1 00:00:00,640 --> 00:00:05,800 Every one of us has a favorite time of the year, favorite month 2 00:00:05,880 --> 00:00:09,480 of the year in which we appreciate more than other 3 00:00:09,480 --> 00:00:12,680 times. Mine happened to be the the last 4 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:16,920 two months of the year, both November and December. 5 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:20,720 It's it's all about the celebration of what takes place 6 00:00:20,720 --> 00:00:24,080 in those months. And when you, you think about 7 00:00:24,080 --> 00:00:29,320 all the, all, the, all the songs that are sung and all the sights 8 00:00:29,320 --> 00:00:34,360 that are seen and even the smells of the holiday season are 9 00:00:34,360 --> 00:00:38,920 unique and special. And so we embark on a time of 10 00:00:38,920 --> 00:00:42,280 the year where the whole world basically is involved in some 11 00:00:42,280 --> 00:00:45,720 kind of celebration when it comes to Thanksgiving and 12 00:00:45,720 --> 00:00:49,120 Christmas. But the believers celebration is 13 00:00:49,120 --> 00:00:52,640 different. It's, it's, it's unique in, in 14 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:57,480 that the believer celebration is, is based on three key 15 00:00:57,480 --> 00:01:01,920 components. It's based on #1A contemplation. 16 00:01:02,680 --> 00:01:05,600 The reason we are to celebrate the Christ is because we 17 00:01:05,600 --> 00:01:10,640 contemplate him, we meditate upon Him, we think only of Him, 18 00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:13,840 and we recognize that the season is all about Him. 19 00:01:14,760 --> 00:01:18,240 So our celebration consists of a contemplation. 20 00:01:19,280 --> 00:01:23,440 Outside of that, it consists of a consideration and the word to 21 00:01:23,440 --> 00:01:26,880 consider is a is a mathematical term where where whereby you add 22 00:01:26,880 --> 00:01:29,760 up all the facts and come to the right conclusion. 23 00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:34,360 And so as we contemplate this great God that we serve, we 24 00:01:34,360 --> 00:01:37,880 begin to consider all that he does and all that he is by 25 00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:41,920 adding up all the facts of of everything about his being and 26 00:01:42,080 --> 00:01:45,200 his works. And we celebrate him. 27 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:50,440 And that contemplation leads to a consideration which leads to a 28 00:01:50,720 --> 00:01:56,160 commemoration, that is, we under understand who Christ is and we 29 00:01:56,160 --> 00:01:59,960 remember all that he has done, which allows our celebration to 30 00:01:59,960 --> 00:02:05,000 be that which is beyond what the world gives because it honors 31 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:07,080 and glorifies the name of Christ. 32 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:10,720 And when you commemorate someone, you remember them. 33 00:02:10,720 --> 00:02:13,720 And it's so important for us to do that. 34 00:02:14,480 --> 00:02:17,720 The Bible says in second Dividey 28, Paul says to Timothy 35 00:02:17,880 --> 00:02:23,080 remember Jesus Christ, descendant of David, risen from 36 00:02:23,080 --> 00:02:29,280 the dead, which is my gospel. Why would Paul tell Timothy to 37 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:32,120 remember Jesus? Had Timothy forgotten about 38 00:02:32,200 --> 00:02:35,720 Jesus? No, Timothy's a pastor, he's not 39 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:39,440 going to forget about Jesus. But you have to understand what 40 00:02:39,440 --> 00:02:42,600 it means when the Bible says to remember something. 41 00:02:43,880 --> 00:02:49,200 It's it's simply means that you are to pay very close attention 42 00:02:49,720 --> 00:02:53,560 so that you can act wisely and fulfill your commitment. 43 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:58,680 So when Paul tells Timothy to remember Jesus Christ, he's 44 00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:06,880 telling him to, to to pay very close attention to the Christ so 45 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:10,600 that in your ministry you can act wisely and fulfill your 46 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:13,880 commitment. You can say the same thing about 47 00:03:14,160 --> 00:03:17,320 Jonah when Jonah was in the belly of the fish. 48 00:03:18,080 --> 00:03:19,320 It says that Jonah said to do that. 49 00:03:19,720 --> 00:03:27,240 Jonah remembered the Lord and he offered up a voice of 50 00:03:27,240 --> 00:03:31,040 Thanksgiving to God. Now, did Jonah forget about the 51 00:03:31,040 --> 00:03:32,000 Lord? No. 52 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:34,560 The reason he was in the belly of the fish was because of the 53 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:36,880 Lord. I mean, he was going the 54 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:40,240 opposite way of Nineveh. Everything that he was doing in 55 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:45,960 rebellion was against the Lord. He didn't forget the Lord, but 56 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:50,200 he had to pay very close attention to the Lord he served 57 00:03:50,320 --> 00:03:53,240 so that he could act wisely and make the right decision. 58 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:58,200 So when he remembered the Lord, he lifted his voice in 59 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:02,840 Thanksgiving to God. Same is true with with Solomon 60 00:04:03,640 --> 00:04:07,240 when he told his son Rayabom remember your Creator in the 61 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:10,560 days of your youth. Not that Rayabom would have 62 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:13,720 forgotten about his Creator. That's not the point. 63 00:04:14,320 --> 00:04:18,279 The point is, pay very close attention to the One who created 64 00:04:18,279 --> 00:04:23,000 you while you're young, because the evil days are coming. 65 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:26,480 And if you pay very close to Him now, pay very close attention to 66 00:04:26,480 --> 00:04:28,480 Him now. You will act wisely. 67 00:04:28,600 --> 00:04:31,720 You'll fulfill your commitment so that when the evil days come, 68 00:04:31,840 --> 00:04:36,680 you'll be able to stand. The believers had this great 69 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:44,000 celebration of the Christ on a continual basis, not just at 70 00:04:44,000 --> 00:04:47,160 Thanksgiving and at Christmas. We have this continual 71 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:51,800 celebration because of this contemplation upon the Christ, 72 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:56,480 this consideration of the Christ, and this commemoration 73 00:04:57,040 --> 00:05:01,360 about the Christ. That's why our celebration is so 74 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:05,760 unique. And so when we pay very close 75 00:05:05,760 --> 00:05:10,440 attention to remembering Christ, what are we remembering? 