A Place Called Praise (2)

A Place Called Praise

There is not a corner in heaven or on earth where God is not praised.

John Calvin (French Reformer)

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: The celebration, honouring and adoration of God, in the power of the Holy Spirit, whether by individual believers or communities. God deserves every imaginable praise from his creatures.

IN PRAYER WE ACT LIKE MEN IN PRAYER WE ACT LIKE ANGELS

945It is a good thing to praise Christ in the presence of his friends. It is sometimes a better thing to extol him in the presence of his enemies. It is a great thing to praise Jesus Christ by day, but there is no music sweeter than the nightingale’s, and she praises God by night. It is well to praise the Lord for his mercy when you are in health, but make sure that you do it when you are sick, for then your praise is more likely to be genuine. When you are deep down in sorrow, do not rob God of the gratitude that is due to him. Never stint him of his revenue of praise whatever else goes short.—42.453

Charles Spurgeon

1. The Passion of Praise

a. Self-love may lead us to pray, but our Love of God will lead us to praise

2. The Position praise puts us in

a. When we praise God, He inhabits or enters our praises, and His power overwhelms the enemy's power. He is a mighty God, and Satan cannot match His power.

b. Praise places you in a position to receive from the Lord

i. 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."

3. The PRAISE place

a. Praise is a place. It is the secret place of the Most High.

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

c. Praise is rejoicing in the revelation of God.

d. Praise expresses the love that wells up within us by speaking to him.

4. Prepare your mind for praise

a. The text implies that the psalmist was in a battle of the mind. He had a decision to make.

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

c. He had to decide

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

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

d. The psalmist made his mind up. His heart is fixed, and out of the abundance of his heart, He declares his

e. I WILL Lift up my head and bless the Lord all the time.

f. I will praise the Lord every day, all-day

i. I'm not a fair weather praiser.

ii. I'll praise Him in the morning, on the noonday, and at midnight.

iii. I'll praise Him in the good times, in the bad times, I'll praise Him all the time.

iv. As LONG AS I HAVE BREATH, I WILL PRAISE THE LORD!

v. And even if I can't talk anymore

1. WHEN I THINK OF THE GOODNESS OF JESUS and all HE's DONE FOR ME. MY SOUL CRYS OUT!

You can't talk like this without absolute conviction, without expectation, WITHOUT FAITH

5. Aunt Marth's Praise

a. Aunt Martha Aunt Sis was going through a vicious storm. The Storm of Life.

b. She became a widow at a young age. Uncle Tommy passed away. But she still kept her praise.

c. She outlived her only son, Tommy, but she still kept her praise and

d. She endured sickness to the point she could barely move or talk, eventually losing the ability to move or talk altogether.

e. But through it all, she learned to trust in Jesus.

f. She looked unto the hills from whence comes her help.

g. She had a made-up mind that she would always bless the Lord; HIS PRAISE shall continually be in her mouth.

6. Aunt Martha had a reason to praise God.

a. I know why she was able to praise God through it all.

b. Despite all she's been through, she knew she was blessed with an amazing family.

c. Aunt Martha lacked for nothing

i. because her daughter Debbie Collins, an ANGEL from above, was empowered by GOD to care for her day and night lovingly.

ii. She gave thanks for the wonderful man her grandson Andre became and how God blessed him with a wonderful, God-fearing wife.

iii. She was thankful for Amber, Poogie, and all her great-grandchildren. Amid the Storm, Aunt Martha Aunt Sis.. was Grateful.

Because she had eyes of Faith.

FIVE THINKS ABOUT AUNT MARTHA

FIRST — Aunt Martha PRACTICED GIVING THANKS

1. She "Gave thanks to God."

a. Debbie would hold the phone to her ear so she could listen to church service and give her testimony.

2. If we would quit complaining about what we do not have and what we can't do and thank God for what we do have, we would have a better attitude and honor God more.

3. You may fail in many areas of life,

a. Your body may fail

b. Your finances may fail

c. Your business may fail

d. Your marriage may fail

e. BUT JESUS NEVER FAILS

f. you will have a successful, joyful, prosperous life if you thank God for His blessings.

SECOND — AUNT MARTHA WAS PERSISTENT In PRAISE

Psalm 34:1:"I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth." THIS TEXT PROCEEDED HER TESTIMONY!

1) She gave thanks despite her problems.

a) Thank God even if you are up to your neck in problems.

b) The ladder out of your troubles is Thanksgiving.

c) Don't wait till the battles over….

You cannot always be speaking his praise, but you can always be living his praise.

A Life-Long Occupation, Volume 34, Sermon #2048 - Hebrews 13:15

Charles Spurgeon

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 — Aunt Martha knew the God She Praised.

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."

1) "God is the source of our blessings

FOURTH — Aunt Martha Praised God in PUBLIC.

2) Aunt Martha was always ready to testify about the goodness of JESUS.

3) 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.

FIFTH – AUNT MARTHA WAS SAVED:

1) JESUS TOLD HER WELL DONE MY GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT

2) You were FAITHFUL, ENTER IN TO THE JOY OF THE LORD!

THANK THE LORD!

1) I want to say thank you, Jesus, for Aunt Martha.

2) Thank you, Debbie, for sacrificing your lifestyle to care for your mother. She lacked for nothing.

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

4) Thank you, Andre, for making all of us proud and looking out for your mother.

Thank you, Jesus, for 90 years.

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 a 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).