Why Don't We? (Praise)

WHY DON’T WE? (PRAISE)

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

PRAISE IS MUCH MORE THAN A CERTAIN SONG OR A CERMONIAL HABIT OR A COLD RITUAL.

Christianity must be a daily personal relationship with a man and a Holy God. Church is much more than 4 hard walls. Praise is deeper than entertainment, performances, light shows that can turn into circus freak shows.

Why would we need a gadget to define what loud is?

Today we seem to work at play and want to play at work. Seems we grow a trap of worshipping worship. Then we get so polished at praising praise. Today we often find praise teams? We assign a few people to do the praise, while the crowd sits with folded arms and watches. A recent study suggested 80% of the congregation will not enter into praise and worship. Doom?

DO WE KNOW THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH… THE TRIBE OF JUDAH WERE THE PRAISERS…

Genesis 29:35 And she conceived again, and bare a son: and she said, Now will I praise the LORD: therefore she called his name Judah; and left bearing.

The King of Israel was facing impossible odds… King Jehoshaphat ordered the ARMY TO THE STATE OF ALERT… READY FOR BATTLE… but there was a strategy change: SEND IN THE PRAISERS FIRST.

2 Chronicles 20:20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. 21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever. 22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

DO WE REALLY BELIEVE GOD’S THRONE HAS OPEN ACCESS WHERE THERE IS GODLY PRAISE?

GOD IS ENTHRONED IN PRAISE… DO WE KNOW GOD INHABITS OUR PRAISES?

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

In the Hebrew language Psalms 22:3 has very accurate rendering saying: GOD INHABITS THE PRAISES OF HIS PEOPLE.

IF WE KNOW --- WHY DON’T WE?

In Robert J. Morgan’s writing you will find an unusual story. Seems there was a man that enjoyed traveling. He loved trains. So he would travel where ever the train would take him. One day he was traveling a long distance from home and decided to visit this little town. He got his luggage and climbed down on to the dock. The first thing the man noticed was NO ONE, NOT ONE PERSON HAD SHOES ON THEIR FEET. The men, the women and all the children… not one person had on shoes. Every person was barefooted. The ground was covered with snow. The temperatures were below zero, yet not one person had shoes. He could not believe his eyes. Thousands of people --- NO SHOES?

The man hailed a taxi cab and the driver was barefoot as he loaded the luggage in the trunk. The stranger inquired of the driver. Why is everyone barefooted? Haven’t you ever heard of shoes? Do you understand shoes would be comfortable and keep your feet warm? The driver said: OF COURSE WE HAVE HEARD OF SHOES. The traveling man said: THEN WHY DON’T YOU WEAR THEM? The driver made a clear reply: Well, sir that is a very good question: WHY DON’T WE WEAR SHOES? Why don’t we? Then the driver unloaded his rider.

At the hotel the man again made the observation not one person had on shoes. The lady that checked him in had no shoes. The janitor cleaning the hallway, all the guest were barefooted. Wow? So the man asked the desk clerk, you are not wearing shoes… WHY DON’T YOU WEAR SHOES? Do you know about shoes? The clerk answered: Of course we know about shoes. Everyone knows about shoes. The man could not believe his eyes.

The clerk went on to say: WELL, SIR THAT IS A VERY GOOD QUESTION: WHY DON’T WE WEAR SHOES? WHY DON’T WE?

Later that evening the man went to a fancy restaurant. The women were dress real fancy. There was a large crowd… but everyone was barefooted and the outside was cold and snow covered. The barefoot waiter came to take his order and the man said: WAITER, WHY IS EVERYONE BAREFOOTED… Don’t you know how nice shoes can be? SURE, WE KNOW ALL ABOUT SHOES… WHY DON’T WE WEAR SHOES? WHY DON’T WE?