"Copyright Infringement"
Numbers 21:1-22:20
Luke 1:26-56
Psalm 57:1-11
Proverbs 11:9-11
Copyright has become a big deal in this day and age. A copyright is intended to protect an author, songwriter, advertiser, or other creator and their "work". Basically, it's so the "idea" isn't stolen and someone else makes money off of it. There's big FBI warnings at the beginning of videos to make sure you don't show them to a bunch of people or make copies of it, because to do so would in essence keep the creator from making money from their creation. The intent is to make sure to give credit where credit is due.
This may seem like a bizarre train of thought, but I guess it wouldn't be my first! As I read today's Psalm, I was realizing the damage we cause when we infringe the "copyright" of God.
"Rouse yourself, my soul! Arise, O harp and lyre! Let us greet the dawn with song! I will thank you publicly throughout the land. I will sing your praises among the nations. Your kindness and love are as vast as the heavens. Your faithfulness is higher than the skies. Yes, be exalted, O God above the heavens. May your glory shine throughout the earth." Ps 57:8-11
You're thinking... "OK, Copyright infringement??" Well let's look at it this way. What is God's Goal? To draw all men to him. How does that happen? By them seeing his glory. How is he glorified? By his people declaring his praises. How do they declare praises? By giving credit where credit is due.
We need to be in the habit of giving praise to the Lord for EVERYTHING. We take so much for granted to begin with, and when we do think to praise him, it's mostly in our personal quiet time, or in our homes, or in the corporate worship setting.
It's great that we do it in those places, but if we don't go beyond that we are in danger. We are in danger of taking credit for his blessings. "I have this because I worked hard." "I did this, or that". We are also in danger of robbing the world of the opportunity to see his greatness; to see his glory. In essence we are robbing God of the objective of his creation.
I have a friend who can hardly say a sentence without the phrase, "...by the grace of God" or "because of his goodness..." Do you know what he's doing by these statements? He's singing God's praises to the nations!
Imagine how different things would be if giving God praise was a constant part of our day. Too often we wouldn't want to go this route because it's "weird". We'd be labeled as "one of those..." We have the wrong mindset. We NEED to be one of those. We need to be his workmanship for his purpose.
We have a Mission to Reach Our World for Christ. When we praise the Lord publicly for what he has done we are fulfilling our mission.
Through the Power of the Spirit,
Live the DREAM!
Pastor Greg Lathe
Dynamic Lifestyle of Worship
Relationships Devoted to Unity
Empowered Through Biblical Training
Active Ministry Involvement
Mission to Reach our World for Christ
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