It can be difficult to give The LORD praise when passing through difficult seasons. Trials and tribulations have a way of skewing how blessed we really are because it tends to cause us to focus on what is going wrong and how helpless we can feel at the time.
Whether going through an illness or watching someone you love endure hard times and seemingly impossible odds, we must find time to give our Heavenly Father praise because this is going to be key to our successful completion of the season.
It may not be easy to do this all the time, and our Father knows this. This is why it is called a sacrifice of praise in certain places in our Bibles. Can you imagine Abraham giving praise on his way to sacrificing his only son to Yahweh? Can you imagine Hannah going to offer praises and sacrifices each year as she traveled with her husband but had no children like her adversary Peninnah? Giving praise to the Lord cannot be contingent on circumstances or emotions, or we may never be able to offer them.
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Reminding ourselves of the goodness and faithfulness of the Lord is not for his benefit but our own. Imagine if King David only went to the Lord to remind Him that he was promised to be king, even anointed. So why was Saul still on the throne? Why was Saul chasing him down to take his life? Why had GOD's Word not come to pass in the time that he was pursued by the rejected king of Israel?
I wholeheartedly believe that GOD's Word would have still come to pass in his life, because it cannot fail. However, he may have never experienced the length of time as king, or he may have not been as successful in his military campaigns.
My point is that if King David had not used his circumstances to draw closer to Yahweh, it was not the Lord who would have suffered, but he and the people of Israel.
Here are 10 reasons everyone should praise the Lord:
1. We know Him. Our eyes are no longer veiled and we can see that He is GOD and our need for Him. Knowing Him provides us with an opportunity to leave the bad behind and move forward. Not all are afforded the knowledge to have access to this type of truth. Remember, Martin Luther was a priest prior to the Protestant movement, and laypeople did not have access to Bibles or education to understand what the words even meant. While they may have wanted to know GOD, many were martyred in order to give us the liberty of knowing the Lord ourselves through the study of His Word. We are able to know Him and have access, because of Jesus Christs' death and resurrection. This alone is worthy of praise!
2. He responds to praise. The LORD is not an idol that sits still and speechless, but he inhabits the praises of His people. He condescends to our levels and involves Himself in our circumstances. Praise is an open invitation for Yahweh to get involved in all that concerns you. You will never want to go back to any other way of life!
3. For the good. It may be hard to see it, and it may be nearly impossible to feel it, but there is always something good in our lives. When we do not see this and we do not acknowledge what is going right, we can fall prey to a negative and ungrateful attitude that will only make bad things worse. Thank GOD for the good and let Him know that you appreciate the good. This is distinct from the new age law of attraction because you are not thanking the creation (Universe), rather acknowledging your Creator. Getting into alignment with the will of GOD for your life will manifest tangible, lasting results in your life far more than any new age belief system will. Also, check out Romans 1 and see why worshipping any part of creation is unacceptable in GOD's eyes, and leads many into apostasy.
4. For His mercy. The Bible teaches us that His mercies are new every morning, and indeed they are! Each day that we wake up, we have an opportunity to correct something that is wrong and see how the Lord's mercy has been applied in our lives. Indeed He is not merciful to all for the Bible teaches us that He will have mercy on whom he will have mercy. It is His choice and it is not a guarantee, so if you have it, give Him praise!
5. Weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning. Truly, all things come to an end. Difficult seasons will not last and neither will hard times. We can remain faithful to our God in hard times if we recall how He delivered us in the past and His promises to us. He is not a liar and what He said, he will surely do!
6. For all past deliverances and moments of mercy. Reflect on what He has done and know that He is the same GOD and has not changed! Even when you feel that all hope has been lost you can think of times and situations when you felt the exact same way, but GOD came through for you! He may not always come through in the same way as he has in the past, but He will respond and He will answer His children. He is not indifferent and He is not cold as the world wants to portray Him. All things will work together for your good when you are on the LORD's side. He turns messes into messages; tests into testimonies, and broken places into breakthroughs -- not just for you!
7. For another opportunity to see the salvation of our GOD. So many psalms were written by David who was assured of the salvation of Yahweh. His circumstances seemed impossible and he was even betrayed by friends at times, but His GOD was never late or absent. He would constantly remind the Lord of how he was waiting on Him and ready to see His salvation. He would constantly praise the Lord for another opportunity to see Him defeat his enemies. If Abraham was not the father of faith, David certainly could be. He would be running for his life, and start praising the Lord for what He was going to do! Wow!
worthy to be praised. He formed us from dust. He created all things seen and unseen. He gives wisdom to the foolish (me), and justice to those who seek Him. Our world is not perfect because of sin. Our father and mother committed sin and just like them we carry on the tradition of rebellion and seeking our own ways instead of the Lords, being prejudice and bias towards the rich and hateful toward the poor, selfishly hoarding resources in one part of the globe while others in another part need them. We are the ones who are not righteous and just, not GOD. We continue to blame Him for things we did and then get angry at Him, instead of taking responsibility ourselves. But HE is indeed worthy of praise. For day and night, for life and family, for grace and mercy, for salvation and forgiveness. The list is endless!
9.We are commanded to do so. We should enter his gates with thanksgiving in our hearts and into his courts with praise. He gives us instruction to offer praise all throughout the Bible because He knows the benefits that it will afford us! He does not need our praises. He is still GOD- and still reigns whether we praise Him or not. We can either get with the program and reap the benefits, or we can be angry as many atheists and agnostics are and live a life estranged from the one who we need the most. It is our choice. He has made it abundantly clear that He prefers us to be in relationship with Him. This was His original intention and it has not changed. He event sent Jesus Christ to reaffirm this fact after we had broken our relationship. Today, his Holy Spirit is actively moving on the hearts of people and drawing them back to Him. He desires to be in relationship with us, He does not need it. He has all of the hosts of heaven and all His created works, yet we are the apple of His eye (Psalm 17:8). He cares for mankind in a way that really doesn't make sense. But it does not have to make sense, it is His delight to love and care for us, and those who accept this and want to reciprocate this love have many benefits.
10. Because He is calling you. That is right! If you are reading this blog, you are among those who have been given the opportunity to learn more about the Lord. Many people say that they found GOD, but in the words of the great Dr. Rod Parsley, " He wasn't lost and you would not have known where to look!" He found you! He is actively looking for all of those he committed to His son Jesus Christ. The Bible says that no man can come to the Lord, except His spirit draw him. We cannot find GOD because many who are lost have no idea they are even lost. Many believe they are in right standing with GOD and would be shocked to know their true condition (myself included). We have all walked in deception at times, whether it was deception from others or it was from ourselves. So praise the LORD that He is not leaving you in the darkness, not leaving you in your addiction, or your negative frame of mind. We should praise the LORD that He did not abandon us in our religious traditions, rather He is seeking us so that we may seek Him.
I can promise you that you will never experience the peace and joy that comes with knowing you are at peace with your GOD. No matter what life seems to throw at you, you will overcome.
No matter how hard the enemy shoots darts at your mind, your spirit will be able to remember what the Holy Spirit taught you. Unlike the world, we are not moved by outward circumstances.
We are like trees planted by the rivers of water and we bring forth fruit for the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. People will marvel why you have not had a mental breakdown, or why you still praise GOD though it doesn't appear you have anything to be happy about. This is an opportunity to share about this wonderful GOD who has freed us all from bondage.
Bondage may come in many forms, but it is still the same. The depressed and downcast can be lifted up. The poor and needy can be sustained, the addicted and hopeless can be free, and the deceived and ignorant can see.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.
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