Day: 1

Read – Exodus 15:1-19 (Victory)

When my brothers and I were younger we were very competitive… (we are still very competitive).  Victory often led to the writing of some strange song to talk about how amazing we were and how much the other person got worked over.  It was fun to chant and gloat in a small personal accomplishment.  It is weird that we view God so uptight that He would not delight in us rejoicing in the amazing things HE does.  He took whole chapters of the bible to let the songs his children wrote about his victories be declared forever.  He could have just told the story and said they sang, but He left the lyrics in the bible.  He loves to hear his kids sing about His victories.

Do it: Think about something good did so amazing in your life a sing a song about it.  Just sing what ever comes to your mind.

Day: 2

Read – Psalm 51 (Sorry)

Have you ever gotten an apology from someone that didn’t really mean it? Maybe they just said sorry because they got caught.  These apologies are short and often sarcastic in tone.  It is much easier to forgive someone that comes to you broken hearted over what they did.  Writing a great song takes a lot of thought and emotion.  In this song David was saying sorry for committing a terrible sin.  To write these words He had to relive the moment over and over.  He was so sorry for what he had done that he wrote a song to say sorry.  He was desiring forgiveness more then anything.  Sometimes a song is the best way to return to the heart of God.

Do it:  Do you need to say sorry to Jesus?  Try expressing your emotion of repentance in song or poetically. 

Day: 3

Read – Psalms 66:1-7 (Amazing)

I love music.  I can just lay and listen to music.  I have cried because of the words in a song before.  Something about a great song will get people to listen who normally would not.  It is an incredible tool in declaring the greatness of God because it makes people listen that may normally shut their ears to anything about God.  When writing songs we should write because we have something amazing to say.  The best songs grip your emotions because they some how make you feel it is talking about you.  It gives words to something you are feeling that you are having an otherwise hard time expressing.

Do it:  Try writing a song about something you have been having a hard time expressing.

Day: 4 

Read – 1 Corinthians 14:15-20 (Just for Him)

Before my kids could even talk they loved to sing.  No one could understand a word they were saying but they would walk around the house or sit in there car seat while driving around singing songs with words that only made since to them.  As there father I thought it was the most beautiful song in the world.  Other people thought it was just noise but I knew what they were doing.  Sometimes I even thought I knew what they were saying.  God loves to hear us sing even when it is just Lahhs and Ahhs.  We can say nothing at all with the right heart and it mean the world to our Heavenly Father.

Do it:  When you are along sing a song just to make Jesus happy, even if it doesn’t have any recognizable words.

Day: 5

Read – Ephesians 5:14-20 (Spirit)

Sometimes I just can’t help but to sing!  This section of scripture talks about singing a song that the Holy Spirit places deep inside of us.  When God comes and lives inside us He will place songs in us we cannot explain.  This type of song not only benefits you but encourages everyone around you.

Do it:  This is something that will just have to come out of a deep love for Jesus knowing he lives inside you.

Day: 1

Read – Psalms 28:1-5 (for help)

When a little child gets scared the first place they run is to their parents with their hands in the air.  This gesture screams, “pick me up I am scared.”  There is no hiding place like in the arms of a big strong dad.  He can beat up anyone.  This is what Davids cry was in these verses.  He wanted to be held in the safety of God’s arms.

Do it: Is there something that is causing you to fear?  Lift your hands and ask God to give you refuge.

Day: 2

Read – Psalms 88:2-9 (surrender)

Have you ever seen a bad guy, when he throws his weapon down and puts his hands in the air as a sign of surrender.  When you put your hands in the air you are completely vulnerable.  It says, “I can’t run any longer… I give up.”  When we lift our hands to God it can show Him that we are giving up.  We are not going to fight against what He has for us any more.  It can show Him that we are done living for ourselves. 

Do it:  If you are tired of living your own way through your hands up and say a prayer of surrender.

Day: 3

Read – 1 Timothy 2:1-8 (freedom)

When you are in a tight place it is impossible to lift your hands.  If your hands are tied down it is hard to lift them.  If your hands are chained to your feet it is near impossible to lift them.  Lifting your hands is a sign of not being restricted or bound up.  When we are in bondage and chained up spiritually it will hold us back from expressing our worship and praise freely.  We are to lift our hands as a sign of freedom when we pray.  It shows that nothing is holdings us bound.

Do it: Lift your hands as you pray to show that there is nothing in your life holding you captive.

Day: 4

Read – Psalms 134:1-3 (express love)

One of the funniest things for me to watch is a rock concert when the star of the show starts singing a slow song, and without fail, everyone in the audience lifts their hands and begins swaying back and forth.  They do this to show the performer how much they love what he/she is doing.  They want to show them that they are moved by what they are singing or playing.  This passage tells us to lift our hands to show God how much he moves us.  It says that it blesses the Lord when we lift our hands to Him.

Do it:  Lift your Hands and tell God how much he means to you.

Day: 5 

Read – Luke 24:46-50

If I were to reach out my hands to give you something what would you do?  You would reach out and take it.  I love getting and giving gifts.  In this short passage we see Jesus going back to heaven.  before He went to His home he reach out his hands to give something to His followers.  He was imparting a blessing over them.  He lifted his hands to show physically what He was doing in the spiritual.  We can lift our hands when we pray to show that we are ready to receive and when we are praying for others to show them that we are wanting to give them something from God.

Do it: lift your hands and pray for someone you want to know Jesus.  Now turn your palms up and ask God to pour Himself into you.

Day: 1
Read – Joshua 6:1-16 (obedience)
Acts of praise and worship are not always based on feelings. Sometimes we do it just to be obedient. The people of God just knew that God had promised them victory. They shouted because God commanded them to do it. They would have looked real stupid if God had not carried out His end of the deal. They trusted God enough to shout for victory even before they saw the victory in the natural.

Do it: If you are struggling with something that just seems to big for you to conquer, shout for victory knowing that if God is for you NOTHING/NO ONE can stand against you!

Day: 2
Read – Judges 7 (invoke fear)
This is an awesome story. Gideon’s 300 take out a whole army with only a shout. They scared their enemy so bad that they started fighting each other. This is shouting for victory when all odds are stacked against you. It shows our enemy that, even though we know we can’t have victory over our problems in ourselves, God is bigger then ALL of our problems and in Him we have total victory. This will invoke fear and confusion into our enemy.

Do it: Shout because you know that God is bigger then all of your problems (even when YOU are out numbered).

Day: 3
Read – Ps. 47:1 (for victory)
I love to rub it in when I win. There is nothing like the feeling of victory! I even get excited watching people I am pulling for win. I shout and cheer. It is a feeling of relief when it is all over. It feels good to rub it into your opponents face. I understand that we are not suppose to be “poor winners”, But we can and our commanded to boost in what Christ has done for us.

Do it: Think of a time when God Gave you victory in your life and Shout about it. Boost in HIS victory!

Day: 4
Read – 1 Sam 4 (To show happiness/joy)
I love watching people open a gift when they get something they have always wanted. Many times they will shout for joy when they get that first glimpse. Emotion over takes you and all you can do is go “AWHHHH… YES!”

Do it: Think of a time when you got that excited about something. God has given us a gift so big it should make you want to shout.

Day: 5
Read – Ps. 71:23 (As a declaration/to be heard)
When I get really excited about something my voice gets louder. When we really want other people to know something important in a loud place we shout it. America is a spiritually loud place… so many things to distract us. We should be so excited about all that God has done for us that we shout above all of the earthly distractions (t.v., video games, music…) so that others can know the greatness of our God. We have a message to be heard.

Do it: Shout something that you are excited about that God did for or in you.