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The mistakes of the disciples of Jesus

The mistakes of the disciples of Jesus

A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher. - Luke 6:40

1. Panic stricken disciples Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!” - Matthew 8:25

 2. Misunderstanding disciples And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear. - Matthew 14:26

 3. Fault finding disciples But when His disciples saw it, they were indignant, saying, “Why this waste? - Matthew 26:8

4. Impotent disciples So I brought him to Your disciples, but they could not cure him.” - Matthew 17:16

5. Lukewarm disciples Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “What! Could you not watch with Me one hour? - Matthew 26:40

 6. Unsteady disciples But all this was done that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples forsook Him and fled. - Matthew 26:56

7. Self willed disciples Then they brought little children to Him, that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked those who brought them. - Mark 10:13

CLOTHING - An Outward Indicator of An Inward Spiritual State

CLOTHING  -  An Outward Indicator of An Inward Spiritual State  Author unknown!!(With permission)1.         Clothing For Modesty’s Sake Was Instituted By God 

Genesis 3:21          Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed                                            them.

 2.         Nakedness is a Mark of Shame 

Ezekiel 16:39          And I will also give thee into their hand, and they shall throw down thine eminent                                                place, and shall break down thy high places: they shall strip thee also of thy clothes, and                      shall take thy fair jewels, and leave thee naked and bare.

 

Luke 8:27               And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had                                       devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in [any] house, but in the tombs.

 3.         Jesus Was Concerned About the External as Well as the Internal 

Mark 5:15               And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the                                          legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.

 4.         Clothing Used to Indicate a Negative Spiritual State 

II Samuel 14:2        And Joab sent to Tekoah, and fetched thence a wise woman, and said unto her, I pray                                        thee, feign thyself to be a mourner, and put on now mourning apparel, and anoint not                                             thyself with oil, but be as a woman that had a long time mourned for the dead:

 

Psalms 35:13          But as for me, when they were sick, my clothing [was] sackcloth: I humbled my soul                                            with fasting; and my prayer returned into mine own bosom.

 

Psalms 109:18        As he clothed himself with cursing like as with his garment, so let it come into his                                                bowels like water, and like oil into his bones.

 

Psalms 109:29        Let mine adversaries be clothed with shame, and let them cover themselves with their                                          own confusion, as with a mantle.

 

Ezekiel 7:27            The king shall mourn, and the prince shall be clothed with desolation, and the hands of                                      the people of the land shall be troubled: I will do unto them after their way, and                                             according to their deserts will I judge them; and they shall know that I [am] the LORD.

 5.         The Wearing of Proper Clothing is Commanded by God 

I Timothy 2:9         In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with                                                              shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broided hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array;

 

I Peter 3:3               Whose adorning let it not be that outward [adorning] of plaiting the hair, and of wearing                    of gold, or of putting on of apparel;

    6.         Improper Clothing Displeases the Lord Greatly 

Zephaniah 1:8       And it shall come to pass in the day of the LORD'S sacrifice, that I will punish the                                                princes, and the king's children, and all such as are clothed with strange apparel.

 

Deut. 22:5              The woman shall not wear that which pertaineth unto a man, neither shall a man put on                       a woman's garment: for all that do so [are] abomination unto the LORD thy God.

 7.         Those Improperly Dressed Were Prohibited From the King’s Presence 

Esther 4:2               And came even before the king's gate: for none [might] enter into the king's gate clothed                    with sackcloth.

 8.         Change of Clothing Required to be in Royal Presence or in God’s Presence 

Esther 5:1               Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on [her] royal [apparel], and stood                                     in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house: and the king sat                                                upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.

 

II Samuel 12:20      Then David arose from the earth, and washed, and anointed [himself], and changed his                                      apparel, and came into the house of the LORD, and worshipped: then he came to his                                  own house; and when he required, they set bread before him, and he did eat.

