Theological Status: Theological Weakness
Biblical Parallel(Archetype): Sardis
❓ What do these grades mean?
🔍 Biblical Discernment: The 7 Church Parallels
The Cold Orthodox Parallel
Ephesus
Teaching that upholds doctrinal precision yet parallels the loss of the "first love"—the vital, motivating power of the Gospel (Rev 2:4).
Why strictly "Mark & Avoid"?
We do not issue this rating to attack the speaker, but to protect the listener. This church's overall teaching trend consistently deviates from sound doctrine. As per Romans 16:17, we identify these patterns so believers can guard their hearts.
We do not issue this rating to attack the speaker, but to protect the listener. This church's overall teaching trend consistently deviates from sound doctrine. As per Romans 16:17, we identify these patterns so believers can guard their hearts.
🧐 Overview
Sermon Summary: This sermon encourages believers to cultivate a lifestyle of thanksgiving and praise, especially during difficult times. It uses the story of David in a cave to illustrate how choosing to praise God amidst hardship can lead to a deeper spiritual life.
Big Idea: As born-again believers of Jesus Christ as our Savior and our Redeemer, our thanksgiving should be like that every day of our life. Not just one time a year, not just one season a year, but we should live a life of thanksgiving. [00:27:42 ▶️ 📄]
Pastoral Analysis: The sermon is a topical exhortation on praise, built on the foundation of human choice and effort. While well-intentioned, it drifts into moralism by presenting sanctification (specifically, the act of praise) as a duty initiated and sustained by the believer's will. This synergistic framework, combined with a subjective claim to divine authority for the message, results in a theologically anemic presentation that places the burden of performance on the listener rather than resting in the finished work of Christ.
Biblical Parallel(Archetype): Sardis — The sermon exhibits the form of piety (praise, thanksgiving) but is functionally dead, grounding Christian practice in human will and effort ('It is our choice') rather than the empowering grace of the gospel.
🧭 Biblical Alignment Dashboard
Overall Verdict: Theologically Weak
| Category | Status | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Soteriology | ⚠️ WEAK | The sermon's model for sanctification is functionally synergistic. It posits that spiritual disciplines like praise and thankfulness are products of human choice ('It is our choice,' 'I have to choose') rather than the fruit of the Holy Spirit's effectual work in the believer. This obscures the doctrine of grace in sanctification. |
| Bibliology | ⚠️ WEAK | The speaker makes a subjective authority claim ('I believe God has ordained this message for this hour'), which subtly undermines the objective sufficiency of Scripture by appealing to a private feeling as a source of authority for the congregation. |
| Hermeneutic | ⚠️ WEAK | The sermon employs a topical approach where Scripture is used to support a pre-determined theme of human action. The Christological connection is moralistic; Christ is the prerequisite for praise, but the focus quickly shifts to the believer's duty and performance, detaching the command from the gospel's power. |
| Theology Proper | ⚠️ WEAK | God is presented as a being whose attention and presence are secured through the mechanism of human praise ('if you want God to recognize you, you’ve got to get some praise going'). This transactional framing diminishes God's sovereignty and aseity, making Him reactive to human performance. |
| Sacramentology | ⚪ N/A | No sacraments (Baptism or Communion) were observed or described in the provided transcript. |
📖 How they Handle Scripture & Jesus
Primary Text: Hebrews 13:15-16 (Topical (Safe))
Scripture Saturation: Verses Read: 28 | Referenced: 3 | Alluded: 0
Passages Read Aloud:
Key References: 1 Samuel 21 (David pretending to be mad), Triumphal Entry (Rocks crying out, implied Luke 19:40), Israelites complaining in the wilderness
Christological Connection: None (Moralistic): Christ is presented as the Savior who enables the believer to offer praise (00:33:15 ▶️ 📄, 'By Him'), but the primary focus shifts immediately to human choice, effort, and mandate ('It is our choice,' 'We need to choose to serve God,' 'It will cost you time to praise'). The connection serves as a prerequisite for duty, not the source of empowering grace for the duty.
🧱 Sermon Outline
- The Foundation: A Life of Thanksgiving [00:27:00 ▶️ 📄] : Thanksgiving should be a daily lifestyle, not just a holiday. A thankful heart is the foundation for a deeper relationship with God.
- The Advance: Thankfulness Spirals Up to Praise [00:28:52 ▶️ 📄] : Thankfulness advances to praise, which is an expression of deep admiration for God. God inhabits the praises of His people.
- The Offering: The Sacrifice of Praise [00:42:14 ▶️ 📄] : Praise is an offering that costs time and effort. The 'sacrifice of praise' is offering praise when things are difficult, prayers are unanswered, or life is painful, confessing God is still good.
- The Example: David's Choice to Praise [00:47:59 ▶️ 📄] : David chose to bless the Lord at all times, even when running for his life and acting insane, demonstrating the sacrifice of praise.
🗝️ Key Topics & Themes
- Thanksgiving : The necessary starting point for a deep relationship with God and the heart of worship.
- Praise : The expression of admiration for God that flows from a thankful heart.
- Sacrifice : The act of praising God when circumstances are difficult or painful, which is costly but honored by God.
- Sovereignty : God is in control and trustworthy, even when His ways are not understood.
✅ Commendations
Pastoral Heart | Encouragement Toward Godliness
The sermon reflects a genuine pastoral desire to encourage the congregation towards godly habits of thankfulness and praise, which are biblically commended virtues.
Biblical Illustration | Effective Use of Narrative
The use of David's experience in 1 Samuel 21 and Psalm 34 was an effective way to illustrate the concept of offering a sacrifice of praise during immense personal trial.
⚠️ Theological Concerns
🟠 Synergistic Sanctification (Moralism)
Root Cause: Moralistic Drift (Sardis): The sermon presents the commands of Scripture (the Law to praise) without connecting them to the power of the Gospel (the Grace to obey). It detaches the Christian life from its power source in Christ, resulting in a 'try harder' form of religion that appears alive but is functionally dead.
"I have to choose to be thankful." [00:55:12 ▶️ 📄]
Correction: Philippians 2:13 states, 'For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.' True spiritual activity, including praise, is not initiated by human choice alone but is the result of God's gracious work within the believer.
🟠 Subjective Authority Claim
Root Cause: Neo-Montanism: This error elevates personal, subjective spiritual impressions to the level of binding authority for the church. It subtly denies the sufficiency and closure of the biblical canon by suggesting God provides new, direct mandates for preaching that exist outside of the text itself.
"I believe God has ordained this message for this hour" [00:26:05 ▶️ 📄]
Correction: 2 Timothy 3:16-17 affirms that all Scripture is God-breathed and is sufficient for teaching and training in righteousness. The authority for any sermon must derive solely from the faithful exposition of this inspired text, not from extra-biblical claims of divine appointment.
📜 Full Sermon Transcript (Audit)
Use the 📄 icons next to quotes above to automatically jump to their location in this raw transcript.
[00:00:05] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Because of your service families gather in peace.
[00:00:33] Because of your courage
[00:00:35] The next generation finds inspiration to serve.
[00:00:41] Because you defended our values, communities stand strong.
[00:00:48] Because of your dedication, hope rises for tomorrow.
[00:00:56] To every veteran here today, we thank you for your courage, your sacrifice,
[00:01:04] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
and Our Freedom.
[00:01:34] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Because of your service families gather in peace.
[00:01:42] Because of your courage the next generation finds inspiration to serve.
[00:01:50] Because you defended our values communities stand strong.
[00:01:57] Because of your dedication hope rises for tomorrow.
[00:02:04] To every veteran here today, we thank you for your courage, your sacrifice, and our freedom.
[00:02:43] Because of your service families gather in peace.
[00:02:51] Because of your courage the next generation finds inspiration to serve.
[00:02:59] Because you defended our values communities stand strong.
[00:03:06] Because of your dedication hope rises for tomorrow.
[00:03:13] To every veteran here today, we thank you for your courage, your sacrifice, and our freedom.
[00:03:52] Because of your service families gather in peace.
[00:04:00] Because of your courage the next generation finds inspiration to serve.
[00:04:08] Because you defended our values communities stand strong.
[00:04:15] Because of your dedication hope rises for tomorrow.
[00:04:22] To every veteran here today, we thank you for your courage, your sacrifice, and our freedom.
[00:05:01] Because of your service families gather in peace.
[00:05:09] Because of your courage the next generation finds inspiration to serve.
[00:05:17] Because you defended our values communities stand strong.
[00:05:23] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Remember December the 7th, we're going to have a fellowship directly following the morning service.
[00:05:30] It'll be back in the fellowship hall, so put that on your calendar.
