With the nations deeply concerned and worried about the threats posed by terrorism to world’s peace and stability, we examine in the light of the revealed word of God how best the church should respond.
In 2 Chronicles 20: 1-29, Jehoshaphat and his people turned to God for help to overcome their enemies. They did not yield to fear and discouragement on account of the vast, approaching enemies but kept faith in the trustworthiness of God the deliverer. They did this by praising God and experienced total victory. Habakkuk kept faith and remained joyful in the Lord in spite of the severe challenges of his time (Habakkuk 3: 1-18).
Trying times challenge our faith but God requires us to keep faith. Unpleasant things we see, hear or experience can question faith and make thanksgiving unappealing but God requires us to maintain hearts of gratitude and cheerful countenance. We must not stop praising God even if life’s events want to make this to make no sense. The reality is that God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3). God’s praise speaks of His glory which He does not share with anyone (Psalm 50:23, Isaiah 42:8). Hence, He must act to protect and deliver His people who embody or are custodian of His eternal, exclusive praise (Isaiah 43: 7, 21)). God Himself is a man of war and He will fight for His people who delight in the praise of His glory (Exodus 15: 1-5).
A grateful, cheerful heart is what the Lord wants. A heart that trusts and acts with confidence on God’s word is what He wants. He does not a cheerless heart. “Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God” (Psalm 43:5).
We do a lot of prayer and supplication but less with thanksgiving (Phil. 4: 4-6, 1 Thess. 5:18). On our part at ANPN we are observing a 45 day thanksgiving starting November 23, 2015 to January 6, 2016. We invite you to join us and request that that you spend at least 30 minutes a day to praise God. We have created 45 days thanksgiving guide on our website under resources http://anpn.org/resources/.
Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and best wishes for the New Year. God bless PrayNetwork and God bless the United States of America. Our God reigns and Jesus is Lord.
Dr. Martins Akintunde,
Pastor ANPN.
Comments
Praise God! Wonderful words.
Thank you