76 00:05:11,480 --> 00:05:15,600 Well, one, you remember his works, listen what the Bible 77 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:18,960 says. First Corinthians 11/24. 78 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:26,600 Christ said, do this in remembrance of me speaking about 79 00:05:26,600 --> 00:05:30,000 the Lord's table. When you when you partake of the 80 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:32,200 Lord's table, you do this in remembrance of me. 81 00:05:32,320 --> 00:05:37,240 You are reminded of the fact that my work on Calvary's cross 82 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:43,840 is that what saves you? Over in Psalm 7711 it says I 83 00:05:43,840 --> 00:05:48,200 will remember the works of the Lord. 84 00:05:49,640 --> 00:05:51,320 Psalm one O 3. Excuse me. 85 00:05:51,320 --> 00:05:57,400 Psalm one O 5 verse #5 Remember his marvelous works. 86 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:03,960 Psalm 139, verses 13 to 14 talk about the fact that we were 87 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:09,600 created and wonderfully made, and we need to remember that we 88 00:06:09,600 --> 00:06:16,360 were made specifically by God. So we are to remember the works 89 00:06:16,360 --> 00:06:19,520 of God, but we're also to remember the ways of God. 90 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:24,880 Deuteronomy 8 verse #1 says remember that the Lord your God 91 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:31,360 LED you all this way. Important for Israel to remember 92 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:35,880 what God had done, that God had brought them to where they were. 93 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:39,040 They were on the edge of the promised land, and they were 94 00:06:39,040 --> 00:06:42,160 there because God had LED them all the way. 95 00:06:42,360 --> 00:06:45,080 That's what God had done. That's why the psalmist says in 96 00:06:45,080 --> 00:06:48,480 Psalm 1830, As for God, thy way is perfect. 97 00:06:49,280 --> 00:06:53,800 God doesn't have imperfect ways. He's only got perfect ways and 98 00:06:53,800 --> 00:06:57,680 so we are to pay very close attention to the ways of God. 99 00:06:57,840 --> 00:07:01,440 So that allows us to act decisively and fulfill our 100 00:07:01,440 --> 00:07:08,200 commitment to him when we look at his ways and his works. 101 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:15,000 The reason we don't remember the ways of God is because we are 102 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:19,960 all about our ways and the Bible says there is a way would seem 103 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:22,680 with the right into the way. There is a way that steameth 104 00:07:22,680 --> 00:07:26,520 right unto a man, but the ends thereof are the ways of death, 105 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:29,720 not life. We forget that. 106 00:07:30,960 --> 00:07:33,600 So not only do we remember the works of God and the ways of 107 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:36,640 God, it's imperative that we remember the word of God. 108 00:07:37,720 --> 00:07:46,320 Psalm 11952 I will remember thine ordinances from old and 109 00:07:46,760 --> 00:07:51,480 comfort myself. Psalmist knew that his comfort 110 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:55,720 would come because he paid very close attention to the 111 00:07:55,720 --> 00:08:00,080 ordinances of God and then would act wisely and fulfill his 112 00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:04,280 commitment to God, and then he received the comfort of God. 113 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:08,760 Comfort doesn't come to those who disobey the word of God, it 114 00:08:08,760 --> 00:08:10,360 comes to those who obey the word of God. 115 00:08:11,160 --> 00:08:17,160 That's why Christ in John 1520, remember the word that I said 116 00:08:18,080 --> 00:08:21,920 unto you. And the Bible says in Acts 2035, 117 00:08:22,160 --> 00:08:25,480 remember the words of our Lord Jesus when he said it's more 118 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:27,080 blessed to give than it is to receive. 119 00:08:28,280 --> 00:08:33,000 And then of course Psalm 1/19/16, the psalmist says I 120 00:08:33,000 --> 00:08:43,799 will not forget your words. So that commemoration that 121 00:08:43,799 --> 00:08:48,800 enables us to celebrate the Christ is all about remembering 122 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:56,480 the works of God, the ways of God, the Word of God, and even 123 00:08:56,480 --> 00:09:01,840 the wonders of God. Listen to what the Bible says, 124 00:09:02,560 --> 00:09:08,320 Psalm 7711. Surely I will remember your 125 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:14,120 wonders of old. There's one thing to remember 126 00:09:14,120 --> 00:09:17,200 the works of God. There's another to remember the 127 00:09:17,200 --> 00:09:20,680 wonders of God. What's the difference? 128 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:25,160 Listen to what the Bible says. Psalm one O 5 verse #5 Remember 129 00:09:25,160 --> 00:09:28,320 his wonder. Psalm 111 verse #4 He has made 130 00:09:28,320 --> 00:09:33,560 his wonders to be remembered. Psalm 98 verse #1 O sing to the 131 00:09:33,560 --> 00:09:40,800 Lord a new song, for he has done wonderful things. 132 00:09:41,960 --> 00:09:45,880 The difference is, is that in Isaiah 96, it says His name 133 00:09:45,880 --> 00:09:50,360 shall be called wonderful. So when you remember the wonders 134 00:09:50,360 --> 00:09:54,840 of God, you're remembering the God behind all the works that he 135 00:09:54,840 --> 00:09:57,360 performs. And the Bible tells us that we 136 00:09:57,360 --> 00:10:00,920 do remember those things. And as believers, that's what we 137 00:10:00,920 --> 00:10:03,640 do Why? Because the Bible says that the 138 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:07,240 people that I have formed for myself, they will declare my 139 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:09,040 praise. Isaiah 4321. 