“Are You Bonded?”

Romans 1:1, “From Paul, a bond servant of Jesus Christ (the Messiah) called to be an apostle, (a special messenger) set apart to [preach] the Gospel (good news) of and from God” (AMP)

When Paul called himself a “bond servant” of Christ he was referring to an Old Testament law under which you served your master faithfully for six years. However, in the seventh year the law said that you had to be set free. But if you turned back when you were released and said, “Master, I’m not serving you because I have to, but because I want to,” then your master took you before a judge and pierced your ear, signifying that you belonged to him forever; that you were committed to listening to him and obeying him. (Exodus 21:2-6, “When you buy a Hebrew slave, he will serve six years. The seventh year he goes free, for nothing. If he came in single he leaves single. If he came in married he leaves with his wife. If the master gives him a wife and she gave him sons and daughters, the wife and children stay with the master and he leaves by himself. But suppose the slave should say, ‘I love my master and my wife and children—I don’t want my freedom,’ then his master is to bring him before God and to a door or doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl, a sign that he is a slave for life.” MSG)

Can you imagine a slave not wanting to leave their master? But believe it or not, that was the case. There were some, however not many, slaves that actually refused to leave their master.

Now can you imagine if we (the church) had that kind of mindset? One that said “No matter what, I’m not leaving my master. I know I can legally go free, however, I Deliberately Choose To Remain Bonded to My Master For Life?” That’s what you call Beyond Loyalty!

Well, in case you didn’t know, if you are a believer, you are a bond servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is your Master! However, He treats us very different than any earthly master ever could. And yet, we still don’t submit to Him at this level. Still we’re not this loyal or this committed. That alone is a crime!

But if you want to change today, then I admonish you to pray this simple yet powerful prayer: “Lord I’m not serving You because I have to, but because I want to. Pierce me and mark me as Yours, bond me together with You so that I can never belong to another.”

That actually reminds you a lot of Ruth’s words: “But Ruth said, “Don’t force me to leave you; don’t make me go home. Where you go, I go; and where you live, I’ll live. Your people are my people, your God is my god; where you die, I’ll die, and that’s where I’ll be buried, so help me God—not even death itself is going to come between us!” (Ruth 1:16-17 MSG). If only the Lord could get this kind of relationship with us!

Listen to a Simple Yet Profound Lesson I Learned the Hard Way: When ministry loses its passion it becomes an empty profession.

The very word “Minister” is a Verb, not just a Noun. It’s what you DO, not what you Claim to BE.

As the Lord’s Ministers (and no I am not referring to a robe and clergy collar, God has far more of those than I’m sure He ever called for, equipped or even wants), however, I’m referring to what we DO…Minister to the Needs of Others. We need to learn how to Function with such a passion for Him that it spills over onto all we do for Him. Truth is, anyone can wear the title of Minister (noun), but it’s only a select few who are actually carrying out the (verb) and Functioning as such!

And in order for you to Function as such there has to be a basic foundation that you are the Lord’s Servant, not because you have to be, but because you Want to be. And that Commitment, that Loyalty, that Love Compels you to Function as a Minister in this world of misery Effectively! It gives you that extra push that when people give you a hard way to go, you go the extra mile anyway because of your Loyalty, Commitment and Love to and for HIM! When HE becomes your Pursuit and Purpose nothing else really matters, not even the Personality of others! But the Responsibility of Attaining such a Relationship is on YOUR PART!

The Scripture says, the Servant would make the DECISION to Stay! And then the Servant would have to endure Unnecessary Pain: “…pierce his ear with an awl, a sign that he is a slave for life.”  

Mind you, we have a lot of wonderful vices to dull the pain when we get piercings today, however, that was not the case then! Piercing Was Painful! And yet, the bond servant would Willingly Endure it because staying with his master and having Evidence that he was his masters, and no one elses’ was just that important!

Do you feel that way about the Master you serve? Is your Loyalty, Commitment and Love that Deep? Would you Endure Whatever Necessary to be Called His and to have Evidence that everyone would be able to See that you really are His…Alone? No one else could claim you, because you endured the pain to prove you already have a Master of your own, and you have no intentions on going anywhere else…even though you have the opportunity and free-will! Is your Relationship as a Servant that Knitted Together with your Master? Are You That Bonded?!

