Praise # 5 10-15-95

     We’re going to continue on the subject of Praise and Worship. In the last few weeks we took up the most common words in the Hebrew language for the word praise. Each of those Hebrew words were so rich and full of meaning, and it reveals to us how we are to be worshipping God. Today I want to go into a little different area and look at the “Importance of Praise.”

     I. Turn with me to PSA 22:3

              A. In this V we see that God inhabits the praises of His people.

                        1. Meaning that He dwells in our praises. You could even say that the very presence of God is there during the times that we are praising Him.

                                  a. In (PSA 139:7-9) David speaks of God as being omnipresent (everywhere at once).

                        2. Yet the Word declares that God’s manifestation and power are evident only when His people recognize Him as the reigning Lord and enter in to true praise.

                                  a. Signs, miracles and wonders accompany true praises to Him.

                        3. If you remember the story of the 10 lepers, they were all healed, but only 1 returned to thank the Lord.

                                  a. Jesus commended him for returning to thank Him.

              B. Sometimes we think that God needs our praises before He can work.

                        1. We need to remember that God is God. He can do whatever He wants, with or without us.

                                  a. But God as a loving Father wants us to be blessed, and He has established that those that recognize the Lordship of Jesus and praise Him will be blessed.

                                  b. God does not need us to praise Him.

                                           i. He said in (LUKE 19:40) that if we would not praise Him, He would cause the Stones to cry out in praise.

                                           ii. Of course, God does direct us to praise Him.

                        2. But not only do we bless God when we praise Him, but it also brings God’s blessings to us.

                                  a. Much of our problems that we face are not due to our circumstances, it due to our doubt, unbelief, or lack to submission and commitment to God.

                                           i. Praise will overcome those doubts and strengthen the Word that is in you, which will cause your faith to increase.

     II. In the OT the children of Israel had the Ark of the Covenant, which contained the very presence of God.

              A. Some 20 years that went by that the Ark was missing, not in Jerusalem.

                        1. During that time Israel had so many problems.

                                  a. They lost many of their battles. They had Saul as there king. (Evil king)

                        2. During this 20 year period there is no record of praise in Israel.

                                  a. From what we see in the Word of God, they didn’t even miss the Ark of the Covenant and the presence of God.

                                           i. They continued their same religious practices, but without the presence of God.

                                           ii. To have a form of godliness, without the presence of God is dead works.

                                  b. Because the Ark and praise were absent, there was no presence of God nor the power of God.

              B. Turn to EPH 1:3-6

                        1. Man was created to praise.

                                  a. There is a desire that God has placed in man “To Praise.”

                                           i. If they won’t praise and worship the true God, they will praise or worship something else.

                        2. That’s exactly what Israel did.

                                  a. In (1SAM 7:3) Samuel told them to go back to God and put away their strange gods and false goddesses.

                                  b. During this time that the Ark was not in Israel there was no praise, the presence of God was not there, the power of God was not there.

                                           i. Because there was no praise in Israel, which ushers in the presence of God, there was no life in Israel.

              C. When David became king, he had the Ark returned to Jerusalem, he appointed priest to praise the Lord.

                        1. 1 CHROM 23:5, 30 and 1CHRON 16:4, 6

                                  a. They would praise the Lord continuously.

                                  b. All of a sudden the nation of Israel turned around.

                        2. Praise and worship was now going forth from Israel, the power and presence of God was there, and Israel became a victorious nation again.

                                  a. Now as we begin to praise the Lord, God will inhabit our praises.

                                           i. His presence and His power will be in our lives.

     III. Turn with me to PSA 33:1-5

              A. V 1 would be better translated “Sing for Joy in the Lord, O ye righteous.”

                        1. The KJV does translate it that way in other places. The NASB says, “Sing for joy in the Lord, O you righteous ones.” (Psalm 33:1)

                        2. PSA 67:4

                                  a. The point that I wanted you to see is that the Psalmist didn’t say, “Because I have joy I will sing.” He said, “I will sing for joy.”

                                  b. The world says you must be happy before you can sing and dance, but God says If you want joy, sing and dance before me.

                                           i. In (ISA 61:3) Isaiah said that if we are feeling down then we need to begin to praise the Lord to be lifted out of that.

                                           ii. “Put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.” (Isaiah 61:3)

              B. ACTS 16:16-24

                        1. Paul and Silas were thrown into prison, beaten from head to toe, their hands and feet locked together in stocks. The prison was probably dark, it probably stunk so bad.

                                  a. Yet Paul and Silas began to think about their salvation and the goodness of the Lord, that He has set us free from all the powers of darkness.

                                  b. And so they began to praise the Lord. They sang for joy in the Lord.

                                           i. In the natural they didn’t see any joy, but their joy was in what Christ has done for them.

                                           ii. So they sang for Joy.

                        2. ACTS 16:25-31

                                  a. When there is true praise from the heart, rejoicing in the Lord, the presence and the power of God will be there.

     IV. Turn back with me to PSA 67:4-6

              A. Praise is faith in action.

                        1. Notice that he says, “Praise 1st then the blessings come.” (read it again).

                                  a. When we begin to praise, the very power and presence of God begins to move in our live.

              B. 1 of our main text that we’ve used for this series is 2 CHRON 20 so let turn there.

                        1. Israel was so out numbered by the enemy, that they didn’t know what to do.

                                  a. 2 CHRON 20:15-18

                                           i. Notice what took place here.

                        2. 1st they had a word from the Lord, next they began to worship Him.

                                  a. The word “Worshipping” in (V 18) comes from the Hebrew word “SHABACH” which means “To magnify God for His greatness.”

                                  b. This was faith speaking. They were putting all their faith and trust in God.

                        3. Look at 2 CHRON 20:21-22

                                  a. When they began to praise the Lord, the power and the presence of the Lord was there.

                                  b. When you and I begin to praise and worship the Lord in Spirit and in truth, we’re going to see the manifestation of the power and presence of God working in our lives.

WOLCC SUN AM 10/15/95 From Charles Trombley’s book “Praise, Faith in Action.” Pg. 48-70