My Praise Might Not Be Purdy,
But It’s Praise Anyhow
Genesis 37:18-28 And when they saw him afar off, even before he came near unto them, they conspired against him to slay him. 19 And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh. 20 Come now therefore, and let us slay him, and cast him into some pit, and we will say, Some evil beast hath devoured him: and we shall see what will become of his dreams.
21 And Reuben heard it, and he delivered him out of their hands; and said, Let us not kill him. 22 And Reuben ( A Vision of Love ) said unto them, Shed no blood, but cast him into this pit that is in the wilderness, and lay no hand upon him; that he might rid him out of their hands, to deliver him to his father again. 23 And it came to pass, when Joseph was come unto his brethren, that they stript Joseph out of his coat, his coat of many colours that was on him;
24 And they took him, and cast him into a pit: and the pit was empty, there was no water in it. 25 And they sat down to eat bread: and they lifted up their eyes and looked, and, behold, a company of Ishmeelites came from Gilead with their camels bearing spicery and balm and myrrh, going to carry it down to Egypt.
26 And Judah ( Praise ) said unto his brethren,
What profit is it if we slay our brother, and conceal his blood? 27 Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brethren were content.
28 Then there passed by Midianites merchantmen; and they drew and lifted up Joseph out of the pit,
and sold Joseph to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces
of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.
A vision of love kept him alive
but praise got him out of the pit.
When we read about Joseph, there are some things that can’t be denied, scripture makes it clear that:
Joseph was chosen by God, Joseph was anointed, Joseph had a destiny, Joseph was favored by God, Joseph was loved and favored by his earthly father,
God was with Joseph, because he was a praiser.
That sounds like a winning combination, judging from that criteria, it would look like Joseph had it made, it would seem as though he was living the life of riley. You would expect to find his name in the lifestyles of the rich and famous. But when we read the bible we find out that this same Joseph, who had everything going for him, who was anointed by God, who was favored by his earthly father and had so many great advantages; One day, found himself in a pit.
I want to stop here for just a minute and tell you;
If somebody told you when you became a Christian,
that all your problems would be over, and that you would never be hurt again, you would never cry again, you would never suffer again……… (They Lied)
Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivereth him out of them all… Ps 34:19
The point I’m trying to make is that Christians have problems too *Christians get sick * Christians get in debt * Christians get divorced * Christians get their hearts broken *Christians get in places they shouldn’t.
Sometimes you fall in, sometimes you jump in,
and sometimes you’re pushed in. But regardless of how you got there or why you’re there, a Pit is a Pit is a Pit and if you stay there you will die. Dreams die in the pit, ministries die in the pit, gifts, callings, visions, marriages, die in the pit) Rueben was responsible for Joseph’s pit. It was Rueben that suggested they throw Joseph in the pit. We don’t know what happened, but whatever it was; we know this, (Rueben was there when Joseph was thrown into the pit, but he was not there when he was lifted out)
The point is: Rueben saw him go into the pit, he saw him struggling and begging to be delivered, but now he’s looking into that same pit expecting to see pitiful Joseph full of fear and confusion stressing and crying and begging to be delivered (but Joseph wasn’t there)
I’m going to prophesy to somebody, (God is getting ready to do something that is going to amaze you.)
There are some people who saw you in the pit, there are some people that even helped put you in the pit, and they have watched you struggling, and pushing, and scratching and clawing trying to climb your way out, when they left you were in the pit, the last time they saw you (you were in the pit) you were a mess.
But I came to prophesy to you right now that you are coming out of the pit, ( I’m not just preaching, I’m prophesying, I am declaring to you with prophetic unction and authority that you are coming out.
I wish somebody would prophesy: I’m coming out
I don’t know what that pit is for you today: It may be a pit of debt, It may be a pit of sickness, It may be a pit of bondage, or addiction, It may be a pit of despair, depression, It may be a pit of marriage problems that looks so deep and so dark and impossible that you feel like giving up, It may be a spiritual pit and you just don’t feel “God” like you used to, and you’re dry and discouraged. I don’t know what your pit is: But I want you to look at your neighbor and prophesy to them and tell them (I’ve spent my last night in the pit)
Weeping may endure for a night
but joy cometh in the morning…….. Ps 30:5
Rueben came back to the pit where he last saw Joseph, and Joseph wasn’t there. There are some people that thought they knew you pretty good; They thought they knew where to look for you. They even talked about your pitiful condition to other people. ( PITiful )
But that was yesterday, Yesterday I was in the pit
Yesterday it looked like I was going to die in the pit
Yesterday I felt like I was going to die in the pit
But I heard a word: I heard a word from the Lord…
I heard the Lord say: Don’t die in the Pit
I heard the Lord say: The fall doesn’t have to be fatal
Don’t die in the pit: Don’t quit dreaming (in the Pit)
Don’t quit believing, Don’t quit trusting
Don’t quit expecting, Don’t quit praising.
