Participants: Greg & Jill Morikone (Host), J. D. & Shelley Quinn & Dee Hilderbrand
Series Code: TDYFW
Program Code: TDYFW016028A
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00:01 I want to spend my life
00:07 Mending broken people 00:12 I want to spend my life 00:18 Removing pain 00:23 Lord, let my words 00:29 Heal a heart that hurts 00:34 I want to spend my life 00:40 Mending broken people 00:45 I want to spend my life 00:51 Mending broken people 01:07 Hello friends and our family, happy Sabbath to you. 01:10 I'm sure you had a busy week like we had too 01:13 and what a blessing it is to be able to come to God 01:16 here at the beginning of the Sabbath hours, 01:18 and what a blessing 01:19 it is to build the worship together 01:21 here as our little 3ABN family but all also with you. 01:23 Thank you for joining us, you know, 01:25 we appreciate it many times 01:26 when we get to meet you face to face, 01:28 what a blessing that is. 01:30 Here we're just looking into a piece of glass, 01:32 we can actually see you or talk to you face to face. 01:34 But if we never meet on this earth, 01:36 we want to meet you in heaven. 01:38 We want to be faithful to what God calls us to do 01:40 each and every day 01:42 and thank you for your support of the ministry of 3ABN 01:45 both prayerfully and financially, 01:47 it's a blessing because we are a team. 01:49 The team here at 3ABN, you at home 01:51 because it's your support of this ministry that helps 01:53 spread the gospel of Jesus Christ 01:56 around the world. 01:58 Now our topic today for worship is on Praise. 02:01 Now, praise is mentioned about 250 times in the Bible, 02:05 so it is a very important topic. 02:08 But before we get going into that, 02:10 I know, Jill, we have a wonderful family with us 02:12 here around the table. 02:13 We do, we want to introduce our 3ABN family, 02:15 and I was just thinking as the open was rolling, 02:18 these are our family in reality, 02:20 not just they came around the table and we said, 02:22 "Have worship with us." 02:24 But we work with these people, we love them. 02:26 We go to church with them. 02:28 We go out to eat with them. 02:29 We eat with them during the week. 02:30 It's a blessing to have our part of our 3ABN family here, 02:34 and we'll start over on this side, 02:35 this is Dee Hilderbrand, 02:37 and, Dee, often you're behind the scenes, 02:40 working and you work in this. 02:42 We work in the same office together 02:44 and what's you're role here, Dee. 02:45 I'm production coordinator. 02:46 Mostly right now I'm really working 02:48 on the schedule and programming, 02:51 I work very closely with Greg, 02:52 getting the studios, 02:54 schedule and the crew schedule 02:56 and seeing that everything goes smoothly, 02:59 so I am a helper, 03:02 a helping hand to you and to Greg, 03:05 and Mollie or whoever needs it. 03:07 To all of 3ABN and, Dee, 03:08 I want to say that maybe it's your title, 03:10 official title but you wear many hats. 03:13 And you're a blessing in that too, 03:15 it's great to be a part of the team 03:16 and working with you, 03:18 we work closely on a day-to-day bases 03:19 especially in production. 03:20 So it's a blessing. 03:22 It's been a joy being here working with you. 03:23 And you've been here how long? 03:25 Twenty years. 03:26 Wow! Twenty years. 03:27 Do you regret any of it? 03:29 Not a second, 03:30 I can't believe I've been here that long, 03:32 I never intended of being here that long 03:34 but this where God planted me 03:36 and this is where he knew I needed to be to grow 03:40 because I was surrounded by people 03:41 who helped me grow, 03:43 that would be honest. 03:45 Isn't that a good thing though about family, you know, 03:48 when you can be honest with each other, 03:49 when you can say, 03:51 "Hey, I'm struggling here, I need prayer." 03:53 And that's why God puts us in community with each other, 03:56 and you are a blessing, Dee. 03:57 It's a blessing, she's a hard worker. 03:59 Dee can work the socks off anybody, it's important. 04:02 That you're all loving to me too, 04:03 when you're correcting or helping me grow that's, 04:06 that's what the family is, is that you have honesty, 04:09 but you know that you are loved. 04:11 Amen. That's right. 04:13 Let me share something real quick about, Dee, 04:15 you know is... 04:17 We hadn't been here very long, 04:19 probably a couple of weeks and someone was moving. 04:23 And so they asked for volunteers 04:26 and so I volunteered to go over there 04:27 and so we went to somebody's house 04:29 so here's Dee, 04:30 I looked over there and she had her, 04:32 she had her jeans on, but she had her high heels on, 04:36 and I kind of thought, 04:37 well maybe she was just gonna sit back here 04:40 and she's gonna delegate. 04:41 But she was right in the middle of everything, 04:43 running up and down, 04:45 upping steps, down steps on one of these high heels on 04:47 and that wasn't an isolated case. 04:53 As I found out that every time someone moves, 04:56 you're always on the frontlines 04:58 and you're still on your high heels and... 05:00 So it's... 05:02 It's actually the moving team is Mike Babb and I, 05:05 it's kind of our ministry that we took on the two of us 05:08 and we kind of organized it with the church. 05:11 So it's kind of that ministry that we do. 05:14 One thing we know about Dee is that if anybody needs help, 05:17 she's the first one to show up on their doorstep 05:21 so we really appreciate that. 05:22 Even if it's one or two a.m. in the morning. 05:23 That's right. Oh, dear. 05:25 Sorry Dee. 05:26 Now, we didn't introduce 05:27 Shelley and J.D. Quinn over here 05:29 but they don't really need any introduction 05:30 because at home you would be familiar with them, 05:32 but we are so blessed to have both of you here. 05:36 I know for Greg and I personally you have mentored us 05:39 and encouraged us in Jesus and helped us grow, 05:41 and we're just so blessed that you came on worship with us. 05:45 In case this may be the first time 05:46 or someone's recently starting to view 3ABN 05:48 what are your roles here at 3ABN, 05:50 starting with you J.D? 05:51 I work in the Pastoral Department. 05:53 You're head of the Pastoral Department. 05:54 I'm head of the Pastoral Department 05:56 and it's just the love of my life, 05:58 got a great team there and... 05:59 Yes, you do. 06:00 We try our best to make a difference in people's lives. 06:03 We have words of encouragement 06:05 comes directly from the word of God, 06:07 and it is a blessing. 06:09 You know that's an important ministry of 3ABN too, 06:11 having the pastoral department 06:12 because people call with many biblical questions, 06:14 maybe need a little help trying to find a church. 06:16 Yes. 06:18 And you help them out along those lines too, 06:19 it's a great ministry. 06:20 We get lots of calls. 06:22 Now so many people who watch 3ABN 06:23 that are hungry and thirsting for a different way of life 06:27 or closer walk with the Lord and they, 06:30 they want to find a church which is close by. 06:34 And so we have a world directory, 06:38 Seventh-day Adventist is a worldwide church 06:40 and so we have that directory 06:42 and so all we need is a zip code. 06:43 If we have a zip code, 06:44 we can give you the closest churches and... 06:47 Well, you and your team do a great work 06:49 at 3ABN to God's glory. 