Universal Call to Praise
Notes
Transcript
Praise the Lord, all you nations!
Extol him, all you peoples!
For great is his steadfast love toward us,
and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever.
Praise the Lord!
THIS MORNING WE CONTINUE IN THIS FOURTH INSTALLMENT IN OUR SERIES ON PRAISE. WE BEGAN WITH “AN OUTCRY OF PRAISE” – WE THEN EXAMINED “THE POWER IN OUR PRAISE” FOLLOWED LAST WEEK WITH “THE SACRIFICE OF PRAISE” – THIS MORNING I CONTINUE WITH THE THOUGHT “UNIVERSAL CALL OF PRAISE.”
THE BEAUTY AND SIMPLICITY OF PSALM 117 NEEDS LITTLE COMMENTARY.
PSALM 117 IS NOT ONLY THE BRIEFEST CHAPTER OF THE SCRIPTURES; IT ALSO FALLS...........AT THE CENTER OF THE BIBLE.
THE SHORTNESS OF PSALM 117 HAS BEEN A SUBJECT OF DISCUSSION AMONG BIBLE STUDENTS AND SCHOLARS.
• SOME PROPOSE THE TWO VERSES WERE AN ANCIENT DOXOLOGY, SUNG BY WORSHIPPERS IN THE TEMPLE AND THE SYNAGOGUES AT THE CLOSE OF A WORSHIP SERVICE
• OTHERS SUGGEST THE TWO VERSES WERE A CLOSING THOUGHT TO OTHER PSALMS OF WORSHIP
• WHENEVER IT MIGHT HAVE BEEN SUNG IS NOT AS IMPORTANT AS THE INTENT OF THE PSALM -- TO SING “HALLELUJAH,” TO THE LORD!
• A UNIVERSAL CALL TO PRAISE THE LORD: “O PRAISE THE LORD, ALL YE NATIONS: PRAISE HIM, ALL YE PEOPLE”
• TO “PRAISE,” IS TO BOAST - CELEBRATE - SING “HALLELUJAH”
WE KNOW THROUGH THE PREACHING AND TEACHING THE PAST FEW WEEKS THAT PRAISE GIVES US ACCESS TO GOD.
RECALL WITH ME IN PSALM 100:4 “ENTER HIS GATES WITH THANKSGIVING AND HIS COURTS WITH PRAISE.”
THIS VERSE REFERS TO MOSES’ TABERNACLE IN THE WILDERNESS. THE TABERNACLE WAS DIVIDED INTO THREE PARTS. THE OUTER
COURT -- THE INNER COURT -- THE HOLY OF HOLIES WHERE GOD DWELLED.
• THERE WAS ONLY ONE GATE - ONE ENTRANCE - INTO THE OUTER COURT
• IF YOU WANTED TO APPROACH GOD, YOU HAD TO GO THROUGH THE GATE, INTO THE COURTYARD, AND FINALLY INTO THE HOLY OF HOLIES
IN THE DAYS OF MOSES, ONLY THE HIGH PRIEST COULD ENTER INTO THE HOLY OF HOLIES. IT WAS NOT ACCESSIBLE TO EVERYONE.
HOWEVER, WHEN OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST DIED ACCORDING TO HEBREWS 4:14-16, THE VEIL TO THE HOLY OF HOLIES WAS TORN ALLOWING US ACCESS TO GOD. HALLELUJAH!
• THE GATE YOU COME THROUGH TO APPROACH GOD IS THANKSGIVING AND THE COURT YOU ENTER IS PRAISE
• PSALM 100:4 SHOULD BE SO MUCH MORE MEANINGFUL IN LIGHT OF ITS HISTORICAL CONTEXT
THE PRAISE AND WORSHIP PORTION OF A SERVICE SETS THE ATMOSPHERE FOR THE SERVICE
• PRAISE AND WORSHIP IS NOT THE OPENING ACT TO THE PASTOR'S OR PREACHER’S MESSAGE!
