Praise as a Choice of Faith: Declaring God’s Goodness

• Praise as a Choice vs. Feeling [00:40:45 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor argues that praise is a deliberate decision of faith, citing David's example in Psalm 34, rather than a reaction to emotional states or favorable circumstances.
• Biblical Examples of Praise in Suffering [00:42:02 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses the examples of Habakkuk (despite crop failure), Job (despite losing children), and Paul and Silas (despite imprisonment) to demonstrate that true praise persists through trials.
• The Nature of Faith [00:45:07 ▶️ 📄]
  > Faith is defined as the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen, requiring believers to choose to believe God's word over their current feelings or experiences.
• Perspective and Perspective Change [00:48:13 ▶️ 📄]
  > Praise changes how one sees their situation, shifting focus from darkness to light, and from self to God, as illustrated by the story of the blind beggar Bartimaeus.
• Faith vs. Feelings [00:46:15 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor argues that faith requires choosing to praise God even when feelings are stuck in despair, citing the binary nature of blessing vs. cursing.
• Praise Changes Perspective [00:48:13 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor explains that praise shifts focus from problems to God's power, citing biblical examples like King Jehoshaphat and the Red Sea.
• Praise Declares God's Goodness in Advance [00:53:34 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor contrasts cultural praise (after breakthrough) with biblical faith (praising before breakthrough), using personal anecdotes of sickness and family dynamics.
• Praise Invites Others into Faith [01:00:40 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor argues that corporate worship and personal testimony serve as invitations for others to experience God's goodness, citing Matthew 5:16.
• Praise as Testimony [01:00:46 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor argues that personal praise serves as a witness to others, citing Psalm 34 and the example of David inviting others into worship.
• Genuine Faith vs. Hypocrisy [01:03:03 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor contrasts the church's reputation for hypocrisy with the biblical call to let light shine, using the example of Paul and Silas.
• Intentional Praise [01:04:31 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor shares a personal anecdote about intentionally praising God even when it felt awkward, comparing it to how people use bad words.
• Worship vs. The Word [01:10:24 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor clarifies that while he loves worship, the Word of God is the primary driver for true intimacy with God and effective worship, citing Saul and David.

• Sermon Illustration [00:38:07 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor references a previous Bible study with men on isolation, noting that few admitted to needing help, illustrating the human tendency to hide struggles.
• Sermon Illustration [00:46:04 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor shares a personal anecdote about telling his wife that he is glad the Lord is faithful, unlike people who are often unfaithful.
• Sermon Illustration [00:46:42 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses the analogy of marriage, stating that if one is not blessing their spouse, they are likely criticizing them, illustrating the binary nature of speech.
• Sermon Illustration [00:48:13 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor recounts the story of Bartimaeus, a blind beggar who, upon hearing Jesus was passing by, cried out and was healed, illustrating how praise and faith can change one's perspective and situation.
• Sermon Illustration [00:54:41 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor shares a personal story of being sick, having oil put on his head, and telling his parents he was healed by Jesus' stripes even though he still felt sick, illustrating declaring faith before physical healing.
• Sermon Illustration [00:55:57 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor references the biblical story of Joshua and the walls of Jericho, noting that the people shouted before the walls fell, illustrating that praise precedes the visible outcome.
• Sermon Illustration [00:58:26 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses the analogy of Benjamin Franklin and electricity to explain that faith believes in things not yet seen or touched, just as we trust our bank has money we can't see.
• Sermon Illustration [00:59:03 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses the analogy of God creating cows and grass together to illustrate that God is a designer who places all things together with purpose, not a mess.
• Sermon Illustration [00:57:54 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor references Jesus renaming Simon to Peter, explaining that Jesus saw beyond Peter's inconsistencies and failures to see who God was making him to be.
• Sermon Illustration [01:03:52 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor references the biblical story of Paul and Silas praying and singing in prison, noting that their worship became a witness to the prisoners.
• Sermon Illustration [01:04:31 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor shares a personal anecdote about intentionally praising God even when it felt awkward, comparing it to how people use bad words like 'dang' or 'man' without realizing they are abusive.
• Sermon Illustration [01:10:41 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor references the biblical story of Saul being vexed by an evil spirit and comforted by David's worship, noting that the Word of God makes demons squirm.

• Pastoral Charge [00:45:07 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor commands the congregation to internalize the truth that praise is a decision of faith rather than a reaction to feelings.
• Pastoral Charge [00:45:07 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor commands the congregation to internalize the truth that praise is a decision of faith rather than a reaction to feelings.
• Pastoral Charge [00:45:07 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor commands the congregation to internalize the truth that praise is a decision of faith rather than a reaction to feelings.
• Pastoral Charge [00:45:07 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor commands the congregation to internalize the truth that praise is a decision of faith rather than a reaction to feelings.
• Pastoral Charge [00:46:25 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor commands the congregation to actively choose to praise God regardless of their emotional state or feelings of despair.
• Pastoral Charge [00:48:31 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor leads the congregation in a call to collectively magnify and exalt the Lord.
• Pastoral Charge [00:51:12 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor invites the congregation to physically join hands and praise God.
• Pastoral Charge [01:02:39 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor challenges individuals to actively praise God as a testimony to others.
• Pastoral Charge [01:08:41 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor invites the congregation to stand and personally commit to blessing the Lord at all times, mirroring David's declaration.

