Praise
Reit Tait
Midland SDA Church
May 8, 2010
Story by Joe Batten, entitled “Big Ed”
Acts 16:22-30 This Bible story begins the unjust arrest of Paul and Silas. Because they had cast a spirit of divination out of a girl, the local Philippian authorities beat them and then threw them into a jail cell. Besides the trauma of the severe beating, they were fastened in stocks which clamped their arms and legs in an immobile position, causing cramps and loss of circulation.
The atmosphere there was depressing. According to the standards of that day, a prison was more like the resemblance of a dungeon. A dark, damp, stench-ridden place, with no facility for waste or comforts of any kind.
Paul and Silas knew the secret of how to lift their hearts above their troubles and enter into God’s presence and Power. Through praise and worship their hearts were raised into the joyous presence and peace of God, and provided God a channel for his power to operate in their circumstances. The Bible says that God inhabits in the praises of His people (Psalms 22:3).
0.0 Many a so called Christian—dwell on mistakes—failures—disappointments some feel that they must be sad—do not make me laugh, I must be miserable.
0.1 Many, walking along the path of life, dwell upon their mistakes and failures and disappointments, and their hearts are filled with grief and discouragement. There is a story told in the book “Steps to Christ” p. 82 a letter was written by a woman in deep distress and was asking for some word of encouragement. In a dream the two women were walking with the owner of the garden. One was gathering the flowers and enjoying their fragrance, when the other sister, who had been walking by her side, called her attention to some unsightly briers that were impeding her way. There she was mourning and grieving. She was not walking in the pathway, following the guide, but was walking among the briers and thorns. “Oh,” she mourned, “is it not a pity that this beautiful garden is spoiled with thorns?” Then the guide said, “Let the thorns alone, for they will only wound you. Gather the roses, the lilies, and the pinks.”
0.2 Have there not been some bright spots in your experience? Have you not had some precious seasons when your heart throbbed with joy in response to the Spirit of God? When you look back into the chapters of your life experience do you not find some pleasant pages? Are not God’s promises, like the fragrant flowers, growing beside your path on every hand? Will you not let their beauty and sweetness fill your heart with joy?
0.3 Where would you begin to help this sister in Steps to Christ? How about proclaiming God’s goodness that is given without measure. It is abundant and overflowing!
0.3.1 Praise God for His holiness, mercy, and justice (2 Chronicles 20:21 and Psalm 99:3-4)
0.3.2 Praise God for His grace (Ephesians 1:6)
0.3.3 Praise Him for His goodness (Psalm 135:3)
0.3.4 Praise Him for His kindness (Psalm 117)
0.3.5 Praise God for His salvation (Ephesians 2:8-9)
0.3.6 Praise God for Making you (Psalm 139:14-16)
0.4 Praise to God can be offered anywhere! In time, it will become as normal as taking a breath. Sometimes we praise God inwardly as in Psalm 9:2, “I will be glad and rejoice in you, I will sing praise to your name, O Most High.”Other times we have opportunity to give glory and praise to our God publicly,. Psalm 22:22 says, “I will declare your name to by brothers in the congregation I will praise you.” We need to search out opportunities to bring praise to God!
0.4.1 We will praise God together #705
0.4.2 The Bible says that when He comes again, all mankind will praise Him and acknowledge Him as Lord.
0.4.3 When we know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, our hearts long to praise His Name.
1.0 Praise is a powerful weapon for spiritual warfare that is often neglected. Praising the Lord can be a humbling experience, involving singing, lifting of hands to God, and sometimes weeping. Praise involves the whole person’s response for expression. Praise is sometimes translated thanksgiving or homage. As a verb it is extol, give thanks, bless, adore, and glorify. We might think that praise is the same as saying “thank you,” but there is a difference. Thanksgiving describes our attitude toward what God has done, while praise is offer for who God is. Psalm 18:3 says “I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise…”
2.0 “Praise Elevates us into God’s Presence and Power” writes Dr. Dale A. Robbins in his article The Power of Praise & Worship”, He also writes “The Bible says that God inhabits in the praises of His people (Psalms 22:3). In other words, God “dwells” in the atmosphere of His praise. This means that praise is not merely a reaction from coming into His presence—Praise is a vehicle of faith which brings us into the presence and power of God! Praise and worship is the “gate-pass” which allows us to enter the sacredness of His glory. The psalmist writes, “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise; be thankful unto him, and bless his name. (Psalms 100:4).
