Fragrance of Praise

Hello everyone - I'm Thelma! I've been part of the Tirzah Tribe for over a year. Now it's my honor to share my blog posts with you each month. I pray it encourages your heart.

One of the things I loved is when God started to speak to me through numbers and how the significance of them, because He pointed it out, has impacted my life. I first and foremost believe God is a redeeming God. He sent His only Son to pay the costly price of our salvation to redeem us to Himself. The song by Michael Smith "Here I Am To Worship" says, “I’ll never know how much it cost to see my sins upon the cross.” There has never been a truer statement. His broken body and poured out blood were extravagantly demonstrating how precious each and every one of us are to Father. The Lord began to use key numbers such as 3, 5, 222, 111 and their multipliers to encourage my heart. This month we are looking at the number 10.

To start, 10 is double grace for me (more on that later). I think as we develop in the giftings of the Holy Spirit, one safe and sure way to study about numbers is the rule of firsts. By that I mean when did it first show up in the Bible. There is so much to explore with that approach to numbers and believe me there will be layers of revelation. For this study however, I decided to use Google; I know very spiritual, ha ha, but it was how I felt to do it. I like to use Bible Gateway and its’ list of scriptures that have the word "ten" in it as a resource. This method is much like using a concordance. I found that Numbers 7:14 jumped off the screen at me.

Numbers 7:14

One golden bowl of ten shekels, full of incense.

In other versions it says a ladle full; basically a large spoon that was made of gold, 10 shekels of gold to be exact. This measurement is according to the tabernacle shekel. It really is a precise weight of high value. Even more costly is the incense that is within this golden bowl. Let me explain why I believe this. In revelation 5:8 it talks about the prayers of the saints that are in bowls.

Revelation 5:8

And when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders

fell down before the Lamb (Christ), each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of

fragrant incense, which are the prayers of the saints (God’s people).

I don’t know about you, but there is something about these golden bowls full of incense that I believe the Lord loves. I don’t think our God is loose in His instruction of how to offer prayers to Him. The Matthew 6 example of prayer that Jesus gave to His disciples is very specific. It touches on a moment of awe as we see and acknowledge His holiness and go through the process of humbling ourselves before we come with our request. But isn’t it just so amazing that in the midst of calling His Kingdom down to earth, we get to say, “give us this day our daily bread.” You see our Father is so aware of our frailty and our dependence on Him. There is something in the supplication, it is so moving to Him. I was taught that we move His heart. You see when the whole world is saying "no," we are saying "yes" to Him and that moves Him. He is affected by our prayer. He cherishes it and it is before His presence.

Here is where the grace (5) + grace (5) =10 (double portion comes in). Pastor Shanae in a previous study on the number 5 shares “Grace gives us the supernatural ability to withstand the hardest hardship. The grace of God enables you to continue during the storm. The grace of God helps you to quietly surrender to the Lord and His way. The grace of God keeps you. With this free gift from God, you will overcome and have the victory." (You can read her entire post HERE.) You see my friend we will experience hardship. Jesus said in John 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.]

I believe that God understands our conflict, pain, and troubles. He is aware of every obstacle and mountain of opposition that stands before us. But He has not left us powerless or helpless. No as a matter of fact He has endued us with power. There are 2 positions that were highlighted to me in the structure of the Israelite army. First in Numbers 10:25 Ahiezar, son of Dan was set as commander.

Numbers 10: 25

Then the standard of the camp of the sons of Dan, according to their armies, which

formed the rear guard for all the camps, moved out, with Ahiezer the son of Ammishaddai [commander] over its army.

Ahiezer’s name means helpful, brother of assistance. The next position is that of Judah.

Numbers 10:14

The standard of the camp of the sons of Judah, according to their armies, moved out first.

Judah’s name means Praise! The name originated in Leah's words of praise to the Lord on account of his birth in Genesis 29:35: "Again she conceived and gave birth to a [fourth] son, and she said, “Now I will praise the Lord.” So she named him Judah; then [for a time] she stopped bearing [children]."

I love that God took His people into the promise land with shouts of praise and help from behind. Today, for us, it is no different. Jesus is from the Tribe of Judah and He is our Brother of assistance. God’s people are surrounded by His very presence and His very goodness.

The song by Micheal W Smith "Surrounded (Fight My Battles)" really depicts this scenario. The lyrics go, “This is how I fight my battles. It may look like I’m surrounded but I’m surrounded by You.” God has empowered us to overcome in these circumstances. There is a reason the scripture says in 2 Corinthians 10:4 "The weapons of our warfare are not physical [weapons of flesh and blood]. Our weapons are divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses." There is a weapon in our Praise! There is warfare in our shout! There is breakthrough in our dance and there are mountains crumbling at the lifting of our hands."

In Zechariah 4:7 we see a foreshadow of the Messianic power of Christ in resurrecting

the temple… "What are you, O great mountain [of obstacles]? Before Zerubbabel [who will rebuild the temple] you will become a plain (insignificant)! And he will bring out the capstone [of the new temple] with loud shouts of “Grace, grace to it!” We have this same power alive in us. Something happens when we open our mouth and shout to that obstacle… GRACE! GRACE!

Ephesians 1:19-20 (New Life Version)

I pray that you will know how great His power is for those who have put their trust in Him.  It is the same power that raised Christ from the dead.

Let’s make this our prayer:

God, I want to know this power according to Ephesians 1:19-20. I want to be led in praise to the promises that You have for me, knowing that You surround me as my Helper in times of trouble. Show me how to trust You in the mountains and in the valleys and fill me with a spirit of praise in every circumstance. God give me my voice, show me my authority in You and fill me with boldness to shout Grace Grace to those things standing in the way.

In Jesus name, AMEN.

Here's the beautiful thing - that very prayer you just made has entered into the bowls. Our Father collects every prayer in His bowls, and they are a sweet fragrance to Him. How much sweeter and costlier the fragrance when you cry out to Him in times of trouble. God is so aware of your prayer. He is so aware of my prayer. He hears every one of them. My encouragement to you is to say, “don’t stop praying.” Trust Him as He leads you and praise Him always according to Psalm 150.

Psalm 150

Praise the LORD!

Praise God in His sanctuary;

Praise Him in His mighty heavens.

Praise Him for His mighty acts;

Praise Him according to [the abundance of] His greatness.

Praise Him with trumpet sound;

Praise Him with harp and lyre.

Praise Him with tambourine and dancing;

Praise Him with stringed instruments and flute.

Praise Him with resounding cymbals;

Praise Him with loud cymbals.

Let everything that has breath and every breath of life praise the LORD!

Praise the LORD! (Hallelujah!)

When you are short on words and don’t know what or how to pray because what you

are going through is so hard, pray the Psalms. Bring a sacrifice of praise, with all the troubles, burdens and cares come to Him, face to face, nothing hidden and fully exposed.

Hebrews 13:15

Through Him, therefore, let us at all times offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, which is the fruit of lips that thankfully acknowledge and confess and glorify His name.

Just as King David, who was so transparent, and he was so open with God about all of his emotions, and you know what, God loved it! God loved it so much that He is establishing this kind of prayer and worship for eternity.

Amos 9:11

In that day I shall raise up and restore the fallen tabernacle (booth) of David, And wall up its breaches [in the city walls]; I will also raise up and restore its ruins And rebuild it as it was in the days of old.

Our God wants no division between He and us. He is ready to sweep up every cry, tear, lament, rejoicing and song that we have to bring Him. Picture Him leaning in; like the image of a father smelling the head of his child. Offer Him the sweet fragrance of your prayers.

God bless you immensely!