[00:05:33] And then also December 10th, that is a Wednesday night, that is going to be the church and the school Christmas program.
[00:05:41] So please, please make plans to attend that.
[00:05:45] We've started practicing for that and it's going to be so wonderful.
[00:05:48] I just know you'll be blessed.
[00:05:49] Also just remember that our blessing box is out there if you want to bring anything and drop it off the students look forward to filling that and then our blessing jar that's out there if you have any spare change you can drop in there so do that but we are glad to see you in the house of the Lord this morning let's go ahead and stand to our feet and we'll go before the Lord in prayer and then after we pray we will take up our morning tithes and offerings and begin our worship amen
[00:06:15] All right, Lord, we just come to you today, God.
[00:06:17] Lord, we thank you for the privilege and the opportunity to be in your house this morning.
[00:06:22] God, Lord, just to magnify you and to thank you.
[00:06:25] We come with a heart of thanksgiving this morning to give you thanks, to give you praise, and to give you worship.
[00:06:31] Father, we pray for those that are sick.
[00:06:33] God, we ask that you would give their bodies a special touch.
[00:06:35] Lord, you know what they need in this hour, God, and we thank you for moving.
[00:06:40] God, I thank you that your presence is in this place, Lord.
[00:06:42] God we thank you Lord that your spirit abides with us here today God and as we come to worship you God that we will give it our all Lord and God that we will magnify you we thank you for your salvation God Lord your blood that you shed on the cross for us Lord we thank you for that God and we give you praise and glory and honor in Jesus name amen ushers if you'll come and take up our morning tithes and offerings and then we will worship the Lord grab you a banner a timbrel or anything like that amen
[00:07:34] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
I praise on the valley, I praise on the mountain I praise when I'm short, I praise when I'm down I praise when I'm numbered, I praise when surrounded Cause praise is the water my enemy's drowning
[00:08:05] As long as I'm breathing, I've got a reason to praise the Lord, oh my soul I'm gonna praise the Lord, oh my soul I praise when I see His Son, and I praise when I don't
[00:08:34] You're still in control My praise is a weapon It's more than a sound All my praise is to shout That brings Jericho down As long as I'm breathing I've got a reason to pray
[00:09:29] I praise cause you're sovereign I praise cause you reign I praise cause you rose and defeated the grave I praise cause you're faithful I praise cause you're true I praise cause there's nobody crazy
[00:10:00] Praise God you're faithful, praise God you're true, praise God there's nobody greater than you, praise the Lord, oh my soul
[00:10:38] I won't be quiet, my God is alive How can I keep me alive?
[00:11:01] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
I won't be quiet, my God is alive
[00:12:04] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Hallelujah.
[00:12:05] Thank you, Lord.
[00:12:07] Hallelujah.
[00:12:08] Everything that has breath, praise the Lord.
[00:12:11] We bless you this morning, Lord.
[00:12:13] Thank you, Lord.
[00:12:15] Hallelujah.
[00:12:18] Oh, we honor you, Lord.
[00:12:19] We honor you.
[00:12:23] Oh, sing with your whole heart.
[00:12:27] Rejoice.
[00:12:39] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
of Jesus God
[00:13:09] Let's give Him some praise this morning.
[00:13:17] So we sing praise to the Father who gave us a Son.
[00:13:56] All our mistakes Jesus cleansed us with His blood, Jesus done.
[00:14:13] Thank you, Lord.
[00:14:14] Who sings the song of sweet forgiveness?
[00:14:22] The power to save Jesus died So we sing praise to the Father who gave us the Son Praise to the Spirit living in us When I was a sinner He saved me
[00:15:02] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
And oh what a Savior He's always been good He's always been faithful He came to my rescue when I needed Him most And He saved my soul So we sing praise to the Father
[00:16:03] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
God bless the name of the Lord Hallelujah thank you Jesus Hallelujah Hallelujah thank you Lord that you save us Lord and you were faithful to us God Hallelujah When I was a sinner He saved me just from who I was Amen
[00:16:19] How many is thankful for that this morning?
[00:16:21] Thankful that the Lord saved you when we were a mess and we were messed up and didn't even know what to do.
[00:16:29] Jesus said, oh, you're my child and I'm going to be faithful to you because he deserves all the glory for that.
[00:16:34] Amen.
[00:16:35] Let's worship the Lord.
[00:16:37] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Hallelujah.
[00:16:45] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
You deserve the glory.
[00:16:49] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Lord, we lift our hands in worship As we lift your holy name You deserve the glory and the honor Lord, we lift our hands in worship As we lift your holy name
[00:17:22] There is no one else like you There is no one else like you For you are great You do miracles so great There is no one else like you There is no one else like you
[00:17:52] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Oh, we declare it in the house this morning, because you deserve the glory.
[00:17:58] Yes, you do, Lord.
[00:18:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Oh, we bless your name.
[00:18:03] Lord, we lift our hands in worship as we lift your holy name.
[00:18:12] You deserve the glory.
[00:18:29] You are great.
[00:18:38] You do miracles so great.
[00:18:41] There is no one else like You.
[00:18:49] There is no one else like You.
[00:18:50] You are great.
[00:18:50] You do miracles so great.
[00:19:07] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Can we just do this this morning?
[00:19:09] Just step out of your comfort zone just a little bit.
[00:19:13] Can we just declare that He is great?
[00:19:16] Oh, and that we honor you, Lord.
[00:19:22] Let's lift those hands in worship.
[00:19:24] Just a minute.
[00:19:26] Yes, Lord.
[00:19:27] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Because you deserve the glory.
[00:19:37] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
We lift our hands in worship as we lift your holy name.
[00:19:54] You deserve the glory and the honor.
[00:19:58] Lord, we lift our hands in worship as we lift your holy name.
[00:20:12] There is no one else like you, for you are great, you do miracles so great.
[00:20:23] There is no one else like you.
[00:20:44] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
We give you glory in this house Lord you deserve all glory All the honor, all the praise Jesus goes back to you Lord Cause you are grace Lord there's no one above you The name above all names
[00:21:06] Every tongue will confess that you are Lord Every sickness has to bow at the name of Jesus
[00:21:17] Every chain has to be broken in the name of Jesus.
[00:21:23] Lord, you are great in this house, God, and we magnify you.
[00:21:27] Every stress has to be gone in the name of Jesus.
[00:21:31] At the name of Jesus, everything will bow.
[00:21:36] Hallelujah, because you are great.
[00:21:40] You do miracles so great.
[00:21:47] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
There is no one else like you Jesus There is no one else like you For you are great You do miracles so great There is no one else like you
[00:22:23] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Hallelujah, thank you Jesus.
[00:22:27] We bless you Lord, we bless you.
[00:23:53] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
The perfect Savior
[00:24:20] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Holiness has a name and it's Jesus.
[00:24:27] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Victory has a name and it's Jesus.
[00:25:29] Hallelujah.
[00:25:31] We bless you, Lord.
[00:25:32] Thank you, Jesus.
[00:25:35] Hallelujah.
[00:25:37] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Hallelujah.
[00:25:38] Blessed be the name of the Lord.
[00:25:52] Hallelujah.
[00:25:52] Hallelujah.
[00:25:52] I feel His Holy Spirit in this place today.
[00:25:53] Thank you, Jesus.
[00:25:54] Hallelujah.
[00:25:54] Hallelujah.
[00:25:54] Hallelujah.
[00:25:55] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
I've got a little bit of something going on so just pray for me that I can get through this I feel it in my spirit I tell you I was rejoicing last night as I was going over it and I felt his presence this morning when I started studying again so I want you to know that I believe God has ordained this message for this hour we're going to start off with Hebrews chapter 13 verses 15 and 16 if you will
[00:26:25] And the scripture says, I want you to pay close attention, what scripture says right here, it says, By Him, therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
[00:26:48] Verse 16
[00:26:49] but to do good and to communicate forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased you know Thanksgiving is a time of the year when we're supposed to slow down for just a little bit and
[00:27:07] It's time to remember the simple things of life and the things that God has done for us and to bless us and help us through the year.
[00:27:17] This holiday, as I talked about last week, was set aside by our government
[00:27:22] To thank God for His goodness for the newfound country and to remember all the goodness that He provided for the first pilgrims that was here on the American soil.
[00:27:35] But it is also a time for us to remember what God has done for us.
[00:27:40] Amen.
[00:27:42] But as Christians, as born-again believers of Jesus Christ as our Savior and our Redeemer, our thanksgiving should be like that every day of our life.
[00:27:52] Not just one time a year, not just one season a year, but we should live a life of thanksgiving.
[00:28:02] Being a thankful person shows more about your relationship with Jesus Christ than you think.