 9.         Clothing Used to Indicate the Blessing of a King 

Esther 6:9               And let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble                                       princes, that they may array the man [withal] whom the king delighteth to honour, and                                               bring him on horseback through the street of the city, and proclaim before him, Thus                                           shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honour.

 

Esther 8:15             And Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white,                    and with a great crown of gold, and with a garment of fine linen and purple: and the city                               of Shushan rejoiced and was glad.

 10.       A King’s Glory Evidenced by the Clothing of His Servants 

II Chronicles 9:4   And the meat of his table, and the sitting of his servants, and the attendance of his                                             ministers, and their apparel; his cupbearers also, and their apparel; and his ascent by                                    which he went up into the house of the LORD; there was no more spirit in her.

 11.       Clothing Indicative of Personal Purity 

II Samuel 13:18      And [she had] a garment of divers colours upon her: for with such robes were the king's                                    daughters [that were] virgins apparelled. Then his servant brought her out, and bolted                                          the door after her.

 12.       Clothing Indicative of a Repentant Attitude 

Joshua 7:6             And Joshua rent his clothes, and fell to the earth upon his face before the ark of the                                            LORD until the eventide, he and the elders of Israel, and put dust upon their heads.

 

II Chron. 34:19      And it came to pass, when the king had heard the words of the law, that he rent his                                             clothes.

 

II Chron. 34:27      Because thine heart was tender, and thou didst humble thyself before God, when thou                                        heardest his words against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, and humbledst                         thyself before me, and didst rend thy clothes, and weep before me; I have even heard                                  [thee] also, saith the LORD.

 13.       Clothing Used as a Type of Spirituality 

Psalms 132:16        I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.

 

Psalms 132:18        His enemies will I clothe with shame: but upon himself shall his crown flourish.

 

Zechariah 3:4        And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the                                         filthy garments from him. And unto him he said, Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to                                pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.

 

Proverbs 31:25      Strength and honour [are] her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

 

Isaiah 59:17           For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and an helmet of salvation upon his head;                                     and he put on the garments of vengeance [for] clothing, and was clad with zeal as a                                      cloak.

 

Job 29:14                I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment [was] as a robe and a diadem.

 

Psalms 132:9          Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy.

 

Isaiah 61:10           I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath                                    clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of                                                        righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh [himself] with ornaments, and as a bride                                          adorneth [herself] with her jewels.

 

I Peter 5:5               Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all [of you] be subject one                                     to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to                       the humble.

 14.       Clothing Is The Identifiable Mark of the Redeemed in Eternity 

Revelation 4:4       And round about the throne [were] four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four                                   and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns                                           of gold.

 

Revelation 7:9       After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all                                   nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the                                            Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

 

Revelation 19:14   And the armies [which were] in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine                                      linen, white and clean.

 

Revelation 19:8     And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the                     fine linen is the righteousness of saints.

 

How To Handle Life’s Problems

How To Handle Life’s Problems ·      

(Author unknown)

