season. One of the complaints often heard during the summer (in addition to complaints about how hot and humid the weather is) relates to how many re-runs are on television during the June through August months. Comments like, "I've already seen these programs" or "there's not much to watch on T.V." are frequently heard. When it comes to television shows, repeats may be frustrating, but in the Bible, God frequently repeats instructions, commandments, and messages to us. Some are repeated many many times throughout the Bible to make sure we get the message. Obviously, God wants these reiterated reminders to keep these messages before us so we will be sure to heed the warnings or put into practice what He is prescribing. Since the most often repeated commandment in Scripture is "PRAISE THE LORD," it is a certainty that God expects this to be a constant practice in our everyday lives. There are some very practical benefits to following this command including: experiencing God's presence (according Psalm 22 He inhabits the praises of His people), creating more joy in your life, generating attitudes of gratitude, appreciation and thanksgiving, elevating your mood, and creating the lasting habit of genuine worship. How are you doing in putting this most often repeated commandment into constant practice in your life? Let's make every day an example of what it means to obey that commandment and see the difference it will make! Tomorrow's message will be another on the theme of worship. I hope you'll be in church.
Mel Brown