• PRAISE SOFTENS THE SOIL OF YOUR HEART SO THE SEEDS OF THE MESSAGE CAN BE PLANTED
• TO HAVE DIRECT ACCESS TO GOD, IT IS ESSENTIAL TO COME THROUGH PRAISE
HOW CAN YOU INCORPORATE PRAISE INTO YOUR EVERYDAY LIFE GIVING YOU ACCESS TO GOD? YOU HAVE TO MAKE IT PERSONAL.
• YOU CAN TURN ON PRAISE MUSIC WHILE YOU CLEAN THE HOUSE
• YOU CAN TURN ON PRAISE MUSIC WHILE YOU ARE IN THE CAR
• YOU CAN TURN ON PRAISE MUSIC WHILE YOU ARE COOKING IN THE KITCHEN
• YOU CAN TURN ON PRAISE MUSIC WHILE YOU ARE SITTING ON THE PORCH
• YOU CAN PRAISE HIM BEFORE YOUR PRAYER OR BIBLE STUDY TIME
• YOU CAN SING TO HIM BEFORE YOU PRAY
• YOU CAN PRAISE HIM BEFORE YOU OPEN YOUR BIBLE
• YOU CAN TURN ON PRAISE MUSIC AS YOU ARE DRIVING TO CHURCH
• TILL UP THE SOIL OF YOUR HEART WITH PRAISE, AND THEN ALLOW GOD TO PLANT HIS WORDS INTO FRESH SOIL
PRAISE CHANGES YOU. BEING IN THE MIDST OF WORSHIP
• I’VE SEEN THE HARDEST OF HEARTS MELT
• I’VE SEEN REPENTANCE
• I’VE SEEN FRIENDSHIP RESTORED AND MARRIAGES HEAL
• PRAISE CAN CHANGE YOU IF YOU ALLOW IT TO
PRAISE CHANGES RELATIONSHIPS - IT CHANGES HEARTS - IT CHANGES MINDSETS. IN PRAISE, OUR FOCUS SHIFTS FROM -
• US TO THE LORD
• FROM PROBLEMS TO THE SOLUTION
• FROM PAIN TO PROMISE
• FROM HURT TO HOPE
PROVERBS 27:21 SAYS, “AS THE FINING POT FOR SILVER, AND THE FURNACE FOR GOLD; SO IS A MAN TO HIS PRAISE.” SO OFTEN, WHEN WE HAVE HEATED OUR SPIRITS IN WORSHIP - THOUGHTS - DESIRES - ATTITUDES RISE TO THE SURFACE.
AS WE ARE BROKEN AND HEATED IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD, THOSE NEGATIVE ATTITUDES RISE TO THE SURFACE OF OUR HEARTS.
WE ARE THEN ABLE TO BRING THEM TO JESUS TO BE FORGIVEN AND CLEANSED.
WHEN WE MAKE A DECISION TO FIX OUR EYES ON JESUS, AND DAILY GIVE HIM PRAISE, NO MATTER WHAT IS STARING US IN THE FACE, WE WILL BEGIN TO SEE THE STRUGGLES LOSE THEIR GRIP OVER US.
THERE IS POWER IN OUR ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT GOD IS WORTHY OF OUR WORSHIP AND PRAISE. AND AS WE PRESS CLOSE TO HIM, OUR HEARTS BECOME MORE IN TUNE WITH OUR CREATOR AND KING.
PRAISE HONORS GOD AND GIVES US THE GIFT OF RENEWED PERSPECTIVE.
• WHEN WE MAGNIFY GOD RATHER THAN OUR PROBLEMS, WE SEE HE IS GREATER
• WHEN WE PRAISE GOD, WE SHIFT OUR FOCUS FROM OURSELVES, OTHER PEOPLE, AND EVERYTHING GOING ON IN OUR LIVES TO GOD
• WHEN WE FOCUS ON OUR HEAVENLY FATHER, WE REAP ONE OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE BENEFITS OF PRAISING GOD, WHICH IS GOD’S PRESENCE
PRAISE IS A RELATIONSHIP. IT IS NOT A RITUAL.