3.0 Praise is commending, by speaking or singing, the perfections of God. The writer of Hebrews explained that praise is a sacrifice as the “Fruit of our lips” Hebrews 13:12-16 Revised Standard Version “12 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood. 13 Therefore let us go forth to him outside the camp, and bear the abuse he endured. 14For here we have no lasting city, but we see the city which is to come. 15Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name. 16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. Genuine praise to God is a matter of humility and sincere devotion to the Lord from within. This is not outward show, but heart felt expression of love, lifting-up and glorifying the Lord.
3.1 David returning the Ark to the City of David (2 Samuel 6:9-23 & 7:1-16) PP 706-708
3.2 Verse 14 “Then David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod.” David’s dancing was an act of solemn and holy joy. To an Oriental of that day such an activity was a natural mode of expression. This was a means David used to express his grateful praise and give honor and glory to God’s holy name. Further, David put aside his kingly robe for this occasion and wore a simple linen ephod of the type usually worn by the priests and others. He was simply showing his people that he was willing to humble himself and become one with them in the service of God. NOT EVERYONE WAS HAPPY MICHAL(SAUL’S DAUGHTER)
4.0 Praise to God is a Lifestyle: Psalms 34:1 says “I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth” This is not just church style, it is a life style that includes work, home, play, car, or anywhere, praise to the Lord brings the refreshing of the Lords’s presence along with His power and anointing. Praise is an expression of faith, and a declaration of victory!
5.0 Praise Sends the Enemy Running. When we praise God—Satan flees. An atmosphere which is filled with sincere worship and praise to God by humble and loving hearts to God is disgusting to the Devil.
5.1 In 2 Chronicles 20:1-30, King Jehoshaphat and the children of Judah find themselves outnumber by the hostile armies of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, King Jehoshaphat and all the people sought the Lord for His help. The Lord assured the people that this would be His battle. He told them to go out against them, and He would do the fighting for then, So what did the children of Judah do? Being the people of “praise and knowing that God manifests His power through praise, they sent their army against their enemies, led by the praisers. 2 Chronicles 20:21 “An when he had consulted with the people, he appointed those who should sing to the Lord, and who should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army and were saying: ‘Praise the Lord, for His mercy endures forever.” In verse 22 “Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah and they were defeated.
6.0 Evangelism P. 506, Letter 2c, 1892 Attractiveness of the Human Voice—“The human voice that sings the music of God from a heart filled with gratitude and thanksgiving is far more pleasing to Him than the melody of all the musical instruments ever invented by human hands.”
7.0 Book Evangelism p.509 titled Only Sweet, Simple Singing—“My brother, when you see these things in a right light, you will have in your meetings only sweet, simple singing, and you will ask the whole congregation to join in the song. What if among those present there are some whose voices are not so musical as the voices of others. When the singing is such that angels can unite with the singers, an impression is made on minds that singing from unsanctified lips cannot make.” Letter 51, 1902
8.0 Evangelism, p. 508 “Many are singing beautiful songs in the meetings, songs of what they will do, and what they mean to do; but some do not do these things; they do not sing with the spirit and the understanding also. So in the reading of the Word of God, some are not benefited, because they do not take it into their very life, they do not practice it. Review and Herald, September 27, 1892
8.1 When we seem to doubt God’s love and distrust His promises we dishonor Him and grieve His Holy Spirit. How would a mother feel if her children were constantly complaining of her, just as though she did not mean them well, when her whole life’s effort had been to forward their interests and to give them comfort? Suppose they should doubt her love; it would break her heart. How can our heavenly Father regard us when we distrust His love, which has led Him to give His only-begotten Son that we might have life?
8.2 Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” PRAISE GOD for His blessings.
8.3 Psalms 150
8.4 Read Oh for a Thousand Tongues to Sing #250