The Sacrifice Of Praise

[Teta]

Have you ever thought about what it means to continually offer up a sacrifice of praise? That word “sacrifice” means that it cost you something. It means doing something when you don’t feel like it. It’s when you say, “God, I’m hurting, but I give You praise.” “God, I’m lonely, but I give You praise.” “God, it wasn’t fair. They did me wrong, but I give You praise.”

When you praise God beyond your feelings, that’s when praise becomes your faith at work. That’s when praise becomes a weapon. Nothing gets God’s attention any more than when you call on Him in your time of trouble. When most people would become negative and bitter, you have a song of praise. You’re thanking God for who He is and what He will do in your life. You’re not talking about how big your problems are; you’re talking about how big your God is!

Today, understand that praise activates God’s power. He commands us to praise because it opens the door to His victory and blessing. No matter what is happening around you, worship Him! Declare His goodness and see His restoration in every area of your life!

 

[Tim]

God I give you praise. I'm feeling beat down, defeated, my finances are poor, my fiancé left me, my dreams are dead, but I give you praise, thank you for the opportunity to grow and learn from mistakes. In Jesus' name AMEN

 

[boazgirl]

You said this so well and thanks for posting... Hadassah...a dear friend of mine on here has been preaching this at me for weeks now and you know as a slow learner that I seem to be on God matters, it took awhile to get praising when things are far from praise worthy. And I felt like a cheat... I never felt we were allowed to praise if it was insincere...! Well she showed me and I have been learning that this is truly what activates God's power in our lives and even supernatural stuff happens. Ok nothing monumental or big has happened in my life supernaturally, but now that I look at things differently...most of the time anyway...it would seem I see the small stuff clearer now....! Before I totally missed all the little things he does for me daily...and praising was reserved for the big miracle days or super happy times..

Actually a few years ago a lady from my church at that time and good friend and mentor became ill with breast cancer....and it kept escalating over several months. She was bedridden and in terrible shape at the hospital where I work, so I would go up every day to visit her to maybe brighten her day and feel I had done a good deed. Well most days she ended up cheering me up....she was always praising, always happy and even joking a bit about her situation. I would walk in and she would ask me how my day was...! I never forgot how she was and how she had no ill feelings to God and was not afraid of all of dying....pretty much was praising God for everything and taking it all in her stride as what would be would be by his will. Well I was really young then, working hard and busy with young kids and often feeling quite sorry for myself when life was crappy....so I really could not understand how she could look at things that way in the terrible situation she was in...she was on a special bed because she could not move in the least or her bones would instantly break...she pretty much was laying there waiting to die...we were all sad that knew her but she was not...! I didn't get it then and still struggle with it....but I admired her and looked up to her as a mentor...well now years later I think I get it and I am trying to pass this on to others on here what I have learned...! Don't get me wrong I have learned this and am passing it on to help others, but I am new at it and it is sincerely....hard for me to be sincere...and even harder to keep praising when I doubt my own sincerity...it is a hard task even though it sounds easy!

We just as you said can't focus on the problem, but on the way God is going to help us fix the problem....when you start looking at it differently from that angle a problem does not seem a big...analyzing the severity of a problem only magnifies details. I also have learnt that it is ok to tell God you are in deep trouble, you are disappointed, you are mad at him, you don't understand, you can't get past your fears, you are weak, you are lonely, you are lost, and the list goes on. Just be honest and lay your problems on him...! He doesn't mind, he already knows anyway....he just wants us to tell it to him straight...because if we are telling it straight up...then we are being sincere, not beating around the bush.

 

[3Nathansalways]

AMEN, I will Bless the LORD AT ALL TIMES, HIS PRAISE SHALL CONTINUALLY BE IN MY MOUTH!!!! HALLELUJAH

 

[drhyne]

Thank you very much for your words today! God Bless You!