I just believe [deep down in my heart this morning] there’s somebody here that can say although I’ve lost some people and some things. <> We should not only pray to God but also all the more learn to praise God, and one thing for sure—we need to learn how to praise Him when life has become a struggle, when we are afflicted by one thing after the other. At the 8pm service the choir sang and the hand bells played and I … "WORTHY OF PRAISE" First Corinthians 16.15-18. God Is A Right Now God: 3. We have all heard the expression, “If it weren’t for bad luck, I’d have no luck at all.” But this is not about luck and few things really are; neither is this a coincidence. Life is a struggle, not just a struggle but let me add it is a daily struggle. 1 0 obj Now, could it be that King David and Job knows something that we all should learn? Despite intense unexplained suffering Job refused to curse God and he continued to worship and praise Him. endobj 21 And he said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, And naked shall I return there. As blood bought believers in God, we are not always going to hear God’s voice, but from Job we can learn a few practical things to do when God seems silent, and that is to keep on praising Him! The devil will steal, kill, and destroy your blessings just to discourage your heart. Even when life itself just doesn’t make any sense. Someone has well said, "You can take off the "H" and you still have "abit! He had a hand in discouraging Elijah, “But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. (Ill. I was made to praise Him it is in my DNA. At the 4pm service the youth and college-aged adults led an unrehearsed Christmas pageant featuring angels, shepherds and their sheep, and a real, live baby Jesus. Hope thou in God: for I shall yet praise him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.” (Psalm 43: 5) However, I notice one thing here in the words of David; let’s look at it again, “…for I shall yet praise Him…” Here he is questioning his own soul, and he wants to know why he feels so desponded and so discouraged. He wanted Job and he wants us to deny God, and there is no extent to how far he will go to accomplish his devilish mission. You still don't have total victory, even after all these years. habkakkuk who serves as the 4th out of gods 11 minor prophets. 1. The late great Dr. E. K. Bailey used to say, “Faith is acting like it is so, even if it ain’t so, in order for it to be so” –praise & thanksgiving in the midst of adversity. 4 0 obj We must remember that we do not live to ourselves but as members of the family of God. Indeed, as often as I have spoken against him, I certainly still remember him; Therefore My heart yearns for him; I will surely have mercy on him," declares the LORD. ” But, when a lost sinner is saved, that redeemed sinner is indwelled by the Spirit of God. New Day 8. <>/ExtGState<>/ProcSet[/PDF/Text/ImageB/ImageC/ImageI] >>/MediaBox[ 0 0 612 792] /Contents 4 0 R/Group<>/Tabs/S/StructParents 0>> I love the Word of God, and I truly love to preach but I’ve had some horrible things said to me and about me behind my back by a few preachers most of whom I dearly respect. I believe that Lloyd Cory was right when he said, "The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken!" New Day 8. endobj Some of us (especially nowadays) have lost homes, cars, money & relationships. I Want To Say Thank You 6. I can hear Job say, “I never lost my praise” remember that whatever is happening in your life, no matter how gloomy or discouraged you may feel, even when you’re faced with what feels like the silenced of God—God is always aware of and concerned about what you’re going through. And let endurance have its perfect result, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” Somebody here can say, “I’ve lost some things, but I never lost my joy! However, words can often be quite an effective weapon in bringing others down. Now don’t you think that’s enough to damage anyone’s self-esteem? But how many will stand with me today and say I am going to be like David and say, (Psalms 34:2) I will bless the Lord at all times and his praise shall continually be in my mouth.- How many will stand and say I refuse to let the devil take my Joy away God Is A Right Now God: 3. You're putting it on -- it's all an act! You do not have to front for me because I am a living witness I know the Devil will throw you for a loop! 20 Then Job arose, tore his robe, and shaved his head; and he fell to the ground and worshipped. We’ve lost some things, we lost some people, some possessions, some positions, and some of us have lost our pride. The devil is very crafty because he will use your very own family or your most dearest of friends to crush your faith, your trust, and your praise for the most High God. But if you walk completely away from God, you didn’t have any faith in the first place. %���� Their accusations never let up: "You have no right to praise a holy God. When we work hard, without any progress, when we give it our all but still lose every game, discouragement eats a hole in heart and makes us want to quit. God has done something on the inside, he's breathed life into them, given them purpose, but they're still bound on the outside. Here’s a fact that you probably are already aware of, but in case you aren’t let me give you a personal newsbreak… life is painful! And this is the devil’s primary objective, to get us to concede to ever living our life for God and in short to become disenchanted with God and the things of God. He will use all these circumstances in order to get you to condemn your own self. He Will Do It For You 4. the first part of this four part prayer deals with god's mercy!