06:50 J.D. you also minister in house. 06:54 That's right. That's right. 06:55 You always take care and people are always 06:58 free to come to your office, they never feel judged there, 07:01 they only feel help and love. 07:03 Amen, that's a blessing. 07:05 Thank you. 07:06 And, Shelly, you wear many hats here at 3ABN. 07:08 My official title is Program Development Manager. 07:11 But yes, I do, I'm kind of... 07:14 I'm also in charge of special projects, 07:16 do a lot of hosting, writing, 07:18 various things but we thank God every day literally, 07:22 I mean I'm not just saying this that when we're praying, 07:25 we're always thanking God for bringing us here to 3ABN 07:28 and just to have this platform 07:31 to share his good news with you. 07:33 We pray for our viewers everyday 07:36 and those who are listening by radio but it's, 07:40 it's a privilege to be here. 07:42 It's a real privilege to be here. 07:44 And it's just a privilege that you joined us 07:46 for Friday night worship here tonight. 07:48 We're discussing praise, our topic, praise 07:51 and we have four questions we're gonna share scriptures 07:53 and I hope we get through all four questions. 07:56 What is praise? 07:57 Why should we praise? 07:59 Or why should I praise? 08:01 When should we praise and how do we praise? 08:04 But before we start with what is praise, 08:06 we should go to the Lord in prayer 08:08 before we really discuss 08:09 and open up the word of God and J.D. 08:11 would you mind opening us? 08:13 Father, as we come to you, the Sabbath, 08:16 opening up the Sabbath, Lord. 08:18 We just want to thank You so much Lord, 08:19 first of all that You're in our hearts. 08:22 Father, You own our minds 08:25 and Father we do praise Your name. 08:28 Father, You are the king of the reason 08:30 why we do praise. 08:32 And so Father, 08:33 as we just take this time to share with each other 08:36 and Father, whoever is listening. 08:38 There are many people out there Lord 08:40 that do have a hunger and thirst for Lord, 08:42 that wants to know more about You. 08:44 And so Father, we just dedicate 08:46 this Sabbath time to you. 08:48 Thank you for setting your day apart, 08:50 and Father that you've touched our hearts 08:52 and we chose to, 08:54 to be here so that we can help make a difference 08:57 in other people's lives Lord by being ambassadors. 09:00 We love and thank you in the name of Jesus. 09:02 Amen. Amen. 09:04 So we mentioned that our topic is praise 09:07 and it's mentioned about 250 times in the Bible 09:10 but we hope that you have your Bible 09:12 so, I want to turn to scripture, 09:14 let's all turn to Psalms 150 as we talk about praise. 09:18 And, Dee, you want to read 09:22 Psalms 150, 150:6, 09:26 Psalms 150:6 as we open up here with praise. 09:30 It says, "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! 09:35 Praise the Lord!" 09:37 Everything that has breath. 09:39 So it's very important 09:40 because the Bible says, that what, a few things, 09:45 "Everything that has breath praise the Lord!" 09:47 So what is praise? 09:49 Just open with that, what is praise? 09:51 Can I back up once again, 09:52 just before we get into what is praise 09:54 as you read that Dee, 09:55 I had a thought I have never had before, 09:57 "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!" 09:59 We're not talking about just humanity, all people, 10:02 we're talking about all creation... 10:05 Creation. To praise the Lord. 10:06 Yeah, that's a good thought. 10:08 That's the same thing that popped into my head that 10:09 that's the animals too... 10:11 More than humans. 10:12 It's not just humans. Nature. 10:13 Everything that has breath. 10:16 And if somebody is taking notes 10:17 they might put down Psalm 69:34 10:20 because... 10:21 Psalm 69? 10:23 Yes, because that takes that 10:24 exactly what we're asking right here, 10:27 the statement that we're making. 10:29 Psalm 69:34, 10:30 and then we'll come back there. 10:32 Psalm 69:34 10:35 I like it. 10:37 Psalm 69. 10:38 You got that, Shelley? 10:40 Let heaven and earth, yeah. Thirty four. 10:41 I'm having trouble getting this. 10:42 Says, "Let heaven and earth praise him, 10:44 the seas and everything that moves in them." 10:47 Amen. 10:49 All of creation. Yes. 10:51 It's a great thought. 10:52 This even includes the earth and the seas. 10:57 You know it's interesting too is 10:58 because the Psalms there's a lot of praise 11:00 mentioned in this Book of Psalms. 11:03 And it says, a lot of the Psalms 11:05 headings are identified as a psalm 11:07 but the technical term is really, 11:09 ''A Song of Praise.'' 11:11 Amen. 11:12 Isn't that amazing? Amen. 11:13 So it's very important for sure in the Bible. 11:15 So I'm sorry, 11:16 I kind of preclude your question there. 11:18 I think Shelly has something interesting 11:19 that she is gonna say. 11:20 I was just gonna say the word praise 11:22 in the Hebrew is "Halal" 11:25 and it's where we get the word hallelujah. 11:27 Almost every, every language uses hallelujah 11:31 or sometimes it's rendered as Alleluia 11:33 but it means to boast about, 11:36 to celebrate and I was thinking that 11:40 when you were talking about even the earth. 11:43 When you think the heavens are praising God, 11:46 the heavens declare His glory. 11:48 So it's, it's all of these things 11:52 and us especially, 11:54 when I was learning to praise God, 11:59 I think of praise in kind of two forms. 12:02 One is when I'm just praising Him 12:07 because He's worthy of praise 12:08 for all of His attributes and Him as creator, 12:11 His power over everything. 12:12 But then the Thanksgiving is part of praise 12:15 and that's when I am thanking Him 12:18 and celebrating and boasting about 12:20 what He's done in my life, you know, 12:22 or in other people's life so. 12:24 That's a good point, 12:25 there is a difference between thanks, 12:26 thanksgiving and praise. 12:28 And you just touched on that briefly 12:30 so praise is, you said, 12:32 boasting which kind of sound bad, 12:33 but actually it's a good thing boasting about God who He is. 12:36 Who He is. Yes. 12:38 I think it's adoration, 12:39 it's acknowledgement of who God is, 12:42 especially His character. 12:43 Exactly. 12:44 And then thanksgiving obviously is connected with praise, 12:47 I mean they would be connected 12:49 but to me it's more maybe what he has done. 12:52 "My God, I thank you for what you've done in my life, 12:54 I thank you for the way you are gonna work." 12:57 But praise would be more, 12:59 more God centered of who He is. 13:00 Yes. 13:01 Can I bring it down to a practical side? 13:03 Yes, please. 13:04 I received, 3ABN received this, 13:08 this letter from someone 13:10 and precious lady, I just want to read it, 13:12 then let's talk about praise, okay? 13:14 All right. 13:16 "First of all I want to thank our wonderful and mighty God 13:19 for His wonderful mercy. 13:21 I want to thank those of you who prayed for me 13:23 who needed to pass a difficult task with hostile instructors. 13:27 I give God all the praise and all the glory. 13:30 It was hard but the Lord prevailed. 13:33 Thank you for all your prayers." 