Praise in trials

A WORD FROM THE PASTOR:

ONE DEFINITION OF PRAISE IS TO EXALT OR EXTOL. TO EXTOL MEANS "TO PRAISE LAVISHLY" (WEBSTER). DO YOU THINK THAT IS WHAT WE DO, LAVISHLY HEAP PRAISE ON OUR LORD GOD?

IN APOSTLE PETER'S LETTER TO THE PILGRIMS OF THE DISPERSION, HE INDICATED THAT, IN ESSENCE, GENUINE FAITH RESULTS IN PRAISE, EVEN THOUGH A BELIEVER HAS TO GO THROUGH SEVERE TESTS AND TRIALS. THE CHRISTIANS PETER WROTE TO WERE FAITHFULLY FOLLOWING CHRIST IN A PAGAN AND HOSTILE SOCIETY, MUCH LIKE TODAY'S SUDAN, PARTS OF INDIA, AND SAUDIA ARABIA, TO NAME A FEW. THEY SUFFERED POLICE HARASSMENT, RIOTS AND SLANDER AND WERE THE LOWEST OF THE LOW IN THE SOCIAL ORDER. PRAISE? WHO COULD GIVE PRAISE IN SUCH AN ENVIRONMENT? NOTICE WHAT PETER SAID ABOUT THEIR COMMITMENT TO JESUS. "THOUGH NOW YOU DO NOT SEE HIM, YET BELIEVING, YOU REJOICE WITH JOY INEXPRESSIBLE AND FULL OF GLORY" (I PETER 1:86)

SIDE BY SIDE, MOST (ALL?) OF OUR TRIALS WOULD SEEM AS NOTHING COMPARED TO WHAT THESE DEAR SAINTS EXPERIENCED. YET THEIR FAITH RESULTED IN PRAISE, HONOR AND GLORY AT THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST. THE "TRUE GRACE OF GOD" (5:12) HAD BEEN EXTENDED TO THEM, BUT IT HAS BEEN GIVEN TO US ALSO. DOES ANYONE FEEL LIKE GIVING PRAISE TO THE LORD?

~PASTOR MELVIN C. LAWSON SR.

"PRAISE IN TRIALS" JUNE 3RD PODCAST