[00:28:10] As I said last week, a life with thanksgiving will spiral upwards.
[00:28:17] Say that with me, spiral upwards.
[00:28:20] It starts within us.
[00:28:23] I want to ask you this morning, are you a person who appreciates everything in your life?
[00:28:30] Can you thank God for the good days?
[00:28:33] But can you thank Him for the bad days too?
[00:28:36] A thankful person can be thankful in whatever state they are in.
[00:28:43] But a sincere thankful person has a foundation for a deeper relationship with God.
[00:28:52] This thankful heart and appreciation for all that God has done for us, it will advance to praise.
[00:29:00] That thanksgiving will start and it will spiral upwards in our spirit and it will go to advance to praise.
[00:29:10] So what is praise?
[00:29:12] Praise is an expression of one's approval and deep admiration.
[00:29:21] This morning I want just to add here, God doesn't need mine or your approval.
[00:29:26] He's got it under control.
[00:29:28] And He's got everything working out the way He sees fit.
[00:29:31] Because He's God and He is sovereign.
[00:29:33] However, when you and I can recognize His goodness in this fleshly human body that turns into admiration for who God is, it will catch His eye.
[00:29:49] That is His Word.
[00:29:50] The Scripture says that God will come.
[00:29:54] That means He comes with His Spirit and inhabits the praises of His people.
[00:30:01] I'm telling you, if you want God to recognize you, you've got to get some praise going, but it has to start from your thankful heart.
[00:30:12] That means that the God of all creation, the God of all things, we recognize who He is.
[00:30:20] As we was coming down the mountain yesterday, I know Jeff probably got tired of it, but I kept saying, Oh, look at that pretty tree.
[00:30:27] Oh, look at that pretty mountain.
[00:30:28] And the colors were so beautiful yesterday.
[00:30:31] And I was admiring all the beauty.
[00:30:33] And I was in my spirit.
[00:30:34] I said, Thank you, Lord, for giving us these beautiful colors.
[00:30:39] Wow!
[00:30:40] You know what?
[00:30:41] That's thankful hearts when we can recognize the goodness of God.
[00:30:45] When you see a beautiful sunrise or a beautiful sunset and you can say, Wow, God, that is awesome.
[00:30:51] You are magnificent.
[00:30:53] Thank you for that.
[00:30:55] You know, we need to recognize the even creation.
[00:31:00] Praises the Lord.
[00:31:02] What if that one tree says, Lord, all this color is for you and your glory?
[00:31:08] Woo!
[00:31:09] Doesn't that just thrill you to know that even creation groans and moans of praises to Him?
[00:31:16] Listen, there is so much more of God than the human eye has seen or the senses in this body has felt.
[00:31:25] But how do we experience God in a deeper level, a way that we haven't done in a long time or a way we've never done?
[00:31:35] Let me tell you, it is a life filled with a deep, thankful heart and living our lives every day with thanksgiving.
[00:31:44] Not just in November, but every day of your life.
[00:31:49] See, praising God should be as natural for us as Christians as eating and breathing, drinking water, whatever it may be.
[00:32:00] We are told to praise God in, for, and with all that we are.
[00:32:07] So in other words, the scriptures tell us the where, why, and how to praise God.
[00:32:14] But it all starts with a deep thanksgiving.
[00:32:21] Listen, there is no doubt God likes us to praise.
[00:32:26] He wants us to acknowledge Him.
[00:32:30] The sad truth is, you know what?
[00:32:32] We know.
[00:32:33] We know what it means to praise God.
[00:32:36] But we've forgotten.
[00:32:38] I think we've forgotten.
[00:32:39] In so many ways we have become unappreciative to the blessings that we have.
[00:32:45] Now Pastor Tammy, that's not me.
[00:32:48] I think we all have.
[00:32:50] We don't appreciate the goodness of God like we should.
[00:32:54] That should be a way of life.
[00:32:56] I'm coming back to the heart of worship and what is that?
[00:33:00] It is a heart that begins with being thankful.
[00:33:04] The writer of Hebrews begins this verse, in verse 15, with, by him, and some translations say through him.
[00:33:15] This is where all true praise begins.
[00:33:19] The concept of through him or in him is a common theme throughout the Bible.
[00:33:23] We are told that in him we've been blessed.
[00:33:26] Hallelujah.
[00:33:27] We have been chosen, thank you Jesus.
[00:33:30] We have been adopted, hallelujah.
[00:33:32] We have been forgiven.
[00:33:35] We have been born again and we are secured in Him.
[00:33:40] But through Him we've been raised and redeemed and reconciled to the Father.
[00:33:45] And it all comes back to God because He is our designer and our creator and all good gifts come from Him.
[00:33:54] We are a gift of God.
[00:33:56] Don't you say, I am.
[00:33:57] Everybody pat yourself this morning and say, I'm a gift from God.
[00:34:01] Whether you want to recognize it or not, you are.
[00:34:05] And it is just natural for us to give that praise for Him creating this beautiful gift that we are.
[00:34:13] See, our DNA structure was designed toward the act of praise.
[00:34:17] We were designed to praise.
[00:34:19] Just like all creation has been.
[00:34:21] Think about this.
[00:34:23] How do you know that?
[00:34:24] Because when Jesus was going into Jerusalem during that triumphant entry into Jerusalem, and the people were getting loud and excited with their praises, and the people were saying, calm them down, calm them down, and he says, nope.
[00:34:38] If I calm them down, what's going to happen?
[00:34:40] The rocks are going to cry out in praise.
[00:34:44] Listen, I don't know about you, but I don't want rocks crying out on my behalf.
[00:34:49] I want to give Him all the praise, and that comes from having a thankful heart.
[00:34:54] Listen, all creation praises the Lord, and we being a little bit more than the angels, we should have a heart of thanksgiving, and that praise should be continuously on our lips.
[00:35:09] Every part of our being is a praise just waiting to happen.
[00:35:15] everything you have in life every step you make is something to praise God for if you got out of bed this morning guess what you should praise him you got out of bed because go to the nursing home right and there see how many can't get up out of the bed listen
[00:35:35] All creation praises Him.
[00:35:38] We have been created to praise Him.
[00:35:41] Richard Foster in his book defines praise as the bubbling over of a hot heart for God.
[00:35:50] Listen to that.
[00:35:52] The bubbling over of a hot heart for God is our praise.
[00:35:59] Let us continually offer when I feel like praising and when I don't.
[00:36:07] Interesting enough, God allows us to make a choice to praise Him or not.
[00:36:13] It is our choice.
[00:36:14] The writer calls on us to voluntarily offer up our praise.
[00:36:19] It is something we should want to do.
[00:36:22] So what does this mean?
[00:36:23] Think about this.
[00:36:24] The picture is of placing something on an elevated altar to bring it up, to carry it to a higher place for a higher cause.
[00:36:35] So think about it like this.
[00:36:38] If you had a silver platter and you could put your praise on that silver platter and what would you do?
[00:36:44] You could lift that platter up before God because that is your offering, your praise.
[00:36:51] See our praise is from that bubbling over heart.
[00:36:56] It causes us to lift up our best and offer what began with a thankful life and a thankful heart.
[00:37:05] When we offer up something in praise, we offer something that's of value to us.
[00:37:12] See, we need to understand that we should love to praise God.
[00:37:19] We should want to give Him praise as an offering of all His blessings.
[00:37:27] It's a difference.
[00:37:29] Think about it like this.
[00:37:31] If you voluntarily want to praise Him and thank Him, it's one thing.
[00:37:36] We don't have a king or somebody telling us, you've got to bow down before me.
[00:37:42] We have the option of worshiping the true and living King, right?
[00:37:48] Our heart should be bubbling over with gratitude.
[00:37:52] It should be something we want to offer Him, not something just to let it go.
[00:37:59] Scripture is clear that we are not only to be thankful and offer our praise when we feel like it, when life is good, but know we're to do it continually.
[00:38:09] We are not just to praise Him one day a week in the church building with all our brothers and sisters that believe like we do, but all the time.
[00:38:20] From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, the name of the Lord what?
[00:38:25] Shall be praised.
[00:38:28] In the good times, in the bad times, in the up times, in the down times, we are to praise.
[00:38:36] This should be our lifestyle as a born again child of God.
[00:38:39] It is our life's mandate.
[00:38:41] That's what God has commanded us to do.
[00:38:44] But it cannot be if we are not thankful people to begin with.
[00:38:52] The truth is, we don't have a problem with praise, do we?
[00:38:56] Think about it.
[00:38:57] We think nothing about clapping our hands for singers or entertainers.
[00:39:01] We think nothing about shouting for joy for our sports team, just saying.