13:35 Now as we're sitting here talking about praising, 13:39 we can also use the word exalting, 13:42 I exalt Jesus. 13:43 We magnify, we glorify, 13:47 we thanks, we praise, 13:50 all these are synonyms for praise and thanksgiving. 13:54 "First of all I want to thank our wonderful, 13:57 I want to praise our wonderful, 13:58 I want to celebrate our wonderful, 14:00 I want to glorify. 14:02 I want to exalt." Amen. 14:04 And if we, if we tie all this together, 14:08 well, then, Oh, Jesus, God almighty. 14:12 We see where we're standing here, 14:14 "Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!" 14:17 And we chose different words to praise or... 14:21 What did you say, exalt? 14:23 Exalt, that's one... 14:25 Adoration. 14:27 Celebrate, magnify, wow! 14:31 I mean... 14:32 I think nature, a lot of times brings that out in us 14:36 when it says... 14:37 That's good. 14:38 When it says, 14:40 "Let nature praise in all of creation." 14:42 How many times when you step outside 14:45 or you're driving, 14:46 a sunset, a sky, the clouds, the rain. 14:51 Sometimes that will start my praise 14:55 because you'll look and you... 14:58 And you... 15:00 I'm speechless sometimes, 15:02 when I'm looking at what nature does 15:05 and up on the mountains 15:07 but even when you go some place special 15:10 and you're just overwhelmed with the beauty 15:12 that God has created... 15:13 Like the Grand Canyon. 15:15 But what about our day-to-day lives. 15:17 I step out of here. 15:19 How many times have I seen 15:20 a double rainbow over this place, 15:23 or just a beautiful cloud or a sunset or it'll strike you. 15:27 You're just kind of going about your own business 15:29 and all of a sudden it's like, 15:31 "Wow, Lord, you are just so awesome. 15:35 Thank you for the beauty that you pour into our hearts." 15:39 Amen. Amen. 15:42 You think of the first line from Steps to Christ, 15:44 "Nature and Revelation alike testify of God and His love." 15:50 And so, I think nature actually praises God more than I do. 15:56 Yeah, I was thinking that too. 15:57 And we say that, you know, every atom in nature, 16:00 you think the blades of the grass 16:01 and the rainbow and the animals 16:03 and they testify of God even though it's marred by sin, 16:07 even though 6000 years since Adam and Eve fell, 16:09 there's still beauty, 16:11 it still testifies to a creator God. 16:13 But sometimes, 16:15 when I get in my junk and my stuff, 16:18 and I'm having a hard time, I don't praise, you know, 16:22 I don't step out and praise 16:24 and we want to talk about that here today. 16:27 Let's go to, why should we praise? 16:28 Because we're gonna get to one of those 16:30 difficult times or difficult situations. 16:33 Turn in your Bibles to 2 Chronicles 20. 16:36 2 Chronicles 20. 16:38 Now this is actually, I like this story. 16:43 Yeah, you did a little study. 16:44 This is Jehoshaphat and the people in verse 1, 16:49 the people of Moab and Ammon 16:51 they all came to battle against Jehoshaphat 16:53 and someone told Jehoshaphat, he's the king, 16:56 a great multitude is coming against you. 16:58 So this is a scary time. 17:00 This whole multitude comes against him 17:02 and so Jehoshaphat in verse 3. 17:07 "He was afraid, 17:08 he set himself to seek the Lord, 17:10 and proclaimed a fast in all Judah." 17:12 So, we all go through times of difficulty, times of trial. 17:17 At home, I don't know what you're facing, 17:18 it could be health, it could be financial, 17:20 it could be family. 17:22 It could be just wondering is God with me right now? 17:25 It could be a difficult time. 17:27 "And he set himself to seek the Lord to fast." 17:33 And then God he prayed 17:35 and we won't go through all of that in verse 6, 17:38 I love it because he acknowledged 17:39 how God had led in the past, he claimed Bible promises, 17:42 he stated the current issue 17:44 and then he gave his request now God, 17:46 all these people are before us. 17:47 I don't know what to do. 17:50 And God said, "Don't be afraid." 17:52 Amen. 17:53 Don't be dismayed, verse 15, 17:56 "The battle is not yours but God's. 18:00 Don't fight in this battle." 18:02 Verse 17, "Position yourselves, 18:04 stand still and see the salvation of God." 18:06 And then we're down to verse 22, 18:08 now they're stepping out into battle. 18:11 But in front of the army goes those who praise. 18:15 In verse 22, 18:18 "Now, and they began to sing and to praise, 18:20 the Lord set ambushes against all these people 18:24 and they were defeated." 18:27 Amen. 18:29 Amen. 18:32 Thank you Jesus, 18:34 that we don't have to fear, 18:36 that we don't have to be dismayed. 18:38 What I love about this, it's a story he says, 18:40 and 'cause I can see position yourself. 18:44 Who are you, are you my child? 18:47 If you're my child, 18:48 just know that I am there and that, 18:53 why don't you take it a step further, 18:56 increase my faith, Lord. 18:58 Okay, I'm gonna praise, 19:00 I'm gonna sing ahead of the battle. 19:03 And you just hit to me 19:05 what's the key thought is that, 19:09 you know, why does God ask us to praise, 19:11 I mean he commands us to praise, why? 19:14 Does it change him? 19:15 No, because He says, 19:16 "I'm the Lord, I do not change, 19:18 I change not. 19:19 Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever." 19:21 But what, what praise does is change us. 19:24 Praise is faith building. 19:27 My sister went through a lot of problems in her life 19:31 and I was always talking to her about the power of praise, 19:34 and she would just ignore me, and I put together this study. 19:37 And one day, years after... 19:42 I've given it to her, 19:44 she calls me one day and she said, 19:46 "Wow! You were so right." 19:49 I said, "What about praise?" 19:50 And I'm thinking, "What?" 19:51 You know because it was years before, 19:53 praise changes us. 19:54 It is so faith building. 19:57 Sister White said that, 19:59 "We have nothing to fear for the future, 20:01 unless we forget how God has led us in the past." 20:03 And here with Jehoshaphat, 20:05 it's like we can be fearful and I can be going through junk 20:09 and I can be having a poor, pitiful, mean party. 20:11 That's right. 20:12 But when I begin and I always begin my prayer 20:15 based on Psalm 100:4, 20:17 when it says, "Enter his gates with thanksgiving, 20:20 enter into his courts with praise!" 20:22 So as I... 20:25 I mean, I can be in the funkiest mood, 20:28 and as I begin to thank God for, you know, 20:32 if you're having a health problem, 20:33 you can still find other things. 20:34 I can thank God that I can see, that I can walk, 20:37 whatever it is 20:38 and that He has a plan for my life 20:40 or thank Him for the problems I'm going through 20:42 because I know He's polishing the potential, 20:44 He's gonna you know. 20:47 And as I begin to praise Him and as I begin to, you know, 20:51 I'm thanking Him, 20:53 but when I'm praising Him for who He is, 20:55 suddenly my eye gets off the problem 20:58 on to the problem solver. 21:01 And I recognize how powerful He is, 21:04 so the whole attitude of my approach 21:06 toward God is changed. 21:08 I instead of coming, and whining, and moaning, 21:11 and murmuring suddenly then you begin to... 21:16 As I'm praising Him, 21:18 I come before Him with faith, 21:20 it's like He lifts my faith. 