Jonah 2:9 ‘But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the Lord.’

DAILY READING • Matthew 26:1-25; Numbers 35-36; Job 3

In 2015, Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were executed for attempting to smuggle more than eight kilograms of heroin to Australia.
They were the ringleaders of the so-called ‘Bali Nine group’ who were arrested at Denpasar airport in April 2005 and sentenced in 2006 to death by firing squad.
Despite intense lobbying by the men’s families and the Australian Government, the pair were refused clemency by the Indonesian president. This was due to his hardline stance on the death penalty for convicted drug criminals.
While Australians poured out their grief and anger over the execution on social media, those close to Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran quietly rested on the belief that both were now in a better place.
This is because the two men came to know God while in prison They served Christ in their last days on the earth. Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran worked towards the rehabilitation of other prisoners and inspired other inmates to get involved in meaningful pursuits rather than waste their lives.
On the morning of their execution in 2015, the men sang praise songs to God as they walked, blindfolded, to face the firing squad. They praised until their last breath.
Though their physical body was about to die they were comforted by the thought of knowing their souls’ eternal destination.

Jesus gave thanks the night that he was living in the shadow of the cross. He was about to be crucified by the Romans, which is the most brutal form of death, yet He gave thanks.
The same night, Judas betrayed him and Peter denied him three times, Jesus gave thanks. (1 Corinthians 11:24-25)
Because of the joy that was set before Him, Jesus endured the cross and despised the shame. He chose to look forward despite the difficult circumstance of the cross that surrounded Him..
And because He endured with joy, He was able to triumph at last.
Giving God praise in the midst of contrary circumstances is what sacrifice of praise is about. A Sacrifice of praise will always get God’s attention, because it is praise that costs you something. David said ‘I will not offer unto God that which has cost me nothing.’ When we offer unto God that which costs us something, He releases unusual blessings to us. When Abraham offered his only son Isaac, God swore a blessing over him.
In this season we can turn the tides of blessing in our favor by offering a sacrifice of praise to God.
We don’t just praise God when it feels good, looks good, or benefits us in some way, we offer praise, “continually.”

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’

Even at those times, it may seem we have a good reason to feel down and discouraged, we must discipline ourselves to always give God thanks in everything.

I Thessalonians 5:18 says “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus’

Depression will only give room to the oppression of the enemy. But thanksgiving leads to our lifting.
When you continue to offer the sacrifice of praise, in the midst of difficulties, somehow, in ways you cannot fathom, things will begin to turn around.
You will see that negative medical verdict overturned, the financial problems will be resolved, the family crisis, marital troubles etc will all be overcome. Indeed there’s nothing God cannot handle in our lives, as long as we stay strong in faith and keep giving glory to Him.

PRAYER: Father please enable me to always praise You at all times and in every situation. Please destroy every form of depression and discouragement in my life. Certainly, You are at work, even now, to turn every negative situation around for my good in Jesus Name.

QUOTE ;
When you make God your priority, God automatically makes you priority in His own plan. – WORDBITE 222.