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Date: Wednesday, August 04, 2010
Today: From prison to praise
Passage: Isaiah 61: 3 NIV
3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes,
the oil of gladness instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. (emphasis added)
Praising God is a privilege for the children of God
When a person praises God from the inside, devil trembles
Because that person is acknowledging his/her allegiance to God and their rejection of the devil
If you hear someone praising a person that you don’t like, what will you feel?
In the same way, when a person praises and worships God, that person will be hated by the devil, but will be blessed by God
Many people do not like to be hated by the devil, but they want to be loved by God
Unfortunately (!) that is not possible
You cannot please God and devil at the same time
God does not want us to be in ashes, mourning and despair
He wants to crown us with beauty, anoint us with the oil of gladness and clothe us with a garment of praise
Even in the worst of times, we should be able to say, “Thank you Jesus”
It is not about the various troubles we face, but our approach to each of those troubles and trials that matters the most
Yesterday, I was listening to a servant of God, who went through a terrible accident about nine years back
He and his wife were “dying” in their car at midnight, not far from their home at Piravom, Kerala
A taxi driver who came by took them to a hospital, knowing that they were still alive
But he then left. They had to be moved to a bigger, better hospital
A local person, owner of a liquor shop, a total stranger took them to the bigger hospital about an hour away
After a month at the hospital, they came back, and they needed another month of rehabilitation and rest, at their home
The same person brought them back from the hospital on his car and gave them meals for the next one month!
It so happened that the wife of this man was a believer who had no permission to worship freely
But after this incident, this man was transformed.
He closed down his liquor shop. He became an active member of this pastor (Babu Cherian)’s church at Piravom, Kerala
When we choose to praise and thank God in any circumstance, God can turn the worst around, into a blessing
17 Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls,
18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior. (Habakkuk 3: 17-18, NIV)
16Be joyful always; 17pray continually; 18give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (1 Thess 5: 16-18, NIV)
Keep praising, thanking and worshipping God
He will turn the worst around into a blessing (Gen 50:20, Rom 8:28)
God bless you
BG
Prayer: Lord, give me the grace to understand your plan and purpose for my life and to live accordingly. Forgive my grumblings and murmurings. Help me to praise you in all circumstances. Amen