Former persecutor Saul found God's grace and became Paul, the Apostle. From then on his praise couldn't be stopped. Hungry, naked, imprisoned, beaten, it didn't seem to matter. Better perhaps than any man alive in his day, he could praise God in any circumstance.

"Let the peoples praise Thee, O God; let all the peoples praise Thee. Let the nations be glad and sing for joy..." - Ps 67:3-4

"Praise the Lord, all nations; Laud Him, all peoples! For His lovingkindness is great toward us, and the truth of the Lord is everlasting. Praise the Lord!" - Ps 117:1-2

"Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting even to everlasting. And let all the people say, "Amen." Praise the Lord!" - Ps 106:48

"Let the redeemed of the Lord say so." - Psalm 107:2

God's people should praise Him! We should be people of praise. We should praise Him when we get up in the morning and when we go to bed at night. We should praise Him when the blessings flow and when the trials come. We should praise Him when we are busy and when we have free time on our hands. We should praise Him in our youth and in our old age. In fact we should praise Him at all times in every circumstance as the Psalmist has said in Psalm 34:1,

"I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth."

Most of us praise God sometimes. We praise Him here in the assembly and at other times when we perceive that good things have happened to us. Yet could it be said that we praise the Lord at all times in every circumstance, continually as was the aim of the Psalmist?

How can we praise Him when we're busy or stressed or afraid? How can we praise God when we're worried or sick or disappointed or grieving? How can we praise God in any circumstance? Is it possible for us to become people who can praise God at all times?

I can think of no better way to answer these questions than to take a brief look at someone who seemed to be able to do just that - to praise God in any circumstance. Let me share with you some short scenes from his life. As I describe these scenes for you, keep in mind this question, "How can we praise God in any circumstance?"

Ready? Here we go.

Scene #1

The situation is grave - a young man in the center of a circle of mocking accusers. With eloquence beyond his human ability, he recounts their history of stubbornness. "You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did." Their rage boils over. They drag him beyond the temple precinct - out of the city. Tangled in his own cloths, he is flung over a precipice, and crashes to the ground below. They stoop to pick up the head-sized boulders.

"Where are the witnesses!" snarls the finely robed one.

Two men step forward - one is a young man named Saul. Their law requires that the condemning witnesses keep watch on the garments. Robes laid aside, they begin their grisly work. Stones smash and tear flesh. The victim is looking upward, speaking to someone none of them can see. Finally one stone finds a fatal area. The young man falls to the ground. The bludgeoning continues until the body is obscene.

Great persecution ensues. The church is scattered.

Scene #2

The situation seems hopeless. They have fled their own city to find freedom to meet with others of The Way. Now they have been discovered. In Gestapo like fashion, the house is surrounded. The battering ram is at the door. Crash! Crash! Crash! Hinges are no match for the ram. The broken door hangs precariously by one corner. Men rush in, seizing and beating the room's occupants.

"You're under arrest!" screams a scowling young man who strides into the room. His name is Saul. "These proceedings are illegal. You are following the teachings of an imposter Messiah! Deny Jesus of Nazareth or face trial for blaspheme!"

No one moves or speaks though they know this man's violent reputation.

A second time the command is given. Deny him or face the consequences. Still no one moves.

"Take them away!" the young man orders in disgust. "They'll deny this imposter soon enough."

Scene #3

The vehemence of the young man Saul knows no bounds. He charges from city to city, terrorizing Christians anywhere he finds them. His reputation goes ahead of him - far and wide. Everyone knows he hunts down believers and forces them them blaspheme. Some have even given the ultimate sacrifice. He shows no mercy. When they won't recant, they are either tortured or they die.

Scene #4

How can this be? Former persecutor now believer? Killer Saul, now Christian Paul? Impossible! A cruel rumor, that's all it is, calculated to expose the believers to more harm. No one could change that much. It must be a lie.

No one believes him.

Scene #5

Two men locked in stocks in the inner prison at midnight. The air is thick and foul with the smell of unwashed bodies. Back wounds throbbing from the beating they received for sharing Jesus, at midnight, the two begin to sing. "Praise God from whom all blessings flow." "I want to be a worker for he Lord." "All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give."

Prisoners are listening. How can such singing come from men in a place like this?

Scene # 6

A balding, aged man bends over a low table in the dim light, dictating a letter to his young friend, Timothy. The scars on his arms, back, and neck tell of cruel whipping sessions with both Jews and Roman authorities. He himself, on numerous occasions, has been ordered to deny the Christ he now has served for many years. He shifts his weight painfully from one hip to the other. The hard years have taken their toll on his body but he goes on in spite of it. It seems so long ago now that he turned. What a tumultuous time it was! Pursuing them with vicious determination, hunting down his sweet brethren like animals, finding them, torturing them, testifying at their trials and voting for death. How could there ever have been forgiveness for that? And Stephen - Stephen! He remembered the stoning like it was yesterday and was often awakened by nightmares of that day. How he longed for the time when he could see Stephen in glory and explain it all and tell how him much his sacrifice had meant.