One of the definitions for the word ‘Bond’ is, ‘a thing used to tie or fasten things together.’ And do you know what tied and fastened the bond servant to his master? It was his willing servanthood; his commitment; loyalty; faithfulness; honor; trust; respect; and sometimes even love and friendship. So, can you honestly say you’re bonded like that to the Lord Jesus Christ? Another definition calls it, ‘a binding agreement.’ The word ‘binding’ is defined as, ‘a strong covering holding something together; an agreed upon contractual obligation.’ And an ‘agreement’ is defined as, ‘a negotiated legal binding arrangement representing the consistency and conformity between two things.’ You see, being bonded is no joking or playful matter to be taken haphazardly, this is serious business when you’re talking about a serious relationship. It’s a servant taking on a leadership role to willfully follow through with a lifetime of submission! Therefore, I ask again, are you a bond servant of the Lord?

Before you answer “yes” too quickly let’s check out this word “Servant”. The word “Servant” also referred to a third-level galley slave chained to an oar on a Roman ship. Day and night you rowed to the drumbeat of the ship’s master, whether you were in battle or in merchant service. And you expected to die chained to that oar! What a picture!

So, do you love your Master like that? Are you willing to serve as a third-level galley slave in the bottom of the boat, in the dark, unseen, unnoticed, and yet working hard to obey every command of the Master? Are you willing to die for the Gospel or is it just a cute cliché you repeat because that makes your relationship with Him sound deeper than the shallow surface that it really is?!

The Bible Says: “When people realize it is the living God you are presenting and not some idol that makes them feel good, they are going to turn on you, even people in your own family. There is a great irony here: proclaiming so much love, experiencing so much hate! But don’t quit. Don’t cave in. It is all well worth it in the end. It is not success you are after in such times but survival. Be survivors! Before you’ve run out of options, the Son of Man will have arrived.” (Matthew 10:21-23 MSG) Are you willing to endure pain for the Gospel’s sake? To be such a Servant as to have even loved ones’ turn on you, and yet you Remain Loyal to Your Master, With Your Hands Still Firmly Gripping the Oars?!

The Bible Says: “They are going to throw you to the wolves and kill you, everyone hating you because you carry my name. And then, going from bad to worse, it will be dog-eat-dog, everyone at each other’s throat, everyone hating each other.” (Matthew 24:9 MSG) Are You Willing to Endure This Level of Attack…Servant?!

The Bible Says: “I’ve told you these things to prepare you for rough times ahead. They are going to throw you out of the meeting places. There will even come a time when anyone who kills you will think he’s doing God a favor. They will do these things because they never really understood the Father. I’ve told you these things so that when the time comes and they start in on you, you’ll be well-warned and ready for them.” (John 16:1-4 MSG) Are You Willing To Stay Bonded To Your Master, Even If This Is The Consequences of Your Service?

The Bible Says: “Fear nothing in the things you’re about to suffer—but stay on guard! Fear nothing! The Devil is about to throw you in jail for a time of testing—ten days. It won’t last forever. “Don’t quit, even if it costs you your life. Stay there believing. I have a Life-Crown sized and ready for you.” (Revelation 2:10 MSG) So…Can You Minister, Even At This Level? A level in which it could cost you your life?!

The Bible Says: “Then Jesus went to work on his disciples. “Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. You’re not in the driver’s seat; I am. Don’t run from suffering; embrace it. Follow me and I’ll show you how. Self-help is no help at all. Self-sacrifice is the way, my way, to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for?” (Matthew 16:24-26 MSG) Can You Still Serve Him When You Don’t Even Understand Him? Can You Serve Him When He’s In the Driver’s Seat and You Have No Idea Where He’s Going? Will You Still Remain Bonded When You Don’t Understand the Job Loss, the Diagnosis, the Divorce, the Foreclosure? Will You Still Remain Stuck Like Glue? Or will you easily detach like Velcro?

