The Opposite Of Praise

Sunday 7.12.2003

· Opening with Song and thanks

Philippians 1: 3 I thank my God every time I remember you. 4 In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

Prayer

Offering

2 Corinthians 8: 1 And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given the Macedonian churches. 2 Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3 For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4 they urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints. 5 And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us in keeping with God’s will. 6 So we urged Titus, since he had earlier made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7 But just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.

Two offerings: One for the general needs of the Church and the second the last offering for the sound system. (19,000 left)

The opposite of Praise

God has been speaking to us about being thankful. Last week God spoke to me about remembering all that he has done for us.

I feel that we often forget what thankfulness is. What Praise is. Sometimes it helps for us to look at the opposite of something to better understand what it is supposed to be.

What is the opposite of Praise and thanksgiving?

1 Corinthians 10: 1 For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.

· There should be no reason that they could not have gone into the promise land (the next level) But they couldn’t, let’s see why.

5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert. 6 Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in pagan revelry.” 8 We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. 9 We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. 10 And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel. 11 These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.

Another place in the Bible the same situation

Jude 1:5 + 10 + 16-18

5 Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe.

10 Yet these men speak abusively against whatever they do not understand; and what things they do understand by instinct, like unreasoning animals-- these are the very things that destroy them.

16 These men are grumblers and faultfinders; they follow their own evil desires; they boast about themselves and flatter others for their own advantage. 17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires."

Philippians 2: 14 do everything without complaining or arguing,

Ø People that have lived in situations where they felt helpless to change often practiced a form of resistance against their oppressors, it’s called complaining. Whether it is a Job where you feel helpless to make better or slavery or even being born in a society controlled by a government i.e. communism, dictatorship, etc…“To complain and murmur against everything that you did not like” I am afraid we have brought something with us that will not work in the promise land.

Ø Don’t you hear the negative spirit of this country and especially the church? Haven’t you heard the voices saying “Let’s choose another leader and go back to…

Ø It’s in the churches! Every time there is an opportunity to go into the promise land and it will mean trusting God to do impossible things, we hear the voices again!

We see in these scriptures the three parts that we have been talking about.

Moses and Aaron (The leaders are the target of murmuring) Num.14:1-4
The 12 spies (including Joshua and Caleb) Part of the support system, big responsibility for relaying the GOOD REPORTS) Num.14:31-33 James 3:1
The people (What you say is what you get) Num.14:28 (are we saying what is true or is what we are saying becoming true?) James 1:5-6

Numbers 14: 26 The Lord said to Moses and Aaron: 27 “How long will this wicked community grumble against me? I have heard the complaints of these grumbling Israelites. 28 So tell them, ‘as surely as I live, declares the Lord, I will do to you the very things I heard you say:

Sunday 14.12.2003

· Opening with Drama and “encouraging word to go to the next level and not stay where we have been.”

· Hugging and say “I’m glad you are going to the next level”

· Announcements:

o Next Sunday is our last Sunday here in Londynska

§ Next Sunday “bring cakes and cookies” and cookie baking contest

o Help after service to pack the things together, today

o Bible school and Prayer (was wonderful)

· Bohdan shares 10 minutes

· Review last week.

Complaining and murmuring will lead us away from the will of God, but not only that, it will lead us away from God.

1 Corinthians 11: 23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 27 Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 28 A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup.

· “Unworthy manner?” We understand there was too much selfishness in this Corinthian Church When we are selfish, we live in our own little worlds where we are the center of the universe. We are the sun and all things revolve around us.

· But Selfishness produces

o Forgetfulness

o In remembrance of his death, Proclaim his death! Because of his death you have:

§ His sacrifice for YOU!

§ Salvation (a New Beginning), eternal life, family membership, freedom from bondage and darkness, Authority, Gift of Holy Spirit, Christ, Access to the Father, His Love, His Forgiveness, His Mercy, All things….

o Unthankfulness

1 Corinthians 10: 16 Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?

Hebrews 13: 15 Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name.

Psalm 34: 1 I will extol the Lord at all times; his praise will always be on my lips. 2 My soul will boast in the Lord; let the afflicted hear and rejoice. 3 Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together. 4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. 5 Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. 6 This poor man called, and the Lord heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. 7 The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them. 8 Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. 9 Fear the Lord, you his saints, for those who fear him lack nothing. 10 The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

PS 18: 46-49, PS 35:28, PS 47, PS 147:1, Heb 2:12, 1Pet 2:9

“When he had given Thanks” Anyone have a word of thanks to the Lord? Let’s remember the Lord! Testimonies of his goodness!

· Communion

· Praise and Worship

16 And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.

· Let us

o I will

· Continually

o At all times

o Always be on my lips

· Offer to God

o I sought the Lord

· Sacrifice of Praise

o My soul will boast in the Lord

o

· Confess his name

o Glorify the Lord with me; let us exalt his name together.

o

· Don’t forget others

Ephesians 5: 19 Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord.

Acts 5: 41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name.

Matthew 5: 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Acts 16: 25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.