Yesterday after work I stopped by our local Christian bookstore. After I found a few titles on my list to read, I proceeded to the counter to checkout. While talking to the gentleman at the counter I told him about what God has led me to do with this website. I praised God for how He has provided me insperation and direction in what God had placed in my heart. Then how to verbally articulate the messages.

I then let the clerk know the stats. In approximately 40 days we have experienced incredible growth, far beyond what I could have imangined.  So here it goes,,  The Scriptural Seeds website has on average 700 people a day from 14 countries reading the daily devotions.  We also have had 32 precious individuals ask Jesus into there heart. Praise God…. I can not describe how humbled I feel that God has allowed someone like me to share the gospel in such a way.

It is easy to praise God when the sun is shining in our lives as I mentioned above. It’s easy to praise Him when we are greatful for promotions at work, when children are doing well in school or even as adults. But when the storm clouds gather, the grades start to slip, and the pink slips are read, the last thing we feel like doing is praising God. Yet, this is the very time when we need to lift our voices to Him in praise.

When we praise God, we proclaim our faith in Him. The psalmist writes, “As for me, I will always have hope. I will praise you more and more. My mouth will tell of your righteousness, of your salvation all day long, though I know not its measure” (Psalm 71:14-15).

A sacrifice of praise is something that we offer to God — in times of well being and in times of sorrow. Never allow praise to become a habit or a trite activity. It is a priceless honor to kneel before the throne of our Lord and Savior.

One of the greatest misconceptions concerning praise is that it is something we do for God. However, nothing could be further from the truth. God does not need our praise, but certainly, He desires it. He knows when life takes an unexpected turn toward sorrow or when a serious illness lingers for months and even years, praise has the ability to lighten our hearts and fill us with a sense of love and security that can only come from one place, heaven’s throne.

Praise teaches us to be joyful and thankful regardless of our circumstances. It prepares us for God’s service and helps us to see beyond our present circumstances to the immense possibilities that are ours through faith in Jesus Christ.

No matter how deep our sorrow or how grave our circumstances may seem, we can learn to praise God while acknowledging His sovereignty over our lives.

This sounds like good advice, but what do you do when life becomes so dark that it seems impossible to praise God? How do you lift your voice to the Lord in praise when your spouse has left you or your best friend is suffering from cancer? How do you praise God when you have just received word that your loved one has met a sudden death?

You begin by realizing that praise is a sacrifice, an offering to the Lord. It does not lesson our sorrow or, in many cases, change our immediate circumstances. It will, however, bring light to our darkness, a light that Satan cannot extinguish.

Joy and Praise Provide Fresh Strength

Nehemiah wrote, “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (Nehemiah 8:10). Praise teaches us to turn our eyes away from circumstances to the One who has the ability to heal, save, renew, and mend every broken heart.

There is a difference between happiness and joy. Happiness is something we experience for a moment and is often short lived. Joy is eternal. It comes only as a result of living a life of praise. Praise comes as a result of a heart that is overflowing with joy that may even come in lonely moments. Suddenly, you find yourself being comforted by the One who created you and who understands your grief and sorrow. You may feel as though you cannot praise God but if you will just take a step toward praise, you will sense God’s arms surrounding you.

Your praise can be as simple as this: “To you, Lord, I lift up my soul; in you I trust, my God.” Let praise steady your heart when trouble comes and gain God’s perspective on your current situation. Take time to thank God for what He has done for you. He has saved you and given you an opportunity to know and love Him. Remember He loves you with an unconditional love and will not withhold His love from you.

Our deepest gratitude, honor, and glory belong to the Lord. Praise Him for He is worthy to be praised! (Psalm 18:3)

My Prayer

Lord, I praise You! You are marvelous. Wondrous. Glorious. I praise You for the glory of Your grace, the riches of Your mercy, the abundance of Your blessings, the depths of Your kindness, the greatness of Your power, the splendor of Your majesty, and the overwhelming generosity of Your love. I see Your goodness in every direction I turn.

I praise You for the miracles You work, for the mystery of Your ways, for all the things about You that are past finding out. You are above and beyond anything I could know, think, or ever imagine about You.

I praise You for working in my heart, for being in my day, for sustaining me each moment. I praise You for each time you made a way for me when there seemed to be none, for each time You came to me with an answer when I didn’t know what to do; for each time You revealed something new about the wisdom of Your will and the goodness of Your ways.

I praise you for my beautiful wife Tina, how she is so loving and kind, supportive and caring, for my children, how when they seemed lost you you turned each of their lives around. I thank you for Marissa, Michael and Larry, may you bless them and their families. I praise you for my grandkids Lane and Lila. And also for my mother and how you Lord have shown me miracles time after time in her recovery. I praise you for our best friend Stacey, my childhood friend Lynette, for my wifes parents and our family.  My job and my wonderful customers. i praise you Lord for mentor Roy and his heart of prayer and encouragement.  I praise you for each soul that you lead my way Lord. May I forever continue to love like you love me and share your message. I praise you for my church family.

I praise You for the unique way You made me and for the unexpected ways You use me. I praise You with a happy heart, with uplifted hands, with a voice of singing, and with a shout of joy, for You alone are the God of all my joys!

In Jesus precious name, Amen.

(That is how you praise God in prayer!)

If you want to ask Jesus into your heart, or recommit your life to the Lord Please click here

Pastor Rob Lavallee

Scriptural Seeds Ministries