PRAISE IS THE EVIDENCE OF OUR FAITH

Image result for CLIP ART SHOWING PRAISE     My prayer list lost two remarkable young men this week and both due to cancer.  One young man was 49 and the second man was 34.  I had been praying for each of them this year.  Their cancer when found was stage 4.  The losses make my heart hurt for their mates, children, ministries, their parents and their friends.  I can move to praise when I focus on the provision that has been made by the Lord Jesus for them and their willingness to receive Christ Jesus as their Savior and Lord. I confess, at times, I have "had" to praise out of obedience and trust for that praise to come out of a faith stance, giving my emotions time to catch up! 

However, while working on 2 Chronicles 20 for the Bible study this week that I get to facilitate, I found a statement which I loved:  PRAISE IS THE EVIDENCE OF FAITH. Jehoshaphat, after being warned that a vast number of enemies were coming against his kingdom, Judah, he was fearful, yet he resolved to call the people together to fast and pray.  A prophet spoke to Jehoshaphat and encouraged him not to be afraid or discouraged because the "battle is not yours but God's". They moved  from prayer to praise and they had not even come against the enemy. They did get their "praise on" and the army of men fell in behind them.  They came to the enemy and found dead bodies lying on the ground...they, THE ENEMIES, had become confused(?) and began to fight and kill one another.  It took four days for Judah to gather all the plunder.  Whole new meaning to recycling, renewing, and used materials! 

Could this be a wonderful resolve to adopt when the crush and press is on against us?  I am not thinking, the statement, "Praise the Lord", but rather a resolve statement from I Thessalonians 5:19, "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."  "Lord, I am confused and overwhelmed and I don't know what to do, but I am willing to thank you knowing that YOU are in complete control whether it looks like it or not and that YOU will bring glory to Yourself and will benefit me spiritually."  (Thank YOU for lavished grace on these two families.) Forever learning!  In process! #IHAVETHREESONS     

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