TAKE SIX STEPS! WHY PRAISE?
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
I HAVE SOME GLASS MARBLES, SOME GRAPES, AND SOME GRAPE JUICE...
TO ILLUSTRATE THIS LESSON...
This lesson is kind of like the DIFFERENCE IN MARBLES and GRAPES...
MARBLES are single units doing their own thing. When marbles hit each other they bounce.
They ricochet and hit each other.
Then there are GRAPES, they come in a cluster, not individuals, when you squeeze or
hit grapes by persecution they bleed and mingle together.
Is our WORSHIP and PRAISE STYLE more like MARBLES, we roll in and out without fellowship
and true connection ---
Or will our WORSHIP and PRAISE make us BECOME THE SWEET FELLOWSHIP of
connecting with each other in THE SWEET WINE OF PRAISE?
THERE ARE TWO APPROACHES TO LIFE...
WHAT IS YOUR PERSONAL WORSHIP STYLE?
1. THE MARBLE PRAISE AND WORSHIP?
CUMBERED LIFE STYLES --- MOURN AND WORRY ---
WE CALL THIS ATTITUDE THE WORRIED HOUSE KEEPER
Luke 10:40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost
thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about
many things:
Martha worried and fretted, murmured and complained... and had a TATTLETAIL SPIRIT.
2. THE GRAPE STYLE OF PRAISE AND WORSHIP...
THE MARY APPROACH... MARY LOVED TO WORSHIP AND PRAISE JESUS...
Luke 10:42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken
away from her.
MARY IS FOUND SPENDING HER HEART THREE TIMES AT JESUS FEET...
1. Mary is at Jesus feet TO LEARN AND BE INSTRUCTED (Luke 10:39)
2. Mary is again found at Jesus feet to FIND COMFORT (Luke 11:32)
3. We find Mary at Jesus feet for SERVICE ( John 12:3)
WE MAY FIND IT EASY TO WORSHIP AND PRAISE GOD WHEN EVERYTHING IS
WONDERFUL ... AND WE HAVE NO PROBLEMS...
WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU CAN NOT SEE GOOD?
YOUR JOURNEY TAKES SOME STRANGE TWIST, AND I CAN
NOT UNDERSTAND, AND GOD DOES NOT EXPLAIN THIS MESS TO ME?
ASK JOB IF HE LEARNED THE LESSON... PROBLEMS HAVE PURPOSE---
WHILE HE WAS TALKING MORE BAD NEWS CAME...
Job was a blessed man. He had a wonderful family, 7 sons, 3 daughters...
In one day TERRIBLE STUFF happens...
Bad news comes...
1. The Sabeans come, enemy wins --- The swords destroys.
While he was talking more bad news...
2. Fire comes and kills his sheep.
While he was talking more bad news...
3. Chaldeans take all the camels...
While he was talking more bad news...
4. A terrible STORM kills the children.
While he was talking more bad news...
WHY IS JOB A GOOD EXAMPLE? JUST BECAUSE HE HAD PROBLEMS?
OR WAS IT HOW HE WORSHIPPED AND PRAISE IN NEGATIVE SITUATIONS?
HOW WILL WE HANDLED PROBLEMS...
Job 1:20 Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground,
and worshipped, 21 And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither:
the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
JOB FOUND GOD IN WORSHIP AND PRAISE... The ANSWER was found in PRAYER...
Job 42:10 And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD
gave Job twice as much as he had before.
PROBLEMS, TROUBLE, PAIN AND TEARS CLOUDED THE REAL ISSUES OF LIFE ARE
FOUND IN PRAISE & WORSHIP...
THESE TRIALS WERE OPPORTUNITIES IN DISGUISE...
WHAT IS THE REAL ESSENCE OF PRAISE AND WORSHIP?
DO WE MOURN & WORRY AT ALL THAT IS GOING ON ...
OR DO WE CELEBRATE --- EXHALT --- TUNE OUR HEARTS AND ATTITUDES...
Worship and Praise is more than poetic praying? 1/2 hearted singing?
WORSHIP IS MORE THAN COMPELLED ---"DO I HAVE TO..."
John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in
spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
GOD NEVER FORGETS HIS PEOPLE THAT PRAISE HIM...
