AN ATMOSPHERE OF PRAISE

Here's Pastor Doug Batchelor from www.amazingfacts.org with the Sacramento church



To study the lesson with Dr Derek Norris of the Lake Forest church, click on the following link:

http://media.forestlakechurch.org/content/media/2010q205-22-atmosphere-praise



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http://www.absg.adventist.org/

The Atmosphere of Praise

“The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being” (Gen. 2:7, NIV).


Praise—the Pure Air of Heaven
Alexis Boddy, Douglasville, Georgia, U.S.A.
Sabbath Introduction
Ps. 100:4


Psalm 100:4 commands us to “enter His gates with thanksgiving and into His courts with praise,” and to “be thankful to Him and bless His name” (NKJV). Why is such behavior commanded? Were we perhaps created as human beings with an inner desire to praise our Maker?

Praise . . . should come as naturally as breathing.

In Genesis 1, we read how God made each part of creation to fulfill specific purposes. He worked to make sure everything was good. All nature was created with the intention of praising God. Read Psalm 148.

The colors and vibrancy of the environment fostered an atmosphere of celebration. When the beauty that blossomed in the seas and on the land was revealed to Adam and Eve, they could not help but break into praise for what they were experiencing; and their praise was like the pure, clean air of both heaven and earth.

There has, however, been quite a bit of corruption in both God’s beautiful creation and in humanity’s praise. Many animals no longer peacefully co-exist. Water sources have become polluted, making it difficult in many parts of the world to obtain pure drinking water. The air we breathe is also full of contaminates, which can cause lung cancer and asthma. Humans now have an unhealthy desire to worship gold, money, precious jewels, and sinful activities, all of which contaminate our desire to praise our Creator. Like air, the atmosphere for praise should be pure and inviting. Praise is an action that should come as naturally as breathing, for it is written in our God-created nature that we are beings who need to praise our Creator in order to have a healthy, spiritual life.

All is not lost, however. Through the help of the Holy Spirit, people can learn once again to praise God fully and to immerse themselves in the joy of fulfilling their God-given purpose. The satisfaction that accompanies such praise is what God intended.

But what defines praise? The Bible describes praising God with the lyre, the harp, the tambourine, and with a joyful noise. People have various preferences as to how they praise God. The various religions debate the nature of praise and whether restrictions should be applied to such activities. Perhaps there is only one thing certain about praise—it is as necessary to the Christian life as air is to our physical life. This week, we will learn about the health benefits of both praise and air.



A Breath of Fresh Praise
Karen Pires, Lexington, South Carolina, U.S.A.
Sunday Evidence
Dan. 5:23

From Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar of Babylon had learned about the God in heaven. He had heard of Nebuchadnezzar’s pride and of how God allowed him to experience mental illness as a way to repentance. But Belshazzar made his own choices against God, so God removed His protection from him. On October 12, 539 b.c., Belshazzar and his court had an intemperate party in which he used the vessels from the temple to serve wine. There was false praise to gods of silver, gold, brass, and wood. God was not pleased. This was the end of the road for Belshazzar. That night Babylon was overtaken.

This was the end of the road for Belshazzar.

The definition for praise is “to express a favorable judgment of,” “to glorify . . . especially by the attribution of perfections.”1 In contrast, to flatter is “to praise excessively especially from motives of self-interest.”2 Flattery could also be “insincere or excessive praise.”3 From these definitions and from Belshazzar’s behavior, we see how our praise can be impure and therefore ruinous to our spiritual health.

Just as the right type of praise helps to grow healthy Christians, so does the right type of air help to grow healthy bodies and minds. The suspended water vapor found in air protects us from solar radiation and from the arctic vacuum of outer space, while fresh air transfers oxygen to the blood through the lungs and carries off the carbon dioxide that the body produces. Right now, you are carrying approximately two quarts (1.9 liters) of oxygen in your blood, lungs, and body tissues. Each cell in your body requires air in order to work properly. If brain cells are deprived of oxygen for more than four minutes, they begin to die.

Just as there are healthful ways and places to praise God, so there are healthful ways to obtain fresh air. It is important to praise God in the company of other Christians during social gatherings and worship service. Doing so helps us to grow spiritually. Likewise, it is important to seek fresh air whenever possible where there are trees, plants, and flowing water. The vegetation absorbs carbon dioxide in exchange for renewing the oxygen content of the air.