[00:00:00] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]
[00:00:00] If there's anybody new here this morning, we just want to welcome you to church this morning. We're thankful. Praise God. Amen.
[00:00:08] The Bible says in Psalms 150, Praise ye the Lord. Praise God in His sanctuary. Praise Him in the firmament of His power. Praise Him for His mighty acts.
[00:00:21] Praise Him according to His excellent greatness Praise Him with a sound of trumpet Praise Him with a psaltery of harp Praise Him with the timbrel and dance Praise Him with stringed instruments and organs Praise Him upon loud cymbals
[00:00:39] Praise Him upon the sounding cymbals And the Bible says Let everything that has breath Can somebody praise the Lord Hallelujah Father we thank you this morning God for the opportunity Lord God to walk into your house with your people
[00:00:58] Father God we thank you Lord for a sanctuary that has freedom God to lift our hands Lord God to praise you this morning God realizing Lord that you love us and that you care for
[00:01:10] us God no matter where we are in life God if we're lost God you still love us because you want to find us the Bible says that you come to seek and to save that which is lost
[00:01:22] God Lord that we're a peculiar people God and Lord that you're not a person God that looks on persons because they're wrong or they're right God but you're there with open arms God ready to change us
[00:01:36] Lord and help us to become who you've called us to be Lord God we praise you for that this morning God Lord we praise you God that when we're in hospital beds and doctor's offices
[00:01:47] God in places of desperation Lord that we can trust you Lord to heal our bodies and touch our minds God Lord we praise you God because you help us God in every place of our
[00:01:59] life God Lord I thank you Lord for our pastor this morning God and our pastor's family God I pray that you touch them put a hedge of protection around them God I pray God that you touch our pastor as he speaks
[00:02:11] your word Father from the top of his head to the soles of his feet this morning God I pray God, that you touch every person, God, in this sanctuary this morning, God.
[00:02:21] Lord, if they be one lost in this place today, God, I pray that your sweet spirit, Lord, God, would go into that chair, God, and let them know that you're a God that's above anything,
[00:02:32] that they can either fathom, God.
[00:02:34] Lord, that you're a God that can take addiction out of them, Lord.
[00:02:38] God, that you're a God that can take an adultery out of them, Father.
[00:02:42] Lord, no matter what the situation is this morning, God, Lord, that you can change us, Lord.
[00:02:47] You said, not by might and not by power, but by Your Spirit, God.
[00:02:51] I pray that You let Yourself be known in this place today.
[00:02:55] In Jesus' name, can somebody say amen?

[00:02:59] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[00:02:59] Hallelujah. Come on, we can do better than that this morning.
[00:03:04] Give the Lord a hand clap of praise. Hallelujah.
[00:03:07] As I come into Your presence, past the gates of grace, to Your sanctuary, where we stand in faith, upon you. I can only bow down. You are awesome. If you can, just raise your hands. Personal to the
[00:19:40] God who has saved when you closed on your back, he's given you a roof over your head. It's this morning. All that you can give him this morning. Pastor, come sing this song. We'll sing how worthy
[00:28:49] all this morning. And I'm going to tell you right now all that you have inside when you're standing in front of him come on let's sing it one more time with uplifted hands and i'm preaching on

[00:30:37] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]
[00:30:37] praise this morning so it's okay to do that before we praise the lord praise the lord can we give jesus a hand of praise come on all over the place as we stay in this moment just father we just love
[00:31:23] you just lift your hands up toward heaven father we just love you and we thank you for this moment We thank you, God, for visiting with us this morning and showing us your goodness, your presence, your power, word.
[00:31:36] I pray, Father, that you continue to move through this place with your goodness, Father.
[00:31:41] We thank you for all that you've done, all that you're going to do.
[00:31:45] We magnify you, Lord.
[00:31:47] Thank you greater than everything else, God, that's in our life.
[00:31:52] We bless your name.
[00:31:54] We thank you for your goodness, God.
[00:31:57] Every need that's in this room, Lord, even at this moment, And we pray, Father, that there will be miracles that will flow through this service.
[00:32:05] That answers of prayers will come.
[00:32:07] And the Holy Spirit, God, will transform our hearts and lives.
[00:32:11] In Jesus' name.
[00:32:13] And everybody said amen.
[00:32:14] One more time, give the Lord a hand of praise.
[00:32:17] Amen.
[00:32:19] Kids' church can be dismissed if you and me dismiss.
[00:32:29] Amen.
[00:32:30] The kids can be dismissed.
[00:32:31] Let me have our ushers to come and help us receive an offering.
[00:32:37] As they're coming, real quick, you may be seated all over the house of the Lord.
[00:32:42] As you get ready to give to the Lord.
[00:32:47] What a great honor and privilege it is to be together in God's house.
[00:32:51] Amen.
[00:32:52] Let me say thank you for giving to the Lord.
[00:32:54] Thank you for making a difference in the hearts and lives of all that you do.
[00:32:59] Thank you for being faithful to God and His Word.
[00:33:02] I want to ask you to, Father, bless this offering.
[00:33:04] Use it for your glory and meet every need that we have.
[00:33:08] We'll give you thanks and praise in Jesus' name.
[00:33:10] And everybody said amen.
[00:33:12] Amen.
[00:33:12] God bless you as you give.
[00:33:14] I want to just make a real quick announcement.
[00:33:16] We got this Wednesday night, I'm going to change it up a little bit in our service.
[00:33:22] We're going to start at 630.
[00:33:26] We're going to show the Great Awakening movie.
[00:33:30] If you have not seen it, I encourage you to come.
[00:33:34] it's about George Whitfield it's about the revival that took place in America I thought about as we get ready to celebrate 250 years as a nation we need to be reminded of this there's a little trailer I want to show you it being if
[00:33:50] you'll put that trailer on there Benjamin Franklin your brother said he