140 00:10:09,040 --> 00:10:14,640 That's our theme verse for our topic, The pathway to praise God 141 00:10:14,640 --> 00:10:17,480 made it very clear that those people that I formed for me, 142 00:10:18,320 --> 00:10:22,240 they will declare my praise. Well, if that's the case, the 143 00:10:22,240 --> 00:10:27,160 reason we do that is because we remember our God, we remember 144 00:10:27,160 --> 00:10:32,600 Jesus Christ, we remember our creator and we give glory to his 145 00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:35,680 name. Our our lives are consumed with 146 00:10:35,680 --> 00:10:38,200 that. And so we have looked at at the 147 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:40,440 privilege of praise. We've looked at the prophet of 148 00:10:40,440 --> 00:10:42,440 praise. We've looked at the people of 149 00:10:42,440 --> 00:10:45,120 praise last week. It was a prerequisite of praise 150 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:49,760 this week. It's about the priority of 151 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:55,080 praise. Praise is the priority of the 152 00:10:55,080 --> 00:10:58,400 believer. It's something that's always, 153 00:10:58,400 --> 00:11:02,840 ever present in his life. It's something that rings 154 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:07,480 supreme or reigns supreme in his life because he wants to give 155 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:10,720 praise to his God. He's been created to give praise 156 00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:14,000 to God. And so let me give you 6 157 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:18,880 principles that will help you understand why praise is our 158 00:11:19,080 --> 00:11:21,840 priority. It will help you as you journey 159 00:11:21,840 --> 00:11:25,880 along the pathway to praise. Principle number one is this. 160 00:11:25,880 --> 00:11:33,840 Praise is that which escorts us into God's presence. 161 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:42,200 Praise is that which escorts us into God's presence. 162 00:11:42,840 --> 00:11:46,080 Listen to the Psalmist Psalm 100. 163 00:11:46,840 --> 00:11:49,120 Shout joyfully to the Lord all the earth. 164 00:11:49,280 --> 00:11:52,640 Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before him with joyful 165 00:11:52,640 --> 00:11:55,040 singing. Know that the Lord Himself is 166 00:11:55,040 --> 00:11:57,960 God. It is He who has made us and not 167 00:11:57,960 --> 00:12:01,920 we ourselves. We are His people and the sheep 168 00:12:01,920 --> 00:12:06,760 of His pasture. Enter His gates with 169 00:12:06,760 --> 00:12:11,760 Thanksgiving and His courts with praise. 170 00:12:12,440 --> 00:12:18,040 Give thanks to Him, bless his name. 171 00:12:19,280 --> 00:12:24,400 Enter his courts with Thanksgiving and enter his gates 172 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:28,360 with praise. The psalmist is speaking about 173 00:12:28,720 --> 00:12:32,640 the the temple where the presence of God, the glory of 174 00:12:32,640 --> 00:12:36,520 the Lord would would reside. That's that's where the Lord 175 00:12:36,520 --> 00:12:41,440 would dwell among his people. This song was made very clear 176 00:12:41,440 --> 00:12:44,720 that when you enter into the presence of God, you enter in 177 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:47,840 with shouts of praise and Thanksgiving to God. 178 00:12:47,960 --> 00:12:49,840 You enter His courts with praise. 179 00:12:50,120 --> 00:12:52,520 You enter His gates with Thanksgiving. 180 00:12:52,760 --> 00:12:55,680 Why? Because it escorts you into the 181 00:12:55,680 --> 00:12:58,880 presence of God. Now we know that God is 182 00:12:58,880 --> 00:13:02,480 omnipresent, right? We know that God is everywhere 183 00:13:03,120 --> 00:13:08,200 at the same time, and there's no place that God is not there. 184 00:13:08,480 --> 00:13:11,240 He's everywhere. He's omnipresent. 185 00:13:12,120 --> 00:13:16,040 It's, it's incomprehensible for us to understand that we can't 186 00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:17,960 get that. But he's everywhere. 187 00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:22,520 But we don't have a temple we go to, we don't enter into courts 188 00:13:22,520 --> 00:13:25,960 and gates with praise because our body is a temple of the Holy 189 00:13:25,960 --> 00:13:29,080 Spirit. God dwells within us, right? 190 00:13:30,440 --> 00:13:34,240 So the very fact that praise is that which escorts us into the 191 00:13:34,240 --> 00:13:37,080 presence of God. In other words, praise is that 192 00:13:37,080 --> 00:13:42,960 which allows us to enter into communion with him in such a way 193 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:45,040 that it brings glory to His name. 194 00:13:46,280 --> 00:13:51,800 You know, how many times do we feel far away from God or we 195 00:13:51,800 --> 00:13:55,680 think that God's nowhere around Israel was always that way? 196 00:13:56,280 --> 00:13:57,840 They were always wondering, where is God? 197 00:13:58,720 --> 00:13:59,880 How come He's not here to help me? 198 00:13:59,880 --> 00:14:01,920 What happened? Is he not listening? 199 00:14:01,920 --> 00:14:04,040 Does He not care? Of course He does. 200 00:14:04,880 --> 00:14:06,360 He's everywhere. He thought I'm in the present. 201 00:14:07,080 --> 00:14:11,640 He's present with you now. But the reason you don't sense 202 00:14:11,640 --> 00:14:16,080 God's presence among you is because you refuse to enter that 203 00:14:16,320 --> 00:14:21,720 presence with praise. When you begin to praise Him and 204 00:14:21,720 --> 00:14:25,840 thank Him and glorify His name, all of a sudden you begin to 205 00:14:25,840 --> 00:14:27,760 realize that God is ever present with you. 206 00:14:28,680 --> 00:14:31,680 He's always there. He never left. 207 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:35,440 It's, it's when you feel far away from God. 208 00:14:35,440 --> 00:14:39,320 It's you who moved, not God. You're trying to move away from 209 00:14:39,320 --> 00:14:42,600 him, but in all reality, he is ever present with you. 210 00:14:43,520 --> 00:14:48,000 Listen to Psalm 95. Psalm 95 says, Oh, come, let us 211 00:14:48,000 --> 00:14:51,680 sing for joy to the Lord. Let us shout joyfully to the 212 00:14:51,680 --> 00:14:55,720 rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence 213 00:14:55,720 --> 00:15:00,360 with Thanksgiving. I'm going to shout joyfully to 214 00:15:00,360 --> 00:15:06,320 Him with salts. It's always about entering the 215 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:12,240 presence of God with a certain attitude, a certain frame of 216 00:15:12,240 --> 00:15:17,400 mind, and that is the mind that is willing and ready to praise 217 00:15:17,400 --> 00:15:21,440 the true and living God. Because praise is that which 218 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:26,680 escorts us into the presence of the living God. 219 00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:32,480 And once it that that praise escorts us into the presence of 220 00:15:32,480 --> 00:15:40,040 God #2 praise is that which is, is that which encompasses us in 221 00:15:40,560 --> 00:15:44,960 the protection of God. It encompasses us with the 222 00:15:44,960 --> 00:15:50,280 protection of