The Sacrifice of Praise
The times we are in are very eventful. You must have observed that I haven’t been writing so consistently, I’m sorry, I’ll step up the game, and revert to inundating you with my posts. I sometimes get tempted not to write, but I know that these times must be documented, for what we do today, is tomorrow’s story. Are you concious of the story you are writing with your life? In the upper week, I was in the UK for another BIT session, last week (Sept 30), I had an opportunity of going to talk about Nigeria to a Redeem Church in Ogudu, On the first, I spent two hours at the radio station (Eko FM) encouraging people on Nigeria. Over this just concluded weekend, I was opportuned to go to UNAB for a seminar, made it to Ibadan for the night, and woke early and headed for OAU ife, where I had the opportunity of sharing some thoughts, together with a team of colleagues, with four fellowship gatherings. These are demanding times, but there is no salvation without the cross.
Have you ever been in a condition before where it is so proper to say the wrong things? Where complaining, lamenting, expressing frustration, anger are the norms on your lips? Have you ever been in a condition, where you know that you ought to thank God, but it’s so freaking difficult? Or are you currently in the midst of such a time? Don’t sucuumb to those negative feelings or thoughts. These are the times to offer the sacrifice of praise.
Praise becomes a sacrifice, when it is not convinient. It’s a sacrifice when it’s difficult to offer. When in offering it, you need to take your eyes away from what stares you in the eye as naked reality, and shift your eyes to an unwavering faith in your desired eventualities. Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and conciously or unconciously, our lives are directed by the words we utter. Every careless word, is as important as well thought out words. The fabrics on which the universe sits is words. Words are the raw materials of creation.
That gathering with friends where you bare out your heart on your issues, could very well be your issue. That freeing opportunity for letting off the steam and expressing your frustration may very well be the source of your continued frustration. Life is segmented into seasons, at times it’s dry and atimes it rains. Days have segments, sometimes there is light sometimes there isn’t. It is the blessings of God on the creativity of man that give man the unique opportunity of enjoying consistence irrespective of what the seasons dictate. Day comes after night as surely as night after day, but light can be constant.
The sacrifice of praise ought to be the fruit of your lips. It’s difficult, it’s hard, it’s not easy, it’s not natural, but the only way to triumph is to have a heart of gratitutde and offer praise and thanksgiven when it doesn’t feel like it. You must not take your inspiration and motivation from what you can currently see, good or bad, they are temporal. You must be internally driven, internally motivated and inspired. You must be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth it’s fruits in and out of season. Praise must be the fruit of your lips. The attitude that makes your heart perfect towards God is gratitude, that’s the only attitude that grants the divine permission to interfer in the affairs of men.
Whatever you are going though, give praise. Not normal praise, give the sacrifice of praise, and watch God inhabit your situtation and turn things around.
Hab 3:17 Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:
Hab 3:18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Hab 3:19 The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places.
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Yes ooo, in the midst of all these market crisis, credit crunch and financial depresion, yet I will offer my sacrifice of praise.
PRAISE THE LORRRRRRDDDDD!!!!! E YIN OLUWA LOGOOOOOOOOO!!!!
(that was from the bottom of my heart)
for regardless of the situations that confront me now, I STILL CHOOSE TO WORSHIP U LORD.
for though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, i fear no evil, for thou art with me, your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Big Bros,Thanks for this writeup on praise.Inaddition,The bible told us that God has set before us an open door,all we have to do to get what we want is to walk thru that open door with praise.U ar d best.
1Th 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.This post also remind me of a post you did about 2 years ago.”We forget”.Thank you for the word of wisdom.Keep the flag flying
In times like this when it more common to complain than give praise, this write up is a word in due season, well like Job said, ‘Even thou he slays me i will yet trust him’. I have made up my mind to be a ‘praiser’ not because i understand God all the time, but i can trust Him all the time.
Great piece here Deolu.
http://www.naijamarketsquare.com
Deolu, Thank you.
Yeah….Ver nice piece from you bro.
Praising God is meant to be a part and parcel of every individual even when we are in deep waters.
David said, “I will lift up my eyes to the hills from whence cometh my help, my help comes from the Lord…” (Ps 121:1). So praising Him is inevitable. I am filled with praise for Him.
True praise for me now is definitely a sacrifice.
I appreciate the truth this write-up has revealed so I will praise more, intentionally, especially now, knowing God hearkens to such.
God bless you..
Good one, I have even turned to a chorister these few days. My tomoro is beautiful cos He is a shield, is the song my lips has found, so i will open my eyes wide and stare at my naked reality with an attitude of hope and courage to win.
God bless u man
Its imperative to give thanks and praise cos only God’s love sees us through. Especially at times like this.
Thankz bro.It’z really important to give thanks to our God and maker.He deserves our praises whether we feel like it or not.
Thank you so much for coming to UNAAB for the weekend. We had a very marvelous time there. I’m looking forward to having you some more.
And yes, you are right! Praise is the best option to grumbling. It aids creation and dispels destruction. For me, may words of praise never cease from my lips.
“Even if…” Well, there will always several ‘IFs’ in our journey thru’ life but we must know that the number of ‘IFs’ does not change who God is. It does not even change what God has planned to do…Remember the Hebrew boys…I love their kind of sacrifice of praise…They told Nebu… “Even if…We would not bow…” No matter how delibilitating the situation might be..Do not bow but surrender all to GOD in a sacrifice of praise (s.o.p)
THANK YOU SIR…
Deolu -thanks for these words of wisdom you have just activated in me one of the secrets for an havenly licence.
Every HOLYGHOST inspired praise works deliverance
My father in the lord once said “if you are not grateful to God, you’ll be a great fool”. I don’t want to be a fool talkless of being a great fool. Gratitude to God is not negotiable,so i’ll forever be grateful to God. If you see a man who refuses to praise God, tell him to visit kirikiri prison or Igbobi or Eko hospital, he will be grateful to God. I’ll never forget cohbam’s song, ‘I still choose to worship you… Well done Deolu, Sky is your starting point.
God, does not inhabit our prayers but he inhabits our praise. Let
somebody shout for joy. the lord is good ,all the time. No matter what you are
going through right now. his got the final say over your life.
What a God we serve.
This is My song > Praise is what i do, when i want to get close to him.
I just, go ahead and praise him, i want to praise him wether happy or
sad. because praise is what i do.
This is Godwin ,telling you to keep praising
PRAISE AM OUT.
Not praising God, is to deny him his best food. For me oooooo, i am one of his cooks. You too should prepare his best food for him everyday, nomatter your conditions.
Do i v a choice,than to praise HIM despite all odds?By d way,what is d “odd”? That i can read ur piece,is a confirmation of d fact that “DADDY” is there for me. And if HE’s for me,nothing can be against me! I PRAISE HIM JOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!
Inspiring…I will yet praise my God.
Thanks for the piece…
The Scriptures says ” In all things give thanks”
Eledumare oba ataye ro bi agogo
alagbara lorun ati aiye
gbongbo idile jese
ato fara ti bi oke, o ma se ooo