Devotion #59

Hi, Everyone.
I can't believe that we are just 2 days away from the final devotion for this series. The official last one will be tomorrow's, but I'll put a summary list out on Monday. Tuesday will begin a new series. I pray it will minister to you. I appreciate your prayers, as the new devotion will be a new one for me to write each day.
Today's devotion is from my personal journal dated June 6, 2007. Let me know how God speaks to you.

     Shortly after I began hearing from God, about this God Gain Lifestyle (eating with thanksgiving and discipline), God let me know that He would teach me something every day for 60 days. As I was getting ready to go to early prayer this morning, I was telling the Lord that I felt a little afraid, because tomorrow is the last day of "class" for this daily teaching from Him. I know that fear is never of God, so I asked Him to help me. The response was immediate, "Praise Me."
     I continued, "But, Lord, what will I do if things get hard?" The answer was the same, "Praise Me." My mind went back to a conversation I had with Debra (one of my accountability partners) the day before yesterday. She talked about the importance of praising God, no matter what.
     I was reminded of a song sung by The Imperials, called "Praise the Lord!" These are the words, as I recall them:
          When you're up against a struggle
          That seems to shatter all your dreams,
          And your hopes look cruelly crushed
          By Satan's manifested schemes,
          And you feel the urge within you
          To submit to earthly fears,
          Don't let the faith you're standing on
          Seem to disappear!

          Chorus:         
          Praise the Lord!
          He can work through those who praise Him.
          Praise the Lord,
          For our God inhabits praise!
          Praise the Lord,
          For the chains that seem to bind you
          Serve only to remind you
          That they drop powerless behind you
          When you praise Him!

          Now Satan is a liar
          And he wants to make us think that we are paupers
          When he knows himself
          We're children of the King!
          So lift up the mighty Shield of Faith
          For the battle must be won
          We know that Jesus Christ is Risen
          And the work's already done!

          Repeat Chorus
     I read II Chronicles chapter 20, about Jehoshaphat and his army up against a BIG battle. Jehoshaphat sought the Lord, proclaimed a fast, and God calmed his heart, telling him that the battle wasn't his, but God's.
     Verse 21 says that Jehoshaphat "appointed singers to sing to the Lord and praise Him in their holy garments, as they went out before the army, saying, 'Give thanks to the Lord, for His mercy and loving-kindness endure forever!'" That's how important is praise! It's the key for winning any battle. Praise ushers in victory!
     Just like the song "Praise the Lord!" reminds us, "The work's already done!" Every battle was won at the Cross, already.
     I know there may be difficult days ahead, because it's part of life on a fallen, sinful earth, but when those difficult trials come, I don't have to be imprisoned by them. I can choose, like Paul and Silas, to praise the Lord until the prison doors open and the chains fall off. Praise the Lord!

Today, no matter what you face, I encourage you to praise the Lord anyway! No matter the trial, big (physical, financial, family, etc.) or small (a number on the scale, etc.), turn your thoughts to the Lord and praise Him, whether you feel like it or not. See how much better you will feel, afterward. Listen to Russ Taff sing "Praise the Lord!" (sing along, if you will):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNYw_lWwwA8

Blessings,
Mary