IT IS EASY TO PRAISE GOD WHEN YOU GOT MONEY Let me use myself as an example of how hypocritical a lot of my worship and praise was. I started realizing it, one day about two years ago. At first it started as a joke, at least I thought it was a joke. I began laughing and praising God after having a very successful day financially. The week before I remember writting down imaginary sales, hoping somehow magically the people would come in. I prayed a lot in those days, hoping somehow God would feel sorry for me and send thousands of customers. "Oh God please send people to buy today." I checked my list of deeds, mentally, to make sure I had not done anything to anger Him. After praying,I waited for customers to come in. From the time I petitioned God, in the morning, I didn´t speak to Him again. When I got customers I thanked Him, and when no customers, I complained. After shouting and praising God so loud once, that I lost my voice, I realized I was shouting because I had a hand full of money. I had not praised God likethis for weeks, exactly the last time I had big sales. Something was wrong. I was falling out of praise and getting into forms. My prayers had no love for God. I was just using His name and undeveloped faith. I turned to my sales lady and said, praise the Lord! She started laughing and said, "Amen." We both knew we were praising because we had sales. "Sister it is so easy to praise the Lord today, isn´t it?" "Amen“ Sometimes it takes a moutian falling on our head before realizing there is something to give praise for every minute of the day. Before realizing that complaining and worrying is not a part of God´s kingdom. Before realizing that doubt and unbelief shows our lack of intimacy with God. People who have a relationship with God learn to trust that everything will be find no matter what happens. They realize that all the saints before learned to trust in God when there was no physical evidence that things would work out. For example, Paul started singing praise to God when he was in a Roman prison. Paul was in one of the worse condition a human could bear. His feet and hands were in chains, and he was surrounded by rats. There were no toilets, and the cells were cold and damp. How did Paul manage to praise God? Paul was so in love with God that nothing could shake his faith, and he used every opportunity, to witness about the Love of God. When our praise is easy and we have no reason to doubt it is good When our praise is easy in the mist of trouble it is growth. A believer should know that everything works out, for those who believe in God. We should not get depressed even if we are on our way to the poor house. Somehow everything will work out. When we keep our eyes on the Love of God, and our hope in His Word, we have peace. We don´t have to let the bills and everyday problems be our rulers, we can choose to praise God from within. Then praise will rise up to meet any situation and give victory. True praise always keep us strong. The harder the problem, the more true believers give praise. We are not effected by the situation. Our trust allows us to see hope. And our hope is knowing God will never leave us. The next time you find yourself praising God with your mouth only, go back and reestablish your relationship. Learn to trust that God would never allow his followers to be ashame of their belief.