Unconditional Praise

Unconditional Praise - because He is- no matter what

Psalm 34:1 NLT

1 I will praise the Lord at all times. I will constantly speak his praises.

Unconditional love deserves unconditional praise

Theme- consistent praise , regardless of circumstances, we praise God for who he is, not just what he does

Illustration: - the exodus.

the children of Israel cried out to God and slavery and praised him at the Red Sea, but complained in the wilderness and forgot him in the promised land

It’s easy to praise God in the good times, but what about the regular times or when you don’t see the answer? Or even in the bad times?

Life Lesson: Your praise tells on you

Love him, don’t leave him.

Emotion vs revelation -

Emotional praise is based on man’s feelings - fickle - inconsistent

Revelation-al praise is based on God’s fact - predictable - consistent

Our praise should be continually increasing as you know God more - vs up and down like the stock market volatility caused by 100 different variables

1 - Want stuff - petition-al praise = Desperation

we praise God when we want healing, job, wife, house promotion

Hannah wanted child

Urgent prayer chain, comes to church, fast

2 Chronicles 20:21-23 tells the story of King Jehoshaphat appointing singers to praise God as his army went into battle against Ammon, Moab

didn’t know it what to do- our eyes are on you

The battle belongs to the Lord

2 Chronicles 20:21–22 NLT

21 After consulting the people, the king appointed singers to walk ahead of the army, singing to the Lord and praising him for his holy splendor. This is what they sang: “Give thanks to the Lord; his faithful love endures forever!” 22 At the very moment they began to sing and give praise, the Lord caused the armies of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir to start fighting among themselves.

2 - Get stuff - provisional praise = Stip-ulation

Mariam spiked with praise when Pharaoh’s army was destroyed, and they crossed the red sea.

Where were the men?

God is worthy of praise- even in the wilderness.

Psalm 23 - We are to praise God through the valley, as well as on the mountain

3 - Got stuff - conditional praise

We spike - up for a little while then back down- even though God came through

Got what I wanted, mission accomplished

Don’t see the need, look warm - Laodicean

Promised land, forgot God

Nine lepers

Got baby - stay home. Go to parks and miss Church.

Got job - was blessed right out of the church now they’re working weekends.

4 - Didn’t get stuff - cancel praise = Man-ipulation

Withhold praise as a weapon, passive aggressive.

Won’t say it, but certainly shows it, by lack of words , actions, or attendance

Many Christians are secretly mad at God - it shows in their face, giving, praise

I didn’t get mine, so you won’t get yours.

When things didn’t work out the way you wanted or when you wanted.

Didn’t get the job. or someone was promoted ahead of you or you were demoted or even laid off or the business closed.

The fiance’ married someone else

Church didn’t grow

Sickness returns

Did everything right - still went wrong

Searched scriptures - still unsure of what to do

Conditional praise leads to perpetual failure

1 Corinthians 10:9–11 NLT

9 Nor should we put Christ to the test, as some of them did and then died from snakebites. 10 And don’t grumble as some of them did, and then were destroyed by the angel of death. 11 These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.

5 - consistent praise = “Capitulation”

unconditional surrender to God

No matter what

The heart stays good when the world goes bad

The praise stays right when everything goes wrong

God is immutable - He does not change, neither should my praise

What I go through does not change who God is

What I lose does not change what God has

God is bigger than my needs or circumstances

Examples?

Job - praised God despite his losses of children, livestock, finances and health -

Though he slay me. He did not sin with the words of his mouth -

got double for his trouble!

David - praised God despite the repercussions of his sin -

David worshipped God after death of Bathsheba‘s son

Blind Bart - followed Jesus after healing

God cannot resist a consistent praise -

If you will not INHIBIT your praise, God will INHABIT your praise

Call to action: Praise God for who He is vs does

Maybe your trouble is a lack of praise

God cannot inhabit a vacuum

Recognize- is your praise fickle ?

What is your praise based upon?

Emotion based or Word based

Can you praise God when someone else gets healed? Even if you don’t get healed.

The hardest people to reach are the hardest hearts

Repent of thank less ness