21:23 And you know that's the Bible says, 21:26 that without faith it's impossible to please God. 21:29 We should believe that He, 21:31 He is and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. 21:35 Well, we're really not earnestly seeking Him 21:38 when we're just whining and moaning and... 21:40 You know what I'm saying. 21:41 So to me that's what praise is all about is to as J.D said, 21:46 it was Jehoshaphat, it changes us, 21:49 he, suddenly Jehoshaphat and then they got, 21:52 they had faith, they started praising the Lord 21:54 and that's when God shows, 21:56 "Draw nearer to God, He will draw near to you." 21:59 You know, that's a great point, I'm sorry, Dee, 22:00 you gonna say... Go ahead. 22:02 I was just gonna say that it's interesting 22:03 what you're bringing up 22:04 but I guess I hadn't really put that all together 22:06 but really when you're praising 22:07 God in a difficult situation, it really is a very... 22:11 It's a faith building experience 22:13 to be able to do that. 22:14 There is trust has to be involved to build it. 22:17 Praise God when things around you seem to be falling apart 22:19 and it seems like the world is caving in on you. 22:22 There's actually a trust in God 22:24 and a faith in who God is. 22:26 When you have to praise God, say, "God you are good." 22:29 Sure it doesn't seem like it, but I know you are. 22:31 And you know, this is somebody that I have to say, 22:34 Lord forgive me. 22:36 There are times that I don't realize 22:38 I'm not trusting God, 22:39 it's praise that actually builds that trust. 22:42 Yeah. Yes, yes. 22:43 'Cause trust is the foundation for faith 22:46 but it's as I'm rehearsing what God's done in the past, 22:51 what His word says who He is. 22:53 Now, that's deep. 22:54 Even when sometimes you don't necessarily feel like, 22:58 you know, it's kind of like, 22:59 Lord, are you really that powerful but you know, 23:02 you start saying it and suddenly it's like... 23:04 It comes true. 23:06 It is, yeah. 23:08 It's practicing. That's good. 23:10 See, when you... 23:12 To me it's the trust. 23:14 So there are, sometimes things, 23:17 incidences stick in your mind 23:19 and they just don't go away and you just hold on to him 23:21 because you know to trust. 23:22 When I was getting ready, 23:25 when God had called me here and I was moving here, 23:27 there were several things to take care of. 23:28 I had land and dog and truck, 23:34 and all the stuff that had to be handled. 23:36 And I had set a date of departure. 23:39 Well, things were, 23:42 they weren't happening as quickly, 23:45 but I kept saying, 23:47 "God if this is not the day you change it 23:50 but I'm just trusting in you, 23:51 trusting in you because I know You called me." 23:54 And He took care of every detail right up 23:57 to the last second of exactly when I left. 24:00 And I could see His hand in all of it 24:02 but it was also a witness to other people around me, 24:05 so I remembered that. 24:07 So I knew that God had brought me here. 24:11 So this built a trust 24:12 and I knew I was walking in His will. 24:14 So after I got here, 24:16 I found myself a couple years later in a situation 24:20 that was very stressful and very scary, 24:24 that was financial and so I was like, 24:28 "Lord, you brought me here. 24:30 You took care of all these details, 24:33 You handled everything. 24:35 And I'm not gonna worry about this. 24:38 I know you're going to handle this, 24:40 and I'm gonna let go 24:41 and I know I'm walking in Your will, 24:43 because You built my trust back here, 24:45 and I'm gonna hang on to that trust, 24:48 and I'm gonna praise you, 24:49 and just let You handle it and let it go." 24:52 I did and to this and He fixed everything and to this day, 24:57 I don't know how He did it. 24:58 I can't wait to ask Him so, 25:01 you take this experience lest we forget behind us... 25:04 Right. 25:05 I hang on to what He did to bring me here. 25:07 I hang on to how He has kept me here 25:10 in certain small day-to-day issues. 25:15 I sometimes think it's the small day-to-day 25:17 that builds out strong test 25:20 that when we get hit 25:23 with the huge overwhelming one, 25:25 then we can praise Him because see... 25:28 Jehoshaphat. 25:30 Jehoshaphat, 25:32 He did not just suddenly have all this faith and trust. 25:35 He had been building it on the little things, 25:39 and then when it came time to stand, 25:42 he had the faith and trust to praise 25:45 because he had not forget, 25:46 lest we forget what He had done in the past. 25:49 But I think it's those little things that... 25:53 I know one thing 25:54 I experienced this yesterday. 25:56 And as you were speaking something came to my mind. 26:03 This lady, she, precious lady, 26:06 she calls every once in a while 26:08 and she's a mature Christian 26:10 and her cupboards are running bare. 26:13 So she is running out of food... 26:14 When her time is coming, coming nigh does, 26:17 she... 26:19 But she says that "I'm not really worried. 26:25 In fact, I am praising God 26:28 because I know that He arrives perfect time all... 26:34 whenever I go through this." 26:36 And I think that my particular role 26:39 yesterday was just being there 26:43 so that someone would hear her... 26:45 Hear her praises. 26:46 Because as she finished praising. 26:48 We went from a growling stomach to being fed. 26:53 Yeah. 26:55 Just to have a bread... 26:56 So I think that the, 26:58 the lesson here that I've just learned 27:01 it's just nice to have brothers and sisters in Christ 27:05 just to sit there to listen. 27:07 Amen. 27:08 Because the Holy Spirit will fill you up. 27:12 So that's powerful, J.D... 27:13 It is powerful. 27:15 'Cause you're saying as we praise, now, 27:16 you talked before earlier that praise changes us. 27:19 And that's powerful, 27:20 praise builds our trust and that's great. 27:23 But as you were talking, as we praise, 27:25 it's good to find someone to praise to with 27:30 to not just or even to praise out loud. 27:33 They were praising to God to praise out loud audibly, 27:36 but to find someone else to praise with too, 27:38 I like that. 27:40 We do that a lot here in the hall, 27:43 you hear it in every places you'll say, "Thank you Lord. 27:46 Praise the Lord,'' and people will share. 27:49 Yesterday I was there, 27:50 I was like, "Yes, thank you Lord." 27:52 And so people were like, "What did you do? 27:54 What did you do?" Yes. 27:55 Yes. And it was Him. 27:57 It was God's hand so that we don't get to... 28:01 We're not, when the cupboards are bare 28:03 and you get food, 28:04 you know it was God, 28:06 it wasn't your solution, it was God. 28:09 And that's our testimony, that's the one thing 28:12 that we have to get back to the Lord 28:15 is what did He do for me. 28:19 And it's a witness to others. 28:21 I remember about six years ago, 28:23 I had a spot on my leg 28:27 and I went to the doctor and they did a biopsy 28:29 and I went back in, 28:31 and the doctor said, "It's squamous cell carcinoma." 28:36 And I said, "Praise the Lord." 28:39 And the nurse goes, 28:40 "I don't think I've ever heard anyone say 28:42 praise the Lord to that." 28:44 But I was praising God because it wasn't melanoma. 