SHALL WE PRAISE & WORSHIP HIM?

Revelation 22:3 NLT

3 No longer will there be a curse upon anything. For the throne of God and of the Lamb will be there, and his servants will worship him.

When we arrive in Heaven we are going to enjoy an eternity of worshipping the Lamb of God at the throne of the Father!

Our worship and praise are one of the most important ways to connect with God in this life! It will be perfected in eternity, but can and should be engaged in the here and now!

This morning I would like to take a few moments and learn about praise and worship from the Psalmists....

About a third of the Psalms make reference to bringing Praise and Worship to the Lord...

This morning I want to look at Psalm 150

Psalm 150 NLT

1 Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heaven! 2 Praise him for his mighty works; praise his unequaled greatness! 3 Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn; praise him with the lyre and harp! 4 Praise him with the tambourine and dancing; praise him with strings and flutes! 5 Praise him with a clash of cymbals; praise him with loud clanging cymbals. 6 Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord! Praise the Lord!

The Book of Psalms ends with the WORD - HALLELUJAH or PRAISE THE LORD!

1. Praise Is EVERYWHERE

The call of God to Praise HIM throughout the UNIVERSE

Psalm 150:1 NLT

1 Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heaven!

In His Sanctuary -

In HIS Mighty Heaven -

The Psalmist declared that Praise should be given in the sanctuary - the place of worshipping the Lord - declarations of His greateness...

1 Peter 2:5 NLT

5 And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.

Everyone time we gather as the body of Christ - we are living stones forming a temple to praise Him - called to bring spiritual sacrifices of praise to the Lord.

1 Peter 2:9 NKJV

9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

The universe is called upon to Praise the Lord, but also, we are called to declare His praises as we gather together as His sanctuary

Hebrews 13:15 NLT

15 Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name.

Do we understand that when we come together as the church - our Praise and Worship is a glimpse of heaven?

It is not for our comfort or even our encouragement (although we will benefit from bringing praise to the Lord) but for His HONOR AND GLORY — even the SACRIFICE OF OUR PRAISE

Pride of Satan that keeps us from Worshipping

Lucifer (SATAN) was the leader of praise in heaven, but in his self awareness as the highest of God’s creation PRIDE caused REBELLION to where he wanted to be exalted rather than exalt the Lord.

I say that because I wonder how much our pride leads to rebellion causing us to REFUSE to bring PRAISE INTO THE SANCTUARY!?

Our AWARENESS OF SELF (META) which is the mantra of our society, now literally, keeps us from doing the very thing we were created to do ---- and REDEEMED TO DO!

2. Praise for EVERYTHING

There is so much to reason to praise the Lord...

In reality - for EVERYTHING

Praise Him in the good and bad

The Psalmist declares 2 Categories

Praise Him for His MIGHTY WORKS

Praise Him for WHO HE IS (unequaled greatness

Psalm 150:2 NLT

2 Praise him for his mighty works; praise his unequaled greatness!

What is His unequaled greatness?

Mercy and Grace

Forgiveness

Justice

Power

Omnipotence, Omniscience, Ominiprescence

Unconditional Love

Sovereignty

These are all things the LORD IS

How about all HE HAS DONE

Salvation

The Cross

His Resurrection

Healing

Provision

Answers to Prayer

THE LIST IS EXHAUSTIVE going on forever!

The mighty works we read about in Scripture, in the OLD TESTAMENT when He gave victory in battle, food and water in the wilderness, raised the dead, brought justice through flood on the world, and fire on Sodom and Gomorrah, His promises reminded to us by the perfect rainbow.

When we declare his PRAISE AND WORSHIP HIM we are encouraged by His MIGHTY HAND AND PERFECT CHARACTER and this BUILDS OUR FAITH and INSPIRES US TO TRUST HIM FULLY!!!!

3. Praise in EVERYWAY

Psalm 150:3–5 NLT

3 Praise him with a blast of the ram’s horn; praise him with the lyre and harp! 4 Praise him with the tambourine and dancing; praise him with strings and flutes! 5 Praise him with a clash of cymbals; praise him with loud clanging cymbals.

Psalm 27:6 NLT

6 Then I will hold my head high above my enemies who surround me. At his sanctuary I will offer sacrifices with shouts of joy, singing and praising the Lord with music.

There are so many ways to PRAISE THE LORD!

Lifted Hands

Clapping

Shouting

Singing

Dancing

Instruments

I know when I play the cajon and cymbals I am praising the Lord with my spirit ---

Can I say something,

SILENCE is not a form of praise and worship...

Yes - there is a time to be still and know that He is God, but being still is not praise and worship! It is acknowledgment...

Why would we be so stoic in our praise to the ALMIGHTY GOD who is the MOST DESERVING of all we can GIVE HIM AND worthy of our SACRIFICE OF PRAISE????

We cannot blame it on our culture or upbringing or feelings, when we are given directives in Scripture how to praise the Lord with the instruction to bring a sacrifice of praise...

Church, i want to encourage you to find new ways to praise the Lord!!!

Psalm 147:1 NLT

1 Praise the Lord! How good to sing praises to our God! How delightful and how fitting!

Psalm 33:1 NKJV

1 Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful.

LET US REJOICE IN THE LORD!!!

CONCLUSION

The Lord should have PRAISE an WORSHIP

Everywhere

for Everything

and in Everyway

WILL YOU PRAISE THE LORD?

WILL YOU TRY NEW EXPRESSIONS of PRAISE

raise your hand

dance

clap

lift your voice

wave your arms

He deserves it!!!

Psalm 48:1 NLT

1 How great is the Lord, how deserving of praise, in the city of our God, which sits on his holy mountain!

Psalm 18:3 NLT

3 I called on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, and he saved me from my enemies.

Psalm 145:3 NLT

3 Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! No one can measure his greatness.

Psalm 96:4 NLT

4 Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise! He is to be feared above all gods.