[00:33:58] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:33:58] could use your help at his print shop do you have my blessing gonna do good

[00:34:03] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]
[00:34:03] Good things, Pa! Good things!

[00:34:10] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:34:10] George Whitefield, you will be an extraordinary preacher.
[00:34:14] Remember the source of your power.
[00:34:17] You don't believe the stories from London are true?

[00:34:22] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:34:22] I am doubting Whitefield's claim that he can be heard and understood by so many.
[00:34:27] Without evidence, I won't believe it.

[00:34:29] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:34:29] Let us proclaim freedom to the captives!
[00:34:31] Whom the sun sets free is free indeed!

[00:34:35] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:34:35] Have you ever heard a voice like that, that blasts from heaven?
[00:34:39] Benjamin Franklin.
[00:34:40] Reverend Whitfield, partnering with me would guarantee the maximum benefit to your cause.
[00:34:45] A match made in heaven.
[00:34:47] Or just a deal made in a print shop.
[00:34:50] General George Washington.
[00:34:52] Today, we stand in an even darker valley.

[00:34:55] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:34:55] This country must be our chief concern.

[00:34:57] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:34:57] This constitution cannot fail.
[00:34:59] We cannot let the sun set on this nation.
[00:35:03] You are lighting a powder keg, my friend.

[00:35:07] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:35:07] When you follow him, you are led by love.
[00:35:11] Why can't I get through to you?
[00:35:13] I choose evidence over faith.
[00:35:16] Stop trying to change me.
[00:35:19] You have promoted the greatest awakening these colonies have ever seen.

[00:35:24] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:35:24] The lightning bolt, George.
[00:35:34] I am just the lightning rod.
[00:35:37] And who is the sauce, Ben?

[00:35:39] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:35:39] Let them receive your gift of salvation.

[00:35:44] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:35:44] One tiny candle illuminates a thousand.

[00:35:50] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
[00:35:50] Arise, O sleeper! Awaken!