PSALM 81:10 SAYS, “I AM THE LORD, YOUR GOD . . .”. ISN’T IT WONDERFUL TO KNOW THAT HE IS OURS AND WE ARE HIS?
PRAISE BRINGS US INTO A CLOSER RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS.
I LOVE EXODUS 25:8.
And have them make me a sanctuary, so that I may dwell among them.
GOD TELLS MOSES TO BUILD A SANCTUARY THAT “I MAY DWELL AMONG THEM.”
• HE DIDN’T WANT A LARGE EDIFICE TO SHOW HIS AWESOMENESS
• HE DIDN’T ASK FOR MASSIVE MONUMENTS OR STATUES MADE OF GOLD
• GOD ASKED FOR A SIMPLE TENT
• IT WASN’T ABOUT THE STRUCTURE
• IT WAS ABOUT THE RELATIONSHIP
• HE WANTED A TABERNACLE JUST SO HE COULD BE WITH US
• THE GOD OF ALL OF THE EARTH COULD BE ANYWHERE, COULD HAVE ANYTHING, COULD DO ANYTHING, AND YET HE CHOOSES TO BE WITH YOU, AND WITH ME
• GOD DOESN'T WANT ANYTHING TO DWELL IN, BUT US
• HE WANTS RELATIONSHIP WITH US
• THAT RELATIONSHIP COMES THROUGH PRAISE
THE PROBLEM COMES IN WHEN RITUAL TAKES THE PLACE OF PURE PRAISE.
• WE “PRAISE” THE SINGERS OF THE SONGS MORE THAN THE ONE WE ARE SINGING ABOUT
A UNIVERSAL CALL TO PRAISE.....
• TRUE PRAISE COMES FROM RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS
• HE INHABITS THE PRAISES OF HIS PEOPLE
• HE DWELLS IN, LIVES IN, AND ABIDES IN OUR PRAISE
• HE JUST WANTS A RELATIONSHIP WITH YOU
• UNIVERSAL CALL TO PRAISE
THE FIRST MENTION OF PRAISE IN THE BIBLE IS AT THE BIRTH OF JACOB’S SON, JUDAH, IN GENESIS 29:35.
She conceived again and bore a son, and said, “This time I will praise the Lord”; therefore she named him Judah; then she ceased bearing.
• JUDAH MEANS PRAISE
• NO MATTER WHERE YOU SEE THE NAME JUDAH IN THE BIBLE, IT ALWAYS MEANS PRAISE
REVELATION 5:5 TELLS US THAT OUR LORD JESUS, THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF PRAISE (JUDAH) HAS OVERCOME! SO MANY OF US WALK AROUND IN FEAR OF THE ENEMY.
WHETHER IT IS “THE DEVIL” YOU FEAR, YOUR OWN THOUGHTS, OR YOUR NEXT DOOR NEIGHBOR, WE OFTEN WALK AROUND FEARING OUR ENEMY AND WHAT HE/SHE COULD DO TO US.
I DON’T LIKE TO SPEAK ABOUT THE DEVIL WHEN I PREACH, I DON’T LIKE TO GIVE THE ADVERSARY THE PLATFORM.
I ALSO BELIEVE HE HAS NO POWER EXCEPT WHAT WE GIVE HIM.
NON-PRAISERS OFTEN WORRY ABOUT THEIR ENEMY WHO WALKS AROUND AS A ROARING LION SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR.
• THE ENEMY WALKS AS A ROARING LION
• HE IS AN IMPOSTER
• HE HAS NO POWER
PRAISERS KNOW THAT THEIR LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH IS THE REAL THING, AND HE HAS ALREADY OVERCOME EVERY SINGLE ENEMY THAT MAY COME IN THEIR PATH.
THIS IS WHY I HAVE LEARNED TO PRAISE.
I HAVE LEARNED TO SIMPLY PRAISE MY WAY THROUGH.