The Bible Says: “When we heard that, we and everyone there that day begged Paul not to be stubborn and persist in going to Jerusalem. But Paul wouldn’t budge: “Why all this hysteria? Why do you insist on making a scene and making it even harder for me? You’re looking at this backward. The issue in Jerusalem is not what they do to me, whether arrest or murder, but what the Master Jesus does through my obedience. Can’t you see that?” (Acts 21:12-13 MSG) Well, Can You Say That? Can You Say Whatever Is the Result of My Obedience to My Master It Is Still Well With My Soul?

The Bible Says: “When he ripped off the fifth seal, I saw the souls of those killed because they had held firm in their witness to the Word of God. They were gathered under the Altar, and cried out in loud prayers, “How long, Strong God, Holy and True? How long before you step in and avenge our murders?” Then each martyr was given a white robe and told to sit back and wait until the full number of martyrs was filled from among their servant companions and friends in the faith.” (Revelation 6:9-11 MSG) Can You Serve Even While Suffering And Yet…Still Remain On Your Post? This Was Paul’s Level of Loyalty, Commitment and Love As a Bond Servant to His Master…Does Your Levels Match Paul’s? If So, Celebrate, if Not, Decide Today To Deepen Your Service to Him!

It’s what Paul had in mind when he wrote: “I appeal to you therefore, brethren, and beg of you in view of [all] the merices of God, to make a decisive dedication of your bodies [presenting all your members and faculties] as a living sacrifice, holy (devoted, consecrated) and well pleasing to God, which is your reasonable (rational, intelligent) service and spiritual worship” (Romans 12:1 AMP)

And in conclusion to the whole matter, when you think of all that the Lord has done for you, is He really asking too much of you?

People of God, today is the day that you make the willing and deliberate decision to be bonded as a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. After all, if you’re not all in, what’s the point? Jesus didn’t just suffer, He died, for you, on your behalf! He gave His life, He gave His all, so what exactly is the message we’re sending to Him, when we give Him parts and portions of ourselves to Him, and call it service?

“And he said to him, Well done, excellent BOND SERVANT! Because you have been faithful and trustworthy in a very little [thing], you shall have authority over ten cities” (Luke 19:17 AMP)

“For he who as a slave was summoned in [to union with] the Lord is a freedman of the Lord, just so he who was free when he was called is a BOND SERVANT of Christ (the Messiah)” (1 Corinthians 7:22 AMP)

“For although I am free in every way from anyone’s control, I have made myself a BOND SERVANT to everyone, so that I might gain the more [for Christ]” (1 Corinthians 9:19 AMP)

“Now am I trying to win the favor of men, or of God? Do I seek to please men? If I were still seeking popularity with men, I should not be a BOND SERVANT of Christ (the Messiah)” (Galatians 1:10 AMP)

“Paul, a BOND SERVANT of God and an apostle (a special messenger) of Jesus Christ (the Messiah) to stimulate and promote the faith of God’s chosen ones and to lead them on to accurate discernment and recognition of and acquaintance with the Truth which belongs to and harmonizes with and tends to godliness” (Titus 1:1 AMP)

Becoming a Bond Servant is not by force, but by a deliberate, and willful choice to remain faithful to your Master, no matter what. And if you should dare to desire such a calling, are you in good company? Yes Sir, Yes Ma’am!

Romans 1:1, “FROM PAUL, A BOND SERVANT OF JESUS CHRIST (THE MESSIAH)…” (AMP)

Philippians 1:1, “PAUL AND TIMOTHY, BOND-SERVANTS OF CHRIST JESUS (THE MESSIAH, THE ANOINTED)…” (AMP)

James 1:1, “JAMES, A BOND-SERVANT OF GOD AND OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST…” (AMP)

Jude 1, “JUDE, A BOND-SERVANT OF JESUS CHRIST, and brother of James, [writes this letter]…” (AMP)

Today, Weigh Your Loyalty, Commitment and Love For Your Master And See If The Scales Tip In Your Favor As They Did For Paul, Timothy, James and Jude!

Then Ask And Answer Yourself Honestly, “Am I Really A Bond-Servant?”

Much Love, Dr. Shermaine #EnjoyTheRead #BeInspired #BeEncouraged #BeEmpowered #BeChallenged
Feel free to also join us at: http://www.selfcarewithdrshermaine.blogspot.com Today’s Lesson: “Men’s Health: What You Need to Know About Testicular Cancer?”