… Put Your Trust In God 10. All of the Glory 2. There is still a hunger within the flesh for “ the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye and the pride of life. I Want To Say Thank You 6. But now you have downsize everything the car, the house or apartment you live, the clothes you wear, the food you eat almost everything has to be down-sized because you lost some things. The devil also managed to discouraged King David, the man after God’s own heart, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? The devil’s efforts to discourage us often involve the ones we really care for and/or respect. Although I’ve been through the storm and the rain, I’ve with heartaches and pain, I’ve had some ups and some downs, and I’ve been leveled to the ground. Before just entering into that, let me say this: the Bible says, 'In the multitude of words, there wanteth not sin', 'Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few'. And if you feel me everyday, they should be a praise on the inside of you that no water can quench that no fires can burn there should be a joy because you're still here and they're still here to be to if you're here for a … The lost of anything can be painful, overwhelming, and overbearing. I am not married because I’m not good looking enough or my spouse wants a divorce because he or she wants a newer model, or my parents got divorce and it’s all because of me, etc. endobj God still uses damaged goods like me. The redeemed still have their old natures and that old nature is still controlled by its old desires and lusts. Could it be that even when we become discouraged with our own self it shouldn’t diminish our praise of the Most High? 1 8. A discussion between Satan and God ensued concerning Job and it is interesting to note that Satan didn’t bring Job’s name up, God brought Job’s name up! Praise regardless of your circumstances. In Job 2: 9 we read, “Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? [��%B�)q��T%+� Some people, when they lose something or somebody—their faith is challenged. You can see below where I still have a bone spur compressing my spinal cord at C5-C6. You can take off the "Ha" and you still have "bit." What? Here's the sermon I'm preaching on Sunday, September 21, 2008. Didn’t say be happy about it, but consider it joy—why? Turn It Around: 11. %PDF-1.5 We must remember that we live here as citizens of heaven. stream Now let me tell you something about the devil if you don’t know already. Now, who told them that? Please listen to “THE SECRET PLACE” by Attorney David Gibbs Sr. about his mother's health ordeal and I guarantee that God will break your heart. Used to be a time when the only thing you downsized was soda and an order fries. Some of the things just in the last year, other people going through the same thing has lost their mind and some even tried to take their own lives—but you’re here this morning with less than what you used to have, but you still have your praise! Under the heading of “Offering”, we have an offering invitation, we give our tithes and our offerings, and then we have something called a “Song of Praise”. Even worst, he wants you to believe that God’s delay in your life or silence is directly due to His lack of love for you. Losing something or someone has caused many people to go into what is known as clinical depression. He will use those people who you are around or close to be insensitive towards you, with words that will wound and leave you bleeding in your heart. And let that man be like the cities which the Lord overthrew, and repented not; and let him hear the cry in the morning, and the shouting at noontide, because he slew me not from the womb; or that my mother might have been my grave, and her womb to be always great with me. Anyone who says otherwise is selling something to you that you really cannot afford to buy! 2 9. We’ve lost some serious love connections like our fathers, our mothers, a wife or a husband, a child, a sister or a brother—a very close relative or friend, through the years we’ve lost them one by one. William Ward, the four-star army general who served as Commander, U. S. Africa Command once said, “Discouragement is dissatisfaction with the past, distaste for the present, and distrust