God. For only in his presence are we 223 00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:53,600 protected. And so the Bible says, and 224 00:15:54,200 --> 00:16:00,240 excuse me, Psalm 18, David says these words verse #1 I love you, 225 00:16:00,240 --> 00:16:03,720 O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock and my 226 00:16:03,720 --> 00:16:08,680 fortress and my deliverer, my rock, my God, in whom I take 227 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:13,280 refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 228 00:16:13,880 --> 00:16:18,520 I call upon the Lord who is worthy to be praised, and I am 229 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:25,480 saved from my enemies. David knew that his salvation 230 00:16:25,480 --> 00:16:32,360 came because of God, the divine protection of God, and that's 231 00:16:32,360 --> 00:16:34,000 why he would call upon the name of the Lord. 232 00:16:34,120 --> 00:16:37,360 That's why he recognized that the Lord was worthy of praise, 233 00:16:38,320 --> 00:16:43,080 because God was his refuge, his rock, his fortress, his 234 00:16:43,080 --> 00:16:47,640 deliverer, his Savior, his bulwark, his shield. 235 00:16:47,800 --> 00:16:52,400 God was everything to him, and David recognized that in those 236 00:16:52,720 --> 00:16:57,520 years in which he journeyed away from Saul because Saul pursued 237 00:16:57,520 --> 00:17:00,680 him relentlessly, that God was his protector. 238 00:17:00,760 --> 00:17:05,560 In fact, if you go on and Psalm 18, it says these words later in 239 00:17:05,560 --> 00:17:09,040 verse #30 excuse me, ask for God. 240 00:17:09,319 --> 00:17:12,800 His way is blameless. The word of the Lord has tried. 241 00:17:13,400 --> 00:17:15,560 He's a shield to all who take refuge in him. 242 00:17:16,359 --> 00:17:21,760 For who is God but the Lord, and who is a rock except our God? 243 00:17:22,599 --> 00:17:26,400 The guy who girds me with strength and makes my way 244 00:17:26,400 --> 00:17:30,160 blameless. He makes my feet like Hinds feet 245 00:17:30,840 --> 00:17:36,120 and sets me upon my high places. He trains my hands for battle so 246 00:17:36,120 --> 00:17:38,600 my arms can bend a bow of bronze. 247 00:17:39,480 --> 00:17:43,400 You have also given me the shield of your salvation, and 248 00:17:43,400 --> 00:17:47,160 your right hand upholds me, and your gentleness makes me great. 249 00:17:47,920 --> 00:17:51,960 You enlarge my steps under me and my feet have not slipped. 250 00:17:53,280 --> 00:17:58,360 David writing this after the years in which he fled from Saul 251 00:17:58,360 --> 00:18:00,920 and now he's king over Judah and king over Israel. 252 00:18:02,320 --> 00:18:05,400 He is, he is looking back and realizing that that God gave him 253 00:18:05,400 --> 00:18:08,400 the strength to bend the bow, that God gave him the strength 254 00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:11,400 to wield the sword, that God was the one who protected him and 255 00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:13,640 watched over him. So that at the end he says this 256 00:18:13,640 --> 00:18:17,040 in verse 46. The Lord lives, and blessed be 257 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:21,600 my rock, and exalted be the God of my salvation, The God who 258 00:18:21,600 --> 00:18:25,720 executes vengeance for me and seduce my seduce peoples under 259 00:18:25,720 --> 00:18:28,560 me. He delivers me from my enemies. 260 00:18:29,080 --> 00:18:33,320 Surely you lift me above those who rise up against me. 261 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:37,280 You rescue me from the violent man. 262 00:18:38,200 --> 00:18:43,400 Therefore excuse me. I will give thanks to you among 263 00:18:43,400 --> 00:18:48,120 the nations, O Lord, and I will sing praises to your name. 264 00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:54,120 I will give thanks to you. I will, I will sing praises to 265 00:18:54,120 --> 00:18:58,520 your name, oh God. Because you see, praise is that 266 00:18:58,520 --> 00:19:03,800 which encompasses us with the protection of the God of Israel. 267 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:09,600 God is our protector, God's our provider, He's our shield. 268 00:19:10,480 --> 00:19:15,200 And so enter his presence with Thanksgiving and praise, and 269 00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:20,360 there there is nothing but protection from God. 270 00:19:21,280 --> 00:19:25,560 So we recognize that praise is a priority because it escorts me 271 00:19:25,560 --> 00:19:30,760 into the divine presence and it encompasses me with divine 272 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:34,320 protection. And then thirdly, this is where 273 00:19:34,320 --> 00:19:37,680 it gets really, really good, as if it's not good already. 274 00:19:37,960 --> 00:19:39,440 This is where it gets really, really good. 275 00:19:40,120 --> 00:19:44,560 Praise elevates me to the divine perspective. 276 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:50,840 Praise elevates me to the divine perspective, praises that which 277 00:19:50,840 --> 00:19:54,400 enables me to see what God is doing. 278 00:19:55,520 --> 00:19:59,960 It gives me a a, a clear perspective on the sovereignty 279 00:19:59,960 --> 00:20:03,520 and Providence of God being worked out in my life. 280 00:20:04,120 --> 00:20:06,680 Every one of us asked the question, God, what are you 281 00:20:06,680 --> 00:20:09,080 doing? Why has this happened this way 282 00:20:09,200 --> 00:20:12,600 and not that way? Why am I in this situation and 283 00:20:12,600 --> 00:20:15,000 not that situation? We always ask God those 284 00:20:15,000 --> 00:20:18,600 questions. And yet God is forever faithful, 285 00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:24,360 but when you praise Him, He, it elevates you to the divine 286 00:20:24,360 --> 00:20:27,800 perspective. Turn to the book of Habakkuk. 287 00:20:29,160 --> 00:20:34,320 The book of Habakkuk. He was a prophet in Israel. 288 00:20:35,440 --> 00:20:40,880 He was a contemporary of Jeremiah and he has some 289 00:20:40,880 --> 00:20:45,720 questions, a question that probably you and I would ask if 290 00:20:45,720 --> 00:20:49,560 we were living at that time. And the question simply was, 291 00:20:49,680 --> 00:20:56,960 Lord, why are you using the wicked Chaldeans to bring your 292 00:20:56,960 --> 00:21:02,240 people into captivity? Why would you use the wicked to 293 00:21:02,240 --> 00:21:05,880 come against your people, your chosen people, Israel? 294 00:21:06,160 --> 00:21:10,920 Why Lord? So in in chapter 1 of Habakkuk 295 00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:19,840 he he simply worries and he wonders what's going to happen 296 00:21:19,840 --> 00:21:26,360 to God's people. In chapter 2 he will wait and he 297 00:21:26,360 --> 00:21:33,800 will watch as God speaks. And then in chapter 3, he simply 298 00:21:34,080 --> 00:21:38,720 worships and witnesses for his God. 299 00:21:40,320 --> 00:21:44,000 What would change in the life of Habakkuk? 