“Unrestricted Praise!”

Hebrews 13:15, “By Him therefore LET US OFFER THE SACRIFICE OF PRAISE TO GOD CONTINUALLY, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name.”

Now, I’m not a huge fan of all animals, but anyone who knows me knows I love dogs. However, I ran into an old high school friend and we had a chance to reminisce about the ‘good ole days’. And one of her favorite memories was when her parents bought her a canary. Well, me and Monica hung out a lot, particularly at her house since she had no little siblings to harass her, and I had 2! And since I always had my dog with me, I would often walk to her house with my dog Smokey.

BUT, Monica neglected to tell me she received a canary from her parents as a gift. So when me and Smokey walked into the house, we were all in for a bit of a surprise!

We entered the house, and Immediately, the first thing we heard was singing! Somewhat of a whistling I guess, but it sounded pretty melodic. Then she made the introductions and me and Smokey officially met Goldie, her new bright yellow canary friend. Now, this little yellow cheerleader was great for when you were in a bad mood, because she never was! Monica said, as soon as you uncover her cage in the morning, she starts warbling (which is defined as, ‘to sing softly and with a succession of constantly changing notes’) her repertoire of happy tunes.

If it was a sunny day, you had happy singing from her all day long. If it was a miserable day. Guess what? You had happy singing all day long! Goldie didn’t care whether it was rain, sleet, snow, ice, blizzard, storm, hail, winds, hurricane or tornado, she was going to sing! It didn’t matter if it was morning, noon, night, or midnight, she was going to sing. Neither the type of weather, nor the time of day, was her preference. She had no preference, but she always had a song. It didn’t matter whether she was bound in her cage, or flying around the house freely, neither circumstance mattered to her, she was going to sing. It didn’t matter if she was in the room alone, or if it was family and friends, or even foes (which Smokey was, because he did not like Goldie one bit)! However, I reiterate, Goldie didn’t care, she had a song, and she was going to sing. It didn’t even matter how the people around her felt; happy, stressed, sad, noisy, quiet, depressed, angry, frustrated, lonely, or down. It just didn’t matter. No matter what, she was always singing! Whether there was money in the house or not, she sung. Goldie had no concerns about food in the fridge or not, she sung. Clothes or not, she sung. Bills paid or not, she sung. There was absolutely nothing that hindered Goldie from singing!

It may sound just a tad bit on the crazy side, but the thought of Goldie and her Relentless Singing, made me wonder if as Christians, we would be able to out Sing…or out Praise… Goldie?!

Sounds comical, but truth be told, we’ve got a lot to learn from Goldie the Persistently Singing Canary!

You know, I love that word “persistent”, because it’s defined as “continuing or recurring; to prolong; remaining attached instead of falling off in the normal manner; to persist, especially in spite of opposition, obstacles, discouragement; persevering; lasting; enduring tenaciously; constantly repeated.” Which reminds me of the Scripture found in Luke 18:1-8: “Now Jesus was telling the disciples a parable to make the point that AT ALL TIMES they ought to pray and NOT GIVE UP and lose heart,  saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and had no respect for man.  There was a [desperate] widow in that city and SHE KEPT COMING TO HIM and saying, ‘Give me justice and legal protection from my adversary.’  For a time he would not; but later he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow CONTINUES to bother me, I will give her justice and legal protection; otherwise BY CONTINUALLY COMING she [will be an intolerable annoyance and she] will wear me out.’”  Then the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says!  And will not [our just] God defend and avenge His elect [His chosen ones] WHO CRY OUT TO HIM DAY AND NIGHT? Will He delay [in providing justice] on their behalf?  I tell you that He will defend and avenge them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find [THIS KIND OF PERSISTENT] faith on the earth?” (MSG).

Persistent Praise, Persistent Prayer, Persistent Faith…Sounds as if This Whole PERSISTENT Thing Really Means Something to God…I Wonder if it Means as Much to Us?