[00:39:07] We don't mind getting excited when the races go around and around and around and around and around and around and we're yelling for our favorite driver.
[00:39:16] The things that we can get excited about, often we do.
[00:39:20] So we know what it's like to praise.
[00:39:24] In fact, we'll spend our money.
[00:39:28] I don't know how much tickets are to a football game, but I know in high school it's $10 a ticket nowadays.
[00:39:35] But we'll spend money to go to see a ball game.
[00:39:39] And I guarantee you, you don't sit there quietly in your seat and look.
[00:39:45] I believe there might be just a little bit of excitement there.
[00:39:49] But sadly, these are some of the things that's become substitute for praising our God.
[00:39:57] They have become the objects of our praise, these earthly, material things that we cannot take with us.
[00:40:04] We've taken the heart of worship and given it to the world and said we give the world our praise instead of giving our praises back up to God.
[00:40:14] We don't give it a second thought that it is God who has made a way for us to even enjoy going to a game or whatever it may be.
[00:40:23] Psalms 150 says, Psalms 150,
[00:40:32] Praise ye the Lord.
[00:40:35] Praise God in His what?
[00:40:39] Praise Him in the firmament of His power.
[00:40:44] Praise Him for His what?
[00:40:47] Mighty acts.
[00:40:49] Praise Him according to what?
[00:40:51] His excellent greatness.
[00:40:55] Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet.
[00:40:58] Praise Him with psalms and a harp.
[00:41:03] Praise Him with the timbrel and with dance.
[00:41:06] Praise Him with string instruments and organs.
[00:41:11] Praise Him upon the loud cymbals and praise Him upon the high sounding cymbals.
[00:41:18] And let everything that has breath praise ye the Lord.
[00:41:29] The Scripture lists some of the ways that we are to praise Him.
[00:41:33] We praise Him in and for and with, and that just about covers all of life and creation.
[00:41:40] But how does our praise truly operate?
[00:41:43] The Scripture says through the sacrifice of our praise, the fruit of our lips, and the confessing of His name, and the conditions of our heart.
[00:41:54] Scripture speaks of sacrifice, fruit, and even confession.
[00:41:59] Praise causes things like standing and singing and shouting and clapping our hands and raising our hands, dancing, playing instruments, and even testifying of the goodness of God.
[00:42:14] all these are done for his glory to the but he is the object of our praise who or what is the object of your praise this morning how is your heart do you feel it beating everybody put your hand on your heart this morning or take your pulse and feel that heartbeat and with every heartbeat of this whole heart i should praise the lord
[00:42:40] With every heartbeat it should be thanksgiving to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.
[00:42:48] In the Old and New Testament, the people of God were instructed to give God a sacrifice of praise.
[00:42:54] The idea is that we offer praise to God as a spontaneous response to noticing God in our lives.
[00:43:04] Praise can be planned.
[00:43:06] It can be celebrated.
[00:43:08] It can be relived.
[00:43:09] And many of the Psalms lead worshipers to do that.
[00:43:13] But I feel like most of the time praise is sort of instant.
[00:43:19] Automatic or perhaps a response to His presence or recognizing God for working.
[00:43:26] So how can my praise be spontaneous?
[00:43:29] By living a life of thanksgiving.
[00:43:33] In ancient Israel, praise was commanded in the law in order to even be able to offer God a sacrifice.
[00:43:43] And in order for someone to praise God in the temple, they had to make what?
[00:43:49] A sacrifice.
[00:43:51] Let me make it clear.
[00:43:52] For us to be able to express our praises to God, first of all, our duty is to obey the Scripture.
[00:43:59] And guess what?
[00:44:01] It will cost something.
[00:44:04] Huh?
[00:44:04] It will cost you time to praise.
[00:44:07] It will cost you effort to praise.
[00:44:10] It will cost you yourself
[00:44:13] But it's worthy everything that it costs this fleshly body.
[00:44:18] It is worth it to be in the presence of God.
[00:44:21] So what does it mean to offer a sacrifice of praise?
[00:44:26] Praise is often our response to something that's been impressed to us and we feel generous when we praise.
[00:44:34] It is an easy way to praise God and to just let Him know how thankful we are.
[00:44:40] When He blesses us, when He answers our prayers, when He helps us, when He protects us, when all things are good for us, we are grateful and we praise Him.
[00:44:49] We sing praises to His name and we worship Him for His goodness and we even testify of the goodness of God.
[00:44:59] This kind of praise is worthwhile and God expects this gratefulness from us.
[00:45:05] However, this spontaneous praise cannot always be considered a sacrifice.
[00:45:10] There are times in our lives when God don't come through the way we think He should.
[00:45:15] There are times that the medical tests come back positive and we don't want them to be.
[00:45:21] There are times our children are wayward and they won't listen.
[00:45:27] There are times when bills are piling up and we don't know where we're going to pay them.
[00:45:32] There are times we had to bury our loved ones.
[00:45:37] And there are sometimes our prayers are not answered the moment we think they should be.
[00:45:43] We cannot see God's goodness in that particular moment.
[00:45:47] And sometimes we get discouraged and down and out.
[00:45:51] And it looks as if God has forgotten us.
[00:45:53] But listen, God's not forgotten us.
[00:45:57] We can start praising Him at that very moment.
[00:45:59] And I'm sure that praise of thanksgiving of what God has done time and time again before even this particular moment
[00:46:08] and it'll start bubbling up in our hearts and overflowing because the secret is when things get tough, praise gets harder.
[00:46:19] To praise God in the troubled times necessitates people having a personal sacrifice.
[00:46:26] When you don't want to praise Him, when your body is hurting, when you're heartbroken, when everything is falling apart, praise His holy name.
[00:46:36] This is a sacrifice of praise that's most personal.
[00:46:41] It's difficult and it costs.
[00:46:44] It requires us to wholly submit ourselves on the altar of the will of God and although we cannot explain His ways, although we don't understand His ways, it is through a sacrifice of praise we confess that God is still good all the time and all the time that God is good.
[00:47:06] It is through that sacrifice of praise we confess that God can be trusted
[00:47:11] He can be trusted when you're on the mountain and when you're in the valley.
[00:47:16] He can be trusted because He's sovereign and God's will will come too.
[00:47:22] We praise Him because He's sovereign in all His ways.
[00:47:25] We praise Him when we don't understand the answer.
[00:47:28] We praise Him when we don't feel like it.
[00:47:31] We praise Him when our hearts are heavy because we have already instilled thanksgiving in our hearts.
[00:47:39] Psalms 34 and 1.
[00:47:42] The very first verse of that says, I will bless the Lord at what?
[00:47:50] All times.
[00:47:51] His praise shall continually be in my
[00:47:58] Do you remember?
[00:47:59] Let me ask you about this story.
[00:48:00] Do you remember in 1 Samuel chapter 21 when David pretends like he's a crazy man?
[00:48:06] Do y'all remember that story?
[00:48:08] Because he walks out of that kingdom so he starts drooling at the mouth and scratching on the walls.
[00:48:13] Go back and read that.
[00:48:15] And he was thrown out of the kingdom because that's what David was wanting to do, right?
[00:48:21] When David was young, Samuel appointed him and anointed him to be the next ruler over Israel.
[00:48:26] Samuel also had anointed him and he had won the battle over the giant Goliath and he had also won the hearts of the men of Israel he was over the men of war under Saul and David was expecting some greater glory since he had a promise and the anointing of being the future king
[00:48:50] But think about David's life turned out a little bit differently.
[00:48:54] Saul got jealous and no longer liked David, right?
[00:48:58] And David had to go and seek refuge among the Philistines.
[00:49:02] Well, the giant of whose he had killed before and earned some names.
[00:49:09] So when the Philistines recognized David as who he was, and he was the one that had killed the thousands, remember the story,
[00:49:17] David became afraid and he pretended that he was insane and acted like a madman taking his fingernails and scratching the doors and the gate and letting spit and slobber run down his face like he had some kind of disease so that he could escape and get out of the kingdom when they realized who he was.
[00:49:39] But then he ran to a cave.
[00:49:43] and it is there that David wrote this psalm and he says again I'm going to bless the Lord at all times his praise shall be continually in my mouth
[00:50:01] Imagine the thoughts that David could have had.
[00:50:04] What could have been running through his mind?
[00:50:07] He had been promised to be the anointed king of Israel and yet he's having to run from his life.
[00:50:13] He's having to act like he's a madman to get away from his enemies to escape life.
[00:50:19] Do you not think David was wondering where in the world are you God?
[00:50:23] What is up with all of this?
[00:50:26] He could have questioned God for the circumstances of his life.
