"That servant was still speaking, when a fourth one dashed up and said, “Your children were having a feast and drinking wine at the home of your oldest son, when suddenly a windstorm from the desert blew the house down, crushing all of your children. I am the only one who escaped to tell you.” When Job heard this, he tore his clothes and shaved his head because of his great sorrow. He knelt on the ground, then worshiped God and said: “We bring nothing at birth; we take nothing with us at death. The Lord alone gives and takes. Praise the name of the Lord!” In spite of everything, Job did not sin or accuse God of doing wrong"- Job 1:18-22 (CEV)
Few days ago, I met a man who had lost huge possessions and things have been pretty hard for him recently. The man is practically living in the desert of loneliness as all his trusted friends and close associates had deserted him in his season of pain. He's now a shadow of himself, looking so frail, depressed and helpless. His entire life had been submerged completely in the ocean of loses. After he narrated this ordeal, the Lord prompted me to ask him these questions: "Sir, I hope you have not also lost your joy of salvation? Hope you have not hung your harps upon the willow tree?". His response was "No, I have not".
Nobody actually likes to lose anything in life because loses really hurts. Yes, it does. However, there are many examples of people who had lost several things in life but they eventually recovered it all. Some of these people had lost their possessions, health, jobs, marriage, children, businesses, etc. For example, in Job 1:18-22, when Job lost everything he had, instead of committing suicide, he organised a befitting Banquet of Praise service for God. Does that not sound very crazy or odd? What about Paul and Silas? In Acts 16: 22-26, when these two disciples of Jesus Christ lost their freedom, instead of weeping and blaming God, they decided to organise a Praise Party to celebrate the Almighty God even inside the prison.
Like the man mentioned above, Job, Paul and Silas had lost many things but they never lost their faith in the God of All flesh. They did not lose their peace and joy of salvation in the midst of the ocean of loses. Paul and Silas were beaten, yet they couldn't resist the urge to continue to praise their Saviour even in the prison. They knew that the faithful God is still in control even when it appeared that they had reached the very bottom of the ocean of losses. They knew that the worst thing anyone can lose in life is to lose his/her fellowship with God. No wonder they eventually walked out of the ocean of loses with mighty testimonies. Yes, they recovered everything they had lost.
"The judges went along with the mob, had Paul and Silas’s clothes ripped off and ordered a public beating. After beating them black and blue, they threw them into jail, telling the jailkeeper to put them under heavy guard so there would be no chance of escape. He did just that. He threw them into the maximum security cell in the jail and clamped leg irons on them. Then, about midnight, Paul and Silas were at prayer and singing a robust hymn to God. The other prisoners couldn’t believe their ears. Then, without warning, a huge earthquake occurred. The jailhouse tottered, every door flew open, all the prisoners were loose"- Acts 16:22-26 (MSG)
Beloved, what has the ocean of losses swallowed in your body, home, business, marriage, finances, academics? Why not check and be sure that the joy of your salvation has not been swallowed or tampered with too. If it has then, I urge you to please run back to the feet of the cross today and plunge into the fountain filled with blood drawn from the Saviour's veins. Thereafter, trust the same God who restored the losses of Job, Paul and Silas to restore your losses and make your life a living testimony of His amazing wonders and faithfulness . And as the Lord God lives, everyone who have mocked and deserted you will come running to pay obesience to you very soon in Jesus name.
No other song summarises this subject like a song titled "I Never Lost My Praise". This wonderful song was composed in 2009 by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir. May I urge you to please join me to sing and meditate on the lyrics of this wonderful song as we trust God to restore our loses and silence our mockers permanently before this week is over in Jesus name. (Amen).
I HAVE NEVER LOST MY PRAISE
"I've lost some good friends along life's way
Some loved ones departed in heaven to stay
But thank God I didn't lost everything
I've lost faith in people who said they cared
In time of my crisis they were never there
But in my disappointment, in my season of pain
One thing never wavered, one thing never changed
I never lost my hope,
I never lost my joy
I never lost my faith
But most of all, I never lost my praise
My praise still here,
My praise still here
I've let some blessings slip away
When I lost my focus and went astray
But thank God I didn't lost everything
I lost possessions that were so dear
I lost some battles walking in fear
But in the midst of my struggles, in my season of pain
One thing never wavered, one thing never changed
I never lost my hope,
I never lost my joy
I never lost my faith
But most of all, I never lost my praise
Praise, Praise, Praise, Praise, Praise
Most of all, I never lost my praise
My praise still here,
My praise still here
But most of all, I never lost my praise!"
Good morning and do have a blessed day.
Maranatha!
Bro. Okanlawon Taiwo
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