[00:35:53] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]
[00:35:53] All right, so that will be this Wednesday night.
[00:36:01] You want to make sure that you come and be a part of that.
[00:36:04] I want to remind, we have baptism coming up June the 14th, I believe that it is, movie night this Wednesday night, Tuesday night, and you don't want to miss that and be a part of that.
[00:36:14] There are some that have seen it.
[00:36:16] We've got some churches that have showed it, and I believe that it will be a blessing to you as you come.
[00:36:20] 6.30, remember that so it gives you enough time to watch the whole show.
[00:36:24] Will you stand up for the reading of God's Word?
[00:36:26] Psalms 34.
[00:36:27] I'm going to do a season in the summertime in the Psalms.
[00:36:31] I've done this before, kind of part of it.
[00:36:34] It took about six weeks and shared about it, but there's 150 Psalms in here, so we've only scratched the surface really.
[00:36:41] and I want to share with you the next several months out of the Psalms, unless the Lord would change it.
[00:36:48] This morning I want to share with you praise is a choice, the sound of praise, and praise is a choice.
[00:36:54] Psalms 34, starting with verse 1.
[00:36:57] I will bless the Lord.
[00:37:01] Let's read this together.
[00:37:02] I will bless the Lord at all times.
[00:37:07] His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
[00:37:11] My soul shall make her boast in the Lord.
[00:37:15] The humbled shall hear thereof and be glad.
[00:37:19] Oh, magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt his name together.
[00:37:27] Now, can we do that one more time?
[00:37:28] Put our hands together and give God praise for his word.
[00:37:31] Amen.
[00:37:35] Will you bow your heads and pray with me?
[00:37:37] Father, I pray today that something is said or done will transform somebody's heart and life.
[00:37:42] We thank you for the word. We thank you for your spirit, and we thank you for your grace.
[00:37:46] Let everything to be said and done bring glory to you in Jesus' name.
[00:37:51] And everybody said amen and amen.
[00:37:53] God bless you this morning. You may be seated all over the house.
[00:37:57] Thank you, Bailey. Good to have Christy up here singing this morning and all of those who are helping us out.
[00:38:03] Church, if we'd be honest, just be truthful this morning.
[00:38:06] I know that's hard for us sometimes.
[00:38:07] We want to be independent.
[00:38:10] Wednesday, Tuesday night, I talked to the men and shared with them a Bible study on isolation and how that so many times that we isolate ourselves and we need to be together and we don't always want to share our weaknesses.
[00:38:23] I asked them this question, when was the last time you asked somebody in your fellowship or your circle, your connection, that I need help?
[00:38:30] When's the last time you told somebody, I'm struggling and I need some help in my life?
[00:38:37] Truthfully, none of the many of the hands raised in that group of men Tuesday night.
[00:38:42] And rightfully so, because when it comes to truly being honest about our struggles, we don't always communicate it the way that we need to.
[00:38:51] Because we want to feel that we're not spiritual if we tell these things.
[00:38:56] But I want to, if we're honest, most of us truly praise God when life is going well.
[00:39:03] Amen?
[00:39:04] Right?
[00:39:04] When you've got money in the bank, it's easy to praise God.
[00:39:06] when the marriage is good, when the kids ain't lost their mind, when the job is good.
[00:39:10] It's easy to come in here and bless the Lord and praise the Lord.
[00:39:14] But when you've walked through struggles and been through trials and tests, it's hard.
[00:39:18] We praise Him bills are paid.
[00:39:20] We praise Him when the doctors give good reports.
[00:39:23] We praise Him when our family is healthy.
[00:39:25] And we praise Him when promotion comes.
[00:39:27] But what happens when those things hasn't arrived?
[00:39:30] What happens when the answer hasn't come?
[00:39:32] What happens when the storm won't stop or when prayers remain unanswered?
[00:39:39] The test of praise is not can we praise God in the sunshine.
[00:39:43] The test of true praise is whether we can praise Him in the storm.
[00:39:48] You know, David declares in Psalm 34, I will bless the Lord at all times, and His praise shall continually be in my mouth.
[00:39:58] David declares, notice he didn't say, I will praise the Lord when I feel like praising the Lord.
[00:40:05] He didn't say, it was a language of choice, I will.
[00:40:10] It's a decision he has made.
[00:40:13] David is making a decision before he sees a solution in his life.
[00:40:18] That's remarkable. David wrote the Psalms while running for his life.
[00:40:22] He was not sitting at a throne. His life was not going well.
[00:40:26] he was hiding in caves and he was surrounded by uncertainty and everything was falling apart yet in the middle of fear and in confusion david makes a choice praise is not a feeling praise is a decision of faith amen praise is not a feeling praise is a decision of faith
[00:40:50] you know i want to give you number one praise is a decision before it is a feeling psalms 34 Lord, David prays, begin with an act of his will.
[00:40:59] Many people say, well, I just don't feel like worshiping God today.
[00:41:03] Well, I don't either at times.
[00:41:06] Well, I don't feel God's presence like I want to feel Him.
[00:41:09] Well, sometimes we don't feel Him.
[00:41:13] I don't feel joyful today.
[00:41:16] But Scripture never teaches us to wait on our feelings before we praise God.
[00:41:23] scripture constantly teaches us and it constantly tells us regardless of how we feel we ought to praise god we ought to magnify god psalms chapter 103 says i will bless the lord at all times his
[00:41:40] praise shall continually be in my mouth david didn't speak into himself sometimes you gotta preach to your own soul i will bless the lord oh my soul and all that is within me sometimes your
[00:41:50] emotions need to hear your faith talking did you hear me sometimes what you're dealing with needs to hear faith speaking and faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of god and it is