Former persecutor Saul found God's grace and became Paul, the Apostle. From then on his praise couldn't be stopped. Hungry, naked, imprisoned, beaten, it didn't seem to matter. Better perhaps than any man alive in his day, he could praise God in any circumstance.

We find him doing just that in our text this morning which I would like to read to you from I Timothy 1:12-17. Please join me there in your Bibles.

"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service; even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. And yet I was shown mercy, because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. And yet for this reason I found mercy, in order that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience, as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen."

There are several phrases among Paul's words here that suggest why his praise was so frequent. Noticing them can help us along our way of learning how to praise God in any circumstance. Looking more closely at this passage, what would Paul say was the motivation behind his frequent praise? What would he tell us that would help us praise God continually? First, I believe he would tell us to:

1. Remember the Repulsiveness of Our Former Condition.

Paul remembered the pit from which he was rescued. He never forgot where he was back when Jesus first called him and it never ceased to amaze him that he had been saved at all. He had opposed God so zealously and wreaked such havoc on the church! Look at verse 13:

"...even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. And yet I was shown mercy..."

Where were you when the Lord called you? I'd be willing to bet that you weren't living to please God. In fact, though probably you weren't a persecutor like Paul here, your lifestyle was not an honor to Him.

I was in a Bible study with several area ministers this past week. We were studying this chapter of First Timothy and one of them pointed out the truth from this passage that salvation is always personal. What he meant was that you yourself must recognize your sin and understand that what you have done is worthy of death before you can accept God's offer of salvation. If you were to have died in your former condition you would be in Hell right now. Until you realize your sinful condition initially you cannot be saved - and - unless you remember your sinful condition in retrospect, you are not likely to be very good in the area of praise.

The older hymn writers understood this point. Fanny Crosby wrote:

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.

Isaac Watt wrote:

Alas, and did my Savior bleed,
And did my Sovereign Die?
Would He devote that Sacred Head,
For such a worm as I?

A Wretch? A Worm? Come on, Fanny! Come on Isaac! Isn't that a bit extreme?

Do we sing these songs like they apply to us or do we just sing them?

Turn with me for just a moment to 2 Peter 1:9.

In this passage Peter is speaking of those who start the Christian walk but somehow don't in due time develop the character qualities that should be evidenced in the life of ever believer. Note the reason he gives:

"For he who lacks these qualities is blind or short-sighted, having forgotten his purification from his former sins."

A powerful motivator for us to praise in any circumstance is to recall the repulsive nature of our former condition in light of our present salvation. Paul did, and when he contrasted that with the high position God put him in, sometimes he couldn't contain his praise.

What else would Paul say to us that would help us praise God in any circumstance? I believe he would tell us to:

 2. Appreciate the Generosity of God's Grace.

There have been numerous attempts to define and explain the doctrine of grace. The first definition of grace I was taught was "God's unmerited favor." Later I learned the popular acrostic: "God's Riches At Christ's Expense."

Sometime later I came to realize that a good way to understand grace is that it means that God deals with his people not on the basis of what they deserve but according to his own goodness and generosity. God has been very generous with you and me! He has given us far more grace than we will ever deserve!

Paul put it this way in verse 14: "...and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant..."

That word "abundant" in Greek is a word that means, "to superabound." God's generosity superabounded so that even against the backdrop of the ugliest sin, it covered Paul completely. Isn't it evident to all of us that someone who has tortured and killed Christians doesn't deserve to be forgiven? Such a one ought to go to Hell.

Away with Him!

Yet God called Paul and forgave him. That, my friends, is generosity! It's pure grace, the realization of which should invoke praise upon praise!

What did God have to overlook in order to reach out to you? One sin was sufficient reason to send you to Hell. How many sins had stacked up in your life before you were redeemed?

We live in a great country and though this nation has its problems, it is still (in my highly biased opinion) one of the best places in the world to live. I would much rather be out of work and hungry in the USA than in any other country in the world. That's because though we have our share of scoundrels, there are still a lot of very generous people living here who will have compassion on those in need and offer their help. We do have a problem with such compassion in our great country though. The government has taken over many things that used to be handled by charities and benevolent organizations and a new word has sprung forth as a result that I know you have heard. The word is entitlement. An entitlement is something you have coming or at least something you feel you have coming. You believe it is somehow owed to you. In the case of government entitlements, much compassion that was formerly considered a special privilege and blessing by its recipients has now become something expected, something they believe is owed to them.

