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Getting real with God- the sequel
Sermon title: The transforming power of praise
Bible reading: Psalm 100:4
Opening song: 694
Closing song: 1
Praise and Thanksgiving
Praise and thanksgiving. If we do not understand that they are the similar, and also very different, we don't give them the right value and we will be missing out on what each one does for us.
What we normally do is say praise God when something good has happens to us, for example, praise God, He healed me! so what we are really saying is, thank God. So that, He healed me. What we are expressing is thanksgiving, and not praise.
Thanksgiving. I thank God for: what He does.
Praise: I praise God for: who He is
When I present my thanksgiving, I thank Him for what He does. And when I praise Him, I worship Him for who He is.
He is for “what He does”, and He does what He does because of “who He is”!
Thanksgiving should lead into praise.
Thanksgiving is a sense of gratitude for what has given me or done for me, and Praise is worship Him because He is a provider, but also, He is love, he is a friend, He is Creator, etc.
To praise Him only for what He has done, is trivializing him, is almost to perceive Him like a butler.
I’m married to Tammy for who she is and not for what she does.
“Praise is our highest exercise, we thank God for what He does for us, but we praise God for He is of Himself” F.B. Myer.
2. The importance of a Thankful heart
Thankfulness shifts our focus
It balances our outlook if the circumstances.
It highlights what we have and not what we are missing. (And that produces contentment)
A grateful heart carries you through challenges.
"Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus"
It helps us to “act as if”. When we thank God in poor circumstances we are not just expressing trust, but also helps to build our trust in Him.
3. Why is praise so powerful?
It honours God
Praise lifts us above our situation. It doesn’t necessarily change the situation, just like Paul and Silas in the prison.
Praise helps us to focus on the giver.
It reminds us how marvelous is the One Who’s presence we are in.
When we praise God, the Almighty in the midst under any circumstance, the acknowledgement of His greatness creates an unexplainable /hard to describe sense of peace.
“He is honoured by the expression of praise: P.K. 559
We need to understand the preciousness, the uniqueness, the transforming power of praise.
Personal reflection
When I see the ocean mixed with a beautiful sunset, this awakes in a deep sense of adoration, I want to tell Him how awesome He is! It is a connexion within me that it is hard to explain.
Some quotes
“With God there is nothing I can do to win His love; he already loves me”
“It is a small thing to lose the gift, if we have the Giver.”
Loui Giglio On the star Maker (How awesome is our God)
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