Praise Today Not Punishment

Did you ever wonder why some people in some churches never seem to have the victory necessary for living in todays complex world. Often when I was a Pastor I have said please Lord I want one day without surprizes. Meaning simply I wanted everyone to get along without disputes, disagreements ect...

Twenty one years of Pastoring behind me and I still see people in churches without the victory and still surprizing Pastors with opinions, thoughts, and and negative vibes that potentially can and will be fatal to the life of a local Church.

As we look into these proclamations I have stated one needs only to look at the Word Of God for the solutions to this and any dilemma that faces the church.

At the begining of this text we see the words Sing unto the Lord a New Song.

Isnt it amazing that over 2000 years have passed and the Word of God still gives to you and I a refreshing truth that we can benefit from?

***Three things to remember***

1. Always have a song in your heart

2. Always share that Song

3. Dont let anyone stifle your spirit

Notice that the Psamlist says for the Lord is great and greattly to be praised"

If people would only take heed of this prior to coming in on Sunday Morning. Sometimes I think that some people bring all thier baggage from work, School, and Home life into a "Holy Santuary", thus hindering innocent people from being able to worship with freedom.

God deserves our praise to him we need to quit surprizing our Pastors accross the globe with our own problems and let the very one who breathed into out nostrils the breath of life sort through our short comings and then we need to hit our knees and ask for God’s forgiveness and help.

ILLUSTRATION

Singing should be something that everyone should enjoy as well as Participate in. I remember a gentlemen who loved to sing but Honestly was "TONE DEAF". However on some occasions he would sing a special on Sunday Evening. Usually it was the old time favorite "Love lifted me". The only problem was he sounded like Elmer Fudd. So it often came accross kind funny especially to the youth group when they heard him sing the Chorus "Wuv Wifted Me".. Well you get the Idea. The bottom line is this; "Those who can sing should, and those who cannot still may".

ILLUSTRATION

I remember a dear frind of mine that I worked with for years. She had lost her husband early in life to a car accident. Since then she said she would never donate to certain organizations because they did not help her in times of need. Included in this was the church she had attended. I thought to myself how sad that is that we sometimes miss the opportunity of praise because we focus on the bad events of our past. God is worthy to be praised.