Sunday, March 3, 2013

By: Brandon Bilbo

Camping Out with Praise

Proverbs 21:30 No human wisdom or understanding or plan can stand against the Lord.

Now, moving from one campsite to the next probably doesn't sound like an overwhelming task. You just pick up a few pots and your sleeping bag and follow the leader, right? ...Not that simple.

Moses was leading more than 600,000 people representing 12 different tribes-including children, elderly, people with limited mobility, animals... Can you imagine thousands of children asking, "Are we there yet!?!" Phew!

This was certainly not your typical camping trip. Each move required much planning, organization and leadership which is TOTALLY characteristic of God. 1 Corinthians 14:33 reminds us that "God is not a God of disorder but of peace..."

In Numbers 2:9, the Lord tells Moses to have Judah's tribe "lead the way whenever the Israelites travel to a new campsite."

So, why did Judah get to lead the way? What was so special about THAT guy? I believe Judah was destined to lead the way to remind all of us how we should approach every move and every battle in life. You see, in the Hebrew language (which the Old Testament was written in), Judah's name means "Praise."

In essence, God was instructing Moses to have PRAISE lead the way!

Today's verse reminds us that "no human wisdom or understanding or plan can stand against the Lord." When you send out prayer and PRAISE before you in battle or into the next season of your life, you WILL come out victorious and successful. We are reminded in 2 Chronicles 20:15, that the "the battle is not yours, but God's."

My challenge for you today is to prepare for battle or transition through your PRAISE to God. Even when everything is going smoothly in your life, never let up on your praise. It's inevitable that we will go through loss, trials and experience change in life, but NOW is the time to prepare. ALWAYS keep praise in your camp. When you send out praise FIRST, you can have peace no matter what the day holds.

Dear Lord, I PRAISE You! You are such a wonderful, Holy God who loves Me. I praise You for the magnificent world You created for me, for ALL the blessings that You have bestowed upon me and for ALWAYS working on my behalf!

I thank You Jesus for dying for me. I believe that You are Lord and that God raised You from the grave so that I can have eternal life. In the Name of Jesus I pray, Amen.