These days, most of the great worship songs end up on a radio playlist somewhere in this world. People love to cruise down the highway with their windows open and hands raised (well, at least one hand) while having their own private time of worship. On a practical note, artists will often record a special radio version of their song that is trimmed down to around three minutes. You won't find a lot of spontaneous repetition in these arrangements. Here is a list of our top praise and worship radio hits.

I'll Praise You … On The Mountain "Praise God from whom all blessings flow." "The Praise and Worship Band will be coming up to lead us." "Praise The Father, Praise The Son." We often talk about praising God. In fact, we often use the word “praise” in Christian circles. But what does that truly mean? And what does that truly look like? A quick Google search will show you that there are at least eight documented words for “praise." Hallah, Yadah, Barak, Tehillah, Zamar, Todah, and Hallelujah. Each has a different connotation – some religious and some not – but each carries a special weight. And if there are eight words for praise, that means that there must be at least eight ways to praise, right? Yadah is worshiping with extended hands. Barak is denoting blessing, often seen at the beginning of a prayer. Tehillah is to sing a song of praise. So, how do we know what it looks like to truly praise the Lord? Let alone, praise Him anywhere? We look to His scriptures and the ways that we have been taught to praise God! Today, we will focus on praising God from the mountaintop, when everything is good and well with our souls. In Luke 17, we get to read about a miraculous event that took place when Jesus healed 10 men of leprosy. Our Savior was on His way back to Jerusalem when 10 men called out to Him, asking for pity: “They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, 'Jesus, Master, have pity on us.'" (Luke 17:12) Now, if someone had leprosy during that time and it had gone away, they would have to go to a priest to be examined and pronounced “clean” before they could re-enter society. So, this is what Jesus commanded them to do. They went in faith before even experiencing healing, and then, on their way, they were fully cleansed. What a wonderful miracle, right? Yes! But the story doesn't stop there. Verse 15 tells us, “One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him - and he was a Samaritan.” (Luke 17:5) Samaritans were hated by Jews during that time because they regarded them as “half-breeds. They were seen as lesser than, and all around dirty. In fact, most Jews would never even step foot in Samaria (hence the scandal of Jesus talking to the Samaritan woman). But, as we know now, Jesus came for all His children. And, as our Savior will point out in this story, this Samaritan was the only one to return to praise God. He recognized the power of Jesus and wanted to praise the God from whom it came from. So He did, and Jesus blessed him saying, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well,” (Luke 17:19). What a declaration! The word for praise in this particular chapter is doxazó, meaning to bestow glory upon. It's a beautiful word showing the beauty of the Samaritan's worship. But he was only one of 10. The truth is, oftentimes we can be a lot more like the nine who never came back to praise Jesus than the one who did. We don't do it on purpose, but sometimes when we experience a blessing or a miracle, we are so enthralled in it that we forget to lift our eyes to the One who gave it to us. However, let this be a challenge to each of us not to forget about God on the mountaintop. After all, He guided us there. He walked with us there. And He probably even carried us to the top of it. Take a moment to listen to “Praise You Anywhere” by Brandon Lake and reflect: Is there a mountaintop or blessing that you have forgotten to praise God for? If so, take the time to praise Him now. Based on the song Praise You Anywhere by Brandon Lake. Original post by Essential Music available on YouVersion.

