Back to Praise and Thanks

Not cuticle off the Russian nightmare know the devil's nightmare here from it's time to man up challenging men step into their true manhood. Your chosen Truth Network podcast is starting in just a few seconds. Enjoy it, share it, but most of all, thank you for listening to the truth. Podcast network. This is the Truth Network encouraging prayer, God offers an open invitation for his people to talk with him at any time about anything on encouraging prayer Dr. James Banks, author of the best-selling and many other books on prayer provides weekly physical insight help you learn to love and now so today on encouraging prayer is not a topic so basic to the Christian life. But it's one of those it's often overlooked for really honest about it. We know we need to do it but we often don't just because well we don't feel like the problem with not feeling like it is that because it's self-perpetuating James that you taken from the you are right it is self-perpetuating. If we don't make the effort to snap ourselves out of it started to feel like I often would kid in church where you were talking to that preacher. He sees talking to me. How do we know so much about my personal life. It's actually the conviction of the Holy Spirit. But what were talking about is racing and came God. How many times I go throughout the day thinking if I need to praise God and I don't take the next step and there's a reason for that.

If it were really good to be honest and that is it takes effort and we only feel like praising God and things are going well and we know it sometimes difficult to do and are not, but what about the in between moments mundane times that we go through every single day. My friend Daniel Henderson said the problems Christian life is so daily because this is where so much is really put on the line as far as her personal discipleship with Jesus is concerned am I walking with you in those moments are not as the challenges that and if you think about it. Talk about praise.

We often talk about the Psalms because are so many references to praise and thanks like Psalms 103) less the Lord, O my soul and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul and forget not all his benefits has David writing but David didn't have all that we have in Jesus.

And if David wants to praise God with all that's within him, and not forget all the good things God does for us about those who have received salvation through his cross and all the hope and the promises that we have right of grace, that we have received everything at the sacrifices David had. You are so right. That's why there's so much of the New Testament is like looking for you and rejoice in the Lord all week. I will set the course. This is where we come back to the challenge and that's what Paul was talking about what he said I will say it. How can I do that and I think the best place to start practically asked for God to help you do it. Let's start right there.

Be honest with Jesus about not feeling it. Sometimes in and ask him to change that. This is where I really like Hebrews 1315 by success through Jesus most continually after got a sacrifice of praise, the fruit of lips that openly professes me so sacrifice requires effort and it's an action that cost us something and it helps so much to understand that praising and thanking God really often starts that way because naturally so self focused, is where we have to discipline ourselves to praise God more discipline. I mean, did you have to use the D word and it better chance of tricks or tips for some that we can do an end run on our emotions and help us get the hard part right because so often we hear preachers talk about it like they're angry you know you need to do this. Praise God more pretty serious business, you know. And yes, it absolutely is, but that really is a great approach. I think it's healthier to look at ourselves and say you got a problem with this excuse not to let that stop me to do this.

More work on this in my heart and my life because Jesus is so worth it. I know when to what we do in trying to praise him in our own strength and that never works out so again coming back to the humble place of singlet I need your help to do this really is the best place to start 1/2.

So Jesus is the way so it's and then run after all know that it's just a run to Jesus.

What were dog writers just honest prayer and being humble about our messing up with this and do we have to make an effort. Yes, yes, but the beautiful thing is that as we do. He will meet us in that place and help us with this it encourages the tests should think about the Scripture talks about this principle in so many places you will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. God tells the people through Jeremiah or Jesus words seek and you will find in Matthew seven right and that person is in the context of praying will be given you seek II think that there really is so much that we can do with this and we have defined our own way to do it. You know that are personal to us, but again we just have to recognize it so often starts with effort on our part and God will meet us there so.

So let's go there for bit Robbie. What is it that you do that help you praise God well for me. I really started to memorize the soft and I really praise God for an old guy like me they can remember stuff that I just blows my mind how the Holy Spirit works really well in Scripture about it and why I have walked in the kitchen.

You know you you're so much more spiritual like I go for a walk in this morning. I work walking by the river into Rome and beautiful cool morning and you know the sun reflecting off the water and I just realized you know God what you make is beautiful. I need to praise you for it and you know another Monday moments. What I do is I love to put on an act as Christian music playing. You know whether it's Pandora spot of fire whatever and just let that kind of lift me and help me in this matter matter so much for us because these been difficult days for so many people and sometimes perhaps we may be more difficult than they need to be by taking our eyes off our one source of hope and putting them on our circumstances and letting the spirit of fear and what we need to do is let in more of the spirit and we can do that by praising him, thanking him for all the blessings we have. Again, remember that as we make that effort he really will meet us and we really will feel like praising him all the more so probably just finish things off today by praying that that we can all just sent off to Jesus. Thank you. We do pricier and worse, grateful for the message that James shared today that it's it's a sacrifice, because it requires effort. Lord help us to make the effort.

We need you in order to do this and is so important because you are so amazing and I thank you that we've had this today. In Jesus name I pray, hear more from Pastor James by visiting the website. James bank.org or by visiting these church in Durham, North Carolina. May God bless you and encourage you to pray. This is the Truth Network