Prostituting Praise

2 Chronicles 21:10-14

2 Chronicles 21:10–14 KJV 1900

10 So the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. The same time also did Libnah revolt from under his hand; because he had forsaken the Lord God of his fathers. 11 Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication, and compelled Judah thereto. 12 And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying, Thus saith the Lord God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah, 13 But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring, like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father’s house, which were better than thyself: 14 Behold, with a great plague will the Lord smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods:

The dictionary defines addition as a compulsive, chronic, physiological or psychological need for a habit-forming substance, behavior, or activity which has harmful physical, psychological, or social effects and typically causing well-defined symptoms upon withdrawal or abstinence.

Another dictionary defines addiction as the fact or condition of being addicted to a particular substance, thing, or activity.

Children of the most high God…

barring the help of God an addiction is something that requires training, dedication, and work to rid one’s self of… You cannot simply decide not to be addicted anymore than you can simply decide to stop breathing… sure you may stop… for a while but eventually the overwhelming need builds to the point that it requires release.

now… it is important that we establish a fine line between routine and addiction. many people think that what separates routine and addiction is your level of dependency. or put another way… your ability to stop.

I can stop smoking any time I want, I am not addicted.

And that may or may not be true but the truth is what separates addiction from routine is not your ability to stop doing it..

Going back to my earlier example of breathing you cannot stop breathing but that does not mean your body is addicted to breathing .

But addiction is separated by the negative affects it has as a result of its continued use, entertainment, subjection, or whatever.

And so my brothers and sisters we have developed an addiction.

For some time, I thought we were addicted to praising because if we do not shout then God did not move.

But thats not it… we have become addicted to blessings.

We have become addicted to material goods.

We have become addicted to money in our pockets.

And so you prostitute your praise in exchange for blessings.