When we seriously study God’s Word, we recognize that praising God is not just something we should do when we “feel” like it…because it’s actually a command from God. As Psalm 150:6 declares…Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD. And Hebrews 13:15 says…Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name. So we can’t afford to be so focused on the things we think are not so praiseworthy, especially since those are often the very things God uses to literally bring about the blessing He is working to bestow on us, including the restoration of our marriages. God wants us to trust and praise Him no matter what we see and hear, and when we really do, we will realize that we have no good reason or excuse to struggle when it comes to praising the Lord.

As Americans, we tend to be very ungrateful people and take an awful lot for granted; yet we have so much to truly be thankful and praise the Lord for. So I expect that one of the positive things that will come out of the economic woes we are all experiencing these days is that we will return to placing value on the things that really matter most in life and to the Lord. People won’t be so busy chasing things and stuff that they don’t have or take the time to spend quality time with their children and spouses–and that will save many marriages and families from going through what we have already experienced. With no credit available, people won’t be able to spend beyond their means, which means that children will be taught stronger values and not to put so much stock in frivolous and unimportant things like the brand name of their clothing and just getting more “stuff.” Most of us would agree that if it were not for the availability of “easy” credit, our spouses would likely not be where they are today because they simply couldn’t afford it. So there’s no doubt that the change in our economy will force us to much more carefully prioritize where we spend our money, which is a good thing since Jesus taught that where our “treasure” is, there our heart is also (Matthew 6:21), and there’s little doubt that God will be much more pleased with where He sees us putting our treasure, and thus where our hearts are.

We are all so abundantly blessed just to have clean and safe running water; not to mention that we even have hot water that comes to us as soon as we turn on the tap. We are richly blessed that we have food to eat; not to mention all the things we have to choose from. We are so blessed that we can turn on the radio, TV and computers and get any kind of information and entertainment we want and need and even praise and worship the Lord! We are indeed blessed that when it’s hot outside, we can turn on air conditioning or fans to stay cool, and when it’s cold outside, we can turn on the heat to stay warm. We are greatly blessed that we have cars to take us where we want and need to go and that we have the right to go when and where we want to go. And we are blessed that even when we don’t have the money to pay for the necessities of life, we have access to programs that will provide or basic needs. As women, we should especially be on our knees because we are truly blessed that God planted us in a country where women are not routinely brutalized and denied the most basic of human rights; or even where female children are forcibly aborted or killed. And for those of us who are distressed because our spouses are gone and/or involved with NCPs, we need to be thankful because things could be a lot worse; our spouses could be dead and then we would have no hope of their salvation or deliverance and restoration and our children would forever be without their other parent and have no hope of restoration either.

So when we allow the devil to deceive us into thinking that it’s so hard to praise the Lord in the midst of our circumstances, I hope and pray that we will remember these things, which are just a minute portion of the myriad of things we should be on our knees thanking God for every day and all day long; like the amazing blessing of good health for another. We can get out of bed and walk where we want and need to go; we can prepare our own breakfast and we can bathe and dress ourselves without assistance. Most of us are not in physical pain every day of our lives and we can breathe, hear and see without even giving it a second thought and all too often without realizing that if not for the grace and blessings of God, we couldn’t!!! So, whenever we find ourselves struggling or unwilling to praise the Lord and when our hearts are filled with anything less than abundant and overflowing gratitude and thanksgiving for the awesome and miraculous blessings God bestows on us every day and all day, we need to read and VERY CAREFULLY study Numbers 13-14 because God is indeed the same today, yesterday and forever!!!, And we will be the ones who suffer, not to mention our spouses and children, when we fail to give God the praise, honor and glory He is due and EXPECTS! And all we have to do is read Ephesians 1:4-14 to understand that ALL God does is for the praise, honor and glory of His Son, Jesus Christ! So as Psalm 148:5 says…Let them praise the name of the LORD, for he commanded and they were created. And if we’re not in the habit of praising and thanking the Lord in EVERYTHING as instructed in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, we will indeed be blessed and encouraged when we make praise and thanksgiving a CONTINUAL AND CONSISTENT habit, because the more we praise and give thanks for, the more God will give us to praise and thank Him for; when we prove ourselves faithful with little, He will give us more!! Just read Matthew 25:14-30! And remember that as Luke 12:48 declares, to whom much has been given, much will be required! So CONTINUALLY praise and give thanks to the Lord and be blessed and encouraged!

Posted Monday, March 16th, 2009 at 4:31 pm in Seeds Of Faith.