   Romans 8:28-31 (KJV)  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?  ·         Romans 8:28-31 (MSG)  That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good. God knew what he was doing from the very beginning. He decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him. After God made that decision of what his children should be like, he followed it up by calling people by name. After he called them by name, he set them on a solid basis with himself. And then, after getting them established, he stayed with them to the end, gloriously completing what he had begun. So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose?  ·         Philippians 2:5 (KJV)  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:  ·         Philippians 2:5 (NCV)  In your lives you must think and act like Christ Jesus.  ·         WHAT IS JESUS LIKE? HE IS LIKE THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT! ·         Galatians 5:19-23 (NLT)  When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, your lives will produce these evil results: sexual immorality, impure thoughts, eagerness for lustful pleasure, idolatry, participation in demonic activities, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, divisions, the feeling that everyone is wrong except those in your own little group, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other kinds of sin. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law.   ·         2 Corinthians 3:18 (KJV)  But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.  ·         2 Corinthians 3:18 (NLT)  And all of us have had that veil removed so that we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord. And as the Spirit of the Lord works within us, we become more and more like him and reflect his glory even more. ·         Galatians 5:16 (KJV)  This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.  ·         Galatians 5:16 (LB)  I advise you to obey only the Holy Spirit's instructions. He will tell you where to go and what to do, and then you won't always be doing the wrong things your evil nature wants you to.  ·         Not becoming a god, but becoming GODLY·         Not imitation, but HABITATION·         Not trying to be like Jesus, but letting Jesus be HIMSELF IN US ·         HOW DOES THE HOLY GHOST IN US MAKE US LIKE JESUS?  THREE WAYS: 1.       The Holy Ghost uses TRUTH to produce Christ-like character. 2 Timothy 3:15-17, Psalm 19:7-11, Psalm 119:9, 50, 105, 130, Colossians 3:16, Hebrews 4:12, Romans 15:4, 1 John 5:13,      Psalm 1:2-3, Matthew 4:4, John 15:7, John 17:17, Ephesians 6:17, Acts 20:32 2.       The Holy Ghost uses PEOPLE to produce Christ-like character. Ephesians 4:11-16, Titus 1:13, 1 Corinthians 12:12-27, Hebrews 13:16-17, 1 Peter 4:8-10, 1 Corinthians 13:1-7, 1 Peter 5:5, Galatians 6:1-5, Romans 12:9-21, Matthew 5:23-24 3.       The Holy Ghost uses CIRCUMSTANCES to produce Christ-like character. 2 Corinthians 4:17 (KJV)  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 2 Corinthians 4:17 (NIV)  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ·         Which one does God use most often? CIRCUMSTANCES, because we have them in our lives 24 hours a day! ·         God has a purpose behind every problem (Romans 8:28-31). ·         Our circumstances are like ingredients in a cake, which are not good alone, but they WORK TOGETHER for good! ·         KEY THOUGHT:  God develops the Fruit of the Spirit in your life by allowing you to experience circumstances where you’re tempted to express the OPPOSITE QUALITY! ·         EXPECT FOUR KINDS OF PROBLEMS IN LIFE: 1.       TRIALS:  designed by GOD to draw us closer to Him and build our character2.       TEMPTATIONS:  designed by the DEVIL to draw us away from God and destroy our character3.       TRESPASSES:  hurts caused by the sins of OTHERS4.       TROUBLES:  usually the CONSEQUENCES of our own sinful choices ·         The storms of life are caused for different reasons: Jonah got in a storm because HE was out of God’s will, Paul got in a storm because OTHERS were out of God’s will, the disciples got in a storm because they were IN God’s will! ·         KEY THOUGHT:  Different kinds of problems require different kinds of responses! ·         If it’s a TROUBLE (your own fault), you should REPENT for it. ·         Genesis 22:41 (NCV)  They said to each other, "We are being punished for what we did to our brother. We saw his trouble, and he begged us to save him, but we refused to listen. That is why we are in this trouble now." ·         Psalm 31:10 (NCV)  My life is ending in sadness, and my years are spent in crying. My troubles are using up my strength, and my bones are getting weaker. ·         Psalm 40:12 (NCV)  Troubles have surrounded me; there are too many to count. My sins have caught me so that I cannot see a way to escape. I have more sins than hairs on my head, and I have lost my courage.  ·         Psalm 18:6 (NCV)  In my trouble I called to the Lord. I cried out to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my call for help reached his ears.·         If it’s a TEMPTATION (from the devil), you should RESIST it. ·         Matthew 26:41 (KJV)  Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. ·         1 Corinthians 10:12-13 (KJV)  Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. ·         James 1:14 (KJV)  But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. ·         James 4:7 (KJV)  Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.  ·         If it’s a TRESPASS (others against you), you should RELEASE it. ·         Joshua 22:20 (KJV)  Did not Achan the son of Zerah commit a trespass in the accursed thing, and wrath fell on all the congregation of Israel? and that man perished not alone in his iniquity. ·         Ezekiel 15:8 (KJV)  And I will make the land desolate, because they have committed a trespass, saith the Lord God. ·         Luke 17:4 (KJV)  And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him.  ·         Matthew 6:14-15 (KJV)  For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.  ·         If it’s a TRIAL (allowed by God), you should REJOICE in it. ·         Romans 5:3 (NLT)  We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they are good for us—they help us learn to endure. ·         James 1:2-3 (TEV)  My friends, consider yourselves fortunate when all kinds of trials come your way, for you know that when your faith succeeds in facing such trials, the result is the ability to endure. ·         James 1:12 (TEV)  Happy are those who remain faithful under trials, because when they succeed in passing such a test, they will receive as their reward the life which God has promised to those who love him.  ·         1 Peter 1:7 (NLT)  These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.