I'll never forget the time many years ago right after the birth of our first child in California that a lady came to the hospital room with a clipboard and pen. She told us that due to our level of income, we qualified for a government program that would pay the entire bill for free! Now I know that such things aren't really free. Someone has to pay for them. I also know that people depend on such programs who could, with some effort, pay their own bills. We declined the offer. The lady was very surprised! Decline free money? She acted like she had never heard of such a thing. "This is your right," she told us. "You qualify. The money is yours! Why would you turn down free money?" I'm glad we worked to pay our own bill, but such is the entitlement attitude.

The problem with entitlements is that many who receive things freely today aren't in the slightest way grateful or mindful of this nation's generosity. Instead, they complain and bemoan their lot, believing that they are entitled to such treatment.

I surely hope, when it comes to our salvation, none of us has such an "entitlement" attitude. Such an attitude is a real praise killer.

If you and I had to spend the rest of our lives in wheelchairs, unable to walk and talk, we would still, because we are Christians, be richly blessed beyond anything imaginable. Hellhound sinners given the opportunity to go to Heaven forever? How can we possibly be ungrateful? How can we fail to praise God?

Paul deeply appreciated the generosity of God's grace. There was no entitlement attitude with him. Neither should there be such an attitude among us.

Finally, I suspect if we posed our question about praising God in any circumstance, Paul would tell us to:

3. Realize the Greatness of God's Patience.

Hal Liphart shares the following story that I'm sure you parents of teenagers will relate to. He writes:

"One of the most harrowing times I can remember was teaching our twin boys how to drive. Marty couldn't take it, so she left it up to me; and every time I went driving with the boys I had double anxiety.

"Two vivid moments are still very much with me. One is the time Denny stepped on the gas instead of the brake when a traffic light turned yellow and we were about 40 yard away. I yelled, 'Denny, hit the brake.' He answered, 'We can make it.' At that point I was ready to eject. Fortunately, he heard the volume in my voice and we did get stopped...about five yards into the intersection. The other time I felt I was on my way to heaven was when Doug decided at the last moment to turn off the 494 freeway. He was going about 40 mph as we squealed around the curved exit ramp on two wheels, the car in an ever so delicate balance. In my mind I saw us rolling over the embankment back onto the freeway.

"At that point I was ready to 'betray' my son and 'sell my soul,' telling him to practice driving on his own, and to deal with the police the best he could if he was pulled over...because "I QUIT!" Well, somehow, we got through it all. But I could not wait until our sons passed their driving tests."

Then he completes his thoughts:

"The analogy for me is this: I'm sure there are times when God feels like telling me--you're on your own, I quit...those times when I have not listened well, or sought God's will, or been as compassionate, as generous, or as sensitive as Jesus taught. But God has stuck with me and God has stuck with you, sometimes in spite of us. We are all invited to sit at the table of God's mercy."

Here is a great praise killer:

"Surely God must be getting very tired of my failures - especially those times when I have nearly given up the fight. What good could it possibly do for me to praise Him? He's probably long since given up on me and written me off."

What kind of a demonstration would convince you of God's patience with you as you work to overcome your sin and become what He wants you to be? Would God's patience with a murderer of Christians help you to see it?

Look at verse 16:

"...for this reason I found mercy, in order that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience, as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life."

Pretty clear, isn't it? Knowing that God was patient with Paul makes it easier to understand that He is patient with us. Knowing He is patient with us both gives us a reason to praise and let's us know that it is OK to praise Him while we are still working to overcome our sins.

Conclusion

A certain man owned a small estate and wanted to sell it. Sending for a real estate agent, he asked him to write an advertisement describing the house and land.

When the ad was ready, the agent took it to the owner and read it to him.

"Read that again," said the owner.

The agent read the description of the estate once more. "I don't think I will sell after all," said the owner. "I have been looking for an estate like that all my life, and I did not know that already owned it!"

Those of us who are saved, like Paul, already have within our own experiences with God enough reason to praise Him for eternity. We don't need better music or a more uplifting worship service here as much as we need to simply remember where we used to be and recognize the great generosity and patience of God in putting us where we are today.

"Let the redeemed of the Lord say so!" Amen.

Dave Redick is Minister of the Hwy 20 Church of Christ in Sweet Home, Oregon and Editor of The Preacher's Study. He may be reached at pstudysupport@comcast.net.

Copyright © 1996-2008 by The Preacher's Study. Permission is granted to subscribers to use this document in total or in sermon preparation in the context of the local congregation only. Publishing it in a book, on the Internet, or anyplace beyond the local congregation is prohibited.

All Scripture quotations and references are from the New American Standard Version unless otherwise stated.

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