I'll Praise You … In The Valley As we jump into day two of learning to praise God anywhere, we find ourselves on the opposite side of the mountain: deep in the valley. We all learned about valleys fairly early in life, probably in a science/history/geography type class. In between two mountains is a valley, a low area where the sky is darker and the nights are colder. And then there's the metaphorical valley, where the nights are full of shadows and darkness. We feel doubt, we feel alone, and we feel fatigued. It's hard to see God, let alone praise Him, when we are in a valley. However, Psalm 42 can be our road map in times of deep struggle and stress. The writer of Psalm 42 (called the “sons of Korah”) holds the key to praising God in a valley, and it starts with deep honesty. “My tears have been my food day and night, while people say to me all day long, 'Where is your God?'... Why my soul are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me?” (Psalm 42:3, 5) In the valley, your tears can feel like the only things you feel, that sting of saltwater on your cheeks. In the valley, God feels like a question mark. Where is He? Is He real? In the valley, your soul feels weak and heavy. You feel ruined. You feel tired. You feel disturbed by the sin and pain of the world. If you have felt these things or if you are feeling them now, please know that you are not alone. The author of Psalm 42 has felt them. Psalm 42, however, then takes a unique shift. In the midst of depression and deep grief, the Psalmist turns to praise and remembrance. In fact, verse 5 alone shows a sweet juxtaposition of grief and praise, “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God,” (Psalm 42:5). For I will yet praise Him – what a POWERFUL piece of scripture! The Psalmist recognizes that he will not immediately feel better. Praise may not lift him out of the valley. But, he will turn his eyes to God and what He's done before. Praising Him for the past, present, and what He would do next. The word used for praise here is yadah, one that we discussed on day one. It's a type of praise in which one is casting out worship, with their hands extended. There is surrender embedded in this type of praise, and that's what we need in the valley. That's how we find the strength to praise God anyway and anywhere, despite our circumstances. It's turning our eyes to Him – recognizing His love and compassion for us, despite the valley that may surround us. Just like God was carrying us to the mountaintop, He also is holding us in the valleys. Verse 6 brings us another note for praising God in the valley: remembrance. “My soul is downcast within me; therefore I will remember you…” (Psalm 42:6). When we turn our eyes from the valley to God Himself and all He's done before, we can praise Him for the mountains of the past, even while in the valley. He is faithful and He will continue to be faithful, always. Take a moment to listen to “Praise You Anywhere” by Brandon Lake and reflect: Where are you experiencing a valley in life right now? Where does it feel hardest to praise God? Remember one thing where God showed up, and take a moment to thank Him for that moment. Based on the song Praise You Anywhere by Brandon Lake. Original post by Essential Music available on YouVersion.

I'll Praise You … In The Ordinary We've taken the time to learn about praising God in the mountains and in the valleys, but what about the in-between? In the song “Praise You Anywhere,” Brandon Lake sings: “Sometimes you've gotta welcome the wonder, wait for the answer, worship with your hands in the air.” And sometimes, we find ourselves just waiting. We walk through the days with a mundane feeling - nothing is bad but nothing is great either. And yet, God calls us to praise Him anywhere with faithfulness. You may know the story of Stephen, the first martyr in the Church, who was stoned to death for his faith in God (found in Acts 7). This was a courageous act of faith, one that we can all look up to. However, if we flip back to Acts 6, we can see the background of who Stephen really was - and His ordinary praise towards God. Acts 6 included a conversation between the 12 apostles who were struck with the problem of widows being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. To remedy this, the 12 decided to choose seven men to whom they would delegate the task of food distribution. “Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom” (Acts 6:3). And one of these men was Stephen. He was a faithful man, full of the Holy Spirit and the Spirit's wisdom, which is why he was chosen for the task. Yet the task was a small one. It wasn't a valley task, after all. He was chosen for something, but it certainly wasn't a mountain task. Even the 12 mentioned the difference between their ministry of the word of God to the idea of waiting tables (Acts 6:2), meaning that the mission of God should not be stopped by the struggle of administration. Yet, Stephen was deemed worthy of the responsibility of taking care of the widows in his community and he did it with praise. In fact, the reason Stephen was then seized by the Sanhedrin came down to the fullness of God's grace and power that was upon him. He glorified God well, even in the ordinary. And Stephen used his ordinary days to serve God faithfully, thus preparing him to be chosen by God for a deep sacrifice. More than often, our days won't be spent in a valley or on a mountaintop. Instead, we'll have to praise God faithfully in the mundane. And sometimes, praising God looks like serving His people well. After all, He loves His Creation (so much so that He sent His Son for us), and we can glorify Him well in spaces of service. Take a moment to listen to “Praise You Anywhere” by Brandon Lake and reflect: What is something that you do every day? How can you bring God into that simple act or habit? How can you currently be faithful with what you have right now? Take a moment to breathe in and out. You are cared for by the heavenly Father, and He enjoys every moment you spend praising Him. Based on the song Praise You Anywhere by Brandon Lake. Original post by Essential Music available on YouVersion.