300 00:21:45,560 --> 00:21:51,760 The circumstances never changed. The circumstances would remain 301 00:21:51,760 --> 00:21:55,560 the same. God was still going to use the 302 00:21:55,560 --> 00:22:00,000 wicked Chaldeans, lead Israel into 70 years of Babylonian 303 00:22:00,000 --> 00:22:04,120 captivity. So what changed? 304 00:22:05,400 --> 00:22:12,120 Not the circumstances, but Habakkuk's perspective on the 305 00:22:12,120 --> 00:22:17,800 circumstances. When that changed, everything 306 00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:22,720 was all right. So he says this at the end of 307 00:22:22,720 --> 00:22:29,120 Habakkuk chapter 3, verse 16. I heard in my inward parts 308 00:22:30,440 --> 00:22:35,480 trembled earlier he says in chapter 3 verse #2 I have heard 309 00:22:35,840 --> 00:22:44,240 and report about you, and I fear God spoken in the back of 310 00:22:44,240 --> 00:22:49,680 tremble at the sound my lips quivered decay into my bones, 311 00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:56,840 and in my place I tremble because I must quietly or wait 312 00:22:56,840 --> 00:23:03,480 quietly for the day of distress. I've couldn't realize that I 313 00:23:03,480 --> 00:23:05,520 can't change what's going to happen. 314 00:23:06,000 --> 00:23:08,560 I've come to realize that the date of stress is going to come 315 00:23:08,560 --> 00:23:12,200 upon God's people. I've come to realize that that 316 00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:20,840 the wicked Chaldeans will move against us and take God's people 317 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:26,720 into captivity. So because I must wait quietly 318 00:23:26,720 --> 00:23:32,000 for the date of stress for the people to arise who will invade 319 00:23:32,000 --> 00:23:34,880 us. Though the fig tree should not 320 00:23:34,880 --> 00:23:40,920 blossom and there be no fruit on the vines, though the yield of 321 00:23:40,920 --> 00:23:46,160 the olive should fail and the fields produce no fruit, though 322 00:23:46,160 --> 00:23:51,000 the flock should be cut off from the fold and there be no cattle 323 00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:57,000 in the stalls, yet I will exult in the Lord. 324 00:23:57,720 --> 00:24:03,920 I will rejoice in the God of my salvation, for the Lord God is 325 00:24:03,920 --> 00:24:09,720 my strength and He has made my feet like Heinz feet, sure, 326 00:24:10,040 --> 00:24:17,880 steadfast, swift like a deer, and makes me walk on my high 327 00:24:18,640 --> 00:24:22,320 places back. His whole perspective changed. 328 00:24:23,840 --> 00:24:32,240 God has spoken, so he in effect remembered the word of the Lord. 329 00:24:34,080 --> 00:24:40,440 And he would, he would, he would act decisively because he paid 330 00:24:40,440 --> 00:24:44,360 very close attention to what God has said. 331 00:24:45,600 --> 00:24:50,000 And he realized that in praise it would elevate him to a divine 332 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:53,040 perspective. He would be able to see things 333 00:24:53,040 --> 00:24:57,120 from God's point of view, and everyone of us needs to have 334 00:24:57,120 --> 00:25:02,080 that kind of perspective. We we think so logically that we 335 00:25:02,080 --> 00:25:07,120 can't think theologically. But biblicists think 336 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:11,640 theologically because they think theocentrically. 337 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:17,640 They think God's mind, God's thoughts, and the only way to do 338 00:25:17,640 --> 00:25:23,720 that is to be invaded by the Word of God, to be immersed in 339 00:25:23,720 --> 00:25:28,120 the Word of God, to know what God has planned and what God has 340 00:25:28,120 --> 00:25:30,720 said, to know the the works of God and the ways of God, the 341 00:25:30,720 --> 00:25:33,920 wonders of God, to know those things about God and and to 342 00:25:33,920 --> 00:25:39,160 realize that God is at work and God has a plan in the back of 343 00:25:39,160 --> 00:25:42,040 the prophet of God had to had to learn to wait upon the Lord and 344 00:25:42,040 --> 00:25:43,960 say, Lord, what are you doing? I don't get it. 345 00:25:44,040 --> 00:25:47,560 These are your people. And God would speak to him and 346 00:25:47,560 --> 00:25:49,200 God would show him what he was doing. 347 00:25:49,880 --> 00:25:52,760 And all of a sudden he, he would begin to lift his voice and 348 00:25:52,760 --> 00:25:55,200 praise to God. Why? 349 00:25:56,160 --> 00:25:59,080 Because he would see things from God's perspective. 350 00:25:59,960 --> 00:26:05,120 Listen, everything about life has to be seen from God's 351 00:26:05,600 --> 00:26:08,880 perspective. When you look at it through your 352 00:26:08,880 --> 00:26:12,240 lenses, from the human perspective, things look really, 353 00:26:12,240 --> 00:26:14,920 really bad. They look very, very good. 354 00:26:16,360 --> 00:26:18,520 Your health might not look very good to you. 355 00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:20,440 The doctor might say you're going to die next week. 356 00:26:20,440 --> 00:26:22,720 I don't know. From the human perspective, it 357 00:26:22,720 --> 00:26:26,040 doesn't look very good. But what's God's perspective? 358 00:26:26,800 --> 00:26:29,840 What's God's plan? What is God doing? 359 00:26:30,640 --> 00:26:32,920 And all of a sudden, even though you don't know what's happening, 360 00:26:32,920 --> 00:26:34,600 you begin to lift your voice and praise. 361 00:26:34,720 --> 00:26:38,040 You've entered his courts with Thanksgiving and praise, so 362 00:26:38,040 --> 00:26:42,720 you've entered into the divine presence of God, because praise 363 00:26:42,720 --> 00:26:47,920 escorts you into that presence. And then you realize that you 364 00:26:47,920 --> 00:26:52,520 are protected by that God whose presence you dwell within. 365 00:26:53,680 --> 00:26:56,320 And then all of a sudden you begin to see things from God's 366 00:26:56,320 --> 00:27:01,360 perspective because you begin to praise him all the more. 367 00:27:02,040 --> 00:27:04,200 That's why the Bible says, the people that I have formed for 368 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:06,400 myself, they will declare my praise. 369 00:27:06,600 --> 00:27:09,400 Not that they might declare my praise or I hope they declare my 370 00:27:09,400 --> 00:27:12,080 praise. No, they will declare my praise. 