I HAVE LEARNED TO “UNLEASH THE POWER OF PRAISE” IN MY LIFE AND IN EVERY CIRCUMSTANCE.
HOW MANY BATTLES DO WE NEEDLESSLY FIGHT; DRAWING -- OUR SWORDS OF WORRY -- OUR SHIELDS OF FEAR -- AND OUR WORDS OF WAR?
WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF WE SIMPLY TRUSTED THAT THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH HAS ALREADY WON THE BATTLE?
ALL THE NATIONS SHOULD BE PRAISING HIM BECAUSE HE IS GOOD TO THE UNBELIEVERS AS WELL.
MATTHEW 5:45 “…FOR HE MAKETH HIS SUN TO RISE ON THE EVIL AND ON THE GOOD, AND SENDETH RAIN ON THE JUST AND ON THE UNJUST.”
HE IS NOT JUST THE GOD OF THE “CHRISTIAN” NATIONS.
ACTS 4:12 STATES CATEGORICALLY THAT “THERE IS NO OTHER NAME UNDER HEAVEN WHEREBY MAN MAY BE SAVED.”
There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved.”
• THEY MAY PRAISE THEIR FALSE GODS AND PHILOSOPHIES, BUT THE GIFTS COME FROM CHRIST
• THEIR GODS ARE DEAD AND THEIR PHILOSOPHIES ARE FOOLISHNESS
• ONE DAY, THEY WILL SEE THEIR FOLLY
• I PRAY THAT IT MAY IT BE IN THIS LIFE WHILE THEY CAN STILL REPENT AND PRAISE HIM RATHER THAN BOW BEFORE HIM AS JUDGE
• IT IS OUR CALLING TO HELP THEM TO DO SO
A UNIVERSAL CALL TO PRAISE
(PAUSE)
A REASON GIVEN TO PRAISE IS THAT HIS TRUTH ENDURES FOREVER.
REMEMBER WHEN PILATE ASKS JESUS..... “WHAT IS TRUTH?”
IS IT NOT SOMETHING TO PRAISE HIM FOR ..........THAT HE IS THE SAME TODAY, YESTERDAY, AND FOREVER?
WHAT HE HAS SAID, HE HAS SAID AND HE CHANGES NOT.
WHILE EVERYONE ELSE TRIES TO UPDATE THE OLD SINS BY CALLING THEM NEW NAMES AND SUFFERING THE SAME OLD MISERY AND
DESTRUCTION......CHILDREN OF GOD...... CAN REST IN WHAT GOD COMMANDS US FOR LIFE AND THAT IS TO PRAISE HIM....
(DEUT 8:16, PROV 19:20) WHILE THE WORLD IS TRYING TO FIND THEIR WAY IN LIFE
WE CAN PRAISE HIM THAT HE IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE!!! (JOHN 14:6)
MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, WILL YOU NOT BOAST ON THE LORD TO THE NATIONS AROUND YOU?
WILL YOU GET RID OF THAT PRIDE THAT KEEPS YOU FROM WITNESSING?
WILL YOU PUT OUR DIFFERENCES ASIDE AND PRAISE THE LORD FOR ALL HIS PEOPLE?
WILL YOU NOT LOUDLY PRAISE HIM FOR HIS MERCIFUL KINDNESS THAT YOU NEED EACH MOMENT OF YOU LIFE? WILL YOU NOT LOUDLY
BOAST OF HIS TRUTH THAT ENDURES FOREVER?
EVERYBODY PRAISE THE LORD!!!!!
--EVERY CHANCE YOU GET, PRAISE THE LORD
--IN GOOD TIMES AND BAD, PRAISE THE LORD
--IN SICKNESS AND HEALTH, PRAISE THE LORD
--WITH OR WITHOUT A JOB, PRAISE THE LORD
--LET EVERYTHING THAT HAS BREATH, PRAISE THE LORD
--PRAISE YE THE LORD
—A UNIVERSAL CALL TO PRAISE