Shat  terd

Men 

The hidden half of domestic violence

How to have eternal life

The Cost of Praise!

I am sure many do not think it cost anything to praise someone. I
contend that according to scripture, real praise does cost something.
You see, in Hebrews 13:15 we see: "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."

Since the Bible tells us that praise is a sacrifice, I wonder if we
are really praising when we feel it cost us nothing? Could it be
that for many of us, praise is as automatic now as saying "grace"
before dinner? Has it become a habit so much that we do not even
think about it to the point that it has lost it's meaning?

What does it mean to praise someone? How does it cost anything?

First, if we give sincere praise to anyone, we would have to have
spent some time to know them, to know what they did to deserve
praise. This takes time and in our busy world, (far too busy) most
of us do not take the time to look to see what others are doing let
alone to find something to praise them for. My friends, everyone
needs this....everyone needs to know that we value them and we need
to look for reasons to give positive affirmation to those around us.
Yes, it does take our time to find out about them so it does cost us
something. When we praise someone, it affirms that they are
worthwhile. Praise has actually saved lives and given people hope by
letting them know someone cares about them. Look at the glow in a
child's face when you praise them!...yet far too many of our children
today do not hear any positive thing said to them or about them.

The sacrifice of praise!

Isaiah tells us that God is sick and tired of our petty offerings.
What is meant by this, is that GOD knows when our offerings are given
as "lip service" When we are just going through the motions. In
short, God detest hypocrites. His solution? In Isaiah 1:16-17:

Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from
before mine eyes; cease to do evil; Learn to do well; seek
judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the
widow. You see, in the verse just before these, GOD says "when ye
make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood."

How are they full of blood? When we seek advantage of any special
group over and above all others. This is one of the major reasons
Shattered Men will not turn anyone away. We can not seek special
favors for men at the expense of women. It would be equally wrong to
seek it for Whites, Blacks Baptist, Methodist or any other specific
group. God is not a respecter of persons...and if we are...according
to God's word...our hands are full of blood and HE will not answer.
Yes it is true that many of us are called to ministries that address
specific needs. Some address the homeless, others focus on children,
while still others may address the needs of those that are
handicapped. I understand this..but I assure you, that if we have a
ministry that focuses on a specific need, a specific group of people,
that if ANYONE comes to us seeking help....if they come wanting to
find out how to know GOD...WE BETTER BE ABLE TO HELP THEM. If we do
not, I assure you that their blood my well be on our hands. Now
there are times we can not help directly..but we can make sure they
find a source for help and I am not talking about just telling them
to go to such and such..I am talking about taking them there...about
contacting the other first on their behave and doing whatever it
takes to make sure they get the help they need...regardless of who or
what they are.

When I started this message, I had no idea that this would be
included....but I know it is because GOD wants it included.

You see, much of our praise to GOD is shown and given through helping
others. Hebrews 13:16 But to do good and to communicate forget
not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

The sacrifice of praise!

Many of us find it easy to praise GOD directly..but I contend that if
we really want to praise HIM....become a DOER of the Word. When we
take time to talk to someone that needs a friend, to pray with
someone that is hurting, to just sit with them a spell, we are
praising GOD when we do these things in HIS name. How you might ask.
For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave
me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in....and went on to
say: "And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto
you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my
brethren, ye have done it unto me"

My friend, I contend that helping others IS giving praise to our
LORD. It is often sacrificial praise. It is "the fruit of our lips
giving thanks to his name."

The sacrifice of praise! This will result in our rejoicing when we
see others blessed even if we do not see ourselves being blessed. It
is often the seeking of another's needs above our own.

The sacrifice of praise will result in humbling ourselves and
allowing God to lift us up. Instead of praying like the hypocrite
did when he said he thanked God that he was not like the sinner...we
will recognize who we were..but we will also realize where we are and
why we are there. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a
broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Psalm
51:17

My friend, if you do not know for sure that you have eternal life,
you will not be able to understand this message fully; I urge you to
find this relationship with Jesus Christ by going to this page and
establishing this relationship…today!

http://www.shatterdmen.com/first_step.htm

If you do know that you do have eternal life but still can not praise
God in this manor, perhaps you need to spend time with Jesus…on HIS
terms….

http://www.shatterdmen.com/They%20Had%20Been%20With%20Jesus.htm

My friend, Jesus is waiting…for YOU…and HE is only a…..whisper away!

(please click above to vote for this site)

JUNE is Domestic Violence Against Men Awareness Month