[00:42:02] important to communicate the word of god in our life the bible says in habakkuk chapter 3 verse 17 though the fig not blossom neither the fruit tree be in vines and the labor of the olive shall
[00:42:16] fail and the field shall yield no meat the flock shall be cut off from the fold there shall be no herd in the stalls he said everything in my life is falling apart yet I will rejoice in the Lord
[00:42:32] I will joy in the God of my salvation what does that mean the harvest failed the fields are emptying the future looks uncertain yet Habakkuk says this I will praise God because praise is a
[00:42:50] choice Job said in chapter 1 verse 20 he arose he tore his mantle and he shaved his head and he fell down on the ground and he worshiped and he said naked I came out of my mother's womb and
[00:43:07] naked i shall return dither the lord gives and the lord takes away but blessed be the name of the lord he said somebody ought to praise god right there come on we're gonna praise him before
[00:43:22] we get out of service today the bible tells us after he lost his children he lost his livelihood he fell down to the ground and worshiped God he did not complain he did not curse but he
[00:43:38] worshiped God the Bible says in Acts chapter 16 verse 25 at midnight Paul and Silas praised and sang praises unto God as the prisoners heard them Paul and Silas had been beaten they had been
[00:43:53] chained they had been bound yet in the midnight hour of their life they sang praises to God The prison did not determine their praise.
[00:44:04] Did you hear me?
[00:44:05] Their praise is on God's worthiness and not where their circumstances are.
[00:44:11] Your circumstances does not determine God's praise.
[00:44:16] It is He is worthy of all our praise.
[00:44:18] He is worthy of all our worship.
[00:44:21] Regardless if I'm in a good place or a bad place, He's still worthy of our praise.
[00:44:27] Praise God.
[00:44:28] so let's just be honest there are going to be Sundays that you're going to come that you don't feel like praising God there's going to be Sundays you're going to come that you don't feel like standing there
[00:44:42] worshiping in the Lord there will be mornings where silence when you wake up will discouragement will try to silence your praise there will be moments in your life that you feel that everything is falling apart I don't have anything to praise God about yet I want you to understand something
[00:45:07] again remember me remember this praise is not rooted in feelings praise is rooted in faith faith is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen my praise is not based upon what I have seen, what I have felt, what I have experienced. It's on what I know
[00:45:36] shall come. It's on what I know will be because of his word has spoken it to my heart and to my life. So let me understand something. There'll be mornings with discouragement, but faith says this
[00:45:50] When everything falls apart, this is what faith says.
[00:45:53] God is still good.
[00:45:56] Hallelujah.
[00:45:58] Faith says this.
[00:45:59] God is still faithful.
[00:46:02] Praise the Lord.
[00:46:04] I told my wife just the other day.
[00:46:05] I said, I'm glad the Lord ain't faithful like people are.
[00:46:08] God is faithful.
[00:46:10] Number three, God is still worthy of our praise.
[00:46:15] Even when I don't understand what he's doing, faith chooses to praise him before my feelings catch up to it.
[00:46:24] Oh, praise God.
[00:46:25] Hallelujah.
[00:46:27] Regardless of how I feel about it.
[00:46:29] Regardless if my feelings are stuck in despair, I'm going to choose to praise God.
[00:46:35] You know, I told the guys, we taught this in the marriage class, and those who hadn't been and are married, and I think it's applicable for everything.
[00:46:42] If you are not blessing, if you're not praising your spouse, then you're probably criticizing and cursing.
[00:46:56] Speaking negative.
[00:46:58] Because there is no in-between.
[00:47:03] I want you to hear what I'm saying.
[00:47:05] See, if you're not speaking blessings over the one whom you love, whom your soul longs for, if you're not speaking good things I promise you you're speaking negative things because there is no in between here
[00:47:26] the Bible says we either bless or we curse so let me just say this if you're not praising God you're probably criticizing and complaining and condemning and being negative about your circumstances and your environment.
[00:47:49] Does that mean that I'm oblivious, that I'm living in delusion of the moment?
[00:47:53] No, it means that I choose to believe God's word more than what I'm looking at, what I'm feeling, and what I'm experiencing.
[00:48:02] Because life says darkness, but God said, let there be light.
[00:48:07] And everything changes because of his word in my life.
[00:48:13] so let me move on number two praise changes our perspective you know in in our life you cannot oh magnify psalms 34 3 oh magnify the lord with me and let us exalt lift him up name together
[00:48:31] you can't not make god bigger god is already big god is already infinite but you can make him bigger in your eyes see praise changes what occupies your attention the enemy wants your focus on the problem god wants your focus
[00:49:00] on his power see see he tells us Isaiah says thou will keep him in perfect peace how not because my situation changed why does he keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee he says what
[00:49:19] happens peace follows focus in your life so what you focus on is where you're going and Colossians chapter 3 verse 2 says this set your affections on things above and not on things on the earth
[00:49:36] when where your attention goes your emotions follow psalm chapter 121 says this i will lift up mine eyes unto the hills from whence my help comes from. David intentionally redirected his focus. He looked away from his problems and toward his God. Second Chronicles chapter 20 verse 12,
[00:50:13] King Jehoshaphat stood before an overwhelming army and he prayed, neither know we what to do but our eyes are upon thee that is praise didn't it can somebody you know praise fixes the gaze upon god let me read that little bit second chronicles and then they had consulted with
