THE FREEDOM OF PRAISE
PSALM 150:1-6
QUESTION- WHEN WS THE LAST TIME YOU SAW THE GLORY OF GOD IN SUCH A WAY THAT PEOPLE WERE SIMPLY UNABLE TO PROCEED WITH THE BUSINESS OF DOING CHURCH STUFF? THE LAST TIME GOD TOOK OVER A SERVICE? I AM HUNGRY FOR THAT. WHEN NOBODY CARES WHAT TIME IT IS.
WE NEED A BREAKTHROUGH TIME...
AS PAUL JUST READ THE PSALM, I AM SURE YOU GRABBED THE THEME OF IT.
IT IS TO PRAISE THE LORD. HAVING THE FREEDOM TO PRAISE THE LORD. THE SONG CHORUS TELLS US: “PUT ON A GARMENT OF PRAISE FOR THE SPIRIT OF HEAVINESS, LIFT UP YOUR VOICE TO GOD., PRAY IN THE SPIRIT, AND WITH UNDERSTANDING; OH MAGNIFY HIS NAME.” PRAISE IS THE CATALYST THAT GOD USES TO GET US INTO HIS PRESENCE. JUST LIKE THE CHORUS SAYS- WE HAVE TO PUT ON THAT GARMENT OF PRAISE. IT DOES NOT COME NATURALLY. I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT MOST CHRISTIANS HAVE CEMENT IN THEIR TOOTHPASTE WHEN IT COMES TO PRAISE.
INSTEAD OF HAVING AN ATTITUDE OF EXPECTATION TO SEE WHAT THE LORD WILL DO. WE TAKE THE APPROACH OF WHAT ELSE CAN THE DEVIL THROW AT US. I GOT AN E-MAIL THIS WEEK THAT SHOWS HOW WE SHOULD BE THINKING: “LIFE IS NOT ABOUT WAITING FOR THE STORM TO PASS, IT IS ABOUT LEARNING TO DANCE IN THE RAIN.”
WHENEVER WE HEAR THE WORDS PRAISE AND WORSHIP, MOST OF US IMMEDIATELY THINK OF SINGING A SONG, CLAPPING, LIFTING UP OUR HANDS TO GOD. THESE ARE GREAT EXAMPLES, BUT THEY ONLY HALF DEFINE PRAISE. PRAISE IS A LIFESTYLE, A CHOICE THAT NO MATTER WHAT IS GOING ON IN YOUR LIFE- YOU WILL GIVE GOD GLORY
I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PRAISE AND WORSHIP. THEY ARE NOT THE SAME THING, BUT YOU CANNOT SEPARATE THEM. THEY GO HAND IN HAND LIKE PEANUT BUTTER AND JELLY, LIKE PEAS AND CARROTS. PRAISE IS A CELEBRATION TIME WORSHIP IS AN INTIMATE TIME
YOU WILL NEVER FULLY BE ABLE TO WORSHIP UNTIL YOU CAN LIVE YOUR LIFE IN A CELEBRATION LIFESTYLE. IT IS NOT ABOUT WHAT IS GOING ON IN YOUR LIFE AT THE TIME, WHICH WILL DETERMINE IF YOU WILL PRAISE GOD.
IT IS DETERMINING THAT NO MATTER WHAT IS GOING ON ...YOU WILL PRAISE HIM. THIS WILL ALLOW YOU TO ENTER INTO WORSHIP WITH SUCH FREEDOM AND BE ABLE TO EXPRESS YOUR GRATITUDE AND LOVE FOR GOD. THIS WILL BE YOUR ACT OF WORSHIP THAT GLORIFIES GOD.
THAT IS WHY THERE SHOULD BE NO MUSIC WARS-
HYMNS CAN BE WORSHIP
CHORUSES CAN BE WORSHIP
HANDS UP/HANDS DOWN CAN BE PRAISE
SITTING QUIET/ STANDING DANCING CAN BE PRAISE
THERE IS NOT “MY WAY” THERE IS ONLY “GOD’S WAY”
THE POWER OF PRAISE WHEN YOU DON’T HAVE ANYTHING ELSE IS AMAZING.