28:48 I mean, you know, 28:49 squamous cell is worse than basal cell 28:51 but it's not as bad, 28:53 it doesn't spread as easily 28:54 because I had ignored this spot for years 28:58 and it kept growing and so I was thinking, 29:01 oh, Lord, what have I done to myself 29:03 because I was ignoring, 29:04 but it... 29:06 When I was talking with this nurse, she said, 29:08 "I've never heard anyone react like that." 29:10 And I said, "I just know that God is watching over me." 29:14 So the thing about it is... 29:16 You know crisis reveals character. 29:19 Have you ever seen somebody 29:21 who is really going through something bad 29:23 and yet they're still praising the Lord. 29:25 They are, they draw people like a magnet to the Lord 29:29 because if He's lifted up... 29:32 And when people see someone going through something bad 29:35 and they're still joyful and praising God, 29:38 I think it's a great witness. 29:39 It is, it is. 29:41 Let's go to Psalm 22. Okay. 29:43 We're talking about why should we praise and you're right, 29:46 Shelley, praise is a witness. 29:48 When we praise, it shows Jesus, 29:51 it uplifts the character of God to other people. 29:53 That's powerful. 29:55 Psalm 22:3, someone want to read that, 29:59 whoever gets it. 30:03 J.D? 30:04 "But you are holy, enthroned, 30:06 in other words exalted in the praises of Israel." 30:12 But you are holy God. 30:14 That's you, that's with the capital Y. 30:16 But Jesus you are holy, 30:19 your enthroned in the praises of Israel." 30:21 Enthroned, my version says, "But thou art holy O, Lord, 30:25 though inhabitest the praises of Israel." 30:28 Amen. 30:30 That word inhabitest also enthroned in the Hebrew. 30:34 It is, "Yashab." 30:36 Which means? 30:38 It is translated twice as often as dwells. 30:42 Okay. 30:43 So, God dwells in the praises. 30:48 This is why I think it's so important, 30:50 we start our prayer off like that 30:52 because it changes our mental attitude, 30:53 our prayer posture. 30:55 But it's drawn nearer to God, He draws near to you. 30:58 He dwells in the presence of our praises. 31:03 Can I read something? Yes, please. 31:05 This is 2 Chronicles you may want to turn there because... 31:08 Oh, yes, 2 Chronicles what? 31:09 Chapter 5:13, 14. 31:14 2 Chronicles 5:13, 14. 31:17 'Cause to me this is the most perfect example 31:21 in the Bible of God, 31:22 inhabiting or being enthroned in the praises of Israel. 31:27 2 Chronicles 5:13, 14. 31:31 "Indeed it came to pass," 31:33 they are dedicating the... 31:35 The temple? 31:37 Temple. Okay. 31:38 "Indeed it came to pass 31:39 when the trumpeters and the singers were as one 31:42 to make one sound to be heard in praising 31:46 and thanking the Lord 31:47 and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets 31:50 and the symbols and instruments of music 31:53 and praise the Lord saying, 31:55 "For He is good for his mercy endures for ever." 31:59 When this happened, 32:01 it says, that the house, 32:02 the house of the Lord was filled with a cloud. 32:07 So, that the priest could not continue ministering 32:13 because of the cloud, 32:15 for the glory of the Lord filled the house." 32:20 I remember only one time in my life 32:26 when I was and this was when I was 18-years-old. 32:30 I was going to... 32:32 I was member of the Church for Christ 32:35 and our pastor was, 32:38 had suddenly gotten into this deep study 32:41 on the Holy Spirit. 32:43 Okay. 32:44 And it changed him, 32:45 as matter of fact, he came... 32:47 He ended up coming out of that denomination 32:50 and into basically a non-denomination 32:52 but I mean it changed him. 32:54 And he was talking about praise. 32:57 I mean, we had two different churches, 33:00 one on the north side one on the south side. 33:03 And I lived on the north side but I started going down there 33:05 and every Friday night they would get together 33:08 and have praise and they would sing 33:11 and they would pray 33:12 and they just praise the Lord. 33:14 I mean for an hour 33:17 and then they have a little 33:18 maybe 30 minute Bible study after, 33:20 but they did an hour of praising the Lord. 33:22 So, I was late because I was coming from work 33:26 and here I am, I'm 18-years-old 33:27 and I walked in and they were... 33:31 They just finished singing the song 33:33 and they were praying and praising 33:35 and as I walked in, 33:36 there was only like less than 20 of us 33:40 that came to this thing. 33:43 But there was a cloud over these people. 33:45 And I'm thinking what's happening here. 33:48 When I walked in, I mean, 33:50 I saw, I've never seen them ever before since or before, 33:54 but it was like there was a mystique thing over them. 33:57 So it was so amazing to me, you know, 34:02 I didn't understand it and I read this verse once 34:04 and I thought what was that what I was seeing, 34:07 because I ask other people later 34:09 I just slipped in the back row... 34:11 You know they're not smoking or anything. 34:12 They're not smoking but there was like a cloud. 34:14 And we have, we've attended a church 34:18 before that when the praise 34:20 and the worship would go on for a long time. 34:22 What happened? 34:24 Remember you said, "It felt like a net came." 34:27 So, God's presence we shouldn't take, 34:30 when we're praising and worshipping and music to me, 34:34 it's just to break up our... 34:36 It's to plow up our hardened heart 34:39 so that we'll be ready to receive God's word, 34:41 but that is such an important part of worship, 34:45 it just... It's my pet peeve 34:48 is when we're singing a song to the Lord 34:51 and somebody comes in and starts talking to me 34:54 because that is prayer set to music and so... 34:58 And you wouldn't interrupt somebody in your prayer, right? 35:00 No. 35:01 You say, excuse me, I'm having prayer right now, right? 35:02 Yeah. 35:04 So we need to start taking praise and worship more 35:08 I mean, this is how we worship 35:10 in truth and in spirit. 35:12 We need to take praise and worship 35:14 more seriously and not just be sitting here saying, 35:17 you know, I stand in awe of you Lord 35:19 and somebody comes. 35:20 "Oh, blah, blah, blah, good to see you." 35:25 Go ahead. 35:26 It should be taken as a very serious thing. 35:28 Yeah. 35:29 I mean it's the God 35:31 of the universe, 35:32 our creator God who ruled in space. 35:35 Don't you wish this happen to every Sabbath? 35:38 If what happened in 2 Chronicles 5, 35:41 if we would be praising and worshipping 35:43 so much that God was in head too, 35:45 to the point that his presence that they, 35:48 they were on their face before the Lord, 35:50 they couldn't minister 35:51 because His presence was there healing and touching them. 35:55 Lord Jesus, we want more of Your presence. 35:56 You know, more of His anointing more of His presence, 36:00 I just think walking into our church 36:02 what if there was a cloud, 36:03 what if we saw the presence of God. 36:05 The thing that spoke to me was the unity, 36:08 did you see that? 36:09 It says, when they came together as one 36:12 and did you see that? 36:13 So that means as we praise 36:15 not only does God draw near with inhabiting the presence, 36:17 He dwells there 36:19 but He wants us to praise in unity. 36:22 Upper room experience. 36:24 And if it is true that 36:25 He is everywhere and He is all, 36:27 He is in that praise at that particular moment. 