[00:50:34] the people he appointed singers unto the lord that they should praise the beauty of holiness as they went out before the army to say praise the lord for his mercy endures forever and when they began to sing praise the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon Moab and Mount
[00:50:56] Seir which were come against Judah and they were smitten as Judah began to sing praises unto God God began to fight for Israel the battle shifted when worship began it is our hearts to keep our
[00:51:12] eyes on god to keep our hands lifted and our soul open declaring oh magnify the lord with me somebody put those hands together and praise god hallelujah pride does not always change praise does not always change the situation immediately but i will tell you this i have
[00:51:39] praised god in the storm and the storm was still there now this is for all we gotta go a little deeper some of y'all thought that just because i praise god the devil's gonna run out the room
[00:51:55] i have praised god and woke up the next day still sick i have praised god and woke up and the relationship was still fractured i have praised god and i have still felt and my body was dying
[00:52:27] but something happens praise may not always change my situation but praise changes the way i see my situation i may see a giant but praise lets me see a god that is greater than a giant
[00:52:59] I may see a red sea and praise may not change it But praise lets me see a God That can blow through his nostrils and open up a red sea in my life I may see a death laying in front of me
[00:53:16] But praise lets me see the resurrection and the life Walking into the room and dead things coming alive why it may not change it but i see a god that can change it hallelujah praise god number three
[00:53:34] praise declares that god's goodness in advance you know my parents taught me this as a child i didn't always understand it they said we want praise on my faith donnie and i'm like well it
[00:53:44] ain't changed and my little stupid mind couldn't understand that praise that i've got to praise god on His goodness before the advance, before things take place in my life.
[00:53:55] Most people praise God after the breakthrough, right?
[00:53:57] They sit here in service and they feel like little just dead people and then all of a sudden the Holy Ghost hits them and they start praising God and shouting because they feel the moment.
[00:54:07] But I want you to understand, biblical faith praises God before the breakthrough in your life.
[00:54:15] Praise becomes a declaration that God is working even when I cannot see it.
[00:54:24] Faith is the substance of things hoped for.
[00:54:27] The evidence of things not seen.
[00:54:30] Faith celebrates His promises before they become visible in my life.
[00:54:35] See, faith says God is working it out.
[00:54:39] God is answering prayer.
[00:54:41] You know, I remember praying one time and I remember I was sick in my body and I prayed.
[00:54:48] I came to the altar.
[00:54:49] They put the oil on my head.
[00:54:51] That old stinky stuff that we used to use to pray for people.
[00:54:53] If you grew up in the church, you know what I'm talking about.
[00:54:55] That Pompeii or whatever it was, that stinky oil.
[00:55:00] They put it on your head and walk back.
[00:55:01] And I remember mom and dad asking me, saying, how you feel?
[00:55:05] I said, I still feel sick.
[00:55:06] They said, no.
[00:55:08] You tell them I am healed by his stripes.
[00:55:15] It's getting better in Jesus' name.
[00:55:18] God's turning it around right as we even speak hallelujah and what it was it was saying that I'm not giving the devil a foothold in my life I'm declaring the promise of God that he is good
[00:55:32] in advance that yeah I may come to the altar full of fear anxiety and depression and I may get up from the floor still feel a little bit of fear anxiety but I'm going to step in his grace every
[00:55:44] step I walk back to my seat saying God is still good he's still the lifter of my soul he's still the peace over my troubled waters in my life hallelujah the people shouted and the walls fell
[00:55:57] Joshua chapter 6 says and when the priest blew the trumpet said Joshua said the people shout for the Lord has given you the city guess what the city was still standing before they shouted and after
[00:56:12] they shouted the walls came down in their life not after but before they shouted in Mark chapter 11 verse 24 what things so ever you desire when you pray them what does he say believe
[00:56:25] that you receive them amen see the word of faith movement has messed us all up but we don't believe that God can do anything in our life because they went on this excess of name it
[00:56:38] claim it blab it grab it hallelujah stuff which was false but I want to tell you something there's something in faith to stand to trust God that He's working in your life the Bible says this
[00:56:52] Romans chapter 4 He staggered not at the promises of God through unbelief but was strong in faith giving glory to God being fully persuaded that what He had promised He was also able to perform
[00:57:08] did you get that?
[00:57:09] you've got to believe what God's promised that He can do it in your life See, Psalms chapter 27, this is one of my scriptures that I like.
[00:57:16] He said, I would have faded unless I had believed to see the goodness of God.
[00:57:23] I would have quit.
[00:57:24] I would have gave up.
[00:57:25] I would have thrown the towel in.
[00:57:26] But I believed in the goodness of God.
[00:57:29] I believe that God is working in my life.
[00:57:32] I believe that God is turning things around.
[00:57:34] You've got to look at that son, that daughter, that husband, that wife that's kind of out of the way a little bit.
[00:57:41] and you can't see them for what they are.
[00:57:44] You've got to see them for what God has called them to be.
[00:57:48] You understand what I'm saying?
[00:57:49] When Jesus looked at Peter and he said, you're not Simon no more, which means reeds shaking in the wind.
[00:57:54] He said, you're Peter, which means rock, Petros.
[00:57:57] Guess what Jesus said?
