When you are at a store checkout , have you noticed the sincerity of the words "thank you"? Even though it is required for all employees, sometimes it does not seem authentic.
I am learning how to have a genuine, thankful heart. Jesus told the Pharisees the stones would cry out if the disciples kept quiet. The Lord was approaching Jerusalem before he was to be crucified. They wanted the disciples to be rebuked for praising him! God's word is to teach us about praise and thankfulness."Shout with joy to God, all the earth! Sing the glory of his name; make his praise glorious." Psalms 105:1
"He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes." Deuteronomy 10:21
"Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, among the heathen, and I will sing praises unto thy name." 2 Samuel 22:50
"But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthains 15:57
"Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Ephesians 5:19,20
Jehoshaphat's Praise Brought Victory
In 2 Chronicles 20, some men came and told King Jehoshaphat a vast army was coming against him. He stood up in the assembly of Judah and Jerusalem at the temple of the Lord. He told them they had no power to face the army going to attack. He did not know what to do, but his eyes were on God. The spirit of the Lord came upon Jahaziel. He was a Levite and was standing in the midst of the congregation. "Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's."
Verse 18 and 19, "Jehoshaphat bowed with his face to the ground, and all the people of Judah and Jerualem fell down in worship before the Lord. Then some Levites from the Hohathites and Korahites stood up and praised the Lord, the God of Israel, with very loud voice. " King Jehoshaphat and his men left early the next morning for the Desert of Tekoa. After consulting with them he appointed men to sing and praise the Lord! The men spoke as they went out, "Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever." When they began to sing and praise God instead of fighting, the Lord caused the invading armies to start destroying each other. Talk about "real men love God"! Could this have been the origins of the men's "Promise Keepers" movement? They overlooked the desert and saw only dead bodies, not one enemy alive.
Victory With An Added Bonus
Jehosphat and the men of Judah went and started carrying off the plunder. It took them three days to collect all the equipment, clothing, and precious jewels. On the fourth day they assembled and praised God in the Valley of Beracah. So, if we learn anything from the story of Jehoshaphat, it is to praise God before, during, and after a battle we are encountering!
My Prayer:
Dear Lord help us understand how praising you changes our circumstances. When situations are completely out of our control we need to pray, "Not by might nor by power, but by my spirit, says the Lord Almighty. Zechariah 4:6" Give out a shout of thanks and praise and let God fight your battle!
Comments:
Do you have a praise for our Lord? Will you share a personal story to bless others? May the Lord surround you with his peace and love.