REACT
Think about how you can add more praise and fresh air into your life.
____________
1. Merriam-Webster Online, http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/praise (accessed February 5, 2009).
2. Ibid., http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flatter (accessed February 5, 2009).
3. Ibid., http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flattery (accessed February 5, 2009).



Attaining the Ultimate Atmosphere
Jessica Marie White, Ooltewah, Tennessee, U.S.A.
Monday Logos
Gen. 1:1, 2, 9−12, 20−26; Ps. 104:29;
Dan. 5:23; Luke 15:7; Rev. 21:4

When God created the earth, He created an environment in which we would be nurtured and would grow in our relationship with Him. He intended for us to develop and cherish an intimate relationship with our Maker. He wanted us to be so in tune with His will that praise would come as effortlessly as breathing. However, once sin came into the world, that perfect environment was gone. No longer would humans breathe the holy atmosphere. The connection intended for our happiness had been severed, and a lifelong struggle to reconnect with our Creator had begun. Through His life and death, our Savior endeavored to repair that connection and to restore that atmosphere. The final result will be the restoration of the perfect environment in the new earth, where once again praise and worship will flow as naturally as our breath.

His perfect plan was for them to live forever.

God-Given Life (Gen. 1:1, 2, 9–12, 20–26; Ps. 104:29; Dan. 5:23)
God breathed into Adam’s and Eve’s nostrils the breath (air, atmosphere) of life (Gen. 2:7). God gave them life and the ability to praise Him. The beginning of their lives was the beginning of God’s effort to establish an intimate relationship with us. Through their perfect surroundings and the demonstration of His care for them, He endeavored to draw Adam and Eve to Himself and to inspire their heartfelt praise. They constantly had before them the evidence of God’s creative power. After sin entered their paradise, they became more keenly aware of the truth that God held their very lives in His hands (Dan. 5:23) and that He could give life and take it away as He saw fit (Ps. 104:29). This truth, while not intended to create fear in them, was vital to their ability to distinguish between the one true Creator-God and the many false idols that would be presented as alternate gods. However, the attainment of this knowledge was never God’s intent. His perfect plan was for them to live forever in an atmosphere of worship, praise, and life.

The Original Atmosphere (Gen. 1:1, 2, 9–12, 20–26)
Genesis begins the account of the human race and reinforces God’s creative power. Here we have a glimpse into what happened when the world began. We see God gently and deliberately creating a perfect world. It was a flawless atmosphere in which to nurture His crowning creation—human beings created in His image. In everything surrounding them, Adam and Eve found evidence of God’s creative power, love, and compassion. As the birds’ “glad songs ascended to the praise of their Creator, Adam and Eve united with them in thanksgiving to the Father and the Son.”1 Every mountain and valley, every sunrise and sunset, every plant, and every gentle breeze pointed them to the Creator and inspired the most genuine praise from their hearts. God had created an environment that constantly reminded them of His greatness and that motivated their deepest, most heartfelt praise.

Living to Glorify God (Dan. 5:23; Luke 15:7)
Once sin entered God’s perfect creation, communication with Him took on a different perspective. Now we have to struggle to maintain a mere resemblance of a connection with our Creator. Daily, we must strive to create and support an atmosphere in which praise and worship come as naturally as our breath. For those striving to continually connect with Him, “to glorify God will be the continual aim of their life.”2 They will be daily growing closer to Him and will “dwell in this world in the atmosphere of heaven, imparting to earth’s sorrowing and tempted ones thoughts of hope and longings for holiness; . . . coming closer and still closer into fellowship with the Unseen; like him of old who walked with God, drawing nearer and nearer the threshold of the eternal world, until the portals shall open, and [they] shall enter there.”3 Those who are endeavoring to create an earthly environment that supports praise and a
worshipful spirit look forward to the day where the lost connection will be restored and the perfect atmosphere renewed.