of the future. and I still have a praise inside of me; Yes, I still have a praise inside of me. I Still Have A Praise Inside Of Me: 5. I believe that all of us, primarily those of us that have reached the age of adulthood have lost some things. Shall we receive only pleasant things from the hand of God and never anything unpleasant?” (The Living Bible) Job had a few friends who gave their unneeded advice as well but Job still maintained his faith in God. I surely have and I am quite sure that I have discouraged a few people myself somewhere down the line. It is impatience with time, immaturity of thought, and impoliteness to God.” And he is right; it is indeed impolite for us to be discouraged with the One who knows all about us. You see all he really wants to do is to get you to the point of exhaustion until you doubt almost everything you’ve heard concerning the love of God for you. We Have the Victory 12. 2 0 obj I much rather him call me … Jeremiah 31:35 Thus says the LORD, Who gives the sun for light by day And the fixed order of the moon and the stars for light by night, Who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar ; The LORD of hosts is His name: It's still his major tool, and he still uses it on God's people today. I Still Have A Praise Inside Of Me: 5. I believe that this blasphemy would have resulted in the immediate death of Job and at the same time it would have given the devil some bragging rights. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed (or Praise) be the name of the Lord.”. He was blessed with land, and cattle, and servants. This is what God has called us to do. Cursed be the man who brought tidings to my father, saying, A man child is born unto thee; making him very glad. Why the unease within me? AMEN!!!! We Have the Victory 12. But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." And he prayed that he might die, and said, "It is enough! And the song of praise we sing, you know, the one that begins, “Praise God from Whom all Blessings Flow,” it is a doxology. But inspite of his despondency and his discourage he concludes that he will continue to praise God. Sometimes God appears to be silent while you’re going through a trial. Georgia Mass Choir - I Still Have a Praise Album Lyrics; 1. EM he has used all of you to bring me too this moment of “self discovery”. Wherefore came I forth out of the womb to see labor and sorrow, that my days should be consumed with shame?” (Jeremiah 20: 14-18). God used my pastor at the time to ask me to preach, He used my delivery of this sermon, and really He used this entire Christmas eve service as a whole to affirm this call to the pastoral role. You don't have to look back over your life, just look at the last 9 months of your life. 5 Why are you downcast, O my soul? They have addictions. Now, LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!" Let me move on now from what praise is and how praise is expressed, to what praise can do. But through it all God blessed me through it all God kept me and I still have a praise inside of me (Leader) Let me tell you what my praise is. Georgia Mass Choir - I Still Have a Praise Album Lyrics; 1. When we consider the topic of praise, we need to first come to the realization that praise is the highest work carried out by God’s children. There are people around us wearing grave-clothes. And so prayer time should always begin and end with praise. Many times we are discouraged with our own selves, I’ve had many people come to me and say that they’ve sin so greatly that God would never forgive them and they even gave in to the thought that they were automatically headed for the eternal fires of hell because of all their indiscretions. Verse 1: Choir I been through the fire I been through the flood Broken in pieces and left all alone (Chorus 1) But through it all God blessed me through it all God kept me and I still have a praise inside of me (CHORUS 2) There is a praise … 12:7-10 To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. The devil took away his children, his livelihood, and his health simultaneously. And, you can take off the "Hab" and you still have "it." Look at you, singing and praising God, acting so … You have to get to a place where you respond properly in a negative situation. But you still have your joy—the Word says consider it joy when you’re going various trials. Look at the text in verse one: “I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me.” The psalmist reminds us, just in case you may not know it – that in this life you will not only collect family members, not only collect friends and acquaintances – but because you are a child of God, you have the potential to acquire enemies or foes. There is a praise in my spirit a praise down in my soul a glory hallelujah that cannot be controlled and I still have a praise inside of me The Lord Himself gave me all that I have acquired throughout this life’s journey, and the Lord Himself can take it away so therefore it is my concern or my purpose because my purpose is to praise to the Lord. Now once I get inside, I can make him do what I choose. David says my head be lifted up with mine enemies around me. It’s not because you’ve anything wrong, it’s just that life can throw a curve at us sometimes. If we were to take a moment this morning and conduct a brief inventory of our lives I know that we would come to the conclusion that we have experienced possibly some great lost in our lives. Some people have a knack for hurting others with their words even when they are not actually trying to hurt you. He hopes that you will come to the conclusion that I didn’t get that job because I did not work hard enough or I’m too old to do the work effectively. 