[00:57:58] He said, I see beyond your inconsistencies.
[00:58:01] I see beyond your failures and I see beyond your denial.
[00:58:03] But I see who God is making you to be.
[00:58:08] Wow, because this is what I believe.
[00:58:09] If you have a revelation of God, you will make it through whatever you're going to face in this life.
[00:58:15] See, praise is faith speaking before evidence appears in your life.
[00:58:21] That's why a lot of people have a hard time following God.
[00:58:23] They say, well, I can't believe it.
[00:58:24] I can't see it.
[00:58:25] I can't touch it.
[00:58:26] Well, I've never seen, you know, Benjamin Franklin, but they say he was here.
[00:58:31] Right?
[00:58:33] You have faith that your bank has your money, which you can't see.
[00:58:37] You ain't holding it.
[00:58:39] Right?
[00:58:41] You have faith it's there.
[00:58:42] You have faith that there's power that runs through these walls and you can't see it, but you flip a switch and you know that it happens.
[00:58:48] Faith is all around us all the time.
[00:58:52] But yet when it comes to God, well, I just don't know about it.
[00:58:55] Let me tell you something.
[00:58:56] God is so great that He created every one of us uniquely and differently and we're created in the image of God.
[00:59:01] He put all things together.
[00:59:03] He didn't create the cows without creating the grass.
[00:59:05] He didn't create the cows without creating the man.
[00:59:07] God had a plan and a purpose and it wasn't some crazy mess that it was just fell into in its lap god is a designer and he placed all things together and you got to believe this if god can put every little nerve every little muscle in your eye
[00:59:22] and everything to make you see and hear and your heart to beat continually without you even thinking about it your lungs to breathe without you even being cognitive of it do you not think that god
[00:59:32] is working in your life right now hallelujah god is working in your life well i don't see it who cares what you see bible says blessed are those who believe and don't see bible says he does
[00:59:47] exceedingly abundantly above all that we could ever ask thanks see right bible tells us that his ways are not our ways hallelujah so you your little finite mind cannot understand all that god is doing so let me tell you what happens some of us are waiting we're waiting on healing
[01:00:06] we're waiting on restoration we're waiting on provision we're waiting on direction what do I need to do?
[01:00:14] some of us are just taking everything we got in the cabinet slinging it against the wall and hoping something sticks but let me tell you something don't wait to praise God for answers praise Him because He is faithful
[01:00:26] while you wait now we don't have a problem being faithful while we wait but God is faithful while we wait.
[01:00:39] Number four, let me move on.
[01:00:40] I need to close.
[01:00:42] Praise invites others into faith.
[01:00:46] Praise testifies to God's goodness in our life.
[01:00:51] Some of us aren't testifying the way that we need to because we're not praising and magnifying God.
[01:00:57] The humble, Psalm 34, verse 2.
[01:00:59] Remember the Scripture.
[01:00:59] The humble shall hear thereof and be glad.
[01:01:05] O magnify the Lord with me David's praise became an invitation He wasn't content worshiping alone He wanted others to experience God's goodness Can I tell you one of the most I think one of the most
[01:01:25] I think that live stream can be a good thing And television church can be a good thing But there are so many able bodies that sit at home watching church on TV and wonder why they're missing out in their faith.
[01:01:44] He didn't say magnify in your house by yourself.
[01:01:49] He invited others into the circle and into the space.
[01:01:54] We need desperately each other.
[01:01:58] Because every time I see my brother lifting his hands up that's walking through a valley, that's what it tells me that God is still good and meeting my brother right over there in his neighborhood
[01:02:11] and touching him in his home it shows me when my sister is sick in body and walking through dire problems that God is still good so when I get in my mullet grubs and in my failures
[01:02:24] it is a witness to me it is a testimony that God is still working and moving in our lives hallelujah Somebody ought to praise God that He's moving in your life.
[01:02:39] Your praise becomes someone else's testimony.
[01:02:42] The Bible says this in Matthew 5, verse 16.
[01:02:45] Let your light so shine before men.
[01:02:49] Why?
[01:02:50] That they may see your good works.
[01:02:54] And why?
[01:02:55] To glorify who?
[01:02:58] Your Father, which is in heaven.
[01:03:02] Can I tell you what?
[01:03:03] there's enough people out there that has shown the world what hypocrites are boy we we we've we if the church ever if the if hollywood ever needed actors all he had to do was show up at church there is enough fake phonies hypocrites two-faced people that fill the churches
[01:03:28] up that's the reality of it but he says there should be something inside of you that makes others see your father and not your inconsistencies not your failures and shortcomings we people notice when faith is genuine the bible says at midnight paul and silas prayed and sang
[01:03:52] praises unto god and who heard them the prisoners those who were locked up those who were held captive those who were bound they heard them their worship becomes a witness what do i want to say to
[01:04:03] you this morning. Your family is watching you. Amen. Your children are watching you. Your co-workers are watching you. And when you praise God in adversity, you preach a sermon without ever saying a word. People need to see what real faith looks like. Bailey, help me come close to this
[01:04:31] morning this is what i want to say to you today your praise may be the encouragement that keeps somebody else from giving up i try my best i try to say praise god thank you jesus hallelujah
[01:04:47] i i not and it was a it became a like an intentional thing for a while i'm not talking about in church see because i have a hard time where some people can only praise god at their
