Take words with you and return to the LORD. Say to Him, “Take away all iniquity, And receive us graciously, That we may present the fruit of our lips. (Hos. 14:2 NAS)

God has sown the seed of grace on the earth and reaped a harvest of praise in return. When we receive unmerited favor, it triggers a continuous flow of joy and praise to the Lord. Hosea 14:2 says when God receives us graciously, we offer unto Him the fruit of our lips, which is praise. When we think or believe that we deserve what we receive, there is hardly any reason to be joyful or grateful. We will instead be full of a sense of entitlement. This is not the case when God extends His grace to us.

A lifestyle of unending praise is a faithful marker of any man or woman who has understood and received the grace of God. Praise accomplishes at least two major tasks. First and foremost, our praise is a spiritual sacrifice, well-pleasing and acceptable to God. Many believers still do not understand the impact of a song or word of praise offered to God. There is power in your words, and they get into God’s heart. The scripture above urges us to take those words to the Lord, and present them to Him. Secondly, praise unleashes God’s power in our lives. God wants you to enjoy His goodness and spend your days in praise for the unmerited favor you receive.

MEDITATE

Meditation is feeding on the Word. Ponder deeply on the words above. Do you feel like praise flows from you effortlessly, or do you have to “make yourself just do it”?

PRAY

Ask the Spirit to help you fully see God’s goodness in your life. Praise is a response to His works of kindness towards us.

APPLY THE WORD TODAY!

The scripture above  encourages us to “present the fruit” of our lips to God. Offer words of praise from your lips to God continually. Your praise is a function of your perception of His grace in your life. Cultivate a habit of praising God for what He has done for you. Learn to sing, clap, dance or even shout to God. We run the risk of losing the glow of praise in this generation by our increasing sophistication, composure and even ” christian religion”. We sometimes find it OK to shout and even allow ourselves “go wild” as sports fans, but “not OK” to be expressive to God. Do not allow society, any situation or the religion in christianity rob you of praising God. A life of praise is a life surrounded by miracles daily!

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