LET IT SHOW
PS. 9:1-2
1. INTRODUCTION. THE FACT THAT GOD WOKE US UP THIS MORNING OUGHT TO PRODUCE PRAISE. THE FACT THAT GOD IS BETTER TO US THAN WE ARE TO OURSELVES, AND HE IS BETTER TO US THAN WE DESERVE, IT OUGHT TO PRODUCE PRAISE. THE FACT THAT GOD HAS BROUGHT US FROM A MIGHTY LONG WAY SHOULD RESULT IN PRAISE. THE FACT THAT GOD HAS NEVER LEFT US OR FORSAKEN US OUGHT TO PRODUCE PRAISE. THE MERE FACT THAT GOD LOVED US ENOUGH TO GIVE HIS SON AS A RANSOM AND SUBSTITUTE FOR US, OUGHT TO PRODUCE PRAISE. THE VERY FACT THAT HE IS GOD OUGHT TO PRODUCE PRAISE. YES MY BROTHERS AND SISTER, WHEN WE REFLECT ON THE THINGS THAT GOD HAS DONE FOR US, AND IS DOING FOR US, AND WILL DO FOR US; IT OUGHT TO PRODUCE PRAISE. THEREFORE, PRAISE OUGHT TO BE EVIDENT, AND WE MUST LET IT SHOW.
2. THE TEXT. THE PSALMIST RECALLS HOW GOD HAD DELIVERED HIM FROM THE HANDS OF HIS ENEMIES, WHICH PRODUCED PRAISE.
a) WHEN HE RECOUNTS THE GOODNESS OF GOD, HE HAS NO OPTION BUT TO PRAISE GOD.
b) ALL OF US ARE THE RECIPIENTS OF THE GOODNESS OF GOD, AND PRAISING HIM FOR HIS GOODNESS SHOULD NEVER BE AN OPTION FOR US.
c) PSALM 107:8-9, “OH THAT MEN WOULD PRAISE THE LORD FOR HIS GOODNESS, AND FOR HIS WONDERFUL WORKS TO THE CHILDREN OF MEN! FOR HE SATISFIETH THE LONGING SOUL, AND FILLETH THE HUNGRY SOUL WITH GOODNESS.”
d) ISAIAH 63:7, “I WILL MENTION THE LOVING KINDNESSES OF THE LORD, AND THE PRAISES OF THE LORD, ACCORDING TO ALL THAT THE LORD HATH BESTOWED ON US, AND THE GREAT GOODNESS TOWARD THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL, WHICH HE HATH BESTOWED ON THEM ACCORDING TO HIS MERCIES, AND ACCORDING TO THE MULTITUDE OF HIS LOVINGKINDNESSES. “
e) YES, MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS, IF WE HAVE ANYTHING TO PRAISE GOD FOR, WE MUST LET IT SHOW.
3. WHAT IS PRAISE? IT MUST BE NOTED THAT WHILE PRAISE INVOLVES FEELINGS, IT IS ALWAYS MORE THAN JUST A FEELING!
a) THE WORD PRAISE COMES FROM A LATIN WORD THAT MEANS PRICE OR VALUE. TRUE PRAISE CONSISTS IN A SINCERE ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF A REAL CONVICTION OF WORTH.
b) PRAISE IS A VERBAL AND EXTERNAL EXPRESSION RESULTING FROM AN INTERNAL EXPERIENCE WITH GOD.
c) PRAISE ALSO CARRIES THE CONNOTATION OF GLORIFYING. SINCE GOD IS THE OBJECT OF OUR PRAISE, HE IS WORTH THE PRICE AND VALUE OF OUR PRAISE AND HE IS WORTHY TO BE GLORIFIED.
d) AS BELIEVERS IN CHRIST, WE MUST REFLECT ON HIS GOODNESS AND MERCY TOWARD US, WHICH WILL MOVE US TO PRAISE HIM.
e) PRAISE REFLECTS OUR GRATITUDE TO GOD FOR WHO HE IS AND WHAT HE DOES FOR US.
f) A PRAISELESS HEART IS AN UNGRATEFUL HEART.
g) WHEN IT COMES TO PRAISING GOD, IT REQUIRES THAT WE PRAISE HIM WITH OUR WHOLE HEART.
h) FAILURE TO PRAISE HIM WITH OUR WHOLE HEART IS BOTH EMPTY AND SINFUL.
i) THE PEWS ARE POPULATED AND PERMEATED WITH THOSE WHO ARE EMBARRASSED TO PUBLICLY PRAISE GOD; HOWEVER, GOD HAS NEVER BEEN EMBARRASSED TO BLESS US.
j) SO IF WE ARE GOING TO PRAISE GOD, WE MUST BE WILLING TO LET IT SHOW!
4. PRAISE SHOULD…
a) MOVE US TO SERVE GOD WITH OUR WHOLE HEART.
b) MOVE US TO WITNESS AND EVANGELIZE WITH OUR WHOLE HEART.
c) MOVE US TO SING WITH OUR WHOLE HEART.
d) MOVE US TO GIVE GOD THE BEST THAT WE HAVE IN ALL THAT WE DO FOR HIM.
e) MOVE US TO BE MORE THAN A PEW MEMBER.
f) MOVE US TO WANT TO BE MORE LIKE HIM.
g) MOVE US TO BE ON FIRE FOR THE LORD.
h) IN OTHER WORD, PRAISE SHOULD MOVE US TO PUT OUR WORD INTO ACTIONS AND LET IT SHOW.
i) MOVE US TO BE FORGIVING.
j) NOT TO BE CLIQUISH.
k) LET GO OF PETTY GRUDGES.
l) NOT TO BE HARSH IN OUR JUDGEMENT OF OTHERS.
5. THREE POINTS/CONCLUSION
a) ONE, PRAISE REQUIRES THE USE OF INTELLECT. INTELLECT IS THE POWER OF KNOWING AS DISTINGUISHED FROM THE POWER TO FEEL AND TO WILL: THE CAPACITY FOR KNOWLEDGE. INTELLECT INVOLVES THE THOUGHT PROCESS. SO WHEN I THINK, I THANK, AND I PRAISE!
b) TWO, AS STATED EARLIER, PRAISE IS MORE THAN A FEELING, BUT IT INVOLVES OUR EMOTIONS. YOU CANNOT PRAISE GOD AND BE SAD AT THE SAME TIME. IT IS FROM OUR EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE WITH GOD THAT RESULTS IN JOY!
c) THREE, PRAISE CAN BE CONTAGIOUS. WHEN OTHERS SEE US PRAISE, IF THEY HAVE AN EXPERIENCE WITH GOD, THEY WILL START PRAISING.
d) SO NOW, PRAISE HIM…
• AT THE RISING OF THE SUN UNTIL THE GOING DOWN OF THE SAME
• PRAISE HIM BEFORE YOUR FEET HIT THE GROUND IN THE MORNING
• PRAISE HIM WHEN YOU GET DRESSED
• PRAISE HIM BEFORE YOU EAT
• PRAISE HIM AS YOU MAKE YOUR WAY OUT OF THE HOUSE
• PRAISE HIM IN GOOD TIMES AND BAD TIMES
• PRAISE HIM BECAUSE HE IS GOD.
• LET IT SHOW EVERYWHERE THAT YOU GO
• LET IT SHOW EVEN WHEN YOU DON’T FEEL LIKE LETTING IT SHOW, BECAUSE IT WILL CHANGE YOU ON THE INSIDE
• LET IT SHOW IN THE STREETS
• LET IT SHOW ON YOUR JOB
• OH TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD
• THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE…