 

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THE POWER OF PRAISE  Author unknown.
 Psalm 8:1-2  1 O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. 2Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength because of thine enemies, that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger. ·         David learned a key spiritual concept during his life that helped him get strength from God in his trials and silence his enemies, something so simple that even a small child can practice it! ·         Because the devil launches so MANY attacks against the children of God, the Lord has given us ONE weapon that will stand strong in the face of every assault and silence the enemy every time! ·         Jesus referred to this same concept during His triumphal entry into Jerusalem.  As He came into the city and the people began to realize WHO JESUS WAS, they began to enthusiastically praise Him! Matthew 21:15-16  15And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased, 16And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise? ·         Notice that DAVID said “out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength” while JESUS said “out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise.” Jesus did not misquote David; rather He interpreted the Scripture and explained the truth David had discovered.  THERE IS SUPERNATURAL STRENGTH LOOSED ON OUR BEHALF WHEN WE PRAISE GOD! ·         Your simple act of praise is bigger than you are, because it connects with a God who is bigger than you are!  Praise accomplishes what we cannot accomplish, because it LAUNCHES SPIRITUAL WEAPONS at the enemy that demolish his strength and silence his voice. ·         David had learned this in the laboratory of life.  As long as he was praising God, situations involving his enemies were turned around! 1 Samuel 16:23  And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.1 Samuel 17:45  Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied. 1 Samuel 30:6  And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God. ·         David learned that in the desperate situations of life, our reactions become more and more childlike. But that is good, because out of the simplicity of a childlike response comes the most powerful weapon God has ever unleashed to fight the enemy – PRAISE! Matthew 11:25  At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Psalm 149:6  Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand;   ·         The Bible is filled with praise!  We don’t apologize for our exuberance in worshipping God. We only apologize that more churches are not this way! With so many commandments and exhortations in the Bible to praise God, who in their right mind could call themselves a Christian and not praise God with exuberance?! ·         HERE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE WAYS DAVID FOUND TO PRAISE GOD AND SILENCE THE ENEMY: Psalm 113:1  Praise ye the LORD. Praise, O ye servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD. (HALAL - to make a show, to boast, to be clamorously foolish, to rave) Psalm 115:18  But we will bless the LORD from this time forth and for evermore. Praise the LORD. (BARAK - to kneel in adoration) Psalm 116:2  Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live. (QARA - to call out, to preach, to proclaim, to cry unto) Psalm 116:17  I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD. (TOWDAH - a choir of worshippers with upraised hands) Psalm 117:1  O praise the LORD, all ye nations: praise him, all ye people. (SHABACH – to address in a loud tone, triumph, glory) Psalm 118:1  O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: because his mercy endureth for ever. (YADAH - to worship with extended hands) Psalm 118:24  This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. (GIYL - to spin around under the influence of violent emotion) Psalm 118:28  Thou art my God, and I will praise thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee. (RUWM - to exalt, to extol, to lift up, to set on high) ·         Notice that all of these Biblical forms of worship demand a response through the MOUTH or through MOTION. There is no room for quiet, reserved worship that supposedly happens only “in the heart” – that is not Biblical worship! Biblical worship involves the whole man – body, soul and spirit – in worshipping God. ·         EVERY LOVE AFFAIR INVOLVES THE EMOTIONS! ·         “But I’m just not the emotional type!” What you mean is, you’re only emotional about things that are important to you! The Bible tells us that there’s only ONE KIND of person that is exempt from the command to praise …  J  Psalm 115:17  The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence. ·         The Bible also makes these comments about “the dead” …  J  Ecclesiastes 9:4  For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion. Matthew 8:22  But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.  