It looked like Joseph was going to die in the pit, and it felt like Joseph was going to die in the pit, but through a turn of circumstances in a matter of minutes,
Joseph was up and out of the pit, on solid ground.
I came to tell you God is going to turn it around:
I don’t know how he’s going to do it
I don’t know when he’s going to do it
I don’t know who he’s going to use, to do it
I just came to tell you (he’s going to turn it around)
If you learn anything from the bible, it is that God is a God of the turn around. Joseph, Job, Daniel, The Three Hebrew Children, Jonah, Jesus. From Genesis to Revelation God is turning it around, And if you haven’t been convinced yet, look in the mirror.
Some people use to be hookers, some used to be pushers, some were thieves and liars, some were adulterators and fornicators, some were alcoholics and drug addicts, some people (used to be) murderers.
But that was the old man: That was B.C.
That was Before Christ: I’ve had a turn around.
If any man be in Christ he is a new creature, old things are passed away behold all things become new.
I want you to see something: It happened suddenly !!!
One minute he was in the pit, one minute he was in the dark, one minute it was terminal, one minute it looked like the end, and suddenly everything changed.
Suddenly he was standing in the sunshine, in an instant, everything changed, in one minute, what was terminal, and staring him in the face, was over.
I don’t know who I’m talking to, but God said to prophesy to you, and to tell you, that you are standing on the verge of a suddenly, that’s going to change everything. Somebody shout, “Suddenly”
Peter fished all night and caught nothing, but in one act of obedience (suddenly) he went from nothing to too much. He went from empty nets to breaking nets,
He went from empty boat to sinking boat, from loss to profit, from weeping to rejoicing, from a loser to a winner (suddenly). Somebody snap your fingers,,,,
Just like that: At the lowest point in Josephs life physically and spiritually, God stepped in,, and.
JUDAH GOT HIM OUT, Praise got him out.
It wasn’t his coat of many colors that got him out,
it wasn’t his anointing that got him out, it wasn’t
his dreams that got him out. Praise got him out…
Listen, Listen, Listen ……….
While Joseph was in Egypt being tempted by Potifer’s wife, “”resisting”” her advances, Judah is soliciting a prostitute, who, unbeknownst to him, is his daughter- in- law. So, while Joseph “disciplines” his sexual urges, Judah does not. Juda did not live a clean life. And,,, Jewish history records that Joseph was very handsome but Judah was very ugly. (He was an ugly old Judah)
Remember, JUDAH means PRAISE
Rueben, a vision of love, saved his life, but Judah
Praise, got him out. I don’t care how you got in the pit, I don’t care who or what it was that put you there…
(I came to tell you, Judah, Praise, will get you out)
The circumstances doesn’t matter, Judah was responsible for getting Joseph out of the pit. Mean old, ugly Judah, got him out. The point I’m trying to make, is that (Praise don’t have to be purdy, to be powerful.)
(Praise don’t have to be purdy, to be powerful…)
Start where you are. Anybody can put on a purdy praise when the battles over, Anybody can put on a purdy praise when the sickness is healed, Anybody can put on a purdy praise when the marriage is restored and the family is all mended and it’s all going good. Anybody can put on a purdy praise, when it’s all good. When you’ve got a good retirement, good insurance, money in your wallet and money in the bank.
Anybody can praise God when it’s all purdy…
But I’m telling you, it takes something to praise, in the face of the devil, it takes something to praise in the face of the doctors bad report, it takes something to praise when you don’t have two nickels to rub together, it takes something to praise, when you’re going through the fire, to lift your hands and lift your voice and praise Him: I will bless the lord at all times, his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
Shout it loud…. My Praise Might Not Be Purdy,
But It’s Praise Anyhow
Don’t wait till the battles over (Praise Him Now)
Start in the dark, with the walls closing in on you
Start where you are, laying in that hospital bed
Start where you are, at the bottom of that pit
Start where you are, in the middle of your pain
Start where you are, in the inner prison at midnight, Start where you are, with your hands and your feet bound and your back, bloody, beaten black and blue.