[00:50:30] And you know what?
[00:50:31] He could have started mumbling and complaining just as the Israelites did.
[00:50:36] You remember?
[00:50:38] They got mad because they was wanting that meat to eat and they didn't have it.
[00:50:42] And they wished they was back in Egypt where they had some meat.
[00:50:44] You remember that?
[00:50:46] But here David, he didn't just start doing that.
[00:50:50] In his worst times when he was in hiding, he just acted a nutcase in front of all these people running for his life and yet he sits in a cave dark and writes this.
[00:51:03] He chose to serve God in his hard times.
[00:51:08] You and I need to choose to serve God in our hard times.
[00:51:13] This sacrifice of praise that was offered to God drew David closer to God.
[00:51:20] And God honored his sacrifice.
[00:51:22] And He will honor our sacrifice when we worship Him and we praise Him when we don't feel like it.
[00:51:30] Verse 2 says,
[00:51:33] And my soul will make her boast in thee, in the Lord.
[00:51:39] The humble shall hear thereof and be glad.
[00:51:45] O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.
[00:51:50] I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and He delivered me from all my fears.
[00:51:59] They looked unto him, and they were lightened, and their faces was not ashamed.
[00:52:06] This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him, what?
[00:52:12] Out of all his troubles.
[00:52:16] And the angel of the Lord encamped around about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
[00:52:23] O taste and see that the Lord is good.
[00:52:28] Blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.
[00:52:33] O fear the Lord, ye saints, and there is no want to them that will fear Him.
[00:52:39] The young lions do lack and suffer hunger, but they that seek the Lord shall not want of any good thing.
[00:52:49] Come, you children, hearken to me, and I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
[00:52:56] What man is he that desireth life and loveth many days, that he may see good?
[00:53:05] Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
[00:53:10] Depart from evil, and do good.
[00:53:13] Seek peace, and pursue it.
[00:53:17] The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry.
[00:53:25] The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from this earth.
[00:53:33] The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
[00:53:43] The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
[00:53:53] Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
[00:54:04] He keepeth all their bones, and not one of them is broken.
[00:54:09] Evil shall slay the wicked and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
[00:54:15] There are other examples in the Bible of praising God during the hardest times of life but it always comes back to you can praise even when things are going wrong in your life.
[00:54:32] It starts from having a thankful heart.
[00:54:36] Your praise spirals up, a thankful heart turns into praise and praise into worship and together this will bring the presence of God into our lives.
[00:54:48] As I told them Wednesday night, if you will take time to write down one thing a day from now to the end of the year, the next 40 days or so, of every blessing you can think of, one a day for the next 40 days, I guarantee you your blessings will outweigh the problems in your life.
[00:55:08] Having a thankful heart begins with a choice.
[00:55:12] I have to choose to be thankful.
[00:55:14] In the good, it's easy.
[00:55:17] In the bad, it's hard.
[00:55:18] But I have to choose to bless the name of the Lord.
[00:55:22] You can be thankful in whatever place you're at and when you make that choice, a thankful heart will spiral up and praise will begin to flow like you never thought it would before.
[00:55:34] praises and actions shown and I want to encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and let those praises flow but it must start with a thankful heart examine your heart and see if it's thankful
[00:55:54] Heavenly Father, we thank you for the opportunity to be in your house today.
[00:55:57] I thank you that you are so, so good.
[00:56:01] And you're so kind and faithful to us.
Because of your service families gather in peace.
[00:00:33] Because of your courage
[00:00:35] The next generation finds inspiration to serve.
[00:00:41] Because you defended our values, communities stand strong.
[00:00:48] Because of your dedication, hope rises for tomorrow.
[00:00:56] To every veteran here today, we thank you for your courage, your sacrifice,
[00:01:04] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
and Our Freedom.
[00:01:34] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Because of your service families gather in peace.
[00:01:42] Because of your courage the next generation finds inspiration to serve.
[00:01:50] Because you defended our values communities stand strong.
[00:01:57] Because of your dedication hope rises for tomorrow.
[00:02:04] To every veteran here today, we thank you for your courage, your sacrifice, and our freedom.
[00:02:43] Because of your service families gather in peace.
[00:02:51] Because of your courage the next generation finds inspiration to serve.
[00:02:59] Because you defended our values communities stand strong.
[00:03:06] Because of your dedication hope rises for tomorrow.
[00:03:13] To every veteran here today, we thank you for your courage, your sacrifice, and our freedom.
[00:03:52] Because of your service families gather in peace.
[00:04:00] Because of your courage the next generation finds inspiration to serve.
[00:04:08] Because you defended our values communities stand strong.
[00:04:15] Because of your dedication hope rises for tomorrow.
[00:04:22] To every veteran here today, we thank you for your courage, your sacrifice, and our freedom.
[00:05:01] Because of your service families gather in peace.
[00:05:09] Because of your courage the next generation finds inspiration to serve.
[00:05:17] Because you defended our values communities stand strong.
[00:05:23] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Remember December the 7th, we're going to have a fellowship directly following the morning service.
[00:05:30] It'll be back in the fellowship hall, so put that on your calendar.
[00:05:33] And then also December 10th, that is a Wednesday night, that is going to be the church and the school Christmas program.
[00:05:41] So please, please make plans to attend that.
[00:05:45] We've started practicing for that and it's going to be so wonderful.
[00:05:48] I just know you'll be blessed.
[00:05:49] Also just remember that our blessing box is out there if you want to bring anything and drop it off the students look forward to filling that and then our blessing jar that's out there if you have any spare change you can drop in there so do that but we are glad to see you in the house of the Lord this morning let's go ahead and stand to our feet and we'll go before the Lord in prayer and then after we pray we will take up our morning tithes and offerings and begin our worship amen
[00:06:15] All right, Lord, we just come to you today, God.
[00:06:17] Lord, we thank you for the privilege and the opportunity to be in your house this morning.
[00:06:22] God, Lord, just to magnify you and to thank you.
[00:06:25] We come with a heart of thanksgiving this morning to give you thanks, to give you praise, and to give you worship.
[00:06:31] Father, we pray for those that are sick.
[00:06:33] God, we ask that you would give their bodies a special touch.
[00:06:35] Lord, you know what they need in this hour, God, and we thank you for moving.
[00:06:40] God, I thank you that your presence is in this place, Lord.
[00:06:42] God we thank you Lord that your spirit abides with us here today God and as we come to worship you God that we will give it our all Lord and God that we will magnify you we thank you for your salvation God Lord your blood that you shed on the cross for us Lord we thank you for that God and we give you praise and glory and honor in Jesus name amen ushers if you'll come and take up our morning tithes and offerings and then we will worship the Lord grab you a banner a timbrel or anything like that amen
[00:07:34] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
I praise on the valley, I praise on the mountain I praise when I'm short, I praise when I'm down I praise when I'm numbered, I praise when surrounded Cause praise is the water my enemy's drowning
[00:08:05] As long as I'm breathing, I've got a reason to praise the Lord, oh my soul I'm gonna praise the Lord, oh my soul I praise when I see His Son, and I praise when I don't
[00:08:34] You're still in control My praise is a weapon It's more than a sound All my praise is to shout That brings Jericho down As long as I'm breathing I've got a reason to pray
[00:09:29] I praise cause you're sovereign I praise cause you reign I praise cause you rose and defeated the grave I praise cause you're faithful I praise cause you're true I praise cause there's nobody crazy
[00:10:00] Praise God you're faithful, praise God you're true, praise God there's nobody greater than you, praise the Lord, oh my soul
[00:10:38] I won't be quiet, my God is alive How can I keep me alive?
[00:11:01] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
I won't be quiet, my God is alive
[00:12:04] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Hallelujah.
[00:12:05] Thank you, Lord.
[00:12:07] Hallelujah.
[00:12:08] Everything that has breath, praise the Lord.
[00:12:11] We bless you this morning, Lord.
[00:12:13] Thank you, Lord.
[00:12:15] Hallelujah.
[00:12:18] Oh, we honor you, Lord.
[00:12:19] We honor you.
[00:12:23] Oh, sing with your whole heart.
[00:12:27] Rejoice.
[00:12:39] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
of Jesus God
[00:13:09] Let's give Him some praise this morning.
[00:13:17] So we sing praise to the Father who gave us a Son.
[00:13:56] All our mistakes Jesus cleansed us with His blood, Jesus done.
[00:14:13] Thank you, Lord.
[00:14:14] Who sings the song of sweet forgiveness?