A Renewed Atmosphere (Rev. 21:4)
In Revelation, the residents of the new earth are seen praising God continually. “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things” (Rev. 4:11, NIV). Daily, they will be in the presence of the Almighty, who created and redeemed them. Their natural inclination will be to praise the One who has done so much for them. “The redeemed raise a song of praise that echoes and re-echoes through the vaults of heaven: ‘Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb’ ” (Rev. 7:10).4 No more will they have to struggle to maintain a connection with their Creator. They will forever live in a perfectly restored atmosphere in which they will continually worship and praise Him “ ‘for ever and ever!’ ” (Rev. 5:13, NIV).

REACT
1. What daily practices do you have that may enhance or damage your atmosphere of praise?
2. What can you do daily to help maintain an atmosphere where praise can flow as naturally as breathing?
3. What might you be doing that could be polluting another’s atmosphere against praise?
____________
1. God’s Amazing Grace, p. 40.
2. Ibid., p. 236.
3. Education, p. 127.
4. The Great Controversy, p. 665.



Living in the Atmosphere of Heaven
Sarah White, Ooltewah, Tennessee, U.S.A.
Tuesday Testimony
Gen. 1:1, 2, 9–12, 20–26; Rev. 21: 4

“The spirit of Christ’s self-sacrificing love is the spirit that pervades heaven and is the very essence of its bliss. This is the spirit that Christ’s followers will possess, the work that they will do.”1

Love is the very atmosphere of heaven.

Love is the very atmosphere of heaven. Those who anticipate heaven and eternal life should strive to perfect their character to match that which will pervade heaven.

“If you would be a saint in heaven, you must first be a saint on earth. The traits of character you cherish in life will not be changed by death or by the resurrection. . . . The work of transformation must be done now. Our daily lives are determining our destiny.”2

Living in the atmosphere of heaven is not something that we have to wait to receive. By living the life that God intended for us we can have a taste of heaven here on earth.

A person “may dwell in this world in the atmosphere of heaven, imparting to earth’s sorrowing and tempted ones thoughts of hope and longings for holiness; himself coming closer and still closer into fellowship with the Unseen; like him of old who walked with God, drawing nearer and nearer the threshold of the eternal world, until the portals shall open, and he shall enter there. He will find himself no stranger. The voices that will greet him are the voices of the holy ones, who, unseen, were on earth his companions—voices that here he learned to distinguish and to love.”3

“Those who take no pleasure in thinking and talking of God in this life, will not enjoy the life that is to come, where God is ever present, dwelling among His people. But those who love to think of God will be in their element, breathing in the atmosphere of heaven.”4

REACT
If you were transported into heaven right now, would you find the “voices of the holy ones” unfamiliar, or would you feel as if you were coming home?
____________
1. Steps to Christ, p. 77.
2. The Adventist Home, p. 16.
3. Education, p. 127.
4. In Heavenly Places, p. 370.



Live Heavenly on Earth
Amanda Ernst, Douglasville, Georgia, U.S.A.
Wednesday How-to
Luke 15:4–10; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19

It is an obvious fact that we live in a fallen world. It is an amazing fact that by simply accepting Jesus’ gift of salvation, we become citizens of His kingdom. Even while we are still here on earth, we can live in an atmosphere of heaven, praising God daily with our words and actions.
How can we breathe the fresh air of heavenly love while on earth? And how can we incorporate nature’s fresh air into our lives? Here are steps to guide you:

God’s love for us is unimaginable.

Recognize your worth as a child of God. Read 2 Corinthians 6:18. God’s love for us is unimaginable. We can’t even begin to understand it, but we can praise and thank Him for it. Through Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, every person can become a member of the highest royal family. Every day recommit yourself to following Jesus and to living your life as the child of God that you truly are.

Choose to glorify your Father in His temple. Read 1 Corinthians 10:31. We are not to treat our bodies with casual indifference. We must care about how we dress, eat, play, and speak. Exercising regularly helps us to breathe better and therefore to think better. When our minds are clear because we have exercised, we are better able to resist temptation. Consider your habits and daily activities. Find something in your life that you can change or improve and in so doing, bring praise to the Savior.

Lead others by example. As you grow in your relationship with God and live your life in honor of Him, you will find that His light will shine from you onto others. We are to find the lost and bring them to Jesus. When even just one person accepts Him, all of heaven rejoices! (Luke 15:4–10). Don’t be picky about whom you share God’s love with. Lead by example and witness to everyone. Jesus paid a terribly high price to redeem us from our unfulfilled, sin-riddled lives. Read 1 Peter 1:18, 19. We must not squander Christ’s precious gift. Look for ways you can share it today.

