“When Praises Go Up, Blessings Come Down”
U.S. Army Chaplain (MAJ) Ken Harris
CP Walker’s Multicultural Gospel Service, Taegu Korea
BIG IDEA: GOD HAS A DIVINE PLAN OF BLESSINGS, FOR EACH OF US, THAT REQUIRES faith and divine confidence WHEN WE PRAISE HIM.
REFERENCES: Joshua 1:1-23; 1 Peter 5:6 (Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time").
Psalms 150; Romans 1: 21( Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened);; Psalm 96:8 (Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come into his courts); Hebrews 11:30 (By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days); Romans 6; Psalms 15; Psalms 95:8-10; Isaiah 53:6 (All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid F244 on him the iniquity of us all).
I. ANNOUNCE THE PERICOPE: JOSHUA 5:13-15; JOSHUA 6:15-21
II. READ THE PERICOPE: JOSHUA 5:13-15; JOSHUA 6:15-21
III. READ THE TEXT: JOSHUA 6:20 (So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, F20 so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city).
IV. PURPOSE: To motivate the hearers to affirm to others that God’s divine plan of blessings, for our lives, mandates that we HAVE FAITH AND DIVINE CONFIDENCE in Him when we PRAISE HIM.
V. SERMONIC THEME: “SHOUT!” Ruwa’ (Verb): Roo-ah
to shout in triumph
over the enemies.
“When Praises Go Up, Blessings Come Down”
INTRODUCTION: (… Just in case you’re not aware of what’s going on … every First Sunday is the Multicultural Gospel Service’s Communion Sunday. Every Third Sunday is the our “Women in Action Sunday”. Fourth Sundays are our “Family and Friend” Sundays; and Every Second Sunday is our Youth In Action Sunday. *Therefore, please join me in surrending to God a round of applause FOR OUR YOUTH …
GOD IS WORTHY OF WORSHIP … TURN TO THAT PERSON THAT IS SITTING ON YOUR LEFT OR RIGHT … AND SAY NEIGHBOR … GOD IS WOW! … GOD IS WORTHY OF WORSHIP!
AGAIN, WHAT A WONDERFUL DISPLAY OF FAITH AND CONFIDENCE IN GOD … DISPLAYED BY OUR MULTICULTURAL GOSPEL SERVICE YOUTH … OF TODAY … AND NOT JUST TOMORROW. FOR OUR YOUTH IS OUR CHURCH OF TODAY! CAN I GET A WITNESS IN THE BUILDING!
NOW … THAT WE HAVE GIVEN THE APPROPRIATE ACCOLADES TO OUR YOUTH … FOR DISPLAYING AND SHOWING THEIR FAITH AND CONFIDENCE IN GOD … I HAVE some questions TO ASK OF YOU.
IS IT POSSIBLE TO FAITHFULLY COME TO CHURCH … OR TO COME IN THE MIDST OF … “THE CONGREGATION OF THE RIGHTEOUS” FOR 365 DAYS A YEAR, 52 WEEKS A YEAR, 12 MONTHS A YEAR … PRAISING GOD … (i.e., standing on your feet, waving your hand in the air, running and dancing down the isle of the church)
… AND YET … NOT KNOW … OR UNDERSTAND HOW TO REALLY … MAKE SOME NOISE?
IS IT POSSIBLE TO DO ALL OF THIS AND … NOT KNOW … OR UNDERSTAND HOW TO REALLY CRY-OUT TO GOD? Or better yet … IS IT POSSIBLE TO START-OFF CORRECTLY IN GOD … AND STILL NOT KNOW … OR UNDERSTAND HOW TO SHOUT IN TRIUMPH OVER OUR ENEMIES … UNTIL WE GET A BREAK-THROUGH?
Yes IT’S POSSIBLE … NOT TO KNOW OR UNDERSTAND HOW TO MAKE SOME GODLY NOISE. AND IT’S POSSIBLE TO START-OFF CORRECTLY IN GOD, AND STILL NOT KNOW HOW TO SHOUT IN TRIUMPH OVER OUR ENEIMIES!
For don’t your remember in ROMANS 1:21 GOD speaks of Spiritual Apostasy … There were believers that knew him and still didn’t glorify him as God …
NEITHER WERE THEY THANKFUL; BUT BECAME VAIN IN THEIR IMAGINATIONS, AND THEIR FOOLISH HEARTS WERE DARKENED …”
YES … IT’S POSSIBLE.
IT’S possible to be a faithful member in a church for YEARS AND WITNESS … JUST 2 Weeks EARLIER … how God can deliver His people FROM SPIRITUAL BONDAGE … EVEN across THE REA SEA IN THEIR LIFE … AND STILL … MURMUR AND COMPLAIN … AND NOT TRUST GOD OR HAVE CONFIDENCE IN HIM … DURING OUR CURRENT CIRCUMSTANCES. IT POSSIBLE TO EVEN DISSAPPOINT … GOD AND GRIEVE HIS SPIRIT?
For don’t you remember … (in Psalms 95:8-10, and Exodus 17) …
The Israelites had only been in the wilderness for two weeks before they “loathe” … “THEY GRIEVED GOD’S HEART” .
God had just delivered them OUT OF THE EGYPT IN THEIR LIVES … AND THEY STARTED MURMURING AND COMPLAINING THAT THEY WERE THIRTY … FOR MOSES HAD brought them out of Egypt to die
… They complain so much, Moses told God that it look like they were going to STONE HIM … if he didn’t do something fast.
As result, God told Moses to lead them out to the rock and strike it in their presence and water would come.
My brothers and sisters … God didn’t bring us this far into CHRISTENDOM TO LEAVE US! I know VICTORY over our trials aren’t always easy to see. Still the Bible says (Isaiah 54:17) that no weapon formed against us shall prosper. … It’s going to be alright!
(Psalms 96:8) Give unto the Lord the Glory that’s due unto His Name. In other words: “PUSH” – PRAISE until Something Happens.
Likewise … in our text … this afternoon … (Joshua 5:13-15) we find Joshua – The Spiritual Leader of Israel after Moses – having a relgiious experience that defies human understanding. For the Good book says that Joshua saw an angelic military commander … (unaware); In fact, this Angelic Commander had his Sword drawn in a fighting stance. So Joshua asked him, in essence, “are you a friend or foe? The angel responded, I’ve come to defeat the enemy and give you the VICTORY.
******************************TAKE 5 BEATS******************************
CELEBRATION: 1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power. 2 Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. 3 Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp. 4 Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs. 5 Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. 6 Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.