[00:14:22] The power to save Jesus died So we sing praise to the Father who gave us the Son Praise to the Spirit living in us When I was a sinner He saved me
[00:15:02] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
And oh what a Savior He's always been good He's always been faithful He came to my rescue when I needed Him most And He saved my soul So we sing praise to the Father
[00:16:03] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
God bless the name of the Lord Hallelujah thank you Jesus Hallelujah Hallelujah thank you Lord that you save us Lord and you were faithful to us God Hallelujah When I was a sinner He saved me just from who I was Amen
[00:16:19] How many is thankful for that this morning?
[00:16:21] Thankful that the Lord saved you when we were a mess and we were messed up and didn't even know what to do.
[00:16:29] Jesus said, oh, you're my child and I'm going to be faithful to you because he deserves all the glory for that.
[00:16:34] Amen.
[00:16:35] Let's worship the Lord.
[00:16:37] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Hallelujah.
[00:16:45] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
You deserve the glory.
[00:16:49] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Lord, we lift our hands in worship As we lift your holy name You deserve the glory and the honor Lord, we lift our hands in worship As we lift your holy name
[00:17:22] There is no one else like you There is no one else like you For you are great You do miracles so great There is no one else like you There is no one else like you
[00:17:52] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Oh, we declare it in the house this morning, because you deserve the glory.
[00:17:58] Yes, you do, Lord.
[00:18:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Oh, we bless your name.
[00:18:03] Lord, we lift our hands in worship as we lift your holy name.
[00:18:12] You deserve the glory.
[00:18:29] You are great.
[00:18:38] You do miracles so great.
[00:18:41] There is no one else like You.
[00:18:49] There is no one else like You.
[00:18:50] You are great.
[00:18:50] You do miracles so great.
[00:19:07] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
Can we just do this this morning?
[00:19:09] Just step out of your comfort zone just a little bit.
[00:19:13] Can we just declare that He is great?
[00:19:16] Oh, and that we honor you, Lord.
[00:19:22] Let's lift those hands in worship.
[00:19:24] Just a minute.
[00:19:26] Yes, Lord.
[00:19:27] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Because you deserve the glory.
[00:19:37] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
We lift our hands in worship as we lift your holy name.
[00:19:54] You deserve the glory and the honor.
[00:19:58] Lord, we lift our hands in worship as we lift your holy name.
[00:20:12] There is no one else like you, for you are great, you do miracles so great.
[00:20:23] There is no one else like you.
[00:20:44] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
We give you glory in this house Lord you deserve all glory All the honor, all the praise Jesus goes back to you Lord Cause you are grace Lord there's no one above you The name above all names
[00:21:06] Every tongue will confess that you are Lord Every sickness has to bow at the name of Jesus
[00:21:17] Every chain has to be broken in the name of Jesus.
[00:21:23] Lord, you are great in this house, God, and we magnify you.
[00:21:27] Every stress has to be gone in the name of Jesus.
[00:21:31] At the name of Jesus, everything will bow.
[00:21:36] Hallelujah, because you are great.
[00:21:40] You do miracles so great.
[00:21:47] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
There is no one else like you Jesus There is no one else like you For you are great You do miracles so great There is no one else like you
[00:22:23] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Hallelujah, thank you Jesus.
[00:22:27] We bless you Lord, we bless you.
[00:23:53] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
The perfect Savior
[00:24:20] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Holiness has a name and it's Jesus.
[00:24:27] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Victory has a name and it's Jesus.
[00:25:29] Hallelujah.
[00:25:31] We bless you, Lord.
[00:25:32] Thank you, Jesus.
[00:25:35] Hallelujah.
[00:25:37] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
Hallelujah.
[00:25:38] Blessed be the name of the Lord.
[00:25:52] Hallelujah.
[00:25:52] Hallelujah.
[00:25:52] I feel His Holy Spirit in this place today.
[00:25:53] Thank you, Jesus.
[00:25:54] Hallelujah.
[00:25:54] Hallelujah.
[00:25:54] Hallelujah.
[00:25:55] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
I've got a little bit of something going on so just pray for me that I can get through this I feel it in my spirit I tell you I was rejoicing last night as I was going over it and I felt his presence this morning when I started studying again so I want you to know that I believe God has ordained this message for this hour we're going to start off with Hebrews chapter 13 verses 15 and 16 if you will
[00:26:25] And the scripture says, I want you to pay close attention, what scripture says right here, it says, By Him, therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.
[00:26:48] Verse 16
[00:26:49] but to do good and to communicate forget not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased you know Thanksgiving is a time of the year when we're supposed to slow down for just a little bit and
[00:27:07] It's time to remember the simple things of life and the things that God has done for us and to bless us and help us through the year.
[00:27:17] This holiday, as I talked about last week, was set aside by our government
[00:27:22] To thank God for His goodness for the newfound country and to remember all the goodness that He provided for the first pilgrims that was here on the American soil.
[00:27:35] But it is also a time for us to remember what God has done for us.
[00:27:40] Amen.
[00:27:42] But as Christians, as born-again believers of Jesus Christ as our Savior and our Redeemer, our thanksgiving should be like that every day of our life.
[00:27:52] Not just one time a year, not just one season a year, but we should live a life of thanksgiving.
[00:28:02] Being a thankful person shows more about your relationship with Jesus Christ than you think.
[00:28:10] As I said last week, a life with thanksgiving will spiral upwards.
[00:28:17] Say that with me, spiral upwards.
[00:28:20] It starts within us.
[00:28:23] I want to ask you this morning, are you a person who appreciates everything in your life?
[00:28:30] Can you thank God for the good days?
[00:28:33] But can you thank Him for the bad days too?
[00:28:36] A thankful person can be thankful in whatever state they are in.
[00:28:43] But a sincere thankful person has a foundation for a deeper relationship with God.
[00:28:52] This thankful heart and appreciation for all that God has done for us, it will advance to praise.
[00:29:00] That thanksgiving will start and it will spiral upwards in our spirit and it will go to advance to praise.
[00:29:10] So what is praise?
[00:29:12] Praise is an expression of one's approval and deep admiration.
[00:29:21] This morning I want just to add here, God doesn't need mine or your approval.
[00:29:26] He's got it under control.
[00:29:28] And He's got everything working out the way He sees fit.
[00:29:31] Because He's God and He is sovereign.
[00:29:33] However, when you and I can recognize His goodness in this fleshly human body that turns into admiration for who God is, it will catch His eye.
[00:29:49] That is His Word.
[00:29:50] The Scripture says that God will come.
[00:29:54] That means He comes with His Spirit and inhabits the praises of His people.
[00:30:01] I'm telling you, if you want God to recognize you, you've got to get some praise going, but it has to start from your thankful heart.
[00:30:12] That means that the God of all creation, the God of all things, we recognize who He is.
[00:30:20] As we was coming down the mountain yesterday, I know Jeff probably got tired of it, but I kept saying, Oh, look at that pretty tree.
[00:30:27] Oh, look at that pretty mountain.
[00:30:28] And the colors were so beautiful yesterday.
[00:30:31] And I was admiring all the beauty.
[00:30:33] And I was in my spirit.
[00:30:34] I said, Thank you, Lord, for giving us these beautiful colors.
[00:30:39] Wow!
[00:30:40] You know what?
[00:30:41] That's thankful hearts when we can recognize the goodness of God.
[00:30:45] When you see a beautiful sunrise or a beautiful sunset and you can say, Wow, God, that is awesome.
[00:30:51] You are magnificent.
[00:30:53] Thank you for that.
[00:30:55] You know, we need to recognize the even creation.
[00:31:00] Praises the Lord.
[00:31:02] What if that one tree says, Lord, all this color is for you and your glory?
[00:31:08] Woo!
[00:31:09] Doesn't that just thrill you to know that even creation groans and moans of praises to Him?
[00:31:16] Listen, there is so much more of God than the human eye has seen or the senses in this body has felt.
[00:31:25] But how do we experience God in a deeper level, a way that we haven't done in a long time or a way we've never done?
[00:31:35] Let me tell you, it is a life filled with a deep, thankful heart and living our lives every day with thanksgiving.
[00:31:44] Not just in November, but every day of your life.
[00:31:49] See, praising God should be as natural for us as Christians as eating and breathing, drinking water, whatever it may be.
[00:32:00] We are told to praise God in, for, and with all that we are.
[00:32:07] So in other words, the scriptures tell us the where, why, and how to praise God.
[00:32:14] But it all starts with a deep thanksgiving.
[00:32:21] Listen, there is no doubt God likes us to praise.
[00:32:26] He wants us to acknowledge Him.
[00:32:30] The sad truth is, you know what?
[00:32:32] We know.
[00:32:33] We know what it means to praise God.
[00:32:36] But we've forgotten.
[00:32:38] I think we've forgotten.