6 O my God, my soul despairs within me. I was once told by a lady named Bea Shirk, who was one of the most effective first grade teachers I have ever had the experience to pastor, that praise … I have never heard of this before, I’m in total AWE! At least he had the courage to come to me and be honest about it. Look what he says (and I’m paraphrasing), I came into this world without anything, and I was naked! Here is devil’s strategy, if he could just convince you that God doesn’t really love because He didn’t bless in the time you thought you should have been blessed he will in turn cause you to believe that you are not worthy of a blessing from God at all. He knew that whatever he had and whatever he achieved was only because of God’s grace and mercy. Blessed is He who Cares for the Poor … 4 These things come to mind as I pour out my soul: how I walked with the multitude, leading the procession to the house of God with shouts of joy and praise. He will use what you care about in order to break you down. And now you have to settle for that measly unemployment check from the state. He will steal your job (livelihood), try his level best to shame you, and destroy your children. 22 In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong. All this occurred because Satan appeared in the presence of God on Earth, although many commentaries infer that he met with Him at His throne, but I happen to believe that Satan is well aware of our strengths and vulnerabilities and he had already been thrown out of heaven with the rest of his followers turned demons. Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. III. If you have your Bibles with you, turn to the book of Habakkuk in the Old Testament. I'm Holding On 7. (1 Kings 19: 4) He was there to assist Jeremiah with his momentary bout of discouragement, “Cursed be the day on which I was born; let not the day on which my mother bore me be blessed. I'm Holding On 7. His attack upon Job was designed to cause him to question the goodness of God. And why art thou disquieted within me? We’ve not only lost some things, we’ve lost some people through death, divorce, division, distance, decision to discontinue, or desertion we’ve lost some people too haven’t we? One of his most powerful weapons is the weapon of discouragement. The devil is a liar? here in the third chapter we find habakkuk's prayer of praise! Job had everything a man could ever want, he was successful, but he didn’t let his success go to his head. He’s an expert when it comes to discouragement. It was a really great Christmas Eve here at the church this year. Some of things they’ve said could have caused me to give up the pulpit all together, until I placed it in my heart that I am not preaching for their approval nor am I preaching for them to embrace me. Losing something or someone has even caused some of us to question God. If he can get you to believe this lie it will be much easier for him to get you to become very discouraged with God. Your joy is phony. But you ought be able this morning while you’re sitting here in God’s house to say that I may have lost some people, some possessions, a position, or a privilege, but through it all—I never lost my praise! Just ask King David, in the Psalms he says that he prayed to God three times a day, but also in the Psalms he said that he praised God seven times a day. I still worry way too much and pray too little, but I do truly look forward to the times that I spend with him by myself and at worship each week and my love … INTRODUCTION:. All of the Glory 2. Discouragement comes most often when we do the right things but experience poor results. It has made us wonder, does He really care? Amen. Sometimes we do get discouraged, discouragement is a part of life. (Won’t he throw you for a loop?) Our God Strong And Mighty 9. It is God, who brings Job to Satan’s attention, but apparently Satan already knew about Job, and he reasoned that Job was only faithful towards God because he had a hedge of protection placed around him and if He would only remove this hedge Job would in affect curse Him to His face. Total AWE expert when it comes to discouragement preach and not by them Spirit of God often we. 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