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PILGRIM PRAISE
‘To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.’
Isaiah 61:3(King James Version)
Outside Zion,mankind normally lives in sin,which is a spiritual state in which every one is separated from God,and the fulfillment of divine destiny!
Humanity's natural emotion within this state is mourning which no natural comforter or comforter can alleviate!
The only hope of salvation is in God's own salvation freely offered to as many as receive Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Saviour!
When a person is saved by the Lord,one gets delivered from this awful state of sin and translated into a place of rejoicing in God.
This new place is symbolically known as 'Zion'
Every one in Zion is destined to show forth the praises of God! That means that God becomes the person's praise!
‘But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;’
1 Peter 2:9 (King James Version)
‘This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.’
Isaiah 43:21 (King James Version)
‘For as the girdle cleaveth to the loins of a man, so have I caused to cleave unto me the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah, saith the LORD; that they might be unto me for a people, and for a name, and for a praise, and for a glory: but they would not hear.’
Jeremiah 13:11 (King James Version)
‘Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise.’
Jeremiah 17:14 (King James Version)
When one is in Zion and still mourns in face of challenges,one might be ignorant or forgetful of who is one's praise or who one is destined to be in God
One becomes like the proverbial clown in the court of his king:
The clown
Without proper gown
Before the royal crown
Makes all the royal court frown!
In Zion,mourning is out of place for everyone;therefore God graciously offers a change of garment to 'the mourner'(Isaiah 61:3)!
The proper garment of everyone in Zion is the garment of praise!
The keys to remain 'praiseful' for any band of pilgrims are being filled or controlled by the indwelling Spirit of God; and being renewed in the mind by the word of God:-
‘And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; 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 and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;’
Ephesians 5:18-20 (King James Version)
‘Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.’
‘And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.’
Colossians 3:16-17 (King James Version)
Being 'praiseful' releases divine strength and wisdom for the soul so that the pilgrims can individually and jointly face and overcome challenges in the journey of divine destiny!
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