[00:32:39] In so many ways we have become unappreciative to the blessings that we have.
[00:32:45] Now Pastor Tammy, that's not me.
[00:32:48] I think we all have.
[00:32:50] We don't appreciate the goodness of God like we should.
[00:32:54] That should be a way of life.
[00:32:56] I'm coming back to the heart of worship and what is that?
[00:33:00] It is a heart that begins with being thankful.
[00:33:04] The writer of Hebrews begins this verse, in verse 15, with, by him, and some translations say through him.
[00:33:15] This is where all true praise begins.
[00:33:19] The concept of through him or in him is a common theme throughout the Bible.
[00:33:23] We are told that in him we've been blessed.
[00:33:26] Hallelujah.
[00:33:27] We have been chosen, thank you Jesus.
[00:33:30] We have been adopted, hallelujah.
[00:33:32] We have been forgiven.
[00:33:35] We have been born again and we are secured in Him.
[00:33:40] But through Him we've been raised and redeemed and reconciled to the Father.
[00:33:45] And it all comes back to God because He is our designer and our creator and all good gifts come from Him.
[00:33:54] We are a gift of God.
[00:33:56] Don't you say, I am.
[00:33:57] Everybody pat yourself this morning and say, I'm a gift from God.
[00:34:01] Whether you want to recognize it or not, you are.
[00:34:05] And it is just natural for us to give that praise for Him creating this beautiful gift that we are.
[00:34:13] See, our DNA structure was designed toward the act of praise.
[00:34:17] We were designed to praise.
[00:34:19] Just like all creation has been.
[00:34:21] Think about this.
[00:34:23] How do you know that?
[00:34:24] Because when Jesus was going into Jerusalem during that triumphant entry into Jerusalem, and the people were getting loud and excited with their praises, and the people were saying, calm them down, calm them down, and he says, nope.
[00:34:38] If I calm them down, what's going to happen?
[00:34:40] The rocks are going to cry out in praise.
[00:34:44] Listen, I don't know about you, but I don't want rocks crying out on my behalf.
[00:34:49] I want to give Him all the praise, and that comes from having a thankful heart.
[00:34:54] Listen, all creation praises the Lord, and we being a little bit more than the angels, we should have a heart of thanksgiving, and that praise should be continuously on our lips.
[00:35:09] Every part of our being is a praise just waiting to happen.
[00:35:15] everything you have in life every step you make is something to praise God for if you got out of bed this morning guess what you should praise him you got out of bed because go to the nursing home right and there see how many can't get up out of the bed listen
[00:35:35] All creation praises Him.
[00:35:38] We have been created to praise Him.
[00:35:41] Richard Foster in his book defines praise as the bubbling over of a hot heart for God.
[00:35:50] Listen to that.
[00:35:52] The bubbling over of a hot heart for God is our praise.
[00:35:59] Let us continually offer when I feel like praising and when I don't.
[00:36:07] Interesting enough, God allows us to make a choice to praise Him or not.
[00:36:13] It is our choice.
[00:36:14] The writer calls on us to voluntarily offer up our praise.
[00:36:19] It is something we should want to do.
[00:36:22] So what does this mean?
[00:36:23] Think about this.
[00:36:24] The picture is of placing something on an elevated altar to bring it up, to carry it to a higher place for a higher cause.
[00:36:35] So think about it like this.
[00:36:38] If you had a silver platter and you could put your praise on that silver platter and what would you do?
[00:36:44] You could lift that platter up before God because that is your offering, your praise.
[00:36:51] See our praise is from that bubbling over heart.
[00:36:56] It causes us to lift up our best and offer what began with a thankful life and a thankful heart.
[00:37:05] When we offer up something in praise, we offer something that's of value to us.
[00:37:12] See, we need to understand that we should love to praise God.
[00:37:19] We should want to give Him praise as an offering of all His blessings.
[00:37:27] It's a difference.
[00:37:29] Think about it like this.
[00:37:31] If you voluntarily want to praise Him and thank Him, it's one thing.
[00:37:36] We don't have a king or somebody telling us, you've got to bow down before me.
[00:37:42] We have the option of worshiping the true and living King, right?
[00:37:48] Our heart should be bubbling over with gratitude.
[00:37:52] It should be something we want to offer Him, not something just to let it go.
[00:37:59] Scripture is clear that we are not only to be thankful and offer our praise when we feel like it, when life is good, but know we're to do it continually.
[00:38:09] We are not just to praise Him one day a week in the church building with all our brothers and sisters that believe like we do, but all the time.
[00:38:20] From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, the name of the Lord what?
[00:38:25] Shall be praised.
[00:38:28] In the good times, in the bad times, in the up times, in the down times, we are to praise.
[00:38:36] This should be our lifestyle as a born again child of God.
[00:38:39] It is our life's mandate.
[00:38:41] That's what God has commanded us to do.
[00:38:44] But it cannot be if we are not thankful people to begin with.
[00:38:52] The truth is, we don't have a problem with praise, do we?
[00:38:56] Think about it.
[00:38:57] We think nothing about clapping our hands for singers or entertainers.
[00:39:01] We think nothing about shouting for joy for our sports team, just saying.
[00:39:07] We don't mind getting excited when the races go around and around and around and around and around and around and we're yelling for our favorite driver.
[00:39:16] The things that we can get excited about, often we do.
[00:39:20] So we know what it's like to praise.
[00:39:24] In fact, we'll spend our money.
[00:39:28] I don't know how much tickets are to a football game, but I know in high school it's $10 a ticket nowadays.
[00:39:35] But we'll spend money to go to see a ball game.
[00:39:39] And I guarantee you, you don't sit there quietly in your seat and look.
[00:39:45] I believe there might be just a little bit of excitement there.
[00:39:49] But sadly, these are some of the things that's become substitute for praising our God.
[00:39:57] They have become the objects of our praise, these earthly, material things that we cannot take with us.
[00:40:04] We've taken the heart of worship and given it to the world and said we give the world our praise instead of giving our praises back up to God.
[00:40:14] We don't give it a second thought that it is God who has made a way for us to even enjoy going to a game or whatever it may be.
[00:40:23] Psalms 150 says, Psalms 150,
[00:40:32] Praise ye the Lord.
[00:40:35] Praise God in His what?
[00:40:39] Praise Him in the firmament of His power.
[00:40:44] Praise Him for His what?
[00:40:47] Mighty acts.
[00:40:49] Praise Him according to what?
[00:40:51] His excellent greatness.
[00:40:55] Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet.
[00:40:58] Praise Him with psalms and a harp.
[00:41:03] Praise Him with the timbrel and with dance.
[00:41:06] Praise Him with string instruments and organs.
[00:41:11] Praise Him upon the loud cymbals and praise Him upon the high sounding cymbals.
[00:41:18] And let everything that has breath praise ye the Lord.
[00:41:29] The Scripture lists some of the ways that we are to praise Him.
[00:41:33] We praise Him in and for and with, and that just about covers all of life and creation.
[00:41:40] But how does our praise truly operate?
[00:41:43] The Scripture says through the sacrifice of our praise, the fruit of our lips, and the confessing of His name, and the conditions of our heart.
[00:41:54] Scripture speaks of sacrifice, fruit, and even confession.
[00:41:59] Praise causes things like standing and singing and shouting and clapping our hands and raising our hands, dancing, playing instruments, and even testifying of the goodness of God.
[00:42:14] all these are done for his glory to the but he is the object of our praise who or what is the object of your praise this morning how is your heart do you feel it beating everybody put your hand on your heart this morning or take your pulse and feel that heartbeat and with every heartbeat of this whole heart i should praise the lord
[00:42:40] With every heartbeat it should be thanksgiving to the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.
[00:42:48] In the Old and New Testament, the people of God were instructed to give God a sacrifice of praise.
[00:42:54] The idea is that we offer praise to God as a spontaneous response to noticing God in our lives.
[00:43:04] Praise can be planned.
[00:43:06] It can be celebrated.
[00:43:08] It can be relived.
[00:43:09] And many of the Psalms lead worshipers to do that.
[00:43:13] But I feel like most of the time praise is sort of instant.
[00:43:19] Automatic or perhaps a response to His presence or recognizing God for working.
[00:43:26] So how can my praise be spontaneous?
[00:43:29] By living a life of thanksgiving.
[00:43:33] In ancient Israel, praise was commanded in the law in order to even be able to offer God a sacrifice.
[00:43:43] And in order for someone to praise God in the temple, they had to make what?
[00:43:49] A sacrifice.
[00:43:51] Let me make it clear.
[00:43:52] For us to be able to express our praises to God, first of all, our duty is to obey the Scripture.
