Habakkuk 3:17-19 ‘Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.’

DAILY READING –• Matthew 2; Exodus 22:1-23:33; Proverbs 10

“I Love to Tell the Story” is a well-known hymn which was written as a poem by an English evangelist, Katherine Hankey.
Hankey wrote this hymn during a serious spell of sickness while on a mission in Africa.
Reading through her hymn one would never suspect the great battles she fought over her health. But despite the numerous challenges she faced, she decided to continually give God worthy praise. She refused to focus on the problems but rather focused on God’s promises of healing and deliverance.
Katherine Hankey was born in 1834, the daughter of a wealthy English banker. Early in life Katherine caught the evangelical passion from her father and she began organizing Sunday School classes for rich and poor throughout London.
When Katherine was only thirty years of age, she experienced a serious illness. During the long period of recovery from the sickness she wrote a lengthy poem on the life of Christ.
Later that same year, while still recovering from her sickbed, she completed the second part of her poem on the life of Christ. From these verses came the text for “I Love to Tell the Story,”
Being musically inclined, Kathrin also composed her own tunes for these two texts. Her hymns became a blessing to many people.
She sought to glorify God and bring joy to others in any way she could. She ensured that all of the royalties received from these hymns were directed to a foreign mission projects to preach the Gospel and help the poor.

It is interesting that Katherine Hankey wrote a song of such beauty and blessing at a time of suffering.
Katherine Hankey, had every reason to have focused on her health challenges and remained depressed. However, she chose to give God praise instead, and today the world is blessed with a beautiful hymn as a result.
Often times, we may have a good reason to feel down and discouraged, but we have to make a decision not to follow our feelings. Depression will only give room to the oppression of the enemy.
The ‘sacrifice of praise’ is praising God even when our circumstances dictate the contrary.

Hebrews 13:15 says ‘By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name’

We don’t just praise God when it feels good, looks good, or benefits us in some way. We offer praise, “continually.”
As I Thessalonians 5:18 says “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”

The truth is that in life’s journey sometimes you may have to pass through some valleys before you can get to your mountaintop. A valley is defined as a depression. When you come to those places of depression in your journey, despite the circumstances you have to continue giving God praise because praise is what activates God’s favor and causes things to turn around for you. And though you may sometimes walk through the valley of the shadow of death, never forget that ahead, God has prepared a table for you, and your cup is about to run over. But you have to stay in praise in other to see the harvest God has promised you.
Don’t give in to negative emotions and allow them to keep you from God’s blessings and promotion. Fix your eyes on Jesus and not on the negativity. Choose to live each day in God’s peace, by spending time in His Word until joy is imparted into your heart. Then maintain an atmosphere of joy around you by continually giving God thanks. As you do so, you will see amazing signs and wonders begin to take place in your life because God is fearful in praises.

PRAYER; Lord, I thank You for indeed You are the God of wonders. Please help me to maintain a praise-full lifestyle, no matter what comes my way. I know that indeed You are too faithful to ever fail me in Jesus Name,

QUOTE;
The tests you are going through in life today is not for your destruction, it is for your testimony. – WORDBITE 222