It Might Not Be Purdy, But It’s Praise Anyhow
How many know that some people, have a problem, with real praisers? Real praisers get loud, real praisers get undignified, real praisers can get messy, they don’t worry about their hair or their makeup,
Real praisers can get offensive to pretty praisers.
Pretty praisers know how to control their praise, pretty praisers, never mess up their hair and their makeup never runs, they don’t get loud, and they wouldn’t think of running or jumping, or dancing.
But God said to tell you: is’s OK…..
It Might Not Be Purdy, But It’s Praise Anyhow
He wants praise, through your tears and your groans, He wants it while your heart is breaking, He wants it through your bloodshot eyes and your runny nose.
He wants it when it don’t make no sense, He wants it loud, he wants it crazy, He wants it when you’re going through hell, He wants it when you don’t feel a thing.
I’m trying to get passed this: but I feel like somebody here’s been trying to get everything prim and proper, and your waiting till everything is just perfect, & you want to give God a fancy praise, a purdy praise, and you want to dress it all up and make it real purdy.
But God said to tell you: “Praise Him NOW”
It Might Not Be Purdy, But It’s Praise Anyhow
He don’t need purdy praise to get you out of the Pit.
God says go on and praise Him now, right in the middle of the tears, and the moans, and the groans, right in the middle of all the UGLY STUFF, right in the middle of the dark and the dirt of the Pit.
It’s ugly, ole, Praise that will get you out of that Pit.
It Might Not Be Purdy, But It’s Praise Anyhow
Job lost everything that he had: But after he had lost everything and his heart was breaking into a million pieces, more tragedy than a human being should ever have to endure, he gave God praise anyhow. Right in the middle of it all, (Job gave God an Ugly Praise.)
The bible says: He arose, he rent his mantle, he shaved his head and fell down on the ground and worshipped.
It wasn’t a pretty sight: Shaved head, down in the dirt.
He worshipped through tears, He worshipped through groans, He worshipped with a broken heart, He worshipped through his pain, through his confusion.
He gave God an Ugly praise and God gave him a Beautiful future. He gave God Praise Anyhow…
It Might Not Be Purdy, But It’s Praise Anyhow
His worship kept him connected to his destiny, and in the end, God blessed him with more than before, God restored everything double for his trouble.
We don’t have the benefit of choosing the problems and trials and afflictions that come our way in life, divorce, sickness, the loss of a loved one, debt, false accusations, betrayal, pain, heartache and tears.
But WE can choose OUR praise, Praise is a weapon
It Might Not Be Purdy, But It’s Praise Anyhow
You see the devils purpose for the pit, is to kill your praise. The devil hates your praise. He hates you.
The devil knows that if you ever get your praise on, he’s in trouble. I have learned that, if I can get my praise “on” my life, I can get the devil “off” my life.
Joseph wasn’t the only man who ever found himself in a pit: Ps 40:2 David Said: He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock and established my goings.
Jeremiah the Prophet found himself in a horrible pit:
Ebedmelech the Ethiopian said to Jeremiah: put now these old cast clouts and rotten rags under thine armholes, under the cords. (And Jeremiah did so)
They offered Jeremiah: Gods man, the Prophet of God, Mighty man of faith and power, they offered him old, thrown out, filthy, dirty, rotten, stinking rags.
And he put them under his arms and they lifted him out of a Pit, it was praise that pulled him out.
It Wasn’t Purdy Praise, But It Was Praise Anyhow
Somebody ain’t gonna like this: but the reason some of you haven’t got out of your pit yet is you’re too proud.
You want to praise God on your terms, you want to praise God when something big happens, you want to praise God when you feel like it, you want to praise God when it makes sense. You want to praise God moderately, conveniently, quietly. Your pride is keeping you bound, your pride is keeping you in the pit, your pride is keeping you from your miracle.
Isa 61:13 Put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness: He didn’t say it would be easy, he didn’t say it would feel good, he didn’t say it would be purdy
As a matter of fact, it’s easy to see that He’s talking about going from a low place to a high place, He’s talking about moving out of heaviness into praise,
He’s talking about getting something off and putting something better on. Praise gets you out of the Pit.
