The Church at Asheville The Church at Asheville

For those who have not realized or understood the beauty and blessings of Jesus, they don’t get praise.  It doesn’t make sense to them.  For those that out right deny the Lord, to them praise is a joke – something that ‘naïve’ people do.

But for those of us that get it, that see that magnitude of the Lord’s blessings, power and love; that feel His Spirit flowing through our veins; and that know if they hold back the very rocks will sound forth.  For those of us, praise is unstoppable.  It flows out of us because God is who He is.  We want to bless Him because He blesses us.

“Sing to the Lord, all the earth; Proclaim good tidings of His salvation from day to day. Tell of His glory among the nations, His wonderful deeds among all the peoples. For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; He also is to be feared above all gods”. ( 1 Chron. 16:23-25)

God inhabits our praise

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

We are created for praise

Psalm 33:1-4 Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: [for] praise is comely for the upright.  Praise the LORD with harp: sing unto him with the psaltery [and] an instrument of ten strings.  Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.  For the word of the LORD [is] right; and all his works [are done] in truth.

Psalm 100:1-5 (A Psalm of praise.) Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.  Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing.  Know ye that the LORD he [is] God: [it is] he [that] hath made us, and not we ourselves; [we are] his people, and the sheep of his pasture.  Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, [and] into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, [and] bless his name.  For the LORD [is] good; his mercy [is] everlasting; and his truth [endureth] to all generations.

Isaiah 43:7 Even every one that is called by my name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.

God is worthy of our praise

1 Chronicles 16:7-36 Then on that day David delivered first [this psalm] to thank the LORD into the hand of Asaph and his brethren.  Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.  Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.  Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.  Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually.  Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth; O ye seed of Israel his servant, ye children of Jacob, his chosen ones.  He [is] the LORD our God; his judgments [are] in all the earth.  Be ye mindful always of his covenant; the word [which] he commanded to a thousand generations; [Even of the covenant] which he made with Abraham, and of his oath unto Isaac; And hath confirmed the same to Jacob for a law, [and] to Israel [for] an everlasting covenant,  Saying, Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance; When ye were but few, even a few, and strangers in it.  And [when] they went from nation to nation, and from [one] kingdom to another people; He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes,  [Saying], Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.  Sing unto the LORD, all the earth; shew forth from day to day his salvation.  Declare his glory among the heathen; his marvellous works among all nations.  For great [is] the LORD, and greatly to be praised: he also [is] to be feared above all gods.  For all the gods of the people [are] idols: but the LORD made the heavens.  Glory and honour [are] in his presence; strength and gladness [are] in his place.  Give unto the LORD, ye kindreds of the people, give unto the LORD glory and strength.  Give unto the LORD the glory [due] unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.  Fear before him, all the earth: the world also shall be stable, that it be not moved.  Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let [men] say among the nations, The LORD reigneth.  Let the sea roar, and the fulness thereof: let the fields rejoice, and all that [is] therein.  Then shall the trees of the wood sing out at the presence of the LORD, because he cometh to judge the earth.  O give thanks unto the LORD; for [he is] good; for his mercy [endureth] for ever.  And say ye, Save us, O God of our salvation, and gather us together, and deliver us from the heathen, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, [and] glory in thy praise.  Blessed [be] the LORD God of Israel for ever and ever. And all the people said, Amen, and praised the LORD.

Revelation 5:11-14 And I beheld, and I heard the voice of many angels round about the throne and the beasts and the elders: and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands; Saying with a loud voice, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing.  And every creature which is in heaven, and on the earth, and under the earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, [be] unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.  And the four beasts said, Amen. And the four [and] twenty elders fell down and worshipped him that liveth for ever and ever.

Promised protection and praise

Psalm 34:1-9 ([A Psalm] of David, when he changed his behaviour before Abimelech; who drove him away, and he departed.) I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise [shall] continually [be] in my mouth.  My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear [thereof], and be glad.  O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.  I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.  They looked unto him, and were lightened: and their faces were not ashamed.  This poor man cried, and the LORD heard [him], and saved him out of all his troubles.  The angel of the LORD encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.  O taste and see that the LORD [is] good: blessed [is] the man [that] trusteth in him.  O fear the LORD, ye his saints: for [there is] no want to them that fear him.

Praise as a witness to unbelievers

1 Peter 2:9-12 But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: Which in time past [were] not a people, but [are] now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.  Dearly beloved, I beseech [you] as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by [your] good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.

Perseverance in praise

Hebrews 13:15-16 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of [our] lips giving thanks to his name.  But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

Worship is one of the fundamental tenets of a relationship with God
Psalms 149
Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.
Let Israel rejoice in him that made him: let the children of Zion be joyful in their King.
Let them praise his name in the dance: let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.
For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.
Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds.
Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand;
To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people;
To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron;
To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.

We were created to have fellowship with our God
Isaiah 43:21
This people have I formed for myself; they shall shew forth my praise.

He has favored us
Psalms 8:4 – 8:6
What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all [things] under his feet:

God desires a relationship with us
1 Peter 2:9
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:

That is mind boggling but it is true.
We worship the Lord through prayer, praise, music and fellowship with like believers.

We obtain strength by tapping into our power source
Psalms 63:3 – 63:5
Because thy lovingkindness [is] better than life, my lips shall praise thee.
Thus will I bless thee while I live: I will lift up my hands in thy name.
My soul shall be satisfied as [with] marrow and fatness; and my mouth shall praise [thee] with joyful lips:

Our trust is in our God
Jeremiah 29:11 – 29:13
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
And ye shall seek me, and find [me], when ye shall search for me with all your heart.