[00:43:59] And guess what?
[00:44:01] It will cost something.
[00:44:04] Huh?
[00:44:04] It will cost you time to praise.
[00:44:07] It will cost you effort to praise.
[00:44:10] It will cost you yourself
[00:44:13] But it's worthy everything that it costs this fleshly body.
[00:44:18] It is worth it to be in the presence of God.
[00:44:21] So what does it mean to offer a sacrifice of praise?
[00:44:26] Praise is often our response to something that's been impressed to us and we feel generous when we praise.
[00:44:34] It is an easy way to praise God and to just let Him know how thankful we are.
[00:44:40] When He blesses us, when He answers our prayers, when He helps us, when He protects us, when all things are good for us, we are grateful and we praise Him.
[00:44:49] We sing praises to His name and we worship Him for His goodness and we even testify of the goodness of God.
[00:44:59] This kind of praise is worthwhile and God expects this gratefulness from us.
[00:45:05] However, this spontaneous praise cannot always be considered a sacrifice.
[00:45:10] There are times in our lives when God don't come through the way we think He should.
[00:45:15] There are times that the medical tests come back positive and we don't want them to be.
[00:45:21] There are times our children are wayward and they won't listen.
[00:45:27] There are times when bills are piling up and we don't know where we're going to pay them.
[00:45:32] There are times we had to bury our loved ones.
[00:45:37] And there are sometimes our prayers are not answered the moment we think they should be.
[00:45:43] We cannot see God's goodness in that particular moment.
[00:45:47] And sometimes we get discouraged and down and out.
[00:45:51] And it looks as if God has forgotten us.
[00:45:53] But listen, God's not forgotten us.
[00:45:57] We can start praising Him at that very moment.
[00:45:59] And I'm sure that praise of thanksgiving of what God has done time and time again before even this particular moment
[00:46:08] and it'll start bubbling up in our hearts and overflowing because the secret is when things get tough, praise gets harder.
[00:46:19] To praise God in the troubled times necessitates people having a personal sacrifice.
[00:46:26] When you don't want to praise Him, when your body is hurting, when you're heartbroken, when everything is falling apart, praise His holy name.
[00:46:36] This is a sacrifice of praise that's most personal.
[00:46:41] It's difficult and it costs.
[00:46:44] It requires us to wholly submit ourselves on the altar of the will of God and although we cannot explain His ways, although we don't understand His ways, it is through a sacrifice of praise we confess that God is still good all the time and all the time that God is good.
[00:47:06] It is through that sacrifice of praise we confess that God can be trusted
[00:47:11] He can be trusted when you're on the mountain and when you're in the valley.
[00:47:16] He can be trusted because He's sovereign and God's will will come too.
[00:47:22] We praise Him because He's sovereign in all His ways.
[00:47:25] We praise Him when we don't understand the answer.
[00:47:28] We praise Him when we don't feel like it.
[00:47:31] We praise Him when our hearts are heavy because we have already instilled thanksgiving in our hearts.
[00:47:39] Psalms 34 and 1.
[00:47:42] The very first verse of that says, I will bless the Lord at what?
[00:47:50] All times.
[00:47:51] His praise shall continually be in my
[00:47:58] Do you remember?
[00:47:59] Let me ask you about this story.
[00:48:00] Do you remember in 1 Samuel chapter 21 when David pretends like he's a crazy man?
[00:48:06] Do y'all remember that story?
[00:48:08] Because he walks out of that kingdom so he starts drooling at the mouth and scratching on the walls.
[00:48:13] Go back and read that.
[00:48:15] And he was thrown out of the kingdom because that's what David was wanting to do, right?
[00:48:21] When David was young, Samuel appointed him and anointed him to be the next ruler over Israel.
[00:48:26] Samuel also had anointed him and he had won the battle over the giant Goliath and he had also won the hearts of the men of Israel he was over the men of war under Saul and David was expecting some greater glory since he had a promise and the anointing of being the future king
[00:48:50] But think about David's life turned out a little bit differently.
[00:48:54] Saul got jealous and no longer liked David, right?
[00:48:58] And David had to go and seek refuge among the Philistines.
[00:49:02] Well, the giant of whose he had killed before and earned some names.
[00:49:09] So when the Philistines recognized David as who he was, and he was the one that had killed the thousands, remember the story,
[00:49:17] David became afraid and he pretended that he was insane and acted like a madman taking his fingernails and scratching the doors and the gate and letting spit and slobber run down his face like he had some kind of disease so that he could escape and get out of the kingdom when they realized who he was.
[00:49:39] But then he ran to a cave.
[00:49:43] and it is there that David wrote this psalm and he says again I'm going to bless the Lord at all times his praise shall be continually in my mouth
[00:50:01] Imagine the thoughts that David could have had.
[00:50:04] What could have been running through his mind?
[00:50:07] He had been promised to be the anointed king of Israel and yet he's having to run from his life.
[00:50:13] He's having to act like he's a madman to get away from his enemies to escape life.
[00:50:19] Do you not think David was wondering where in the world are you God?
[00:50:23] What is up with all of this?
[00:50:26] He could have questioned God for the circumstances of his life.
[00:50:30] And you know what?
[00:50:31] He could have started mumbling and complaining just as the Israelites did.
[00:50:36] You remember?
[00:50:38] They got mad because they was wanting that meat to eat and they didn't have it.
[00:50:42] And they wished they was back in Egypt where they had some meat.
[00:50:44] You remember that?
[00:50:46] But here David, he didn't just start doing that.
[00:50:50] In his worst times when he was in hiding, he just acted a nutcase in front of all these people running for his life and yet he sits in a cave dark and writes this.
[00:51:03] He chose to serve God in his hard times.
[00:51:08] You and I need to choose to serve God in our hard times.
[00:51:13] This sacrifice of praise that was offered to God drew David closer to God.
[00:51:20] And God honored his sacrifice.
[00:51:22] And He will honor our sacrifice when we worship Him and we praise Him when we don't feel like it.
[00:51:30] Verse 2 says,
[00:51:33] And my soul will make her boast in thee, in the Lord.
[00:51:39] The humble shall hear thereof and be glad.
[00:51:45] O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together.
[00:51:50] I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and He delivered me from all my fears.
[00:51:59] They looked unto him, and they were lightened, and their faces was not ashamed.
[00:52:06] This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him, and saved him, what?
[00:52:12] Out of all his troubles.
[00:52:16] And the angel of the Lord encamped around about them that fear him, and delivereth them.
[00:52:23] O taste and see that the Lord is good.
[00:52:28] Blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.
[00:52:33] O fear the Lord, ye saints, and there is no want to them that will fear Him.
[00:52:39] The young lions do lack and suffer hunger, but they that seek the Lord shall not want of any good thing.
[00:52:49] Come, you children, hearken to me, and I will teach you the fear of the Lord.
[00:52:56] What man is he that desireth life and loveth many days, that he may see good?
[00:53:05] Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile.
[00:53:10] Depart from evil, and do good.
[00:53:13] Seek peace, and pursue it.
[00:53:17] The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are open unto their cry.
[00:53:25] The face of the Lord is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from this earth.
[00:53:33] The righteous cry, and the Lord heareth and delivereth them out of all their troubles.
[00:53:43] The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.
[00:53:53] Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.
[00:54:04] He keepeth all their bones, and not one of them is broken.
[00:54:09] Evil shall slay the wicked and they that hate the righteous shall be desolate.
[00:54:15] There are other examples in the Bible of praising God during the hardest times of life but it always comes back to you can praise even when things are going wrong in your life.
[00:54:32] It starts from having a thankful heart.
[00:54:36] Your praise spirals up, a thankful heart turns into praise and praise into worship and together this will bring the presence of God into our lives.
[00:54:48] As I told them Wednesday night, if you will take time to write down one thing a day from now to the end of the year, the next 40 days or so, of every blessing you can think of, one a day for the next 40 days, I guarantee you your blessings will outweigh the problems in your life.
[00:55:08] Having a thankful heart begins with a choice.
[00:55:12] I have to choose to be thankful.
[00:55:14] In the good, it's easy.
[00:55:17] In the bad, it's hard.
[00:55:18] But I have to choose to bless the name of the Lord.
[00:55:22] You can be thankful in whatever place you're at and when you make that choice, a thankful heart will spiral up and praise will begin to flow like you never thought it would before.
[00:55:34] praises and actions shown and I want to encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and let those praises flow but it must start with a thankful heart examine your heart and see if it's thankful
[00:55:54] Heavenly Father, we thank you for the opportunity to be in your house today.
[00:55:57] I thank you that you are so, so good.
[00:56:01] And you're so kind and faithful to us.