ISAIAH 46:3-4- “LISTEN TO ME, O HOUSE OF JACOB, ALL YOU WHO REMAIN OF THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, YOU WHOM I HAVE UPHELD SINCE YOU WERE CONCEIVED, AND HAVE CARRIED SINCE YOUR BIRTH. EVEN TO YOUR OLD AGE AND GRAY HAIRS. I AM HE, I AM HE WHO WILL SUSTAIN YOU. I HAVE MADE YOU AND I WILL CARRY YOU; I WILL SUSTAIN YOU AND I WILL RESCUE YOU”
IN PSALM 150- PRAISE THE LORD, OR PRAISE HIM IS REFERENCED 14 TIMES. I THINK THE LORD IS TRYING TO TELL US SOMETHING . PRAISE THE LORD
PRAISE HIM IN THE TEMPLE (CHURCH)
PRAISE HIM IN THE HEAVENS
PRAISE HIM FOR HIS POWER (ALL KNOWING, ALL SEEING).
PRAISE HIM WITH INSTRUMENTS- YOU CAN BEAT A SPOON AND WORSHIP
LET EVERYTHING THAT HAS BREATH PRAISE THE LORD. I AM ASSUMING THAT IS ALL OF US THIS MORNING.
HERE WE GO- SOME THINGS PRAISE BRINGS
I. PRAISE BRINGS PEACE
PUT ON THE GARMENT OF PRAISE FOR THE SPIRIT OF HEAVINESS. WHEN WE BEGIN TO PRAISE, IT BECOMES NOT ABOUT US, IT IS ALL ABOUT THE LORD.
WHEN WE PUT OUR FOCUS ON JESUS CHRIST, THE PEACE OF GOD SHOWS UP. OUR EMOTIONS HEAL WHEN WE SIMPLY RELEASE THEM, NOT WHEN WE FIGURE THEM OUT. WE HEAL EMOTIONALLY BY LETTING GO OF PAINFUL FEELINGS.
PEACE COMES IN LIKE A SOOTHING OINTMENT
THE SCRIPTURES DESCRIBES THAT AS GIVING OUR BURDENS TO HIM.. WE CANNOT RELEASE OUR HURTS AND EXPERIENCE THE PEACE OF GOD WHEN WE ARE TRYING TO ANALYZE THEM.
PRAISE CHANGES CIRCUMSTANCES BECAUSE IT CHANGES OUR ATTITUDE. PEOPLE WHO PRAISE GOD FOR HIS POWER DO NOT CARRY EXCESS BURDENS AND FRUSTRATIONS THEY ARE ABLE TO GIVE THE WEIGHT OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES TO THE LORD’S CARE- WHICH BRINGS PEACE.
II. PRAISE WILL BRING WORSHIP
THE BENEFIT OF PRAISE IS THAT IT WILL TURN INTO WORSHIP.
HEBREWS 13:5- “THROUGH JESUS, THEREFORE, LET US CONTINUALLY OFFER TO GOD A SACRIFICE OF PRAISE, THE FRUIT OF LIPS THAT PROCLAIMING THE GLORY OF HIS NAME.”
IN THIS BUSY AGE- THOSE THAT UNDERSTAND THE BENEFIT OF PRAISE WILL BE EMPOWERED, FRUITFUL, AND EXPERIENCE THE TRANSFORMATION OF CHRIST, AND WILL BE EASILY ABLE TO WORSHIP.
PROBLEMS TURN AROUND WHEN WE STOP STRUGGLING AND LET GOD TAKE OVER. HE’LL CARRY US AFTER WE GIVE UP.
A.W. TOZER SAYS IT THIS WAY- THE REASON WHY MANY ARE STILL TROUBLED, STILL SEEKING, STILL MAKING LITTLE FORWARD PROGRESS IS BECAUSE THEY HAVEN’T YET COME TO THE END OF THEMSELVES. WE’RE STILL TRYING TO GIVE ORDERS, AND INTERFERING WITH GOD’S WORK WITHIN US.
