Praise

Praise.

How often do we as Christians praise God? I mean really praise and worship him on a daily basis not just at church on Sundays.

We always ask God to heal us and to bless us but do we thank him and give him the glory that he deserves for the things he has given us? Are we Joyful when we do it? Sometimes we cannot move forward without being content with where we are. That doesn’t mean that we cannot strive for the future but we need to be thankful for the things God has provided and even those he has not.

In Psalms 20:4

May he grant you according to your heart’s desire. And fulfill your purposes.

Then in verse 5 David states, “We will rejoice in your salvation, and set up our banners!”

We need to delight in what God achieves for us. We need to wave our banners and give him the praise and admiration he deserves. God is a boundless God who does magnificent works. We need to tell him what an awesome job he does in our lives. Even if our lives do not feel so splendid.

Your car may not be a top of the line Lexus but it gets you to your job and home. We need to thank him for the transportation that he has given us. The job that lets us afford the things that we have and the food that we eat. We need to thank him for that red light when we’re running late cause it saved us from the car accident that just happened down the road.

We need to Thank him for his word and the assurance he gives to us through it. Thank him for the past knowledge and the prophets that were sent before us to pave our way and to guide us home to God.

When we thank him and praise his name it needs to be done in an uplifting and joyful countenance.

Everyone likes to hear appreciation, God is no different.

Even Joseph who had been sold into slavery by his own brothers knew that God had allowed it so that he would preserve the future. He held fast to God as he went through trials and tribulations before he reached his promise. Using the vision and wisdom God had given him he rose to be Pharaoh’s equal. Joseph a Hebrew was the Egyptian Pharaohs equal. Could you imagine? Back then Egyptians and Hebrews did not even eat at the same tables. But he showed his faith in God and he was blessed. Then when he told his brothers who he was he told them not to worry or be angry with themselves for God lead him to where he was. Reading through his story in Genesis you will see that time and again he said this was gods doing not mans (his). God give him the power to interpret Pharaohs dreams and thus letting Joseph have the knowledge on how to preserve food during the 7 good years for the 7 years of draught.

“Then Joseph said to Pharaoh, ‘The dreams are one; God has shown Pharaoh what he is to do.” Genesis 41:25

Then another reference in verse 28, “This is the thing which I have spoken to Pharaoh. God has shown Pharaoh what he is about to do.”

Later in verse 32, “And the dream was repeated to Pharaoh twice because the thing is established by God, and God will shortly bring it to pass.”

Joseph was giving God the credit. Joseph was a tool for God so that they may know what to do in that 14 year period. And in return Pharaoh made Joseph the man in charge. God truly blessed Joseph.

How many of us can withstand trials a tribulations and know that God will bless us or better yet is blessing us. His blessings are showered upon us in his own time; not ours. But we need to give him the honor praise and glory during those periods so that he knows we have not given up and will continue to be a child of the Lord.