WHY DON’T WE? (PRAISE)
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
PRAISE IS MUCH MORE THAN A CERTAIN SONG OR A CERMONIAL HABIT OR A COLD RITUAL.
Christianity must be a daily personal relationship with a man and a Holy God. Church is much more than 4 hard walls. Praise is deeper than entertainment, performances, light shows that can turn into circus freak shows.
Why would we need a gadget to define what loud is?
Today we seem to work at play and want to play at work. Seems we grow a trap of worshipping worship. Then we get so polished at praising praise. Today we often find praise teams? We assign a few people to do the praise, while the crowd sits with folded arms and watches. A recent study suggested 80% of the congregation will not enter into praise and worship. Doom?
DO WE KNOW THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH… THE TRIBE OF JUDAH WERE THE PRAISERS…
Genesis 29:35 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.
The King of Israel was facing impossible odds… King Jehoshaphat ordered the ARMY TO THE STATE OF ALERT… READY FOR BATTLE… but there was a strategy change: SEND IN THE PRAISERS FIRST.
2 Chronicles 20:20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. 21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever. 22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.
DO WE REALLY BELIEVE GOD’S THRONE HAS OPEN ACCESS WHERE THERE IS GODLY PRAISE?
GOD IS ENTHRONED IN PRAISE… DO WE KNOW GOD INHABITS OUR PRAISES?
Psalm 22:3 But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel.
In the Hebrew language Psalms 22:3 has very accurate rendering saying: GOD INHABITS THE PRAISES OF HIS PEOPLE.
IF WE KNOW --- WHY DON’T WE?
In Robert J. Morgan’s writing you will find an unusual story. Seems there was a man that enjoyed traveling. He loved trains. So he would travel where ever the train would take him. One day he was traveling a long distance from home and decided to visit this little town. He got his luggage and climbed down on to the dock. The first thing the man noticed was NO ONE, NOT ONE PERSON HAD SHOES ON THEIR FEET. The men, the women and all the children… not one person had on shoes. Every person was barefooted. The ground was covered with snow. The temperatures were below zero, yet not one person had shoes. He could not believe his eyes. Thousands of people --- NO SHOES?
The man hailed a taxi cab and the driver was barefoot as he loaded the luggage in the trunk. The stranger inquired of the driver. Why is everyone barefooted? Haven’t you ever heard of shoes? Do you understand shoes would be comfortable and keep your feet warm? The driver said: OF COURSE WE HAVE HEARD OF SHOES. The traveling man said: THEN WHY DON’T YOU WEAR THEM? The driver made a clear reply: Well, sir that is a very good question: WHY DON’T WE WEAR SHOES? Why don’t we? Then the driver unloaded his rider.
At the hotel the man again made the observation not one person had on shoes. The lady that checked him in had no shoes. The janitor cleaning the hallway, all the guest were barefooted. Wow? So the man asked the desk clerk, you are not wearing shoes… WHY DON’T YOU WEAR SHOES? Do you know about shoes? The clerk answered: Of course we know about shoes. Everyone knows about shoes. The man could not believe his eyes.
The clerk went on to say: WELL, SIR THAT IS A VERY GOOD QUESTION: WHY DON’T WE WEAR SHOES? WHY DON’T WE?
Later that evening the man went to a fancy restaurant. The women were dress real fancy. There was a large crowd… but everyone was barefooted and the outside was cold and snow covered. The barefoot waiter came to take his order and the man said: WAITER, WHY IS EVERYONE BAREFOOTED… Don’t you know how nice shoes can be? SURE, WE KNOW ALL ABOUT SHOES… WHY DON’T WE WEAR SHOES? WHY DON’T WE?
The next morning as the man was checking out of his room he was again amazed… not one person had on shoes. As he sat in the lobby a business man was sitting there in a fancy suit. In their discussion the traveler explained how shoes protected your feet. He went on to explain socks and shoes kept your feet warm and they looked so nice on your feet. The business man answered: WHY DON’T WE WEAR THEM? WHY DON’T WE?
The traveling man boarded on a city bus and was riding to downtown. Everyone was barefooted. The man talked to a working man and said: WHY IS EVERYONE BAREFOOTED? Don’t you know about shoes? The fellow traveler snapped back: OF COURSE WE KNOW ALL ABOUT SHOES… LOOK OUT THE WINDOW THAT IS A BIG SHOE FACTORY. WE ARE SO THANKFUL THAT THE SHOE FACTORY EMPLOYS MANY WORKERS. The factory owner announces to the community each week HOW WONDERFUL SHOES ARE! WE LOVE HIM AND THANK HIM FOR MAKING SHOES…
Then the traveling man once again asks: If you know all about shoes and how wonderful they are: WHY DOESN’T ANYONE WEAR SHOES? The working man says: WHY DON’T WE WEAR SHOES? THAT’S A GOOD QUESTION!