36:31 So, when He is there then He... 36:35 We are there also and He's inhabiting us. 36:38 Yes. 36:39 And we're inhabiting Him. That's deep. 36:42 To the point that's almost visible. 36:43 Yes. 36:45 It brings the two worlds together so close, 36:48 when the worship is that deep and that sincere 36:51 and as He draws closer and we draw closer, 36:54 it brings his world almost visible to us, that cloud. 37:00 You know, I just had a thought, this is interesting. 37:04 When God led the children throughout the desert 37:07 there was the cloud in the pillar of fire, right? 37:10 Here we see the cloud 37:12 and there the unity 37:14 in the upper room of Acts... 37:16 They had the fire. 37:18 They were in unity 37:19 and you know they were praising the Lord, 37:20 because they had seen the risen Savior. 37:24 So, and they were expecting the promise from one high, 37:27 so they were praising and praying in unity 37:31 and that time God showed up, it was the fire. 37:33 You know, that's a good point 37:34 because, you know, 37:35 it's easy to praise the Lord in good times, 37:37 so in those difficult times 37:40 where the devil is trying to discourage 37:41 then his angels are extremely pressing 37:43 I would imagine so, 37:45 by praising the Lord then that would push the evil back 37:49 in that presence, the cloud of Christ, 37:52 the Holy Spirit would be around us, 37:54 because you know we don't want to treat 37:57 praise as a reward to God for His goodness. 38:03 Does that make sense Because praise, you know, 38:05 because it's not like, 38:06 "Okay, God you've been good to me. 38:07 So now I'm gonna praise you." 38:09 Exactly, that's good. 38:10 Because it's... it would be correct 38:12 because pray should always be, the bad, the good, 38:14 no matter what it is... 38:16 Because of who He is. 38:17 Because of who He is. 38:20 It's really deep, Shelley. 38:22 So Psalms 35:9, it says, 38:25 "And my soul shall be joyful in the Lord: it shall..." 38:29 Say it again, where you at? 38:30 I'm sorry. 38:32 It's Psalms 35:9, 38:33 it say, "My soul shall be joyful in the Lord: 38:38 and it shall rejoice in his salvation." 38:41 Your praise has to and haven't you ever 38:44 just been so filled with the Lord and so joy, 38:48 your heart can't even hold it. 38:50 Your soul, your body, you have to praise 38:53 because you can't do anything else. 38:57 And so that is where, 38:59 that is what praise is, 39:00 praise is not... Oh, praise the Lord He, 39:03 He did this or that. 39:04 But your praise literally has to well out of you 39:08 from the very essence of your soul 39:10 and your love for him and the joy. 39:14 The joy of praise. When I see nature, 39:18 when I say, that it triggers it, 39:20 it's because I'm so welled up inside with praise 39:25 and love for my Savior 39:27 and it's joyful, your soul is joyful 39:30 and you rejoice, you can't help yourself to praise. 39:32 Amen, amen. 39:33 We'll turn to another Scripture. 39:35 Let's do then. 39:36 Psalm 103. 39:38 There are a lot in Psalm. 39:41 I think every psalm has something in it, 39:42 that's praise. 39:44 Absolutely. 39:45 I mean, maybe not the entire Psalm but something 39:47 in every psalm you can find that. 39:48 What was the last one? 39:50 What was the... 39:51 Psalm 150? 39:53 Oh, yeah, right. Yes. 39:54 I thank every... 39:55 Every verse, every verse. 39:57 So where now? 39:58 Psalm 103 and I think, Shelley, 40:00 you actually did A Sharper Focus on Psalm 103. 40:03 I could be wrong but I think I remember that. Let's read... 40:07 We could read the whole thing 40:09 but just maybe 1-4 to start with. 40:13 You want to read it, sweetie. 40:14 Sure, yep, Psalm 103:1-4 says, 40:16 "Bless the Lord, O my soul: 40:19 and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 40:22 Bless the Lord, O my soul, 40:24 and forget not all his benefits: 40:28 For who forgives all your iniquities, 40:30 who heals all your diseases, 40:33 who redeems your life from destruction, 40:35 who crowns you with loving kindness 40:38 and tender mercies," 40:40 Amen. 40:42 Let's do verse 5 too, 40:44 because if you're old this is a good one. 40:47 Verse 5 says, 40:48 "Who satisfies thy mouth with good things 40:52 so that your mouth is renewed..." 40:54 Your youth. 40:56 Your youth sorry, 40:57 I got so many notes written here, 40:58 "So that thy youth is renewed like the eagles." 41:01 So, we know you're still very young. 41:03 You can read that Teensy-weensy... 41:05 Well, yeah I'm having a few issues... 41:06 He's holding it up a little closer. 41:09 A little further way. 41:11 It's time to go to the eye doctor. 41:14 So, yeah, "So who satisfies thy mouth with good things 41:17 so that thy youth is renewed like the eagles." 41:21 We praise because what? 41:24 He forgives us. 41:25 He redeems us. 41:27 He's our redeemer. 41:28 He's our healer, 41:30 and I think healer from the disease of sin. 41:33 Amen. They're not just physical... 41:35 You know, I mean God does want to heal us, 41:37 He wants us to prosper and be in health 41:38 but we're also talking about 41:40 we're all sick with the disease of sin 41:41 and God wants to heal us. 41:42 What I'm reading here in the hope 41:44 and the help here in 103. 41:48 Okay. 41:49 "Praising God for His goodness is the highest form of prayer." 41:53 Amen. One more time. 41:55 "Praising God for His goodness." 41:57 Yes. 41:58 Okay, now we're not asking something here, 42:00 we're praising Him for His goodness, 42:03 is the highest form of prayer. 42:05 It rises above all petitions and all laments." 42:10 It rises above our sufferings, 42:13 it rises above our request. 42:19 This is just, you know, 42:22 Lord, I just love you because of who you are 42:24 not because of what you can get me. 42:27 That's powerful, isn't it? 42:29 Just a moment ago, 42:30 you were talking about how, you know, 42:32 when your heart is so filled with joy 42:33 that you just can't stop it, 42:36 it just, it comes, it flows out of you 42:38 but more often than not for me it's, 42:44 it's, I mean we've all got those moments 42:47 but more often than not for me it's not starting there. 42:50 It's like there's just things weighing you down 42:53 and it's heavy and there's problems 42:57 and as you begin your prayer 43:01 with praise and thanksgiving. 43:05 What happens is the result of what you just said, 43:07 you know, you can just start down in your mouth. 43:10 But as you're praising and thanking him 43:12 and... 43:14 I when I was trying to learn how to praise I realized 43:18 when I was first writing out my prayers 43:20 and I'd start off with praise you know 43:22 "thanks" with, I mean his gates with thanksgiving, 43:26 and with praise into his court so, and I thought Lord. 43:30 I don't even know how to praise you, this is pitiful. 43:34 But then, you know, 43:36 praise is the language of heaven. 43:40 And what I did was just go through the Psalms. 43:42 That's exactly in. 43:44 And I would find something in the Psalm that 43:47 because David... The only way 43:50 I know how to express this is that 43:51 David's love for God was so intimate. 43:54 It's almost like what we would think of as a romantic love 43:56 because it was so intimate... 43:59 Would it be the bride of Christ? 