REACT
1. What are some specific ways you can begin to implement the above steps in your own life?
2. Why do you think God rejoices over each sinner’s salvation?
3. How important is it to live today like we are already in heaven? What are some other ways this can be done?



Our Bodies as Temples
Nathan Ernst, Douglasville, Georgia, U.S.A.
Thursday Opinion
Gen. 1:26; Dan. 5:23

Some Christians feel that God doesn’t care how we treat our bodies. They believe there are no longer “clean” or “unclean” foods. They base this claim on Peter’s vision of the sheet coming down from heaven (Acts 10:9–16). But the Bible makes it clear in the following verses that this is not the case. God really does care what we consume. However, it goes beyond clean and unclean meats, or even beyond vegetarian or vegan. Daniel 5:23 points out that the Babylonian king was dishonoring God by defiling the holy objects that had been looted from the Temple and using them to praise his false gods of wood, stone, and metal. While Christians no longer have an actual temple in which to worship God, we have other ways of living that glorify Him.

God really does care what we consume.

First Corinthians 10:31 tells us that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit and that they are not our own. Genesis 1:26 tells us that we are made in the image of the Creator God. Because it is God’s plan for us to honor Him through our physical bodies, it goes against His will when we fill our bodies with things that pollute them or when we treat our bodies in any other unhealthful way. Using drugs and alcohol are obvious, but not exercising or drinking too little water can also weaken our bodies, thereby dishonoring God. If an idol is anything we place above God, and if we knowingly live contrary to the standards He has set, then even a dangerous habit that affects our health becomes an idol to us.

First Corinthians 6:20 says, “You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body” (NIV). If Christ can sacrifice everything for all of humanity, it’s not too much for Him to ask that we live our lives in the healthiest way possible. We can praise Him physically by not indulging in things that do serious and often irreparable damage to our bodies. Even though people are not worshiping idols in the form of wood or metal like those of the Babylonian king, we can worship idols by directly choosing to do things that God has shown us are contrary to His wishes. Choose today to worship God by living a healthy life in praise to Him.

REACT
What do you need to change about your life in order to praise God with your body temple?



Breathing Lessons
Jean Kellner, Columbia, Maryland, U.S.A.
Friday Exploration
Gen. 2:7

CONCLUDE
Breathing. It seems so natural. Why would we have to think about how we breathe? The fact is, how we breathe matters. Singers and those who play horns or reed instruments, athletes, and those beginning an exercise regimen learn this. But practicing proper breathing techniques also helps us to manage stress, increases the oxygen flow to our blood cells, optimizes our muscle function, and helps our brain think more clearly. We can breathe just enough to survive. But proper breathing maximizes our health and increases longevity. God breathed the first breath into humans, and Jesus revives us spiritually with His breath. John records that before Jesus ascended into heaven, He breathed on His disciples and told them to receive the Holy Spirit (John 20:22). We need to practice spiritual deep-breathing lessons, receiving all of the life breathed into us by Christ when He gave us the Holy Spirit.

CONSIDER
• Taking a nature walk. Breathe in deeply of the fresh air. Make your walk a personal get-away with your Creator. Tell Him how wonderful and beautiful His creation is. Thank Him for your life and health. Praise Him, and allow Him to use this time to bless you.
• Helping someone experience the “atmosphere of heaven” by taking an elderly person out of an assisted living residence for an afternoon. You could treat him or her to a picnic in a nearby park, to a museum, or to a bright and airy restaurant. Or you could just take them for a scenic drive.
• Taking time from your daily routine to breathe deeply. Get up from your desk, stretch, and take a walk to clear your mind. As you breathe deeply, praise God. Paul urges us, “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances” (1 Thess. 5:16–18, NIV). We can do this by making prayer and praise as regular as our breathing.

Keeping a daily praise journal to express your gratitude to God and the relationship that is being developed between you and Him. Use the journal as a way to see where He is leading you.
Leading out in a public praise meeting or asking the pastor if you can read • the Scripture during divine service; or lead in a song, sing a solo, or publicly testify as to how God is working in your life.

CONNECT
The Ministry of Healing, chapter 3.
Breathing Lessons