ARE YOU A MARBLE OR A GRAPE?
REAL PRAISE AND WORSHIP BECOME OUR CHALLENGE --- PRAISE WILL ALWAYS GLORIFY
GOD...
Psalm 50:23 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: and to him that ordereth his conversation aright will
I shew the salvation of God.
EXODUS 15:1-20 MIRIAM SANG A BEAUTIFUL SONG OF WORSHIP AFTER GOD DELIVERED
HIS PEOPLE THROUGH THE RED SEA...
THE ARK OF THE LORD WAS COMING HOME...
LAST TIME THEY TRIED BRING THE ARK HOME THEY WERE LIKE A MARBLE IN WORSHIP...
REMEMBER UZZAH --- THE ARK WAS ON A WAGON... A TERRIBLE NO, NO...
2 Samuel 6:7 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzzah; and God smote him there for
his error; and there he died by the ark of God.
TAKE SIX STEPS AND PRAISE AND WORSHIP GOD...
2 Samuel 6:13 And it was so, that when they that bare the ark of the LORD had gone six paces, he
sacrificed oxen and fatlings. 14 And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was
girded with a linen ephod.
YOUR PRAISE AND WORSHIP WILL NOT ALWAYS BE APPRECIATED AND APPLAUDED...
2 Samuel 6:16 And as the ark of the LORD came into the city of David, Michal Saul's daughter looked
through a window, and saw king David leaping and dancing before the LORD; and she despised him in
her heart.
PRAISE HAS SOME WONDERFUL SIDE EFFECTS...
Psalm 103:2 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
IT IS FITTING AND APPROPIATE TO PRAISE GOD...
Psalm 147:1 (KJV) Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant;
and praise is comely.
Psalm 147:1 (NLT) Praise the Lord! How good to sing praises to our God! How delightful and how fitting!
PRAISE HATES EVIL. IT HAS A CLEANSING POWER...
Psalm 97:10 Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them
out of the hand of the wicked.
PRAISE BEAUTIFIES BELIEVERS...
Isaiah 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for
mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness,
the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
PRAISE LIFTS THE BELIEVERS...
Psalm 42:11 Why art thou cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God:
for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.
PRAISE WILL BRING HOPE...
Psalm 71:14 But I will hope continually, and will yet praise thee more and more.
PRAISE WILL BRING POWER, VICTORY ---
Psalm 89:14 Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face.
15 Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance.
16 In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted.
17 For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted.
18 For the LORD is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our king.
PRAISE IS A GOOD TESTIMONY ---
Psalm 40:1 I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.
2 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. 3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many
shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
PRAISE CAN TAKE MANY FORMS... BROKEN AND POURED OUT...
OTHERS WERE NOT PRAISING JESUS, ONLY MARY BROKE HER ALABASTER BOX...
ONCE IT WAS BROKEN AND SPILLED OUT ON JESUS IT COULD NEVER BE RECLAIMED...
Mark 14:3 And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman
having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on
his head.
WHILE IN COLLEGE I READ A STORY BY TOLSOY ---
A YOUNG MAN ACCEPTED JESUS AND LOVED GOD AND FELT LIKE HE WANTED TO
SERVE GOD. HE WENT TO MINISTRIAL TRAINING AND FAILED TERRIBLY. EVERYTHING HE
DID SEEMED TO GO WRONG. THE LEADERS RECOGNIZED HE COULD DO NOTHING
WITHOUT DOING DAMAGE. THEY WERE READY TO KICK HIM OUT, WHEN ONE OF THE
ELDERS SAID WE NEED A NIGHT JANITOR. HE BECAME THE BEST JANITOR THEY EVER HAD.
ONE DAY ONE OF HIS LEADERS GOT UP TO WATCH HIM CLEAN THE CHURCH. THERE HE
FOUND THE YOUNG MAN CLEANING AND DANCING BEFORE GOD. IT WAS THE MOST AMAZING
WORSHIP THE OLD PRIEST HAD EVER SEEN. ANGELS WERE DANCING WITH THE MAN
THAT COULD DO NOTHING RIGHT. THE YOUNG MAN FOUND HIS CALLING... A DANCING JANITOR.
His servant, Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com
