Hello people today I write on a topic rather unusual for me and that is praising and worshipping God in no matter what situation we are in.
The world has taught man that if he wants to do well he must consistently seek his own interest. The people of this day and age find it unusual to think that they can work towards their best interest by thinking less of them-selves.
Luke 9:23-24 (Jesus’ word)
23 And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. 24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
The above scripture is so contradictory to the values of the world, parents are forever telling their children that if they want to succeed in life they need to study towards a brighter future, not that this is wrong but the world by itself teaches to the core to be self centered. Each and every person good or bad does what he does to further his own interest in particular area of life that he finds crucial. Biologically we are made to see that everything we do helps us in some way or the other, right from breathing, which helps carry oxygen to muscles and organs; to eating which nourishes us; to interacting; helping us build relationships. All that we do whether good or bad we hope to see something good come out of it for us.
Matthew 6:33
33 Instead, be concerned above everything else with the Kingdom of God and with what he requires of you, and he will provide you with all these other things.
The Bible teaches you of the God of gods and Lord of lords, the Provider of providers. The Bible teaches you that in Jesus, you are provided for. Listening to Him and putting Him before yourself is ironically in your own best interest. If you know of what Jesus taught and you follow it, provisions will come out of no where for you. If you don’t know what it is what Jesus taught then you may want get yourself a Bible, in a language and style that you understand best and then leave it to Spirit God to teach you as you read. The Bible is so unique that it tells you of a God who is a provider and your creator in Him you don’t have to worry about the necessities in your life. You will certainly not be deprived but you will be provided for you and unlike the world you will be able to enjoy to the fullest what you are provided with.
In Genesis 22:1-14, we have the story in which Abraham is told by God to offer his own son Isaac as a sacrifice on Mount Moriah, now we know this is a desolate place because Abraham took with him wood from the base of the mountain to use as fuel for the fire. Abraham when asked about where is the lamb for the sacrifice, he replies saying that the Lord would provide. Do you know that Abraham is known as the father of all those who believe and trust in God.
Romans 4:11
…And so Abraham is the spiritual father of all who believe in God….
Abraham knew that even if it would come to pass that Isaac would be sacrificed, he trusted that that was what was best just because God told him so. There on that mountain God stops Abraham from sacrificing his son and Abraham then finds a ram caught in the bush by its horns and offers it as a burnt offering instead of his son Isaac. God is pleased with Abraham and Abraham is put right with God not because of the sacrifice but because he trusted God to the extent that he dint keep back the life of Isaac when God asked for it, Isaac: whom the Bible say was the son Abraham loved a lot Genesis 22:2.
Hebrews 11:17
17 It was faith that made Abraham offer his son Isaac as a sacrifice when God put Abraham to the test. Abraham was the one to whom God had made the promise, yet he was ready to offer his only son as a sacrifice.
So the example of Abraham we need to learn from is that we need to know that just believing that God exist is not enough, we need to put Him first even before ourselves. After the sacrifice, Abraham named the place “The Lord Will Provide”, “Provide” is a word with Latin roots. “Pro” means “before” and “video” means “to see”. So it means God sees in advance before the need is known. Remember in acting in obedience to God, God will be preparing a solution before we know that it is a need.
So coming to Praising and Worshiping Jesus during the difficult times in our lives, it becomes a sacrifice beyond anything money can buy, offered to Jesus & it is by such trust that we are put right Him and inherit eternal life
Matthew 19:29 (Jesus’ word)
And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or fields for my sake, will receive a hundred times more and will be given eternal life.
2 Timothy 1:8 (words of Apostle Paul)
8 Do not be ashamed, then, of witnessing for our Lord; nor be ashamed of me, a prisoner for Christ’s sake. Instead, take your part in suffering for the Good News, as God gives you the strength to do it.
1Peter 4:12-14,19 (words of Apostle Peter)
12 My dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful test you are suffering, as though something unusual were happening to you. 13 Rather be glad that you are sharing Christ’s sufferings, so that you may be full of joy when his glory is revealed. 14 Happy are you if you are insulted because you are Christ’s followers; this means that the glorious Spirit, the Spirit of God, is resting on you.
…
19 So then, those who suffer because it is God’s will for them, should by their good actions trust themselves completely to their Creator, who always keeps his promise.
So remember no matter how down you are in life and no matter how painful it is to obey Jesus leave alone praising and worshiping Him, know this, in that suffering you have been given the opportunity in stand in Abrahams shoes, could you imagine what Abraham would have gone through emotionally to be asked to offer to God his only son? Abraham honoured God in the midst of that emotional storm, will you?
Here is the blessing that was decreed upon Abraham, after the Isaac sacrifice incident.
Genesis 22:15-19
15 The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time, 16 “I make a vow by my own name — the Lord is speaking — that I will richly bless you. Because you did this and did not keep back your only son from me, 17 I promise that I will give you as many descendants as there are stars in the sky or grains of sand along the seashore. Your descendants will conquer their enemies. 18 All the nations will ask me to bless them as I have blessed your descendants — all because you obeyed my command.” 19 Abraham went back to his servants, and they went together to Beersheba, where Abraham settled.
So remember if you are deeply troubled and if obeying, praising and worshiping Jesus seems the unlikeliest of solutions then you got a chance to take a great shot at some serious faith. Do you know how much it is that God values your thanks and praise especially during the times of hurt? It is times like these that make way for personal sacrifices that are pleasing to God & I have scripture below both from the Old and New Testament to back this statement.
Hebrews 13:15 (New Testament)
Let us, then, always offer praise to God as our sacrifice through Jesus, which is the offering presented by lips that confess him as Lord.
Psalms 50:7, 9, 14 (Old Testament)
7 “Listen, my people, and I will speak;
…..
9 And yet I do not need bulls from your farms
or goats from your flocks;
……
14 Let the giving of thanks be your sacrifice to God,
and give the Almighty all that you promised.
Have your ever thought, how could praise and thanks to God ever be called a sacrifice, well if you were in a place of a particular hurt and despite those feelings of emotional sickness you choose to forget yourself and praise, obey, worship and give thanks to God, would not that be a personal sacrifice. A sacrifice no money could ever buy, which would definitely please God for the faith from which it comes (Heb 11:6). Wouldn’t you feel a sense of awaiting reward from that? Since your sacrifice will proclaim that you live not on bread alone but on every word of Jesus (Deut 8:3), which in turn will declare that it is Jesus who is Lord over you (Heb 13:15)? Will not great blessing be in store for you for this action? You may feel that God may have used up most of His blessing on Abraham, yeah Abraham was blessed infinitely to have descendant as may as the grains on the sea shore all of whom would be conquerors. Do you know in Math when we take away something infinite from something infinite what we are left with is still infinite and that is how blessing from Jesus is because it is in Jesus that the descendants of Abraham were made more than conquerors.
Romans 8:35-37
35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36 As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”
37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Romans 4:16,24
…For Abraham is the spiritual father of us all; …who are to be accepted as righteous, who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from death.
So remember the infinite blessing you have at hand the next time you are down and you proceed to obey/worship/praise/give thanks to Jesus.
Revelations 2:10 (Jesus’ word)
Don’t be afraid of anything you are about to suffer. Listen! The Devil will put you to the test by having some of you thrown into prison, and your troubles will last ten days. Be faithful to me, even if it means death, and I will give you life as your prize of victory.
Making known the Defeated Dragon 