371 00:27:12,360 --> 00:27:16,200 They're going to do this. And when you do, all of a sudden 372 00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:23,760 you are elevated to a whole new view, a whole new view because 373 00:27:23,760 --> 00:27:29,360 you see things from heaven's perspective that is just so 374 00:27:29,360 --> 00:27:32,040 important. God was at work. 375 00:27:33,160 --> 00:27:35,640 God was going to do something for Israel that the only way he 376 00:27:35,640 --> 00:27:39,400 could accomplish His feet was to get them into captivity for 70 377 00:27:39,400 --> 00:27:41,000 years. Yes, they were paying for the 378 00:27:41,000 --> 00:27:44,080 consequences of the sin, but God was doing the work in their 379 00:27:44,080 --> 00:27:47,560 lives to move them to, to anticipate the arrival of their 380 00:27:47,560 --> 00:27:52,760 Messiah. God had a plan for a whole 381 00:27:52,760 --> 00:27:57,120 nation, just like He has the plans for you individually. 382 00:27:57,840 --> 00:28:00,600 And God is working. And the next time you find 383 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:04,280 yourself with man, what is happening, just lift your voice 384 00:28:04,280 --> 00:28:11,160 and praise to the Lord and shout joyfully into His name, and all 385 00:28:11,160 --> 00:28:17,320 of a sudden you'll begin to see things very clearly from the 386 00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:22,880 divine perspective. Praise escorts us into the 387 00:28:22,880 --> 00:28:27,680 divine presence. Praise encompasses us with 388 00:28:27,680 --> 00:28:31,440 divine protection. And praise is that which 389 00:28:31,440 --> 00:28:41,320 elevates us to the divine perspective #4 praise is that 390 00:28:41,880 --> 00:28:46,440 which enables us through divine power. 391 00:28:48,240 --> 00:28:53,600 Praise is that which enables us through divine power. 392 00:28:54,760 --> 00:28:58,560 You know the Bible says that God has not given us a spirit of 393 00:28:58,560 --> 00:29:04,800 timidity, but a spirit of power, the presence of God's Spirit. 394 00:29:06,320 --> 00:29:11,360 In Acts chapter 1, the Lord said to his disciples, You shall 395 00:29:11,360 --> 00:29:18,040 receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you 396 00:29:18,040 --> 00:29:24,640 will be my witnesses. We forget that divine power 397 00:29:25,040 --> 00:29:32,240 resides within us and that God wants to enable us to perform 398 00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:39,200 under His power, and it's His strength that allows us to do 399 00:29:39,200 --> 00:29:41,520 the things He's commanded us to do. 400 00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:48,040 There are so many things that we think we can't accomplish, but 401 00:29:48,040 --> 00:29:52,640 God says you can because they've already equipped you with my 402 00:29:52,640 --> 00:29:56,120 spirit, and my spirit resides within you. 403 00:29:57,360 --> 00:30:03,320 The problem is we don't lift our voices in praise to God so that 404 00:30:03,880 --> 00:30:07,440 I'm able to understand the divine power within. 405 00:30:08,280 --> 00:30:10,760 Go back with me, if you would, to the book of Second Chronicles 406 00:30:10,760 --> 00:30:14,080 chapter 20. I've used this illustration 407 00:30:14,080 --> 00:30:17,480 before, but I think it's very pertinent to the point where 408 00:30:17,480 --> 00:30:21,280 King Jehoshaphat was very much afraid of the Moabites and 409 00:30:21,280 --> 00:30:23,600 Ammonites and Edomites that were coming upon the nation of 410 00:30:23,600 --> 00:30:26,640 Israel. The armies were innumerable to 411 00:30:26,640 --> 00:30:31,240 count, and rightly so. Jehoshaphat began to fear. 412 00:30:32,320 --> 00:30:35,440 So the Bible says in verse #2A great multitude is coming 413 00:30:35,440 --> 00:30:39,720 against you from beyond the sea, out of a ram, and behold 414 00:30:39,880 --> 00:30:40,880 therein. And Getty. 415 00:30:41,480 --> 00:30:45,280 Jehoshaphat was afraid and turned his attention to seek the 416 00:30:45,280 --> 00:30:49,200 Lord and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. 417 00:30:50,160 --> 00:30:52,880 So Judah gathered together to seek help from the Lord. 418 00:30:53,400 --> 00:30:58,120 They even came from all the cities of Judah to seek the 419 00:30:58,120 --> 00:31:02,000 Lord. Here was Jehoshaphat, the king 420 00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:08,840 of Israel, who realized his inability to handle this great 421 00:31:09,200 --> 00:31:12,080 army. He couldn't do it. 422 00:31:13,440 --> 00:31:19,400 His people were outnumbered. The skill of the enemy army was 423 00:31:19,680 --> 00:31:25,160 beyond Israel's skill, and he realized his inability to do 424 00:31:25,160 --> 00:31:29,240 anything. But soon because of the prophet, 425 00:31:29,920 --> 00:31:33,880 he recognized God's sovereignty. And it says, listen, all Judah 426 00:31:34,400 --> 00:31:38,720 verse 15 and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat 427 00:31:39,120 --> 00:31:43,600 thus says the Lord to you, do not fear or be dismayed because 428 00:31:43,600 --> 00:31:46,760 of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours. 429 00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:51,200 But gods, that's just such a great verse. 430 00:31:52,240 --> 00:31:55,520 Do not fear the multitude. Don't fear the fact that you are 431 00:31:55,520 --> 00:32:00,680 so outnumbered you have no chance because the battle is the 432 00:32:00,680 --> 00:32:03,120 Lord's. That's just so good. 433 00:32:04,360 --> 00:32:07,560 See, we're so busy fighting our own battles that we forget that 434 00:32:07,560 --> 00:32:09,400 the battle is the Lord's. So when do we lose? 435 00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:14,440 The battle is the Lord's. He goes on to say in verse #17 436 00:32:14,480 --> 00:32:16,560 You need not fight in this battle. 437 00:32:17,560 --> 00:32:24,440 Station yourself. Set yourself, watch, wait, 438 00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:28,120 stand, and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf of Judah 439 00:32:28,280 --> 00:32:31,040 and Jerusalem. Do not fear or be dismayed. 440 00:32:31,320 --> 00:32:38,480 Tomorrow go out to face them, for the Lord is with you or it's 441 00:32:38,480 --> 00:32:40,880 with you. You can face this army. 442 00:32:42,080 --> 00:32:46,080 And so it says in verse #19 The Levites from the sons of the 443 00:32:46,080 --> 00:32:50,360 Coathites and the sons of the Korah heights stood up to praise 444 00:32:50,360 --> 00:32:54,160 the Lord God of Israel with a very loud voice. 445 00:32:55,400 --> 00:32:57,600 They rose early in the morning, and they went out to the 446 00:32:57,600 --> 00:32:59,840 wilderness of Toccoa. And when they went out, 447 00:32:59,840 --> 00:33:02,120 Jehoshaphat stood and said, Listen to me, O Judah and 448 00:33:02,560 --> 00:33:05,680 inhabitants of Jerusalem, put your trust in the Lord your God, 449 00:33:06,320 --> 00:33:10,160 and you will be established. Put your trust in His prophets 450 00:33:10,320 --> 00:33:13,840 and succeed. When he had consulted with the 451 00:33:13,840 --> 00:33:17,720 people, he appointed those who sang to the Lord, and those who 452 00:33:17,720 --> 00:33:23,680 praised Him in holy attire as he went out before the army and 453 00:33:23,680 --> 00:33:30,240 said, Give thanks to the Lord for His loving kindness is 454 00:33:30,240 --> 00:33:34,760 everlasting. He responded obediently because 455 00:33:34,760 --> 00:33:38,000 of God's sovereignty amidst his inability. 