You know how somedays we just can't seem to praise
the Lord and other days it just flows? Well, on this one day in 2005, it just flowed and I stopped to wonder
about that a moment and this verse came to my mind and heart:
Revelation 4: 9 And whenever the living creatures
offer glory and honor and thanksgiving to Him Who sits on the throne, Who lives forever and ever (through the eternities of
the eternities), The twenty-four elders (the members of the heavenly Sanhedrin) fall prostrate before Him Who is sitting on
the throne, and they worship Him Who lives forever and ever; and they throw down their crowns before the throne, crying out,
Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive the glory and the honor and dominion, for You created all things; by Your will
they were [brought into being] and were created.
The twenty four elders threw down their crowns and
fell prostrate and offered praise and honor and glory to the Lord....
I recall in the early 90's, a woman said to me "This
might sound like a stupid question, but I've heard that when we get to heaven, all we'll do is throw crowns at the Lords feet
and that's our reward in heaven. Why is a crown a reward and then we throw it at the Lords feet?"
I never studied it, nor even thought about it before
but this was the word I'd given....... and it often returned to me: "Because the ability to praise the
Lord IS a reward. For every thing we overcome in this life, we receive a crown of praise.
Have you ever been unable to praise? If you have,
then you will give thanks for the ability to."
I realized my own ability to be able to praise the
Lord was a miracle, and a crown that I earnestly sought.
And of course, from then on, the enemy has sought
to rob me of my joy and has many times brought me into valleys of deep depression.
Every time I can open my mouth to give praise to
the Lord, I know that this is what takes place in heaven, and I am walking in the kingdom of heaven right here on earth. And
every time I open my mouth to give praise, I overcome the enemy yet again in another area of my life.
And receive yet another crown.
And get to toss that crown at His feet.
And overcome the enemy yet again.
And receive another crown......
And toss it at His feet in praise once again....
and it goes on and on......
Why is a crown a reward to seek after, and why throw
it at the Lord's feet? There are many reasons and I'm not a scholar, but one thing I do know is that I've been unable to praise
Him before.... and its the darkest place I'd ever been. I give thanks for the ability to praise the Lord Jesus and this is
my goal....
To see Him before me and to praise
Him yet another day
PS 149:5Let the saints be joyful in the glory and beauty
[which God confers upon them]; let them sing for joy upon their beds. 6Let the high praises of God be in their throats and
a two-edged sword in their hands,7To wreak vengeance upon the nations and chastisement upon the peoples,
Psalm 103:3 Who forgives [every one of] all your iniquities,
Who heals [each one of] all your diseases, 4Who redeems your life from the pit and corruption, Who beautifies, dignifies,
and crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercy; 5Who satisfies your mouth [your necessity and desire at your personal
age and situation] with good so that your youth, renewed, is like the eagle's [strong, overcoming, soaring]!(A)
Phillipians 4:1 THEREFORE, MY brethren, whom I love and
yearn to see, my delight and crown (wreath of victory), thus stand firm in the Lord, my beloved.
2 Timothy 2:4No soldier when in service gets entangled
in the enterprises of [civilian] life; his aim is to satisfy and please the one who enlisted him. And if anyone enters competitive
games, he is not crowned unless he competes lawfully (fairly, according to the rules laid down
James 1: 12Blessed (happy,]to be envied) is the man who
is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive [the
victor's] crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him.
1 Peter 5:4And [then] when the Chief Shepherd is revealed,
you will win the conqueror's crown of glory.
1Co 9:25Now every athlete who goes into training conducts
himself temperately and restricts himself in all things. They do it to win a wreath that will soon wither, but we [do it to
receive a crown of eternal blessedness] that cannot wither.
Revelation 2:10 Fear nothing that you are about to suffer.
[Dismiss your dread and your fears!] Behold, the devil is indeed about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested
and proved and critically appraised, and for ten days you will have affliction. Be loyally faithful unto death [even if you
must die for it], and I will give you the crown of life.
Romans 12:20 But if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if
he is thirsty, give him drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head. Do not let yourself be overcome
by evil, but overcome (master) evil with good
1 John 4:4 Little children, you are of God [you belong
to Him] and have [already] defeated and overcome them [the agents of the antichrist], because He Who lives in you is greater
(mightier) than he who is in the world.
Revelation 2:7 He who is able to hear, let him listen
to and give heed to what the Spirit says to the assemblies (churches). To him who overcomes (is victorious), I will grant
to eat [of the fruit] of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
Revelation 2: 17 He who is able to hear, let him listen
to and heed what the Spirit says to the assemblies (churches). To him who overcomes (conquers), I will give to eat of the
manna that is hidden, and I will give him a white stone with a new name engraved on the stone, which no one knows or understands
except he who receives it.
Revelation 2: 25 Only hold fast to what you have until
I come. 26And he who overcomes (is victorious) and who obeys My commands to the [very] end [doing the works that please Me],
I will give him authority and power over the nations;
Revelation 3:11 I am coming quickly; hold fast what you
have, so that no one may rob you and deprive you of your crown.
12He who overcomes (is victorious), I will make him a
pillar in the sanctuary of My God; he shall never be put out of it or go out of it, and I will write on him the name of My
God and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which descends from My God out of heaven, and My own new name.
He who can hear, let him listen to and heed what the Spirit says to the assemblies (churches).
Revelation 3:21He who overcomes (is victorious), I will
grant him to sit beside Me on My throne, as I Myself overcame (was victorious) and sat down beside My Father on His throne
