sing it from the mountains

Alrighty, I am so excited to share my second stone with y’all. Praise & Worship! It’s always been my favorite part of church. I mean, I love all of church, so don’t get me wrong but when we are singing and praising God I feel so overwhelmed and homesick for Heaven. I cannot wait to enter those gates and sing FOREVERMORE. This might seem like a strange word for a weapon, but Y’ALL this is a goooddddd one. I’ve witnessed its power in my own life. (If you didn’t read my first post on this series, here it is and why I’m using “stones” as weapons)

At a really young age God called me to turn from the music I was listening to. Honest truth, I ignored that pull in my heart. I’d make excuses that some of the most religious people I knew were listening to other music that wasn’t Christian based. I’d tell myself that it wasn’t really God telling me this. I ended up walking away from everything and anything to do with God, and it wasn’t just one thing that lead me to walk away but I just was young and wanted to do life my way. Still not an excuse, but it’s the reality of it. 

I can remember one night I went to a show and ended up running out 5 mins after it started, because the presence of darkness was so heavy around me. The conviction in my heart was so pressing that I almost threw up. I mustered up a tiny prayer because that’s all I could to do. Even then, I believed it was a worthless prayer because I shouldn’t have been there in the first place. 

Now, 13 years later. I get it God! I understand why You asked me to lay that down. (please, do not take this as me saying other music is a sin-because I still will listen to all kinds of music but 98% of what I listen to is Christian.) Hear me out here, this was a call on MY LIFE. I’m not speaking to anyone- But God knows MY heart and knows exactly why I needed to lay it down, and I know why as well. God and I are on a mutual agreement on this. And lemme tell ya, it’s had such a huge impact on my life and on my mind. It keeps my mind on things not of this world, fixated on Him…spiritually minded. 

Philippians 4: 7-9: And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

That friends, that verse is exactly why praise is a weapon. If we are spiritually minded, the God of peace shall be with you. Did y’all catch that promise? Shall, not should…not could be. No SHALL be with you. I read something on Stephanie Carter’s instagram story. Praise activates peace. And I instantly screenshot it, because I was working on this blog post and I was like YESSSSSS. Amen. I can attest to that, and believe it 100%. If the girls and I are having a hard day, I turn on my Jesus music. And we sing, dance in the kitchen, and in turn joy fills our minds, our hearts, and our home. 

When I was listening to something other than my Jesus jams, my mind naturally was focusing on things of this world and it wasn’t pointing my thoughts on Him. There are so many examples in the Bible on why praise is important that I was blown away when I started digging in and studying the word worship. These are a few of my favorite scriptures.

II Chronicles 20: 17-18- Ye shall not need to fight this battle: set yourselves, stay ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed; to morrow go out against them: for the Lord will be with you. And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the Lord, worshipping the Lord.

Daniel chapter 6, it’s where Daniel is thrown in the lions den because he was praying and giving thanks to God. He risked his life to sing His praise, but Daniel didn’t fear the consequences of being thrown into a den of lions. And God delivered him by sending an angel. Worshipping God isn’t just something we do, it’s actually commanded that we do so. Ephesians 5: 18-20… “but be filled with the spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Praising God is a privilege, something I don’t ever want to take lightly. In Isaiah 55, it says the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. My prayer is that if I was created in his image, and if everything was created to worship him then surely I can worship and praise more than the mountains and trees. I added below some of the other verses that I love so much, and that I’ve highlighted in my bible.

II Samuel 22-It’s titled David’s song of thanksgiving. I highlighted that whole chapter, it’s that good. Do yourself a favor. Go read it! So. So. So. So. So. Good. 🙌

“When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid; The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me; In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God: and he did hear my voice out of his temple, and my cry did enter into his ears……” The next part. GUYS. If you do one thing, please go read this chapter and let me know how amazing you think it is. There’s power in this chapter!

Acts 16:25-34 I loved this passage too because with just prayer and singing the people..not just people, prisoners were saved! Read this scripture, highlight it. 

1 Peter 2:9-  But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; (i love that part, peculiar! It makes me so happy bc I’ve always been kind of a weirdo 🤓) that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:”

If you have been struggling to read your bible this week, this month, or this past year. Do this for yourself, not me. Go read these scriptures. Highlight them. Pray over them. Crank up your Jesus music. Because praise is a WEAPON because it activates peace. I just adore that saying so much, because it’s the truth! My favorite song right now for the girls and I to listen to is “Grace Got You by Mercy Me”. It’s such a fun and upbeat song to dance and sing to, and it’s so true that when you know that God’s grace is enough and you hold that truth in your heart you can’t help but sing. I’m always on the look out for new music to listen to, what is some of y’alls favorite worship songs right now?