456 00:33:39,360 --> 00:33:41,640 And what did they do? They begin to sing praises to 457 00:33:41,640 --> 00:33:47,960 God at the very end, it says in verse #26 Then on the 4th day 458 00:33:48,080 --> 00:33:51,760 they assembled in the valley of Barakah, for there they blessed 459 00:33:51,760 --> 00:33:55,200 the Lord, and therefore they have named that place the valley 460 00:33:55,200 --> 00:33:58,440 of Barakah, until today. And every man of Judah and 461 00:33:58,440 --> 00:34:01,400 Jerusalem returned, which which Ahasa had at their head, 462 00:34:01,680 --> 00:34:05,360 returning to Jerusalem with joy, for the Lord had made them to 463 00:34:05,360 --> 00:34:14,639 rejoice over their enemies. The story is so incredible to 464 00:34:14,639 --> 00:34:18,480 realize that that all they did was begin to sing to the Lord, 465 00:34:18,679 --> 00:34:20,719 and the enemies annihilated themselves. 466 00:34:22,600 --> 00:34:24,679 You just need to remember that next time you get in the fight, 467 00:34:25,560 --> 00:34:29,040 just start singing to the Lord, Give Him praise to His glorious 468 00:34:29,040 --> 00:34:32,360 name. They knew that God would be with 469 00:34:32,360 --> 00:34:35,000 them. They knew that God would fight 470 00:34:35,000 --> 00:34:37,600 for them. The prophet told him. 471 00:34:38,960 --> 00:34:44,199 So they waited, but they gave praise to God, because praise is 472 00:34:44,199 --> 00:34:48,360 that which enables us through divine power. 473 00:34:49,239 --> 00:34:54,800 When we begin to praise God, the power of God is unleashed in our 474 00:34:54,800 --> 00:34:57,840 lives. Instead of grumbling and 475 00:34:57,840 --> 00:35:01,480 complaining about what's happening in my life, I begin to 476 00:35:01,480 --> 00:35:04,880 praise God for what He's doing because He's going to do things 477 00:35:04,880 --> 00:35:07,240 beyond whatever I can ever imagine. 478 00:35:07,840 --> 00:35:11,000 Remember Paul and Silas when they were in prison Act 16? 479 00:35:11,920 --> 00:35:14,880 They had been beaten and they were in stocks and chains. 480 00:35:15,880 --> 00:35:20,280 What did they do? They began to sing, begin to 481 00:35:20,280 --> 00:35:23,720 pray and begin to sing. Did, did. 482 00:35:23,720 --> 00:35:26,440 Did Paul and Status know the chains were going to come off? 483 00:35:27,040 --> 00:35:31,160 Nope. Did they know the jail doors are 484 00:35:31,160 --> 00:35:33,280 going to be open? Nope. 485 00:35:34,560 --> 00:35:35,760 That's not why they were singing. 486 00:35:36,600 --> 00:35:39,720 They were singing because the people that I have formed for 487 00:35:39,720 --> 00:35:42,840 myself, they will declare my praise no matter what the 488 00:35:42,840 --> 00:35:45,440 circumstance. And so they did. 489 00:35:46,240 --> 00:35:49,280 And lo and behold, the chains fell off, the doors flew open. 490 00:35:50,120 --> 00:35:51,200 God was doing the work. Why? 491 00:35:51,360 --> 00:35:57,880 Because praise enables us through divine power. 492 00:35:59,680 --> 00:36:04,200 And so we're so busy worrying about things and complaining 493 00:36:04,200 --> 00:36:08,000 about things and griping about things that we forget that we 494 00:36:08,000 --> 00:36:12,480 are to praise Him in everything and for everything. 495 00:36:13,840 --> 00:36:19,400 And praise that which enables us to divine power #5 this is so 496 00:36:19,400 --> 00:36:22,440 good. Praise envelops us with divine 497 00:36:22,440 --> 00:36:28,800 peace. Praise envelops us with divine 498 00:36:30,120 --> 00:36:33,880 peace. You know this verse, Philippians 499 00:36:33,880 --> 00:36:41,120 4 verse #6 Be anxious for nothing, OK? 500 00:36:41,920 --> 00:36:46,440 Larry says stop worrying. But we worry, don't we? 501 00:36:47,520 --> 00:36:52,840 We get very anxious. We're, we're, we're very much 502 00:36:53,240 --> 00:36:58,200 anxiety driven. Our palms become sweaty, our 503 00:36:58,200 --> 00:37:02,520 brow becomes filled with beads of sweat, our pits become smelly 504 00:37:02,520 --> 00:37:04,680 because all we do is live anxious lives. 505 00:37:06,160 --> 00:37:07,800 And the Bible says be anxious for nothing. 506 00:37:08,800 --> 00:37:10,600 Matthew 6, Christ did the same thing. 507 00:37:11,000 --> 00:37:12,880 Don't worry about what you're going to wear tomorrow. 508 00:37:12,880 --> 00:37:15,440 Don't worry about about how long you're going to live. 509 00:37:15,440 --> 00:37:17,120 But what do we do? We worry about how long we're 510 00:37:17,120 --> 00:37:18,480 going to live. We worry that we're going to die 511 00:37:18,480 --> 00:37:19,600 tomorrow. We're worried about somebody 512 00:37:19,600 --> 00:37:20,960 going to get cancer in my family. 513 00:37:21,320 --> 00:37:22,720 Why? Why do you do that? 514 00:37:22,720 --> 00:37:27,320 All your days are numbered. You can't add to it or subtract 515 00:37:27,320 --> 00:37:29,480 from it. It's all numbered. 516 00:37:30,160 --> 00:37:31,760 But we'll be worried about how long we're going to live. 517 00:37:32,760 --> 00:37:34,240 We worry about what clothes we're going to wear. 518 00:37:35,480 --> 00:37:39,560 We worry about everything in life and and and Christ gives 519 00:37:39,560 --> 00:37:43,240 the command don't do this because to do it as a sin to do 520 00:37:43,240 --> 00:37:46,280 it as a sin. We don't see worry as a sin, but 521 00:37:46,280 --> 00:37:48,400 it is. We don't see anxiety as a sin, 522 00:37:48,720 --> 00:37:52,840 but it is be anxious for nothing. 523 00:37:53,840 --> 00:38:00,960 The Bible says why tells you, but in everything by prayer and 524 00:38:00,960 --> 00:38:07,200 suffocation with Thanksgiving. See, our problem is we spend 525 00:38:07,200 --> 00:38:11,040 more time in petition and not enough time and praise. 526 00:38:12,480 --> 00:38:15,520 Look at your prayer life. You're asking God for this. 527 00:38:15,960 --> 00:38:18,880 You're asking God for that because you want this and you 528 00:38:18,880 --> 00:38:21,560 want that. You keep asking and asking and 529 00:38:21,560 --> 00:38:25,160 asking and asking and asking, but not praising. 530 00:38:27,200 --> 00:38:31,400 Our prayers are filled with petition, but they should be 531 00:38:31,400 --> 00:38:35,080 filled with praise. So he says, be anxious for 532 00:38:35,080 --> 00:38:38,040 nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with 533 00:38:38,200 --> 00:38:41,200 Thanksgiving. Every petition is coupled with 534 00:38:41,200 --> 00:38:44,520 Thanksgiving. Every supplication is surrounded 535 00:38:44,520 --> 00:38:46,960 with Thanksgiving. Every time you ask God for 536 00:38:46,960 --> 00:38:49,280 something, you praise God for something. 