Savage About Sobriety July 14, 2023

From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised. - Psalm 113:3 (NIV).

We all go through sad times, hard times, and difficult seasons: losing loved ones; buried financially by debt; or being away from our family and friends. How do you react when you go through tough times like these? Do you call someone just to talk? Do you throw in the towel because you can't take anymore? or, Do you praise God in the middle of the storm for the blessing that's waiting for you at the other end?

As God's children, we have a unique life line to use during hard times that people who aren't believers don't have. The ability to bring God into any situation, no matter how good OR bad the situation may be, by praising His name and thanking Him for the opportunities to show others how God has made an impact in our lives. Praise God from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets.

Psalm 22:3 says - "But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel." (KJV). The definition of inhabit is to live or reside in and/or fill up. Most of us have praised God in church, but do you praise Him in your house? In your car? In your place of work? We should praise Him everywhere we spend time. By praising God we invite Him into our everyday lives and into any situation God's presence is needed. It doesn't matter where you are, praise God from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets.

Praising God also removes any fear or anxiety we may be feeling. Psalm 118:6 tells us, "The Lord is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?" (NLT). How many times have you felt anxiety rising up inside you because of something you are facing or from health problems you are worried about? Give God thanks for delivering you from the situation you are in and watch what happens. Read the verse again. Start praising God and speak the words of this verse out loud. There's power in the tongue, so speak praises to God and watch how He starts moving in your life. Praise God from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets.

Finally, praising God can motivate you from a dead place spiritually. When you praise God for blessings you have received, you focus on the positive and not the negative. Praise causes God to stir inside you. Praise moves your heart from a place of hardness to a softer, more willing heart to receive change and instruction from God. Praise invites the light and chases darkness away. Praise turns a bad day into a great day. Praise helps you connect with God in ways you never have before. Praise God from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets.

My grandpa on my dad's side, Travis Hester Young, was a Baptist preacher in Rombauer, MO. He passed away when I was only 3 years old, so I never got to hear him preach. My grandma, Geneva Young, once told me that he had a saying he would tell the congregation in every service. He would say, "Praise God and give Him your day before you get out of bed, or the devil will have you before your feet hit the floor." That's good preaching, Preacher! Praise God from the rising of the sun to the place where it sets.