When everything is stripped away and life feels empty, true faith is revealed in our willingness to praise God regardless of our circumstances. Even in the midst of unimaginable loss, as Job experienced, we are reminded that our worship should not be dependent on our possessions or comfort. Instead, we are called to bless the name of the Lord, trusting that He is sovereign and worthy of praise in every season. When all you have left is your praise, you discover that it is more than enough, for God honors a heart that worships Him in the valley as well as on the mountaintop. [42:08]
Job 1:20-22 (KJV)
Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,
And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.
In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
Reflection: When faced with loss or disappointment, what would it look like for you to intentionally praise God today, even if your heart feels heavy or empty?
Gratitude grows when we look back and recognize that every good thing we have ever received is a gift from God. Instead of focusing on what is gone or what we lack, we are invited to thank God for the blessings He has already given us—family, provision, and the years we have enjoyed. This perspective shifts our hearts from bitterness to thankfulness, helping us to see that even in loss, God’s goodness has been present all along. [44:43]
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (KJV)
Rejoice evermore.
Pray without ceasing.
In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Reflection: Think of one specific blessing from your past that you have overlooked or taken for granted—how can you thank God for it today?
Everything we have—our bodies, our possessions, our very lives—belongs to God, and we are merely stewards entrusted to manage them for a season. When we understand that nothing truly belongs to us, it frees us from anxiety over loss and helps us focus on using what we have for God’s purposes. Our true treasure is not in earthly things, but in the eternal reward that awaits us when we are faithful stewards of what God has placed in our care. [51:48]
Psalm 24:1 (KJV)
The earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.
Reflection: What is one area of your life or possession that you need to surrender back to God, acknowledging His ownership and your role as a steward?
God never allows us to be tested beyond what we can bear, and in every trial, He provides the strength and support we need to endure. Like a spotter helping a weightlifter, God stands ready to lift our burdens when they become too heavy for us. Even when Satan tries to rob us of our joy and worship, we can trust that God is faithful, and He will bring us through every challenge stronger than before. [57:31]
1 Corinthians 10:13 (KJV)
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
Reflection: What is one burden or trial you are carrying right now, and how can you invite God to be your “spotter” and help you lift it today?
No matter what the enemy takes from us—possessions, relationships, health—the one thing he cannot steal is our praise. Our relationship with God and our ability to worship Him are secure, even in the darkest seasons. When all else fails, praise becomes our weapon and our refuge, reminding us that God is still good, still present, and still worthy. Let your praise rise today, knowing that it is the one thing the world cannot take away. [01:07:12]
Hebrews 13:15 (KJV)
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.
Reflection: In what practical way can you express your praise to God today, regardless of your circumstances, as a declaration that your worship belongs to Him alone?
Today’s gathering was a celebration of God’s faithfulness, even in the midst of life’s storms. We began by centering our hearts in worship, led by our youth, and reminding ourselves that God is worthy of praise regardless of our circumstances. We reflected on the mission of our church: to bear witness to the truth of the gospel, to imitate Christ’s love in our community, and to shine His light in a world that desperately needs it. Announcements reminded us of opportunities to serve—through Thanksgiving baskets for families in need and supporting our local police officers—emphasizing that our faith is lived out in practical acts of love and generosity.
Turning to the Word, we looked at the life of Job, a man who lost everything yet refused to let go of his praise. Job’s story challenges us to examine the foundation of our worship. Is our praise dependent on our possessions, our comfort, or our circumstances? Or do we, like Job, recognize that everything we have is a gift from God, and that He remains worthy of worship even when all else is stripped away? Job’s response to suffering was not bitterness or blame, but humility and worship. He looked back and thanked God for what he had been given, looked forward and acknowledged that he would leave this world with nothing, and looked up to bless the name of the Lord.
We were reminded that spiritual maturity is revealed not when life is easy, but when we can still praise God in the midst of loss, uncertainty, and pain. Our possessions, relationships, and even our health may be taken from us, but the one thing the enemy cannot steal is our praise. God calls us to be stewards, not owners, of all we have. When we surrender our lives to Him, we find that even in our brokenness, He can bring blessing and restoration. Like Job, we are invited to trust that God is faithful, that He will not allow us to be tested beyond what we can bear, and that He is always present to “spot” us when the weight of life feels too heavy.
As we closed, the invitation was extended to anyone who needs to draw closer to God, to enter into a relationship with Him, or to find covering in the fellowship of the church. The assurance remains: when all else is gone, our praise and our relationship with God endure. Let us leave with hearts full of gratitude, ready to worship, serve, and trust God in every season.
Job 1:20-22 (KJV) — > Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,
> And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.
> In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (KJV) — > Rejoice evermore.
> Pray without ceasing.
> In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
The problem lies when the only time you praise God is when God is blessing you with the things that you need. Some people only praise God when things are going right. Some people only praise God when there's money in the bank. Some people only praise God when everything is lining up in order in the way that they want. But how many of us say that all hell can break loose in my life? I'm still going to praise the Lord. [00:39:14] (35 seconds) #PraiseBeyondCircumstance
Can I tell you, that's a sign of spiritual maturity. When you can praise God when all hell is falling in your life. When you can praise God when you don't know where your next bill is coming from. When you can praise God when you lost your job and you don't know how you're going to make rent. How you're going to pay your right bill. But here's some of us in here. They know God is so able in our life that he can take our brokenness and turn them into a blessing. [00:45:42] (32 seconds) #FaithInBrokennessToBlessing
How many of us this morning can just thank God for what we have? Not concerned about what we don't have, but just thank God for what we do have. I told my wife, I want a Range Rover, but I'm going to thank him for my Ford out there. I want to have a big man cave, but I'm thinking that I just got a roof over my head. And I'm trying to teach my children, they like the grand name. I ain't trying to keep up with the Joneses. My last name, Oya Doken. And what God has for me is for me. And I'm going to thank God for what I have. [00:46:57] (40 seconds) #ThankfulForEnough
We're too busy looking at the list of items that didn't make it. That we forget to thank God for the blessings that did. And so somebody in here, you look at where you are in life right now. And somebody in here can testify that when you look back over your life, that you could have been in a worse off situation than where you are right now. Things may not be where you want them to be now. But you thank God that it could have been worse. [00:48:38] (33 seconds) #CountingBlessingsNotLosses
We are stewards only of what God has given unto us. Everything that we have, we did not create it. It does not belong to us. It belongs to God. And so watch this. If it doesn't belong to me, and I'm just a steward, then it lets me know that I can't control what happens to that that is not mine. [00:51:35] (38 seconds) #StewardshipNotOwnership
Job did not allow Satan to rob him of his worship to God. Job knew who God was and that all things will work together as long as God is still in control. And so Satan said, God, if you take your hedge of protection from around Job, he's going to curse you to your face. But Job flipped the script and said, God, everything that I had anyway belongs to you. And so now even though you've taken it away, I'm still going to bless your name. [00:55:16] (58 seconds) #UnwaveringWorshipInLoss
I've learned that we've got to praise God in advance. And we can praise God no matter what the situation might be. We can praise God no matter what's going on in our life. And so, why can I praise God even in some turmoil situation? Because God is faithful. He's never left us nor forsaken us. [01:00:35] (36 seconds) #PraiseInAdvance
The only way that Job could praise God when he didn't have anything was because he already had a relationship with him. And in that relationship, Job understood that coming into this world, it was God. And even when I leave, it's going to be God. [01:09:17] (23 seconds) #RelationshipBeforePossessions
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