537 00:38:50,480 --> 00:38:54,320 Just keep praising them. When you do that, when you do 538 00:38:54,320 --> 00:39:00,880 that, it says, and the peace of God, which surpasses all 539 00:39:00,880 --> 00:39:07,440 comprehension, will guard your heart and mind. 540 00:39:08,920 --> 00:39:16,040 Guard it from what? Anxiety, worry, doubt. 541 00:39:18,120 --> 00:39:20,040 Why is that? Our lives are filled with worry 542 00:39:20,040 --> 00:39:22,120 and doubt? Because when we pray, we don't 543 00:39:22,120 --> 00:39:29,200 pray with Thanksgiving, we don't pray with praise, we don't pray 544 00:39:29,760 --> 00:39:33,080 thanking God for what he's going to do and how he's going to do 545 00:39:33,080 --> 00:39:35,480 it. We're just so worried that he's 546 00:39:35,480 --> 00:39:37,920 going to even hear my prayer and answer my prayer. 547 00:39:38,080 --> 00:39:39,640 We're we're even anxious about that. 548 00:39:41,040 --> 00:39:45,480 And most be anxious for nothing. But in everything, not some 549 00:39:45,480 --> 00:39:48,400 things, but in everything by prayer and supplication with 550 00:39:48,880 --> 00:39:50,960 Thanksgiving. That's the key. 551 00:39:51,840 --> 00:39:53,640 Let your requests be made known unto God. 552 00:39:54,000 --> 00:39:59,320 When that happens, the peace of God, which surpasses all human 553 00:39:59,320 --> 00:40:01,400 comprehension. In other words, you can't 554 00:40:01,400 --> 00:40:03,520 understand this on the human level. 555 00:40:04,760 --> 00:40:07,280 It's beyond a human intelligence. 556 00:40:08,040 --> 00:40:14,360 It's divine peace and God wants to surround you with his peace 557 00:40:14,680 --> 00:40:17,080 in your heart. It will guard your heart. 558 00:40:17,080 --> 00:40:21,760 It will protect your heart from from from all kinds of sweat 559 00:40:22,600 --> 00:40:25,840 just does from being anxious, being worried. 560 00:40:27,760 --> 00:40:33,920 Because praise is simply that which enables us to divine power 561 00:40:34,440 --> 00:40:38,040 and envelops us with divine peace. 562 00:40:39,080 --> 00:40:44,880 I wonder if you live a life of peace and tranquility and 563 00:40:44,880 --> 00:40:48,200 serenity? Or is your life filled with 564 00:40:48,200 --> 00:40:52,320 worry and anxiousness about all kinds of things that just really 565 00:40:52,320 --> 00:40:57,360 don't matter in the long run? And so many times we forget that 566 00:40:57,360 --> 00:41:01,400 our prayers need to be more about praising God than 567 00:41:01,400 --> 00:41:07,520 petitioning God. When they are, then the peace of 568 00:41:07,520 --> 00:41:13,040 God, which goes beyond all kinds of human comprehension, is going 569 00:41:13,040 --> 00:41:19,480 to guard you, protect you, watch over you, allow you to sleep at 570 00:41:19,480 --> 00:41:25,000 night, allow you to go through life without sweaty palms. 571 00:41:26,080 --> 00:41:30,200 A lot of you go through life relaxing in the sovereignty of 572 00:41:30,200 --> 00:41:37,120 the living God. And lastly, praise is that which 573 00:41:37,120 --> 00:41:45,480 enriches us in divine pleasure. Praise is that which enriches us 574 00:41:45,480 --> 00:41:54,640 in divine pleasure. Psalm 69, verse #30 I will 575 00:41:54,640 --> 00:41:59,200 praise the name of God with song and magnify him with 576 00:41:59,200 --> 00:42:06,400 Thanksgiving, and it will please the Lord. 577 00:42:07,840 --> 00:42:11,120 Praise that which enriches us with divine pleasure. 578 00:42:12,160 --> 00:42:13,720 Don't you? Don't you want to please the 579 00:42:13,720 --> 00:42:19,280 Lord? Praise does that, Thanksgiving 580 00:42:19,280 --> 00:42:20,520 does it. That's why it's a priority. 581 00:42:22,040 --> 00:42:23,680 That's why it's highest on our list. 582 00:42:24,800 --> 00:42:26,360 Why? Because dandy, we just want to 583 00:42:26,480 --> 00:42:27,920 please the Lord. That's all. 584 00:42:27,920 --> 00:42:30,800 We want to honor the Lord, magnify His name. 585 00:42:32,720 --> 00:42:35,880 And so when we praise Him and magnify Him and give Him the 586 00:42:35,880 --> 00:42:40,240 thanks to His name, the Lord is pleased. 587 00:42:42,040 --> 00:42:44,800 Lord is pleased with that more than any other sacrifice that we 588 00:42:44,800 --> 00:42:49,400 make, because it's truly the sacrifice of praise that brings 589 00:42:49,400 --> 00:42:51,880 glory in to His name and pleases Him. 590 00:42:53,840 --> 00:42:57,160 And so This is why praise is such a divine priority for us is 591 00:42:57,160 --> 00:43:00,680 because our whole life is, is wrapped up and pleasing God, 592 00:43:01,080 --> 00:43:04,400 honoring God, That's what you want to do. 593 00:43:06,080 --> 00:43:10,920 So praise then is the priority of the believer as we journey 594 00:43:10,920 --> 00:43:15,600 down the pathway of praise. It is a long, long pathway. 595 00:43:17,080 --> 00:43:19,360 And as you journey down that pathway of praise, there are 596 00:43:19,360 --> 00:43:23,480 many crevices, there are many obstacles, there are many 597 00:43:23,480 --> 00:43:27,800 hindrances that will try to knock you off that pathway. 598 00:43:29,320 --> 00:43:34,840 But as long as praise remains your priority, then no matter 599 00:43:34,840 --> 00:43:38,440 what the obstacle, no matter what the hardship or difficulty, 600 00:43:39,320 --> 00:43:43,760 no matter how deep the crevice, how big the cracks, makes no 601 00:43:43,760 --> 00:43:49,280 difference, you will continue to journey giving praise to your 602 00:43:49,280 --> 00:43:50,560 God. Let's pray together. 603 00:43:51,600 --> 00:43:55,160 Lord, we thank you for today. We thank you for your word. 604 00:43:56,280 --> 00:44:00,400 Forgive us Lord for for not praising you as we should. 605 00:44:01,960 --> 00:44:06,800 Praise seems to be the lost art of the Christian today. 606 00:44:08,920 --> 00:44:12,080 We know a lot about God, but we don't praise you enough for who 607 00:44:12,080 --> 00:44:16,280 you are. We'd like to pray to you and ask 608 00:44:16,280 --> 00:44:20,440 for things, but don't want to praise you for your will being 609 00:44:20,440 --> 00:44:24,200 done. We want to go through life 610 00:44:25,480 --> 00:44:30,440 anxiously waiting about what's going to happen this week or 611 00:44:30,440 --> 00:44:34,600 tomorrow, in school, at work, with this person, with that 612 00:44:34,600 --> 00:44:40,000 person. And yet we just need to rest in 613 00:44:40,000 --> 00:44:47,240 God, trust in the Lord, knowing that you have everything under 614 00:44:47,240 --> 00:44:50,200 control. The battle is not ours. 615 00:44:51,200 --> 00:44:56,000 The battle is the Lord's. You are our protector. 616 00:44:56,800 --> 00:45:00,960 You are our provider. You are our peace. 617 00:45:02,320 --> 00:45:07,760 You are everything. Forgive us, Lord, for not seeing 618 00:45:07,760 --> 00:45:11,160 you as such. Pray, Lord, that You would take 619 00:45:11,160 --> 00:45:13,840 us, make us, and mold us into the people You want us to be.