Today we continue with excerpts from a recent sermon I preached at Cornerstone Church. If you have missed out on the beginning of the relentless posts here are the links:
https://jelillie.wordpress.com/2012/05/13/relentless-pt-1/
https://jelillie.wordpress.com/2012/05/14/3445/
https://jelillie.wordpress.com/2012/05/15/relentless-pt-3/
We have been discussing our need to be relentless in praise. For many of us praising God is difficult. I understand that our ability or inability to praise God is bound up in a complex series of issues including upbringing, past experience and even personality make-up. So I hesitate to oversimplify but one reason we struggle to praise God is because we do not practice intentional praise in our private prayer time.
I once went through a battle so thick that every one of my devotions turned into a moan and groan session. I came before God. I read the Bible and complained to Him that none of His promises were being answered.
Then one day as I sat in the middle of my moaning God stopped me and said “Get a notebook.”
I said “A notebook haven’t you been listening God! I am hurting and you need to do something. I don’t feel like writing right now.”
God said “Notebook!”
So I got a notebook and He told me “Write down all the blessings you have.”
I said “Blessings didn’t you hear me! I am hurting and I need you to fix this before I can thank you for anything else.”
Then I begin to hear the words to this old hymn playing in the back of my mind.
Soon I had a list of ten blessings that I still possessed even in the midst of my terrible circumstance. God then began to show me some of the blessings I had been given because of the circumstance.
God said to me “I do not want you to pray about the problem anymore I want you to thank me for the possible answers.”
If you are caught in a place of negativity and you are finding it hard to praise God use your next private devotion to make a thanksgiving list. Stop talking to Him about problems and start thanking Him for the answers He is going to bring!
Reinventing the We'll 
Amen my brother…. count our many blessings… thank you Lord for your blessings which make rich and add no sorrow…
Amen Paul! I am counting and rejoicing!
If I started to count my many blessings, naming them one by one, I don’t think I’d get anything else done for a long, long, long time.
I agree that praise is essential. Praising our great God takes our mind off our own insignificant ‘problems’ (and they are insignificant in comparison with His limitless love and power). When I praise Him for His love and care, for His continual guidance over my life, for His protection, for His strength and enablement, for the innumerable ways He has undertaken for me – how can I doubt Him now? How can I do other than trust Him to work things out?
What an amazing God!
It is so true Angela! God has done so much for us. It amazes me that at moments I can find it hard to find something to praise Him for. That speaks more to my myopic view than it speaks to His love and kindness!
God has given me so many blessings. Thanks, Pastor J for these words today because sometimes I get caught up in my problems rather than praising the One who is the only one who can help me. I said it the other day that praising Him and thanking Him in advance to the answer to prayer is what got me through a very tough time. I’m still waiting for my son’s complete healing in his brain but I know it is already done in heaven. God I thank you for the many blessings I receive every day through the son you are letting me care for. I try to never forget that he was yours first.
Don’t we all sometimes get caught up in our circumstances whenj we should be caught up in Jesus! HEre’s to being more caught in His net than in the world’s! 🙂
Thank you, Pastor J
Profound!! Counting the blessings and thanking Him for the answers…. profound!
Blessings
ann
Thanks Ann!
Wonderful message, Pastor J! Lately, I’ve been finding myself just praising God on purpose! Yes, I might still be going through a night season, but I am praising my way through it! Along the way, I have been recognizing where God has been answering my prayers, and performing the miraculous in this night season! I recognize that it is only because of my praise that I am riding through it! God bless!
Paulette
Yes! Yes! Intentionality is the key. So often we think praise is just going to flow automatically from our hearts. Sometimes it does. But most often it must be intentionally fostered!
I am echoing what Paulette said! The more I can do this, can praise Him and see Him in everything and everywhere . . .the sweeter the journey. God bless you, Pastor J , as you praise relentlessly!
It is true Deb! Praise makes sweet the journey through the bitter deserts of life.
Pingback: Relentless Pt. 6 | Reinventing the We'll
This is something I had to learn ans still am learning! To count my blessings and trust God for the rest. He puts obstacles in our way like colleagues who backbite, or poverty, in these times we have to learn to count our blessings and be joyful in service 🙂 Thanks for another great post!
You are welcome and thank you for the great comment! I am right there with you in learning to apply this lesson!
Sorry, like you I have been busy and have to catch up!! Love this and have found praise to be the key for me as well. I love your line “start thanking Him for the answers He is going to bring!” Blessings!
The world is awhir isn’t it Tom? It seems there is always more to do than time to do it! Glad to have you catching up!
Pingback: Relentless Pt. 7 | Reinventing the We'll