Matthew 22:32  I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living. ·         Psalm 146, 147, 148 and 149 all begin and end with the phrase “PRAISE YE THE LORD,” then in a final crescendo Psalm 150 declares …Psalm 150:1-6  1Praise ye the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary: praise him in the firmament of his power.  2Praise him for his mighty acts: praise him according to his excellent greatness. 3Praise him with the sound of the trumpet: praise him with the psaltery and harp.  4Praise him with the timbrel and dance: praise him with stringed instruments and organs.  5Praise him upon the loud cymbals: praise him upon the high sounding cymbals. 6Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD. ·         The Bible teaches that the MOUTH is the center of spiritual warfare! The mouth can either launch the DEVIL’S weapons or GOD’S weapons. Revelation 16:13  And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet. James 3:6  And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell. Proverbs 18:21  Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. Joel 3:10  Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. ·         The reason there’s a FALSE “name it and claim it” doctrine is because the Bible contains a TRUE “name it and claim it” principle! ·         God didn’t keep Joseph from the pit, Daniel from the lions den, the Hebrew boys from the fiery furnace, or Paul and Silas from the prison – BUT BECAUSE THEY STARTED PRAISING INSTEAD OF POUTING, God walked with them through each situation! ·         WHICH WEAPON WILL YOU LAUNCH?  When you praise instead of panic, and worship instead of worry, God fights for you! 2 Chronicles 20:18-22  18And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD. 19And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high. 20And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper. 21And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever.  22And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten. ·         When David writes in Psalm 103 that we should “bless the Lord” he is not just saying that we bless the Lord because of past benefits. He is also telling us that AS WE BLESS THE LORD, we actually walk in the benefits of praise! (forgiveth, healeth, redeemeth, crowneth, satisfieth) Psalm 103:1-5  1 Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 2Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: 3Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; 4Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies; 5Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle’s. ·         David uncovers the secret to silencing the enemy in Psalm 34. If you want to make the enemy look SMALL, then make God look BIG with your praise. PRAISE DOESN’T CHANGE GOD’S POWER, IT CHANGES YOUR PERSPECTIVE! Magnify the Lord in praise! Psalm 34:1-4  1 I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.  2My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. 3O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together. 4I sought the LORD, and he heard me, and delivered me from all my fears. ·         YOU HAVE A CHOICE TO MAKE – YOUR MOUTH CAN EITHER LAUNCH THE WEAPONS OF THE DEVIL TO DEFEAT YOU, OR THE WEAPON OF PRAISE TO GIVE YOU VICTORY! ·         THE WORSHIPPER’S ALPHABET ·         You can talk about your ANXIETIES, or you can praise the Advocate, the All in All, the Almighty, the Alpha and Omega, the Altogether Lovely, the Amen, the Anointed, the Apostle of our Profession, the Author of Eternal Salvation, and the One who is Alive Forevermore. ·         You can talk about your BITTERNESS, or you can praise the Banner, the Bearer of Sin, the Beginning and the Ending, the Beloved, the Buckler, the Branch, the Bread, the Blessed Hope, the Bridegroom, the Bright and Morning Star, and the One who is Before All Things.