But God!

_Praise the Lord!

I pray that you are encouraged this day in the things of the Lord, and your life in Him. Yesterday while in my time of fellowship with the Lord I found myself praying for the God’s People with Praise event scheduled for this Friday, December 9th and Saturday, December 10th. I am so excited about attending what promises to be an awesome move of God.

After praying I spent some time in the book of Ephesians once again enjoying my Big Brother’s inspired writings about our life in Christ. God ministered to me so beautifully about His beloved bride. He told me, “Everything can and must praise Me – but My people’s praise is purposed praise! My people are ‘But God’ praisers!” That thing really blessed me! Here’s how our story goes – no matter what our individual testimony:

Ephesians 1:1-3 (NIRV)

 1 You were living in your sins and lawless ways. But in fact you were dead. 2 You used to live as sinners when you followed the ways of this world. You served the one who rules over the spiritual forces of evil. He is the spirit who is now at work in those who don't obey God.

 3 At one time we all lived among them. We tried to satisfy what our sinful nature wanted to do. We followed its longings and thoughts. God was angry with us and everyone else because of the kind of people we were.

But here comes verse 4 which reveals why we have become God’s People with Praise with just two words – “BUT GOD!”

He could have left us in the state revealed in the former verses – but He just was not that kind of God! He had a plan, a purpose and a way of escape fashioned just for us! HALLELUJAH! Read on:

Ephesians 1:4-7 (NIRV)

 4 BUT GOD loves us deeply. He is full of mercy. 5 So He gave us new life because of what Christ has done. He gave us life even when we were dead in sin. God's grace has saved you.

 6 God raised us up with Christ. He has seated us with Him in His heavenly kingdom because we belong to Christ Jesus. 7 He has done it to show the riches of His grace for all time to come. His grace can't be compared with anything else. He has shown it by being kind to us because of what Christ Jesus has done.

God’s people are not ignorant of God’s grace and mercy towards us unto salvation! Some people feel that our praise is too uproarious, too radical, too loud, too long, too physical, too demonstrative, too emotional – too much! Those “some people” can’t be God’s People! Experiencing God’s grace and mercy gives God’s People a right, a desire, a mandate and a will to praise Him with everything we’ve got!

Paul takes in further in verses 12 and 13:

12 Before you believed in Christ, you were separated from Him. You were not considered to be citizens of Israel. You were not included in what the covenants promised. You were without hope and without God in the world. 13 At one time you were far away from God. BUT NOW you belong to Christ Jesus. He spilled his blood for you. That has brought you near to God.

Thank God for "BUT GOD," and for "BUT NOW!" That's why we praise Him!

If you are a part of the beloved of Jesus Christ then you are a part of God’s People with Praise! I encourage you to press your way to the event hosted by Rivers of Living Water AOM in Lake Los Angeles, CA this week. For details see the flyer on this page.

Have a blessed week in Him!

In Service for the Master,

Evangelist Lisa Y. Mitchell