(CS4U) Never Loses Your Praise.....

 

Never Lose Your Praise...

  

A wonderful friend sent me a note one day with a word from God for me - she also sent me - at the leading of the Lord, the lyrics to a song.  One I had never heard before, but it spoke volumes to me that day.  I would like to share some of those lyrics with you and add in some teaching if I may.  I know it's a little different, but I think it will minister to someone, as it did for me.

 

Here's the first verse of 'I never lost my praise'

 

I've lost some good friends along life's way

Some loved ones departed in heaven to stay

But thank God I didn't lose everything

I've lost faith in people who said they cared

In time of my crisis they were never there

But in my disappointment, in my season of pain

One thing never wavered, one thing never changed

 

I have not only seen this happen, but have experienced it over the past few years.  I know many of you have too.  I lost my Dad to cancer, when I believed with everything inside of me that he would be healed and live to tell his testimony.  Also there were people, who I loved and thought they loved me, who I thought would never walk away from me, when crisis hit, they walked away and never looked back.  I have known a season of disappointment and a season of pain, as well as many of you have - but have you lost your praise?

 

Second Verse:

 

I've let some blessings slip away

When I lost my focus and went astray

But thank God I didn't lose everything

I lost possessions that were so dear

I lost some battles walking in fear

But in the midst of my struggles, in my season of pain

One thing never wavered, one thing never changed

 

I've been here too, let some blessings slip away, lost my focus and went astray.  I lost some things that were very, very dear to me - at times I even allowed fear to grip me, I went through a season of struggle in my faith and the pain of disappointment, but I never lost my praise.

 

Here's the chorus:

 

I never lost my hope,

I never lost my joy

I never lost my faith

But most of all, I never lost my praise

 

As I read that email that day, it ministered to my heart more than you can imagine.  It was my life for the past few years - through the disappointments, the let downs, the unfulfilled expectations, even through the disappointment in myself - I never lost my hope in God, I never lost my joy (though it was difficult at times), I never ever lost my faith and I never lost my praise.

 

I spoke with a person the other night that was struggling and sounded so disappointed - but mostly what I heard in the voice was bitterness. Bitterness at unanswered prayers and at others whose prayers were being answered.  Where bitterness is, there is no joy, little hope, little faith and no praise.

 

I know many of you are going through difficult times, but I can tell you from experience, you can go through times that you didn't think you would survive, and come through praising God.  You can, I know, I did.  You can choose, right in the heat of the battle that you are going through, to praise God anyway.

 

That reminds me of a word Pastor Dave Roberson gave me, probably 10 years ago.  He said that he saw me going through a battle, and it was a horrible battle and the devil was standing before me face to face and calling me all kinds of ugly names and telling me that I was going under.  Pastor Dave said 'but you stood in his face and said I don't care what you say or do, I am going to trust God, I am going to worship God and I am not going to back off his word.'

 

Although I had forgotten about that word until I was writing this motivation - that is exactly where I was in the past couple years.  In the heat of the battle, I chose to trust God anyway, to praise God anyway.

 

I have, in times past, made myself - literally forced myself to praise God when I didn't feel like praising and you know what?  He always brought me through with peace.  He always brought me out on the other side.  I don't know how things would have turned out if I had not chosen to praise Him in the midst of it.

 

You see, we are people of faith.  Our true character only shows in the heat of battle.  God's people in the Old Testament didn't run from battle, they praised Him in the midst of it.  They didn't run from famine, they gave and sowed in the midst of it.  They didn't run from mountains that stood in their way - they conquered them.  So it must be with us.

 

Whatever you are going through - praise God.  Don't allow the enemy to take your hope, your joy, your faith or your praise.  Hold on to it with all you have within you and believe me - there is more in you than you realize.  The Greater One is in you and nothing can change that, if you don't allow it to.  Stand firm in your faith.  Hold fast to your hope.  Live in the joy of the Lord and whatever you do - praise Him - DON"T LET THE DEVIL HAVE YOUR PRAISE.  Praise God and watch what He does for you.

  

 

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