44:00 Yeah. 44:02 The church is the bride of Christ. 44:03 That's a great thought. 44:04 But here in the midst of sufferings, 44:06 he would start praising the Lord, 44:08 and so when I will just take his praises and reword them, 44:11 you know, paraphrasing it in my own. 44:13 And I found that, you know, and I've been doing that 44:16 I love it when we're having these kind of things 44:18 'cause you're reminded of what God showed you to do. 44:20 What you need to do. 44:22 But it will take you from being down 44:25 in the mouth, poor pitiful, puddle, 44:28 feeling sorry for yourself 44:30 to where suddenly your heart... 44:33 I think it prepares you for prayer really 44:35 because it gives you a different prayer posture. 44:38 It's a big difference whenever you've got a problem. 44:41 There's a problem solver here 44:43 and then there's that automatic because, 44:45 we're one with Him, if we choose to be 44:48 then that magnet just starts bringing you closer together. 44:52 And all of a sudden the problem is dissolved 44:55 because He's there, you know, 44:57 just to wrap his arms around you. 44:58 See I know that there's a lot of widows out there, I know, 45:02 I'm one of them and I find sometimes 45:04 when I start my if I get hurt... 45:07 See my husband was there for me 45:10 He was a big guy, 45:11 I was always safe in his arms. 45:13 I could go to him. 45:14 Somebody hurt me, he protect me. 45:16 Now, so if I get hurt, 45:19 I'm down whatever I... 45:21 And I don't have anybody to go to. 45:22 Yes, I do but not my husband. 45:25 Yeah. 45:26 Now, I can say, "Oh, father, I'm so hurt, 45:30 I'm so... I don't, thank you father, 45:33 thank you father that you're my husband 45:35 that you're there for me. 45:36 Thank you that you've taken care of me." 45:39 You can start your praise with thanks. 45:42 "Thank you that you love me. 45:44 Your love is so... 45:46 Amen. 45:47 Overwhelming. 45:49 And so I can take, as widows 45:52 I encourage you, turn to the Lord 45:55 as your husband when you're hurt 45:58 and you have no one else to go to. 46:00 Tell him how you're feeling 46:02 and then start thanking Him and praising Him 46:05 that He is there for you and that He will, 46:09 He will fill your heart with His love 46:12 and you will find yourself in a different place 46:14 through His praises 46:16 and lifted out of where you were. 46:18 Thank you for sharing that, Dee, you know, 46:20 because you see that, we see that 46:23 3ABN walked out in Dee's life, 46:25 you know, I can see your walk with God and how, 46:28 you go to God and how God works in your life 46:31 and how God brings that anointing 46:33 and peace and deliverance and that's powerful. 46:35 And as you shared that, 46:37 we're morphing into question number three. 46:39 When should we praise? 46:40 Because that's exactly what you said. 46:42 When I'm as a widow, when I'm struggling, 46:44 when I'm having a hard time, 46:46 when I need a husband that come surround me." 46:49 You came to God, and that's what He did. 46:51 Yes. Amen. 46:52 And He has been my husband 46:53 for 20 years, a faithful husband 46:55 that has provided for me every step of the way. 46:59 Yes. Amen. 47:00 And I know He'll continue to 47:02 even if some day 47:03 I don't have a roof over my head 47:04 and I'm out on the street. 47:06 He's still gonna provide for me and take care of me. 47:07 Amen. 47:10 So let's look at Acts, Acts 16. 47:14 And this is Paul and Silas not having such a good day. 47:20 Yeah, it has been a tough for them. 47:22 You know when I was rereading the story last night. 47:24 What struck me is that 47:26 we know that they went to jail and we'll read that 47:28 how they praise God. 47:29 But what happened before they went to prison 47:32 and they, there was a certain slave girl 47:36 who was owned by her masters 47:37 and she brought them a lot of money 47:39 and there was demon possession there 47:40 so Paul went and rebuked the devil, 47:44 and as a result of that 47:45 the girl's masters lost the money... 47:47 Because she changed her mind. 47:49 Because she was totally changed and new in Jesus 47:51 and so because of that 47:53 they went before the magistrates 47:54 and they were thrown into prison. 47:56 So, this circumstance, this difficulty 47:59 there in is in direct result 48:02 to reaching out against the power of darkness, right. 48:06 They would, we could say frontline work 48:08 against the power of Satan 48:09 and Satan didn't like that but God had the final say, 48:14 so they're imprisoned there and what verses are we reading? 48:17 23-26. 48:21 Acts 16:23-26. 48:24 You want to read that, Shelley? 48:26 Sure. 48:28 "And when they had laid many stripes on them, 48:31 they threw them into prison, commanding the jailor 48:33 to keep them securely." 48:35 And boy this prison was just 48:37 a teensy weensy little spot 48:38 so here they are bloodied up by the little lashing 48:42 that they've had and they're cramped up. 48:44 "Having received such a charge, 48:46 He put them into the inner prison," 48:49 that's down actually on the floor " 48:51 and fasten their feet in the stocks. 48:54 But at midnight Paul and Silas, 48:57 were praying and singing hymns to God 49:00 and the prisoners were listening to them." 49:02 Probably thinking what is going on with these guys. 49:07 "Suddenly there was a great earthquake, 49:09 so that the foundations at the prison were shaken: 49:12 and immediately all the doors were opened, 49:15 and everyone's everyone's 49:18 chains were loosened." 49:22 Thing that catches my attention there is that 49:25 this is who Paul and Silas were... 49:27 Good. 49:29 I mean you know they didn't say, 49:30 "Hey, we got a plan here, guys." 49:32 If we can sing and praise something's gonna happen. 49:36 They just... I mean... 49:37 That's right. 49:39 And that's, and that's important... 49:40 Absolutely. 49:42 It's a great point. 49:44 Who are we? 49:46 I mean are we whether it's good times or bad times. 49:49 I mean we're praising or what is that petition 49:52 or is it for his goodness. 49:54 So for them it was a habit. 49:56 It was a habit, this is just... 49:57 They developed a habit to praise God. 49:59 That is true, they didn't know the rest of story we know 50:01 because of what God would say. 50:03 They didn't know they were praising the Lord, 50:05 whether that was their final spot 50:07 and they were gonna be executed. 50:09 I mean they were bleed up, so they probably just thought, 50:12 "Hey, man, let's praise God for His goodness right now." 50:15 You know, they were thanking that which is have to be. 50:18 And at midnight... 50:20 You know I like that too because the Bible says, 50:21 at midnight and of course it might have been midnight, 50:23 midnight. 50:25 But I think it's in the darkest point, 50:27 the darkest hour of life to still praise 50:30 to make that choice. 50:31 What else can you do 50:33 when you, when everything in your life is 50:36 totally beyond your control 50:38 when you have, they had no control over 50:41 anything in their life, nothing. 50:44 The only thing they had control over was 50:46 how they were gonna react 50:48 to where they were and what was happening to them. 50:50 So how are you gonna react 50:52 when you are at the deepest end of your rope 50:56 when you're just hanging on by your fingernail. 