Foundation of Praise - Spreading the Word of God

Foundation of Praise • P.O. Box 2518 • Escondido, CA 92033-3629 • (760) 741-2755

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     Men and women have forever wanted things that they should not have. We sometimes even want things that destroy our health and happiness. We are often a confused people.
    Do you want things that you believe are harmful to you, yet time after time you do what you know is not best – because you want to?
     For example, a man can declare that he will never drink alcohol or take illegal drugs again. He means it, but then what he wants overtakes him.
     We may decide that we will stop eating too much, but the food is passed and we are back to doing what we want. Our wants can control us until the day we die unless we learn to have them changed. They can be changed!
     Paul wrote, Oh, what a terrible predicament I'm in! Who will free me from my slavery to this deadly lower nature? Thank God! It has been done by Jesus (Rom. 7:24-25 TLB).
     But we must want to be changed more than we want to enjoy whatever is harmful to us.
     A first step we can take is to recognize that it is not God who causes us to crave whatever we should not have. These desires are caused by the same power that tempted Adam and Eve. Satan convinced Eve that if she wanted to eat the forbidden fruit she should just go ahead and eat it. Satan makes that same suggestion to you and me. “Even though God has forbidden you to do this or that, if you want to you should just go ahead and do it.” That same power causes men and women to crave immorality even though they know it could destroy their health and happiness.

by Merlin Carothers

     When temptations come we can meditate on these verses:
     The Lord loves those who hate evil (Ps. 97:10).
     If anyone respects and fears God, he will hate evil (Prov. 8:13).
     Hate evil and love the good (Amos 5:15).
     We can pray for the desire to hate what is not good for us.
     When a wrong desire begins to stir in our minds we can begin to tell God that we hate evil. Our enemy hates hearing that!
     As we enjoy each new victory our wants are changed, and a new joy begins to sing in our hearts. On each occasion we feel as Paul did, a freedom from bondage. We are being delivered from our terrible predicament. The Holy Spirit then teaches us new ways to defeat our enemy and our joy continues to increase.
     At the birth of Jesus the angel announced the good news of great joy that was coming to every person. During His time on earth, Jesus demonstrated that He hated evil and everything it did to destroy God’s children. Then He purchased our deliverance from anything in this world that tries to control us. We are free to accept His gifts and to enjoy knowing that God rejoices in each victory that He sees in us.

     The book of Galatians in the Living Translation is one of my very favorite books of the Bible. Nowhere else does God so clearly show us His Grace versus our desire to “earn” His blessings.
     Some years ago, I sat in a prayer group and listened as a man expounded on the merit of keeping one of God’s laws. He finished by saying, “If we will keep this law, God will bless us.” He felt we had to “earn” God’s blessings.
     There is within each of us, the desire to feel pride for our “goodness”. “Look at me, God. I kept this law. See how hard I’m working for You, God? Now I deserve to be blessed!”
     But we can never earn God’s blessings by keeping the law, or by being good, or by working for Him. God wants to bless us because we trust in His Son Jesus. To Abraham, He said, I will bless those in every nation who trust in Me as you do (Galatians 3:9). Paul quotes the prophet Habakkuk and says,The man who finds life will find it through trusting God (Vs. 11).

by Mary Carothers

     In Galatians, God tells us that if we try to earn God’s blessings and approval by working for Him or being good enough, Christ is useless to us. In fact, Paul says we are lost from God’s grace and mercy (Vs. 4). God forbid that Mary Carothers should ever get what she deserves! I trust Jesus to give me God’s Grace.
     When we trust in Jesus to save us, trust in Him to be our goodness, then we become God’s children. Everything He has belongs to us; for that is the way God planned it (Vs. 7).
      His love is poured out on us, His children.
      His grace is extended to us, His children.
     All His power is released for us, His children.
     Thank you, Lord, that you abundantly give to us your children, out of the great storehouse of your love and mercy.

     When you receive your copies of Prison to Praise, pray that God will use each one to accomplish something special. Pray that each book will reach the right person, change their life and that they will then pass the Good News of the Gospel on to others.
      But don’t stop there. Continue to pray and believe that God will keep on using that book to reach other people for Christ. One copy could go from a parent to their child, who would then give it to someone in the hospital.
      That person could pass it on to a neighbor, who might give it to a missionary going to another country! Jesus taught His followers to reach the world. Like most folks, they probably thought, “I couldn’t do that.” But you and I might reach one person who would go on to reach millions! According to your faith, be it (Mt. 9:29).

Our loss is Heaven’s gain. Our prayers are with those who loved them.

The Foundation
of Praise
has received a gift
in loving memory of:

John Clark, Jr
By his mother
Grace Clark
of Overland
Park, KS

William Henry
Baden, Jr
By his wife
Faye Baden
of Studio City, CA

Linda Agnes
Greene
By T.D. Greene
of Kalmath
Falls, OR

HAVE A SAFE AND
BLESSED LABOR DAY!

Prison to Praise is not about a prison with bars,
but a prison of circumstances - and how to be set free.

A friend sent me Prison to Praise
and it has changed my life and the
way I look at God. I used to be so
in doubt of God but as I read your
book something came over me and
I have so much peace and comfort
in my soul. Thanks to Jesus Christ
and your book I have become a
believer. Christopher, Coastal
State Prison, GA

It seems we’re friends because
nearly 30 years ago my sister sent
me Prison to Praise during one of
the darkest times of my life. Since
then I’ve given away many of your
books. Thank you so much. You
are great encouragers!
Alta Marie, NY

I recently ordered 1000 Prison to
Praise. Our National Guard unit
was activated and I went to the
Armory with a box of books. The
Captain was so appreciative for
them and said he would be sure
that every solider would receive
one. What a neat gift as a send off.
Dan, AL

I was recently given Prison to
Praiseby my church. I read it with
great excitement. It filled me with
hope and joy. I used to praise God
but became defeated with disappointments.
Now I realize it is the
persistence - the attitude to praise
God throughout - that is what
brings me through all my trials.
Thank you for describing the act of
praising God so beautifully. The
testimonials are so powerful.
Anne, England

This is to inform you that May
has gone to be with the Lord. She
was blessed by Prison to Praise
which she read nearly 30 years
ago. This past Christmas she gave
a copy to everyone in her family.
God bless you. A Friend, ME

I have read your book Prison to
Praiseseveral times and have
given away many copies of this
wonderful book. Margaret, TN
My husband has suffered with
panic attacks for years. Someone
gave him Prison to Praise and
it has helped him tremendously.
It has helped me even more!
I give your book to those I feel
need help in situations out of
their control. Barbara, IN

I continue to give out copies of
your book Prison to Praise. I pass
them out at the VA hospital, and
to a drug and alcohol rehab class
that I teach at my church.
Katherine, MS

A friend at work put a copy of
Prison to Praise on my desk. It
lay there for almost a year before
I finally picked it up and read it.
I liked it so much that I had my
wife read it. Since then we have
bought and given away many
copies. “Mitch”, WV

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Read excerpts from Merlin Carothers best selling books!
Prison to Praise • Power in Praise • From Fear to Faith • You Can Be Happy Now • Secret Sins

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