WHY DON’T WE PRAISE GOD? WE KNOW PRAISE IS GOOD? IS ALL WE HAVE QUESTIONS AND NO ANSWERS? WHEN WILL WE CHANGE AND PRAISE GOD?
LIFE WILL TRULY BE FOREVER CHANGED IF WE COULD BUT GRASP THE POWER OF PRAISE AND WORSHIP.
CAN WE FOCUS OUR ATTENTION THAT THE POWER OF PRAISING GOD RELEASES OUR SPIRIT TO A GREATER DEPTH OF DAILY LIVING…
GOOD COACHES KNOW THE POWER OF PRAISE… Go to a football game and meet the 12TH man THE CROWD?… Go to a basketball game the roar of the crowd causes the players to reach a new level of play when the fans spur them to new heights. Go to a music concert and see new talent released by the loving applause. Hear a preacher’s sermon when the crowd of the amen corner reaches the ears of the preacher.
Do you praise your spouse? Do you praise your children? ALL LIVING PEOPLE LOVE SUPPORT AND CRAVE PRAISE.
DID YOU KNOW THAT PRAISE OR CRITICAL ATTITUDES CAN HAVE AN INFLUENCE ON YOUR MARRIAGE, YOUR HOME AND YOUR HEALTH?
We are searching for access to God. We pray for an open door… PAUL HAS A PRAYER REQUEST… AN OPEN DOOR.
Does praise come as an instinct, naturally or is it taught and learned as a DISCIPLINE.
Colossians 4:3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
OPEN DOOR… WE PRAY FOR AN OPEN DOOR… THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE OPEN DOOR THROUGH PRAISE…
Psalm 100:4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
There is a KEY THAT UNLOCKS THE ACCESS TO GOD’S THRONE.
Have you ever read a sign that says LAKE ACCESS? My brother told my dad that must be a big lake everywhere we go is LAKE ACCESS. Dad explained that sign means you can get your boat in the water… Why can’t we see WE HAVE A GOD ACCESS?
We understand God’s house has 3 parts…
1. The Outer Court
2. The Inner Court
3. The Holy of Holies…
TODAY WE HAVE OPEN ACCESS TO GOD, JEW, GENTILE, MEN, WOMEN, CHILDREN, CRIPPLE…
MEPHIBOSHETH THE CRIPPLE OF SAUL’S DESCENDANTS WAS WELCOMED AT KING DAVID’S HOUSE EVEN HANDICAPPED HE HAD ACCESS BY PRAISE… PRAISE LEADS US TO THE THRONE ROOM OF GOD…
IS THIS THE HILL I WANT TO DIE ON? PRAISE CHANGES OUR ATTITUDES, WORDS, OUR ACTIONS AND REACTIONS… PRAISE WILL BRING REPENTANCE, CONFESSION, BROKEN AND CONTRITENESS.
Have we grown hard hearts? Is stubbornness killing our relationships with people and God? Have you hit a brick wall at work? At home?
Praise has a mirror effect, we can start seeing more clearly.
PRAISE WINS… WATCH ANY TEAM’S BENCH AND YOU CAN TELL IF THE TEAM IS WINNING OR LOOSING…
WE MUST NOT IMPRISON GOD IN A BOX… THERE ARE TIMES PRAISE WILL BE A GREAT SACRIFICE. PRAISE IS A GREAT TOOL THAT REFOCUSES LIFE FROM OFF THE FLESH BACK ONTO GOD…
Praise is a response for and action that benefits God’s people. Praise is easy at times. Sometimes praise is totally by faith and not emotions. The sacrifice of praise requires surrender of will.
Hebrews 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.
PRAISE KILLS THE NEGATIVE MINDED AND GOSSIP TONGUE TRAP… YOU CAN NOT GRIPE, FUSS, COMPLAIN AND FIND FAULT WHILE PRAISING GOD… WILL THE ROCKS CRY OUT FOR US?
Luke 19:39 And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. 40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.
CONCLUSION: WILL WE TRAIN OUR MIND, ATTITUDES AND TONGUE TO PRAISE GOD ON A REGULAR BASIS? When we praise God we surrender to the will of God as we depend on God.. .Praise glorifies God. Depression, worry, doubt, fear cannot grow in the soil of praise.
Psalm 103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3 Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4 Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;
Psalm 150:1 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.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
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