I came to tell somebody today: my praise may look like old rags to you, it may be extravagant, it may be extreme, it may be emotional, it may be loud, it may even be offensive, and some may even go so far as to call it ugly, (But that’s alright: it was an Ugly praise that brought Joseph out of the pit, (It was an Ugly praise that brought Jeremiah out of the Pit) It was an Ugly praise that brought Paul and Silas out of their Prison. And God said he would use an Ugly Praise to get me out of my pit, and turn my situation around.
It Might Not Be Purdy, But It’s Praise Anyhow
I wish I had some people in here who still have some old rags hanging in your closet, and your not too proud to put on an Ugly praise. I know we’re all dressed up today smelling good, looking good (but don’t throw away those old rags). Jeremiah would tell you: Don’t throw away those old rags (God will use them to get you out). David would tell you:
Don’t throw away those old rags (God will use them to get you out of your pit). You may come out dirty, stinky, smelly and raggedy, but you’re coming out.
David got so excited about bringing the ark back, that the bible says: He danced before the lord with all his might. (He danced right out of his Kingly Apparel)
His wife saw him dancing and despised him in her heart: (His praise embarrassed her), she said: That was shameful, that was embarrassing, that was ugly, that was humiliating. David said (if you thought that was embarrassing, and if you thought that was shameful, and if you thought that was Ugly,
you haven’t seen nothing yet. “It’s My Praise”
It Might Not Be Purdy, But It’s Praise Anyhow
What David said was: If you didn’t like my last praise, if you thought my last praise was over the top, if you thought my last praise was embarrassing, if you thought my last praise was Ugly, watch this….
It Might Not Be Purdy, But It’s Praise Anyhow
I wish somebody today would quit worrying about what everybody else thinks and just give God the Best praise you have, don’t dress it up, don’t pretty it up, don’t tidy it up, Just give it up. Give him your Best Praise, it may look Ugly to somebody else and it may sound Ugly to somebody else, but by the time it reaches the ears of God it sounds like angels singing.
It Might Not Be Purdy, But It’s Praise Anyhow
Joseph was in a pit and they expected him to die there: But an Ugly Ole Judah got him out. Jeremiah was in a pit and they expected him to die there, but some Ugly Ole rags got him out, Paul and Silas were in the Inner prison embarrassed, humiliated, beaten black and blue, But in the middle of their pain they gave God a Praise and God shook the prison off its foundations, and every cell was opened and every bond was broken. It Wasn’t Purdy, But It Was Praise Anyhow
There’s some people that expected you to die in the pit, but your going to disappoint them, There’s an anointing in you that’s bigger than the pit, there’s a palace anointing in you. When Joseph was thrown into the Pit, it was empty, but he filled it up with praise.
If they would have filled it with dirt it would a been
his grave, but Joseph came and filled it up with praise.
I prophesy to you today that you are coming out:
If you’re not too proud to put on some old rags, if your not to proud to put on an Ugly Praise. You can praise your way out, You can shout your way out, You can dance your way out, You can run your way out
You can fill your pit with praise, and when that pit gets filled with praise, it will spit you out, Just like the whale spit out Jonah. When Jonah Came out of that whales belly it wasn’t pretty, but he was free, he was stinky, smelly and all messed up, but he came out.
It Wasn’t Purdy, But It Was Praise Anyhow
It Might Not Be Purdy, But It’s Praise Anyhow
Another Great sermon gleaned from a great friend and a great Man of God, Pastor Terry Sisney.
Notice to Sermon Central Users:
My name is William Poovey, and I pastor at Bethel Church in Olar, SC. I have been a long-time user of Sermon Central and truly appreciate its content and contributors. Some of the best sermons I’ve ever preached have been reworked material from this website. As you use the material from my sermon bank, understand that it is work that has been done from not just myself, but from hundreds of other pastors as well. If you see part of your message, or a lot of your message with my name on it and this upsets you, please email me and I will quickly respond and cite you as the main source. My intent is not to claim someone’s work as my own. I am disclaiming up front that I use the resources from Sermon Central and appreciate the tool. I simply want all those who use my work to know that some of these messages were inspired by the Holy Spirit working through other pastors. Because I do use the messages of other pastors I waive all claims of originality or origin of creativity for the messages posted under my messages. I pray God blesses your preaching ministry for the glory of His Kingdom.
Respectfully,
William Poovey
