Monday, December 14, 2009

Just Go On and Praise Him!

Psalm 145:1-3
I will extol thee, my God, O king; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.

Every day will I bless thee; and I will praise thy name for ever and ever.

Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.


Just Go On and Praise Him

It's an odd thing that at what should be a very happy time of year, many people are hurting and depressed. Maybe families aren't as close as they should be. Maybe you have a loved one serving overseas who won't be home for Christmas. Maybe you've experienced a loss this year and the joy of the season just seems to intesify your pain. Someone may feel completely alone.

There is a song that was popular on contemporary Christian stations that said "Take the shackles off my feet so I can dance."

Child of God, I encourage you not to wait until the shakles are removed. Just go on and praise Him. As Paul and Silas showed us, sometimes you have to praise your way out of shackles (Acts 16:25-26).

Go on and praise Him. I know it's hard, but that's why Jeremiah and Paul wrote of the 'sacrifice of praise' (Jeremiah 33:11, Hebrews 13:15).

No matter what 'it' is, Jesus is still the Way, the Truth and the Life. 'It' will pass, but Jesus and His love for you will be the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.

I dare you to praise Him. I dare you to take Him at His Word. I dare you to look at your situation, the hurt, the lack, the unfulfilled promises and say to your spirit "Despite all the evidence to the contrary, I will believe God."

I dare you to start right now, right where you are and choose to be faithful. I dare you to start to believe God. We have on our wall at church "Dare to Believe God!" Go on. Praise Him. I dare you.

Need help finding what to praise about? Here's a list of a few good reasons to get you started:

Isaiah 53

Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.

Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.


On Earth, Peace, Good Will Toward Men!

-Sis. Stephanie Robinson


Lifeline is the evangelistic ministry of Fellowship Church in Jonesboro, GA.

Feel free to share this message. For questions or to subscribe, send an email to fellowship_lifeline@yahoo.com

Fellowship Church
455 HWY 138 Suite C
Jonesboro, GA 30238
Alton Watkins, Pastor

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