"when Praise Ain't Enough

“WHEN PRAISE AIN’T ENOUGH!”

Tony – Study – Prayer – Meditation: August 2025

When God Calls Our Worship NOISE!

Opening Scripture: Amos 5:21-23 (KJV)

"I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies... Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols (stringed instruments like violins)."

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🔥 Hallelujah, church! Can I get an "AMEN"?

Praise the Lord, saints! We love to lift our voices, clap our hands, and shout to the King of Kings! Oh, there's POWER in praise—yes, sir!

Psalm 22:3 (KJV): "But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel."

God inhabits the praises of His people, and we feel that fire, don't we?

Listen to me, beloved! You don't have to have a degree from Bible college to praise the Lord!

You don't have to be a theologian!

You don't have to be perfect or live completely right!

YOU JUST HAVE TO PRAISE HIM!

The miraculous thing is - God looks past our weaknesses, our errors, even our sins when we praise Him from our heart! God is merciful! He puts up with a lot of foolishness from His people!

But hold on, beloved! Today, the Spirit is stirring me to preach a HARD TRUTH:

SOMETIMES PRAISE ALONE AIN’T ENOUGH!

Can I get a witness?

Sometimes God calls our worship NOISE!

Let's dive into the Word and let the Holy Ghost open our eyes!

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? THE FIRE OF TRUTH: WHEN GOD REJECTS PRAISE

Listen up, church! God is a holy God, and He don't play with half-hearted hearts!

Sometimes we think a loud "Hallelujah" or a fancy song will cover up a cold spirit, but the Lord says, "NO, NO, NO!"

Turn with me to Amos 5:21-23—let's read it with FIRE! [Read with passion]

"I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. Though ye offer me burnt offerings and your meat offerings, I will not accept them: neither will I regard the peace offerings of your fatted beasts. Take thou away from me the NOISE of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols."

OH, GLORY! Did you hear that? God said, "I'M SICK OF YOUR PRAISE!"

He called their songs NOISE!

He said He won't HEAR their melodies!

He said He HATES and DESPISES their worship services!

Why? Because their hearts were far from Him—praising with their lips, but living in sin!

Can you feel the conviction stirring? God rejects praise when it's just NOISE without a changed heart!

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🔥 BIBLICAL FIRE #1: LIPS THAT PRAISE, HEARTS THAT STRAY

Jump over to Matthew 15:8-9, echoing Isaiah 29:13—Jesus Himself quotes with holy fire:

"This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. But in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men."

VAIN WORSHIP! That's what Jesus called it!

Mark 7:6-7 backs it up: "This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me."

Listen to this, saints! These people were:

• Drawing near to God with their MOUTHS - they were praising!

• Honoring Him with their LIPS - they were worshipping!

• Coming to church like good Christians!

But Jesus called their worship VAIN! EMPTY! WORTHLESS!

Why? Because you can't praise God with your mouth while your heart is chasing other lovers!

You can't worship Him with your lips while your mind is on worldly things!

You can't sing "I Love You, Lord" while your heart is pursuing money, fame, and pleasure!

PRAISE IS NOT ENOUGH WHEN YOUR HEART IS SOMEWHERE ELSE!

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🔥 BIBLICAL FIRE #2: MOUTHS THAT LOVE, HEARTS THAT COVET

Now look at Ezekiel 33:31—this will set your spirit on fire!

"And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness."

Church, can you see this? These people were:

• Coming to church like faithful members

• Sitting in service like attentive believers

• Hearing God's word like good saints

• Showing much LOVE with their mouths - they were PRAISING!

But their hearts were going after COVETOUSNESS!

They're singing "Jesus, Take the Wheel" while their hearts are driving toward greed!

They're praising "God Will Provide" while secretly scheming dishonest gain!

They're worshipping the Lord while their hearts are bowing to the almighty dollar!

PRAISE IS NOT ENOUGH WHEN YOUR HEART IS CHASING MONEY!

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🔥 BIBLICAL FIRE #3: WORSHIP ASSEMBLIES THAT STINK TO GOD

Go back to Amos 5:21: "I will not smell in your solemn assemblies."