·         You can talk about your CONCERNS, or you can praise the Captain of our Salvation, the Chief Cornerstone, the Chosen of God, the Christ, the Chief Shepherd, the Cleft of the Rock, the Comforter, the Commander, the Consolation, the Counselor, the Creator, and the Chiefest Among Ten Thousand. ·         You can talk about your DEPRESSION, or you can praise the Daysman, the Day Spring from on High, the Daystar to Arise, the Defense, the Deliverer, the Desire of all Nations, and the Dwelling Place. ·         You can talk about your EMPTINESS, or you can praise the Elect, the Eternal God, the Everlasting Light, the Ensign, Emmanuel, the Everlasting Name, the Express Image of God, and the Everlasting Father. ·         You can talk about your FEARS, or you can praise the Faithful and True, the Finisher of your Faith, the First Begotten of the Dead, the Firstborn, the Faithful High Priest, the Firstfruits of Them that Slept, the Fortress, the Foundation, the Fountain of Living Waters, the Friend of Sinners, the Faithful and True, the Foreordained before the Foundation of the World, and the Friend that Sticketh Closer than a Brother. ·         You can talk about your GUILT, or you can praise the Gift of God, the Glorious Name, the Good Master, the Glory of God, God Blessed Forever, God Manifest in Flesh, God Who Avengeth Me, God With Us, God of My Strength, the Great Shepherd of the Sheep, the Guiltless, the Governor, the God of My Life, the Great God, the Guide, and the God of My Salvation. ·         You can talk about your HABITS, or you can praise the Habitation of Justice, the Head of all Principality and Power, the Head of the Body, the Heir of All Things, the Helper, the Hidden Manna, the Hiding Place, the High Priest, the High Tower, the Holy One, the Hope of Glory, the Horn of Salvation, the House of Defense, and the High and Lofty One who Inhabiteth Eternity. ·         You can talk about your INSECURITIES, or you can praise the I Am, the Innocent, Immanuel, and the Image of the Invisible God. ·         You can talk about your JEALOUSIES, or you can praise Jesus Christ, the Judge of the Quick and the Dead, the Jasper Stone, the Just One, and the Judge of All the Earth. ·         You can talk about your KNOWLEDGE, or you can praise the King of Glory, the King of Saints, the Keeper, the King Eternal, the King Immortal, the Kinsman, the King in His Beauty, the King Forever and Ever, the Kindness and Love of God, the King of Kings, and the King who Cometh in the Name of the Lord. ·         You can talk about your LONELINESS, or you can praise the Last Adam, the Lawgiver, the Life, the Lifter Up of Mine Head, the Light of the World, the Lily of the Valleys, the Lion of the Tribe of Judah, the Living Bread, the Lord of Lords, the Living God, the Lord God Almighty, the Lord of Glory, the Lowly in Heart, the Lord God Omnipotent, and the Lamb that was Slain before the Foundation of the World. ·         You can talk about your MISERY, or you can praise the Magnified, the Maker, the Man Christ Jesus, the Man of Sorrows, the Manna, the Master, the Mediator, the Meek, the Mouth of God, the Merciful and Faithful High Priest, the Messiah, the Mighty God, the Morning Star, the Mystery of God, and the One who is Marvelous in our Eyes. ·         You can talk about your NEEDS, or you can praise the Nazarene, the Nail Fastened in a Sure Place, and the Name Above Every Name. ·         You can talk about your OFFENSES, or you can praise the Offering and Sacrifice, the Offspring of David, the Ointment Poured Forth, the Only Potentate, the Omega, the Only Wise God, and the Only Begotten of the Father. ·         You can talk about your PROBLEMS, or you can praise the Passover, the Pavilion, the Perfect Man, the Physician, the Place of Refuge, the Portion of Mine Inheritance, the Potter, the Precious Corner Stone, the Preeminence, the Priest of the Most High God, the Prince and Saviour, the Prophet, the Propitiation, the Purifier, and the Prince of Peace. ·         You can talk about your QUESTIONS, or you can praise the One who is the Quickening Spirit. ·         You can talk about your REASONS, or you can praise the Rain, the Ransom for All, the Rabbi, the Redeemer, the Redemption, the