The Devil's greatest trophy in his battle for the souls of believer's is the capture of their praise. That marks his foot-in-the-door moment.

 

 I've experienced times--I'm sure you have too, facing your own challenges--when though I was still able to silently read the Word or solemnly quote the Psalms, I just couldn't muster any praise.

 

Although the devil fully intends to silence your praise entirely, in his negotiations for this grandest of trophies, he will start with a compromise offer suggesting not that you cease praising altogether, but that you offer your lame or blind sheep... (In other words, that your offering be casual, occasional and only to the extent you feel like it.) 

 

Mal 1:6 (MESSAGE) "Isn't it true that a son honors his father and a worker his master? So if I'm your Father, where's the honor? If I'm your Master, where's the respect?" GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies is calling you on the carpet: "You priests despise me! "You say, 'Not so! How do we despise you?' "By your shoddy, sloppy, defiling worship. "You ask, 'What do you mean, "defiling"? What's defiling about it?' 7 "When you say, 'The altar of GOD is not important anymore; worship of GOD is no longer a priority,' that's defiling. 8 And when you offer worthless animals for sacrifices in worship, animals that you're trying to get rid of--blind and sick and crippled animals--isn't that defiling? Try a trick like that with your banker or your senator--how far do you think it will get you?" GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies asks you. 

 

Yet, today by His grace, whenever I wholeheartedly offer Him "Me", He readily accepts this imperfect offering.