[01:05:02] certain churches right they can only praise god at their favorite preachers preaching or they at their place and somebody else comes in or they go to another place and they sit there like a bunch
[01:05:12] of not on the logs and act like they can't worship god that that bothers me a little bit but i can't let that get in my spirit because i can't worry about what they're doing i gotta keep my eyes on
[01:05:21] what i'm doing but i want you to hear me this morning that understand that praise so i did it intentionally praise god praise god praise hallelujah i think miss laura has made a notice of that sometimes just in life just walk through here i'll just praise god hallelujah thank you
[01:05:41] jesus it was intentional for a while but now like people that cuss you know people that cuss say bad words they don't even know they're cussing they just letting them flip out and flip it's just
[01:05:51] everywhere out there and they don't even realize they're saying it and if you don't say bad words you're like oh you're like this is terrible because it's just part of their language right bible says be given account of god for every idle word that we're supposed to say right
[01:06:08] remember people say dang you know what dang is this a word for d-a-m right gosh word for god and people say man put these words together you're still abusing bad words you give an account to God for every idle word that doesn't honor God so what has happened is
[01:06:29] is our language has become unintentional it just comes out of us because there was a one time in your life that you you never said a bad word but then you said a bad word like oh I gotta say it
[01:06:41] then you said it it was awkward it was weird and then you said it again and became started becoming part of your dialect same way with the praise praise when you first say it seems awkward
[01:06:50] it seems weird it seems like it's part of not your vocabulary and your vernacular of what you communicate but all of a sudden it ain't weird like everybody else like amen and you're like amen that's weird and or you're waiting for somebody to say praise god you
[01:07:11] think that's a moment to praise like praise god everybody you ain't learned how to do it yet you're just trying to figure it out but what happens is is you get in the rhythm with it and it starts
[01:07:28] flowing with you and all of a sudden now it ain't waiting on somebody else or it ain't it's just no they just know that's what he's going to say and instead of saying one thing you're always magnifying
[01:07:43] God and so then the world's looking at you and say man they're going through tough times but they're praising jesus so let me tell you something david's declaration remains one of the greatest statements of faith in scripture in my opinion i will bless the lord not when i understand
[01:08:14] not just when it's easy not when every prayer is answered but all times because my praise is not based upon circumstances praise is based upon god's character he's still holy he's still faithful he's still sovereign he's still worthy so today before the breakthrough comes before the
[01:08:41] answer arrives before the miracles appear make david's declaration true in your life i will bless the lord at all times somebody do that will you stand the reason we can't praise him is because we've not had a revelation of him because there's seraphims that fly around the
[01:09:14] throne of two wings they fly two wings they cover their face two wings they cover their feet and they encircle the throne through eternity and they say holy holy holy holy holy holy holy i believe every time they look at them they see something powerful about god
[01:09:41] the more when the when the bible says the 4 and 20 elders when they sat down they fell on their face and they magnified god john says i was in the the spirit on the lord's
[01:09:53] day. He fell down on his face and magnified God. The reason a lot of us can't worship him the way he needs to be worshiped is because we've not experienced him the way that we need to experience
[01:10:09] him. But listen to me. Can I just tell you this? I love worship. I really do. I love the worship part of the church service. I think it's great. But I'm going to be honest with you. Worship does
[01:10:24] not alone create intimacy with God well I like to worship I go to work well sinners show up at worship services why well I don't know about that well the Bible says that Saul was vexed with an
[01:10:41] evil spirit and he was comforted by David's worship listen we've had people in this church that was sitting here just blah blah blah blah when we worshiping but when the word is preached it makes the demons squirm it makes them so upset that they can't even sit in this seat
[01:11:08] they done had kidney failure they in the bathroom 57 times they done running in and out of here they done looking around looking at the feet rolling in the floor crawling under the seats because the word it makes god big and i want to tell you something i'm all about worship
[01:11:27] but listen to me we need the word of god so we know why we are worshiping we need to know that He reached way down in a miry clay and put our feet upon a rock to stay.
[01:11:37] We need to know he established our goings.
[01:11:40] We need to know that he put a new song in our mouth.
[01:11:43] Even praise unto our God.
[01:11:45] Many shall see it in fear.
[01:11:47] We need to know that my God shall supply all of my needs according to his riches in glory.
[01:11:53] We need to know the word of God in our life.
[01:11:56] Why?
[01:11:57] So I can magnify the Lord.
[01:12:00] listen when I hear good preaching I hear it it stirs my heart that I want to worship Jesus I want to make God known I want to I need more than an emotional experience I need a touch from heaven and his word changes my heart so father this morning I pray
[01:12:21] that we as people will hear the word that it will strike something inside of us as David declared I will magnify I will bless the Lord come and magnify the Lord. Father I pray that when
[01:12:41] people praise that we know that heaven takes notice and faith grows stronger and God's glory is revealed now my wife and these beautiful praise singers and leaders