Vessels of Praise
by Dr. Michael Youssef

Our lives are vessels of praise to the Lord. When we make a commitment to obey God, we honor and praise Him with our obedience. Our prayers are offerings of praise to God, and express our devotion. When we show kindness to one another, we are living lives of praise and reflecting His love to others.

Satan hates praise, and he will do anything to stop us from glorifying God. He knows that God indwells the praises of His people. He also understands the power of praise. When our eyes are set on Christ through praise, we will gain a mighty victory as we submit our lives and our hearts to Jesus Christ.

Praise changes the atmosphere of our trials. Those who know the secret of praise understand that feelings of depression, fear, doubt, and worry vanish in the wake of prayer and praise. Feelings of bitterness, resentfulness, and fear flee when we praise the Lord for who He is and for what He has done.

Our praise to God acknowledges His authority over our lives. This is because in times of praise, we submit ourselves to Him for His glory and purpose. Our humility and courage to trust God demonstrate our dependency on Him alone. Even a few words of praise from the overflow of a humbled heart can be a sweet aroma to the Lord.

Express your love and devotion to the Savior - and your gratitude for His faithfulness - by praising God every day.

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Excerpted from My Journal, a monthly devotional magazine from Leading The Way with Dr. Michael Youssef.

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Sunday, June 15, 2008