Honestly, can you imagine having an Unbeliever be favorable towards a Believer just because of their Persistence? The judge in the parable had no fear of God or faith in God, but he could not take this woman PERSISTING that he do something on her behalf, and yes indeed he did! I wonder if her nickname is “Goldie”? Because she sure sounds a lot like her! Despite the ‘NO, despite the discouragement, despite the obstacle, despite the opposition, the widow PERSISTED, a lot like Goldie, not allowing situations and circumstances to stop her! Are you that focused? Are you that forceful? Is your follow-through that consistent?

Let’s revisit our text: Hebrews chapter 13, verse 15, it says, “Through Jesus, let us CONTINUALLY offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name.” Let’s take a peek at this verse in a few translations:

“Through Him, therefore, LET US AT ALL TIMES OFFER up to God a sacrifice of praise…” (AMP);

“Our sacrifice is to KEEP OFFERING praise to God in the name of Jesus.” (CEV);

“So through Jesus WE SHOULD NEVER STOP OFFERING our sacrifice to God. That sacrifice is our praise, coming from lips that speak His name.” (ERV);

“Through Jesus WE SHOULD ALWAYS bring God a sacrifice of praise, that is, words that acknowledge Him.” (GWT);

“LET US GIVE THANKS ALL THE TIME to God through Jesus Christ. Our gift to Him is to give thanks. Our lips should always give thanks to His name.” (NLV)

Did you catch all of that? We are to offer God our Praise of Thanksgiving: “AT ALL TIMES…TO KEEP OFFERING IT…TO NEVER STOP OFFERING IT…TO ALWAYS OFFER IT…TO OFFER IT ALL THE TIME”!

“Through Jesus, let us CONTINUALLY offer to God a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that confess His name.“

Notice how frequently we’re called to be praising God – “CONTINUALLY”! I love that word “continual” because it’s defined as, “constantly or frequently occurring; having no interruptions.” This right here is a good spot to tell somebody, I’m warning you, don’t interrupt my praise! This is the definition of your praise of thanksgiving, it should be constantly, frequently and have no interruptions! Meaning, just like Goldie and the Widow, you need to develop some Persistence that Perseveres, Regardless of Circumstance! Is that easy? Absolutely not! If it were, the Praise and Worship Leaders and Choir wouldn’t look like they’re about to pass out every Sunday trying to push and propel you into praise, you would just… “ENTER into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name.” (Psalm 100:4) Can I tell you what I learned about the word “enter”? Well, it’s defined as, “to come or go into; to begin to be involved in or do; to join; to register; to participate.” But what caught my attention is its Old French Origin “entrer,” from Latin ‘intra’ which literally means “within.” If I was preaching this, this would be the part where I would tell you to “turn to your neighbor and tell them, you don’t get it when you get here, you bring it WITH you!” Praise isn’t something you walk into, it’s something you bring out from WITHIN you! Goldie sang all the time because that’s what was IN her, you should enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise for no other reason than that’s what’s IN you! Like Goldie, you need no coach, no cheerleader, to pom-poms lifted in the air telling you, you can do it, no keyboard, no drums, no organs, no preacher, no praise break, just the praise from WITHIN! When your praise comes from WITHIN, nothing on the OUTSIDE hinders it or helps it, because it’s self-sufficient in and of itself! It doesn’t need prompting, pushing, propelling and it’s not stopped by problems or panic! We are commanded to “ENTER IN…” WITH IT ALREADY! Why? Because it’s what we do, “AT ALL TIMES…WE KEEP OFFERING IT…WE NEVER STOP OFFERING IT…WE ALWAYS OFFER IT…WE OFFER IT ALL THE TIME”! WE CONTINUALLY PRAISE OUR GOD, NO MATTER WHAT!

