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Exuberant Praise
Contributed by Gordon Weatherby on Jul 30, 2013 (message contributor)
Summary: The Psalms are filled with Praise for God. This message was for an open-air worship service we had in a park this summer looking at Psalm 150
EXUBERANT PRAISE!
Ps. 150
INTRODUCTION:
1.) Today is a great and wonderful day that we can come here in the beauty of this park to give praise and worship to Almighty God.
2.) Whatever may be going on in our lives, somehow becomes less intense when we are focussing our hearts and lives on worshipping God.
A.) That certainly does not mean all the problems and worries of life are going to just vanish, but when we are worshipping God, we focus on something higher, as we are drawn in worship into the very presence of God Himself.
B.) Each year the Sunday we come down here to the park is special to me.
ba.) Yes much of what we do here is the same as we would do in the church building.
bb.) Even though that is true, there is something that seems special when you see the green growth of the summer around us, when you hear the leaves bristiling in the trees, and can look out and see the River as it flows by us.
bc.) Somehow the worship in the middle of nature brings me a great awareness of the presence of God.
bca.) I hope that today also brings that sense and awareness of the closeness of God to you as well.
3.)This morning, I want us to look at Psalm 150 and allow the words of this psalm to draw our hearts and minds in conscious awareness of the presence of God.
I. WHERE TO PRAISE GOD.
-- Verse 1
1.)Praise God when we are alone.
A.) The ultimate and greatest place where we can give praise and adoration to God is right in the depths of our hearts.
aa.) When we can bring ourselves to surrendering ourselves completely body, soul, mind, and spirit to an awareness of the presence of God, great things can happen in our lives.
ab.) The greatest thing that can happen is that we have humbled ourselves in God’s presence to the point that he is given the room and freedom to fill us completely with Himself.
aba.) It is in such times of worship that God can have the greatest power to bless us with His fullness.
abb.) It is only in the fullness of God’s abiding presence through Jesus Christ that we can experience completely the blessings that come when we realize we are in the presence of God.
B.)The very reason we were created was to give praise to God.
ba.) 1 Cor. 10:31
2.)Praise God in His sanctuary.
A.) We are told our praise is to be in the