Solomon's Porch Christian Community

The Habit of Praise

One of the best ways to persevere in daily prayer is by developing the habit of praise. I have a wonderful little volume written by Charles Haddon Spurgeon tucked away somewhere in my meager collection called, “The Practice of Praise.” It was one of the first ten or so Christian books I read after my conversion in 1994. In that book I had presented to me for the first time that the Lord’s Prayer begins with drawing near to God in praise. “Our Father Who is in Heaven, Holy is Your Name.” The reverencing and hallowing the name of God is a form of praise. That realization caused me to start beginning my morning with praise.

Conversely, because of the “O wretched man,” (the knowledge that we live in a body of death) our reflex is to begin prayer with confession of sin. I did this for a couple or may be three years in the first stages of my Faith. We tend to focus on how unworthy we are to come before One Who is Holy. However, Christian prayer does not begin with confession but with praise, and that by our Lord’s instruction. Therefore, let us come to the Father, not focusing on our sin, but on His nature and character as it is revealed to us in Scripture.

Intercessory Prayer & Developing the Habit of Praise

Keeping a regular and fairly detailed intercessory prayer list helps us develop the habit of praise. How? First, by making us “watch and pray (Matthew 26:41).” If we log our prayers and make regular notations and adjustments to them, then through our praying and watching, we become more sensitive to the small movements of the Lord. We learn to see, be thankful for, and praise God for His little works too. Moreover, by allowing the small answers and praises to pile up in front of us and be seen our faith is built up in a constant and consistent way, and not in the stutter steps and flourishes that infrequent large prayer request are answered.

Yes, Midweek Worship

First Wednesday “House to House Meeting”

Gary and Jennifer Pickens Home: Address will go out through the Men and Women’s Signal Group

7:00 Opus Dei, Catechism Lesson, and Intercessory Prayer

For the month of March we are Memorizing Questions 6-10 from the Westminster Shorter Catechism

Prayer Book

Marriage & Family: February 9th-March 8th

New Prayer Book comes out on Sunday 3/9/25. Lord willing, there will be a digital link available on Friday. Look for it in our final Friday devotion on Christ, His Church, & Marriage. Catch up and read Part 1 – Part 2 – Part 3

Like, Share

Mosey on over to our website. Look around a bit. Head over to Youtube and check out our most recent Catechism Lesson from the Westminster Shorter Catechism Question 4 “What is God?”

Blessings and have a great week!

Pastor Jeremy

“Joy and thanksgiving expressed in prayer and praise according to the Word of God are the heart of the Church’s worship.” – John Calvin