Now, can I share a little secret with you? Now we know that we are to praise God CONTINUALLY, BUT we are also to praise Him SACRIFICIALLY. Did you notice that a lot of times praising God is a sacrifice? “THROUGH JESUS WE SHOULD ALWAYS BRING GOD A SACRIFICE OF PRAISE…” (GWT) And no offense to anyone in the congregation, but I don’t have time to worry about a “group praise project”! In other words, my sacrifice is personal! I feel like David, “MY [ONLY] SACRIFICE [acceptable] to God is a broken spirit; A broken and contrite heart [broken with sorrow for sin, thoroughly penitent], such, O God, You will not despise.” (Psalm 51:17 AMP) My Sacrifice and My Praise are PERSONAL! See, what He means to you, because of what He’s done for you, will not move me as much as what He means to Me for what He’s done for Me! My praise is a sacrifice, it’s painful because its price was hefty to attain. My praise comes from the depth of my hurt, turmoil, abandonment, betrayal by others, but never by God. And my praise doesn’t need an organ, because it has a memory! And every time I don’t ‘feel’ like praising God, my praise has a memory of its own. It recalls the last time we didn’t think healing and deliverance would come (but it did); it recalls the last time we didn’t think food would go on the table, or the bills would be paid (but it did, and they were); it recalls the last time we didn’t think the marriage would come off life-support (but it did); it recalls the last time the children were in trouble and we thought they’d never get back to God again (but they did); it recalls the last time we were down to our last cent, and didn’t think another nickel would be found (but it was). My praise is sacrificial and personal because it has a memory! It remembers the price paid to attain it. And then it reminds me what I owe God for it! That’s why I don’t need outside assistance to praise God, nor do I need a group effort, nor do I allow circumstances to stop me, I give God what I owe Him, and I owe Him my personal, sacrificial, continual praise!

Romans 12:1, “Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating ALL OF YOURSELF, set apart] as a LIVING SACRIFICE, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship.” (AMP). I don’t have to offer a sacrifice for ‘Us’, I have to offer MY Sacrifice of ALL of ME! My sacrifice of praise is personal and unstoppable! Even when my sacrifice is painful! Truth is that’s what sacrifice means “an act of giving up something one values for the sake of something that is of greater importance.” My personal, sacrificial praise to God is of greater importance than my mood, attitude, feelings, or surroundings. Does your praise mean that much to you?

However, can we be honest? Because truth is, sometimes we really don’t feel like praising. There’s a lot of unpleasant stuff going on. We’ve been praying, and we haven’t gotten any answers that we can recognize. We’re still struggling with habits, addictions, pain, our past, our health, our finances, our families, our jobs (or lack thereof), our churches etc…And truth is, when we’re in the midst of such hardship, lifting holy hands in praise, is not exactly the first thing on our to-do-list. Can we be real about it? But, when times are tough and God seems largely silent, praise is not just the overflow of some gushy spiritual high, “Hey, praise the Lord!” No, it’s a choice! A deliberate, painfully, sacrificial choice. God’s command for our continual praise is not conditioned on our circumstances. He says “continually” and He means, “continually”!

Listen to 1 Thessalonians 5:16, “Be joyful always. Pray CONTINUALLY. Give thanks in ALL CIRCUMSTANCES, for this is God’s Will for you in Christ Jesus.” This sounds like the lifestyle of a certain yellow bird (Goldie). “…ALWAYS…CONTINUALLY…IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES…” No matter what, Goldie was singing. Her script for the day was already written. Everyone was going to hear positive sounds from her, regardless of any outside negativity surrounding her. Can you imagine how much our daily disposition would change for the better if we would give God continual, personal, sacrificial praise and thanksgiving; learning to be joyful (no matter what); to pray continually; and to give thanks in all circumstances?” In doing all of that, I don’t think we’d have any space or time left to worry, fret, or be pessimistic, fearful, doubtful, negative or complaining!

Listen: That’s a CHOICE we are all called to make each new day to determine to give God what we owe Him, regardless to anybody, anything or anyplace. With the mindset of a continual “praiser”, you go into the day aggressively looking for the marks of God on that day, the subtle activity of God, the dramatic activity of God, the little things, the big things, the little surprises, the little encouragements. Because, believe it or not, there’s not a day in your life that doesn’t have the fingerprints of God all over it. But you have to go looking for them. And that’s what “praisers” do. They don’t get stuck in a moment, they move past the moment in the vehicle of praise!

You may be in a sick bed, an unemployment line, a lonely time, a time of loss, or a time of overwhelming stress. But is that what’s going to determine your attitude or your talk? Are you going to let that stop your song or pause your praise? No, it needs to be the Christ in you, not the circumstances around you that push your praise forward, even when all of life is trying to knock you backwards.

In fact, praise is also an awesome weapon when life hits you over the head like a hammer. Psalm 8:1-2, “Lord our Lord, your name is the most wonderful in all the earth! It brings you praise everywhere in heaven. From the mouths of children and babies come songs of praise to you. THEY SING OF YOUR POWER TO SILENCE YOUR ENEMIES WHO WERE SEEKING REVENGE.” (ERV) And yet, you allow the broken washer, car, or plumbing to steal your praise and song! But it’s a weapon that silences the enemies of God! You can’t afford to be mute! Open your mouth, sing your songs of praise, let God feast on the fruit of your lips giving Him praise!

Lastly, continual, personal, sacrificial praise is the best weapon to help you Circumvent the enemy! You see, the word “Circumvent” is defined as, “to find a way around (particularly an obstacle); to avoid; to get around; to get past; to evade; bypass; sidestep; dodge; overcome  a problem or difficulty (typically in a clever or surreptitious way); to outwit; to avoid (defeat, failure, unpleasantness); to avoid being stopped by something. Its’ Latin Origin ‘circumventus’ literally means to ‘come around; escape; elude’. Did you know your praise held so much strategic power? No matter how many traps the enemy sets for you, your praise causes you to circumvent every last one of them! Your praise causes you to escape the entrapment’s of the devil!

So Church, are you going to out-praise Goldie, or is Goldie going to out-praise you? My Suggestion? LET NOTHING AND NO ONE INTERRUPT YOUR PERSONAL, CONTINUAL, SACRIFICIAL, PERSISTENT, UNRESTRICTED PRAISE!

The word ‘unrestricted’ is defined as, ‘not having limits’. And that’s just how your praise to God ought to be, having NO limits! Meaning, you’re free to praise God in the car, in traffic, at the doctor’s office, in line at the bank, grocery shopping, at the book store, walking along the street, in your home, in the church, even in the bathroom shower (where some of us get in our best singing!) Listen, when you realize all that the Lord has done for you to be set free, you refuse to allow anyone or anything to bind you ever again! Jesus Himself sits on the right hand of the Father ever living to make intercession for us, so with Jesus speaking to the Father on our behalf in the Heavenlies, how dare we keep silent about Him in the Earth! Jesus destroyed your every yoke, bondage, and constraint! Now praise Him continually like you know you’re free! Your praise is Unrestricted, it has No Limits! So you don’t ever let anyone Shhh you! Let no one silence you! Let no one tell you it doesn’t take all of that! They have no idea of all that you’ve made it through and made it over, they have no idea of all the Lord did for you, they have no idea the praise you owe God for the debt He paid on your behalf! This day, open your mouth, and give God a persistent, continual, sacrificial, limitless praise!

2 Chronicles 20:22, “As soon as they started shouting and praising, God set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir as they were attacking Judah, and they all ended up dead. The Ammonites and Moabites mistakenly attacked those from Mount Seir and massacred them. Then, further confused, they went at each other, and all ended up killed.” (MSG)

Psalm 34:1” I bless God every chance I get; my lungs expand with His praise.” (MSG)

Acts 16:25-26, “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing praises to God, while the other prisoners listened. Suddenly a strong earthquake shook the jail to its foundations. The doors opened, and the chains fell from all the prisoners.” (CEV)

Psalm 98:4, “Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.” (NKJV)

Psalm 113:3, “Hallelujah! You who serve God, praise God! Just to speak His name is praise! Just to remember God is a blessing—now and tomorrow and always. From east to west, from dawn to dusk, keep lifting all your praises to God!” (MSG)

Psalm 150, “Hallelujah! Praise God in His holy house of worship, praise Him under the open skies; Praise Him for His acts of power, praise Him for His magnificent greatness; Praise with a blast on the trumpet, praise by strumming soft strings; Praise Him with castanets and dance, praise Him with banjo and flute; Praise Him with cymbals and a big bass drum, praise Him with fiddles and mandolin. Let every living, breathing creature praise God! Hallelujah! (MSG)

Much Love, Dr. Shermaine #EnjoyTheRead #BeInspired #BeEncouraged #BeEmpowered #BeChallenged #BeAPraiser
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