50:58 How are you gonna respond. 51:00 Who do you turn to turn? Do you turn to praise, 51:03 because you trust in your God 51:05 because you know how He's led in the past. 51:07 Where else do you go? 51:08 Amen. 51:10 It's something that... 51:12 if you're filled with the Holy Spirit, 51:14 I don't think you can help but praise, 51:16 but we can quench the spirit. 51:18 I mean because they could easily 51:20 and you hear this sometimes, 51:21 you'll see somebody that's been really, 51:22 really faithful in their service for the Lord 51:26 and you will hear them suddenly say, 51:29 "You know, why was my wife and my children killed." 51:32 Why, I was serving the Lord, 51:33 we were doing missionary work 51:34 why did this happen, 51:36 Why did that happen?" 51:37 And they begin to murmur and complain 51:39 and I think we quench the spirit 51:41 when we murmur and complain. 51:42 They could easily have done this 51:45 but it's like, I think I liked what you said so much honey, 51:50 that it had become, it was who they were 51:54 it had just... They had so developed 51:57 this as a practice 51:59 that this was their response which lifted, 52:02 you know, what? 52:03 They were a whole lot happier 52:05 even the prisoners around them 52:06 were probably listening to them 52:08 singing and thinking, you know, 52:09 they were lifting the spirits of those people 52:12 and every one's chains, 52:14 even the other prisoners were loose. 52:15 I love that. 52:17 So praise impacts the life of other people. 52:20 Yes. 52:21 When we praise God, it impacts us, 52:23 it changes us. 52:24 It makes us more like Jesus, 52:26 but it impacts the lives of other people. 52:28 So we want to spend some time in prayer 52:30 when getting down before the end... 52:32 Oh, go ahead, Dee. 52:33 Even if you are... 52:35 When you're praising the Lord, if someone next to you is, 52:38 is having a hard time, 52:40 it lifts them up... It does. 52:42 How many times have you been you know 52:44 kind of tied up in your own thing 52:45 or feeling badly, 52:46 and then all of a sudden someone 52:48 starts praising the Lord, 52:49 what does it do to you? 52:50 It does. Exactly. 52:52 It changes, that's right, praise the Lord. 52:53 Well, our time is fast slipping away. 52:55 But, Jill, you got it, please read Hebrews 13:15, 52:59 He's got that one in your notes 53:00 and that's such a beautiful and it's short. 53:03 The word of God is so powerful, 53:04 isn't it? There're so many treasures 53:06 and I encourage you to study the word of God 53:08 on a daily basis because it does nothing 53:11 but it can lift your soul as you delve into God's word, 53:15 that's for sure because God's word 53:17 does not return to him void strong and powerful. 53:20 We'll read this quick 53:21 and then we want to go to prayer. 53:22 Hebrews 13:15, 53:24 "Therefore by him let us continually offer 53:27 the sacrifice of praise to God, 53:30 that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name." 53:33 We don't really have time to get into this 53:35 but if you look at the Greek the word for sacrifice, 53:38 "Thusia" coming from the root thuo means 53:40 to kill or slaughter for a purpose. 53:43 So if we offer the sacrifice of our praise. 53:47 I'm killing myself, pitting 53:49 my pride, my junk 53:53 and even if it's painful to praise making a choice, 53:57 "God I'm gonna praise you right now." 53:59 Amen. 54:00 Let's go to the Lord in prayer. 54:02 Yeah, J.D? Yes. 54:03 Start out. Yes. 54:04 Father, as we come together once again 54:06 in the name of Jesus. 54:07 Father, we just want to thank you Lord, 54:09 that we have been giving given that gift of praise. 54:14 And Father we do praise Your name, 54:16 we do praise You Lord for the things 54:17 that we don't even truly understand that we have. 54:20 Father, we've been told that 54:22 if we could just pull that veil back 54:23 and see the battle that's going on 54:25 and how You are interceding in our behalf, Lord, 54:29 that we certainly wouldn't fall apostate 54:31 and then we would praise Your name above all names. 54:35 So, thank You Lord, 54:36 that we can come to You this evening just exalting, 54:41 magnifying, glorifying Your name. 54:44 Amen. 54:45 Father, we praise You 54:46 because you are worthy of praise. 54:48 Yours is the greatness and the power 54:49 and the glory and the victory 54:52 and the majesty. 54:53 We praise you Father 54:54 for sending Your Son to die for us 54:57 while we were yet sinners. 54:59 We praise you Lord for Your gift of salvation. 55:02 We praise You Father and thank You so much 55:05 for the gift of the Holy Spirit in Your word. 55:08 And Lord, we thank You, we praise You 55:11 because you are God of love. 55:14 A self-sacrificing heaven, 55:16 how we thank you for that love 55:18 in Jesus name, amen. 55:19 Amen. 55:21 Oh, Father, thank you so much for Your loving character 55:25 that who You are is love and your loving mercy 55:28 that You give to us 55:30 and that you give so freely to each and every one of us. 55:33 Father, we just praise You for who you are 55:36 and Your majesty and the creation 55:38 that You've done for us 55:41 and the sacrifices You've made so great. 55:43 We don't even know the price that You paid. 55:46 Father, thank You 55:47 that You are so worthy and so great. 55:49 Thank you. Thank you, Father. 55:51 Father, I thank You that you are God, 55:54 I thank You that you are on the throne 55:56 that You are creator and sustainer 55:58 and provider and protector 56:00 and savior and redeemer and healer, 56:04 and God we just come before you right now, 56:07 when I ask forgiveness for myself personally 56:11 for the times I have not praised you 56:15 like I should, and I ask for my brothers and sisters 56:19 that no matter what they're dealing with right now, 56:22 God that we would offer our sacrifice to praise 56:26 to You and watch you change us 56:30 into Your image and we thank You. 56:33 Father in heaven, what a blessing it is 56:35 and we just praise Your name 56:37 for the opportunity that we have of thanking You 56:41 for Your goodness and Your loving kindness. 56:44 We praise You for Your Son Jesus Christ 56:46 and a great sacrifice to He gave for our salvation. 56:50 And Lord, I just pray that in my own life 56:51 I would praise You, 56:53 it's easy in the good times and the happy times 56:55 but even when things they seem to be a little maybe dismal 56:57 or trying that I would praise You. 56:59 And so, Father, I want to start right now 57:00 even this evening as we're opening the Sabbath 57:02 to praise You 57:04 for Your greatness and Your goodness. 57:05 Thank you. 57:07 We thank You for hearing and answering our prayers 57:08 and in Jesus' name we pray, amen. 57:10 Amen. Amen. 57:12 Thank you, Dee and Shelley and J.D., for joining us. 57:15 Such a blessing to open the Sabbath together. 57:17 Amen. 57:19 Sure is. We want to encourage you 57:20 to praise the Lord for His goodness and His kindness, 57:23 His loving kindness towards each and every day 57:26 we can start even right now. 57:28 We thank you for joining us again 57:29 on this 3ABN family worship. 57:32 We hope you have a wonderful and blessed Sabbath. 57:34 God bless. 57:36 Praise the Lord. |
Revised 2016-11-14