Monday, August 22, 2011

prison to praise by merlin carothers

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NASB
"Rejoice. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks: for THIS is the will of GOD in Christ Jesus concerning YOU!"

I am so inspired with this book authored by Merlin Carothers. I'm so amazed and touched by his encounter with the Lord that left me wishing, how i wish the i could hear the Lord when He spoke to me.

This book left me in awe that God really answers our prayers. It made believe even more the power of praise. To thank the Lord even in times of distress and misery. Thanking Him in everything for THIS is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning ME!. And so i thank GOD for I
am bored in my work, I thank GOD for my mother was devastated because my neighbors persecuted her. I thank GOD for until now I've been waiting for my partner in Life. I thank God for I'm so lazy to work. I thank God for i have tight finances. I thank God for I have to settle my balance in Living Water Item. I thank God for I'm so tired sometimes in my service in the community and sometimes discouraged. I thank GOD for until now Ryan is still in hiding from the sin he commited. I thank God for until now there is no light in their rape case. I thank God for Emmanuel is married and I love him and I desire to be start a family with him. I thank God because envy pening for she finally have the answers to her prayers. I thank God because I was not hired by the company I applied in singapore. I thank God even  more for the trials because I know that when I am weak, He will be my strength. And besides my trials is nothing with what Jesus Christ has been through. I firmly believe that God could work all things to good if only we trust Him and praise Him.

In his letter to the Philippians Paul says Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with Thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Jesus didn't promise to change the circumstances around us but He did promise great peace and pure joy to those who would learn to believe that God actually controls all things. The very act of praise releases the power of God into a set of circumstances and enables God to change them if this is His design. No matter how difficult it may seem to trust God to work in every detail of your life, keep clinging to the ladder of praise and move upwards.

From now on, I want to praise God and thank Him all the time for I do believe His Holy Spirit will fill my beings more and more.