A Place Called Praise

Giving Thanks

A PLACE CALLED PRAISE

Psalm 34:1 “I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

Psalm 121:1–2 “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, From whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, Which made heaven and earth.”

Psalm 22:3 “ God inhabits the praises of his people”

Praise is a place. It is the secret place of the most high.

Praise is more than acknowledgment. It is also an expression of delight.

Praise is reveling in the God who has shown himself to us. It is expressing the love that wells up within us by speaking to him. We can speak to God privately, with others in our homes, or assembled in congregations. When we speak to him, we join with believers through the ages who have expressed their love for the Lord by praising him for his great and wonderful acts and for his great and wonderful self.

Psalm 16:11 “Thou wilt shew me the path of life: In thy presence is fulness of joy; At thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”

Richards, Lawrence O. 1999. In New International Encyclopedia of Bible Words: Based on the NIV and the NASB, 496. Zondervan’s Understand the Bible Reference Series. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

The text implys that the psalmist was in a battle Of the mind.

The tribulations of life bought him to a fork in the road.

Will I hang my head down? Or will I LIFT MY HEAD UP?

Will I stress over this mess? Or will I lift up my head and be blessed?

Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks

You can’t talk like this without real conviction, without expectation, WITHOUT FAITH

Notice with me the force of the text.

The psalmist has a made up mind. His mind is made up, his heart is fixed, and out of the abundance of his heart He declares his destiny, by the declaration of praise.. He says I WILL!

“When he had thus spoken, he took bread, and gave thanks to God in [the] presence of them all; and when he had broken it, he began to eat” (Acts 27:35).

Aunt Martha, Aunt Sis was going through a vicious storm. The Storm of life. She became a widow at a young age. Uncle Tommy passed away. But she still kept her praise. She outlived her only son Tommy, but she still kept her praise, and she endured sickness, to the point she could barely move or talk, eventually loosing the ability to move or communicate altogether. But through it all she learned to trust in Jesus. She looked unto the hills from whence comes her help. She had a made up mind, that she will bless the Lord at all times, HIS PRAISE shall continually be in her mouth.

I know why she was able to praise God through it all. Inspite of all she’s been through, she knew she was blessed with an amazing family. Aunt Martha lacked for nothing, because her daughter Debbie Collins an ANGEL from above, was there empowered by GOD to lovingly take care of her, day and night. She, gave thanks for the wonderful Man her grandson Andre became, and how God blessed him with a wonderful, God fearing wife. She was thankful for Amber, and Poogie, and all her great grandchildren. In the midst of the storm Aunt Martha, Aunt Sis.. was Grateful.

Because she had eyes of Faith.

FIRST — THE PRACTICE OF GIVING THANKS

“Gave thanks to God.” This is such a simple act, yet few people thank God for their food or for anything. It is a grateful heart that is a good heart. In your learning, learn to give thanks, especially to God. To not know how to give thanks says you have a character problem. You may fail in many areas of life, but you will have a successful life if you know how to give thanks to God for His blessings.

SECOND — THE PERSISTENCE OF GIVING THANKS

Psalm 34:1 “I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth.”

• SHe gave thanks in spite of her problems. She was experiencing a tough storm in life but she still gave thanks. A good way to combat bad circumstances is to give thanks to God. Failure to give thanks will only make you situation worse. Thank God even if you are up to your neck in problems. The ladder out of your troubles is thanksgiving.

• SHe gave thanks in spite of her possessions. She gave thanks though she did not have much. She could no longer feed her self, and Debbie would hold the phone to her ear, so she could listen to church service, and give her testimony. especially in those days after going through a storm. AUNT Martha would thank God for what she had though it wasn’t much. If we would quit complaining about what we do not have and thank God for what we do have, we would have a better attitude and honor God more.

2 Corinthians 4:16 “For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.”

THIRD — THE PERSON TO WHOM TO GIVE THANKS

Psalm 121:1–3 “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, From whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, Which made heaven and earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: He that keepeth thee will not slumber.”

“God is the source of our blessings and needs to be the first one thanked for our blessing. Those who give thanks to God are more likely to give thanks to their fellow man. An ungrateful heart towards God produces and ungrateful heart towards men.

FOURTH — THE PUBLICNESS OF GIVING THANKS

“Gave thanks to God in [the] presence of them all.” Aunt Martha was not ashamed to recognize God in public. Her giving thanks was a testimony for God.

So many people do not give thanks in public. Go to a public restaurant and observe how few people give thanks for their meals.

If you are not willing to give God thanks in public, do not be surprised if God is not willing to bless you in public.

I want to say thank you Jesus for Aunt Martha.

Thank you Debbie for sacrificing your lifestyle to take care of your Mother. She lacked for nothing.

Thank you Poogie, and Amber for helping Debbie, every step of the way

Thank you Andre for making all of us proud, and looking out for your Mother.

Thank you Jesus for 90 years.

THIRD — THE POWER OF THE GOSPEL

“The power of God unto salvation.” The word “power” is the word from which we get our English word “dynamite.” The text notes two things about this great power.

• It is Divine power. “Power of God.” Salvation requires tremendous power to save a sinner from his sins. Only Divine power will do it. This is greater power than any nuclear power.

• It is delivering power. “Unto salvation.” This power will save the sinner from damnation. It is as such cleansing power (the blood of Christ is the best detergent anywhere, for it washes away all sin stains). It is quickening power (it gives life where death was). It is keeping power (it saves a person eternally).