THE GOD WHO CREATED YOU ..WANTS TO CARRY YOU.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IT TAKES TO LIFT US OUT OF COMPLACENCY, BOREDOM, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, FAILURE- IT TAKES GOD’S POWER AND OUR PRAISE
PRAISE THE LORD SOMEBODY OUGHT TO SAY AMEN
III. EVERYTHING THAT HAS BREATH SHOULD PRAISE
ILLUSTRATION-
THIN AIR WON’T HOLD YOU UP, BUT A POWERFUL AIRPLANE CAN
WE NEED JESUS
DOESN’T MATTER HOW DARK THE DAY- HIS LIGHT STILL SHINES THROUGH
HERE’S THE KINGDOM MESSAGE FOR US THIS MORNING.
A LOCAL CARPENTER, JESUS, STEPPED FORWARD TO READ THE TORAH; “THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS ON ME, BECAUSE HE HAS ANOINTED ME TO PREACH GOOD NEWS TO THE POOR. HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM FREEDOM FOR PRISONERS, RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, RELEASE THE OPPRESSED, TO PROCLAIM THE YEAR OF THE LORD’S FAVOR”
THEN HE SAYS- “TODAY THIS SCRIPTURE IS FULFILLED IN YOUR HEARING.
I DON’T CARE WHO YOU ARE I DON’T CARE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE I DON’T CARE WHAT YOU ARE GOING THOUGH JESUS CARES FOR YOU
THE FIRST STEP TO CHANGE A LIFE IS PRAISE
FIRST- JESUS TAKES YOU TO THE BOTTOM AND YOU REALIZE YOUR LIFE IS UNMANAGEABLE AND YOU ARE HELPLESS TO CORRECT THE SITUATION. (IF YOU ARE THERE TODAY, THAT IS THE FIRST STEP)
SECOND- REALIZE THAT THERE IS A GREATER POWER THAN OURSELVES. (JESUS CHRIST) AND HE CAN BEGIN TO RESTORE YOUR LIFE TO SANITY.
WE JUST NEED TO GET OUR PRAISE ON REPEAT.
CLOSING:
HOW’S YOUR PRAISE LIFE?
“THE LORD DELIGHTS IN THOSE WHO FEAR HIM, WHO PUT THEIR HOPE IN HIS UNFAILING LOVE”
SING A NEW SONG THIS MORNING TO THE LORD.
“I WILL ENTER HIS GATES WITH THANKSGIVING IN MY HEART, I WILL ENTER HIS COURTS WITH PRAISE”
JOB 5:17- BLESSED IS THE MAN WHOM GOD CORRECTS. SO DO NOT DESPISE THE DISCIPLINE OF THE ALMIGHTY. FOR HE WOUNDS; BUT HE ALSO BINDS UP; HE INJURES; BUT HIS HAND ALSO HEALS.
PRAISE DEFEATS THE ENEMY
PRAISE PUTS EVIL TO FLIGHT
PRAISE CAN CAUSE WALLS TO FALL DOWN (ASK JOSHUA)
PRAISE CAN STOP THE FURY OF FIRE (ASK THE HEBREW BOYS)
PRAISE CAN QUENCH THE APPETITE OF A LION (ASK DANIEL)
THE DEVIL CAME TO KILL, STEAL, DESTROY-
JESUS SAID THAT HE CAME THAT YOU MIGHT HAVE LIFE, AND HAVE IT MORE ABUNDANTLY.
IT BEGINS WITH PRAISE.
WHEN THE ENEMY COMES IN LIKE A FLOOD. THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD WILL LIFT UP A STANDARD (A SHIELD, BUFFER, SAFEGUARD)
PRAISE IS YOUR WEAPON.
IN THE MIDST OF CIRCUMSTANCES...................PRAISE HIM
IN THE MIDST OF CONFUSION.......................PRAISE HIM
IN THE MIDST OF CRISIS..........................PRAISE HIM
PRAISE THE LORD WHEN YOU GOT NOTHING ELSE AND YOU WILL SEE SOME VICTORIES IN YOUR LIFE.
ALTAR CALL:
