Can we praise the Lord anyway regardless of what may be happening all around us?  If we have a made up mind and heart, we can praise him regardless of circumstances.  The Prophet Habakkuk is an example of a man who had a determination to serve God in spite of all the adverse conditions around Him.  Are we like this man of God in our walk for the Lord?  Can we rejoice when things are not going as we would like?  Habakkuk had an 'attitude of gratitude' in the midst of the possibility of barren fig trees and vines without fruit.  The blossom of the fig tree and vines producing fruit were signs of blessings and prosperity. Fruitfulness was a blessing of the Lord and even if he did not see these things, He still vowed to praise the Lord.

Habakkuk had the attitude that even though he did not see the outward manifestations of blessings around Him, He would still rejoice and praise the Lord.  This is a lesson for us to learn from his example.  Even though we may have pain in our body,  suffer from opposition by others, have insufficient finances; or any other adverse circumstances; we are to praise the Lord anyway.  We can do this by the power of God and our love for Him and others.

Our joy is to be in the God of our Salvation.  We praise Him just for who He is in our lives.  He is our God, our King, our Lord and Savior who has redeemed us.  We are thankful for his many blessings, but even if we did not see them, we are to praise the Lord anyway.

If we keep our love for God as the first love in our lives, He will make our feet swift like the deer's feet to go forward in His strength.  He will make us to walk upon the high hills and spiritually give us wings as of an eagle to rise above the circumstances of this life.  If we wait upon God, we shall renew our strength.  We have a promise of God giving rest and joy which is our strength.  We shall not faint if we simply wait upon the Lord and praise Him daily.  As Paul the Apostle stated in his testimony, "I can be content in whatsoever situation I may be in" through Christ.

Our 'thankfulness' is pleasing unto God and we are to seek to be God-pleasers by desiring to have the mind of Christ.  He will bless us and answer our prayers in his way and season. 

Blessings in Christ,
Jo Ann
J. P.'s Inspirations (c) 2002
                    

                                  

                     Praise the God of Our Salvation

His blessings abound, so why should we complain?
Though the skies be cloudy or filled with much rain,
The sun always shines again and a rainbow will appear,
Just as our Lord always calms all our fears.

In little or in much, we are covered with his grace,
A garment of beauty as we behold his face,
His promises are like gifts to us which by faith we can claim,
A prize set before us by a God who will never change.

If flowers did not bloom and birds did not sing,
We would still have a blessed hope, through the power of his name,
The stars in the sky and the beauty of the heavens,
Display the Father's handiwork and his magnificent Creation.

We will joy in our Lord, Praise the God of our Salvation,
As He invites all to the Father, every tribe every Nation,
The plan of the Father revealed at Calvary,
Brings life to "whosoever will" and sets a soul free.

Praise the God of our Salvation

J. P.'s Inspirations (c) 2002

                                


                               Life's Journey  

Life is a journey through many terrains,
from gardens of pleasure to deserts of pain.
From an ocean of love to a jungle of hate,
from mountains of glory to canyons of fate.

There's a highway for joy and a highway for sorrow,
a road for today and a road for tomorrow,
so choose your path wisely and walk it with care.
If you follow your heart, you'll find your way there.

I've been to the garden and planted seeds there,
I've been to the desert and felt the despair.
I've swam in the ocean and drank of it's wine,
{and I've soared the skies through clouds device.}

I climbed up the mountain to touch the sky,
I went to the canyon and started to cry.
I've traveled both highways: both today and tomorrow;
I've basked in the joy and wallowed in sorrow.

My Path has been chosen and I've walked it with care;
I followed my heart and I'm on my way there.
So I'll just keep walking till I find what I'm after,
to mountains and oceans and gardens of laughter.
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