Refiner’s Fire, the Resting Place, the Righteousness of God, the Refuge in Times of Trouble, the Rock of Our Salvation, the Root and Offspring of David, the Rose of Sharon, the Ruler, the Reward for the Righteous, the Riches of His Glory, the Righteous Judge, the River of Water in a Dry Place, the Resurrection and the Life, and the Rock that is Higher Than I. ·         You can talk about your SADNESS, or you can praise the Sacrifice for Sins, the Salvation of God, the Seed of the Woman, the Sanctuary, the Saving Strength of His Anointed, the Saviour of the World, the Scapegoat, the Scepter of Israel, the Secret, the Seed of Abraham, the Sent One, the Separate from Sinners, the Servant, the Shadow from the Heat, the Shelter, the Shepherd, the Shield, Shiloh, the Sign, the Son of the Living God, the Star of Jacob, the Sweet Smelling Savour, the Stone which the Builders Rejected, the Strength of my Life, the Strong Consolation, the Stronghold, the Strong Tower from the Enemy, the Sure Foundation, and the Same Yesterday, Today and Forever.·         You can talk about your TRIALS, or you can praise the Tabernacle of God, the Temple, the Testator, the Treasure, the Teacher, the Testimony, the True Bread, the True Light, the True Vine, the True Witness, the Tender Mercy of God, the Truth, and the Tried Stone. ·         You can talk about your UNCERTAINTY, or you can praise the Undefiled, the Understanding, the Unknown God, the Unspeakable Gift, the Upright, and the Upholder of All Things. ·         You can talk about your VICTIMIZATION, or you can praise the Very Great, the Veil, the Victory, the Very God of Peace, the Vine, the Voice, and the Very Present Help in Time of Trouble. ·         You can talk about your WEAKNESSES, or you can praise the Wall of Fire, the Wave Offering, the Wedding Garment, the Well of Living Waters, the Wisdom of God, the Witness, the Well of Salvation, the Wonderful, the Word, the Worthy, the Wise Master Builder, and the Way, the Truth and the Life. ·         You can talk about your X-CUSES, or you can praise the One who is   X-cellent! ·         You can talk about your YEARNINGS, or you can praise the One whose Yoke is easy and His Burden is Light. ·         You can talk about your ZEROS, or you can praise the One who is the Zeal of the Lord of Hosts.  ·         The secret to victory is CONTINUAL PRAISE.  This was the prelude that led to Pentecost (look at the last verse in Luke): Luke 24:53  And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen. ·         The ultimate expression of praise is when you allow God to take control of your mouth (the center of spiritual warfare) and fill you with the Holy Ghost. Joel 2:28  And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: Acts 2:39  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call. Psalm 81:10  I am the LORD thy God, which brought thee out of the land of Egypt: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it.

 

Your Praise Will Never Replace Your Prayers

Your Praise Will Never Replace Your PrayersBy bishop Steve Crews·        Psalm 29:2  Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.·        Worship is a divine command.·        God’s people are to be a worshipping people.·        Worship is our response to God’s love, His holy presence, His greatness, and His deeds.·        We are to worship God alone, not other gods, not idols, not human heroes, not angels.·        Our worship is not to be mechanical, but from the heart.·        Our worship must be grounded in godly and obedient living.·        Worship includes awe, praise, thanksgiving, joy, music and song, clapping of the hands, lifting of the hands, kneeling, boasting, crying, volume and even dancing. It is to be exuberant!·        True worship can bring blessing, guidance, boldness, deliverance, joy, and a deeper sense of God’s presence.·        True worship can even convict sinners, when they come into contact with God’s presence.·        True worship can even silence the enemy!·        There is only ONE KIND of person that is exempt from the command to praise the Lord …  Jo        Psalm 115:17  The dead praise not the Lord, neither any that go down into silence.o        Ecclesiastes 9:4  For to him that is joined to all the living there is hope: for a living dog is better than a dead lion.o        Matthew 8:22  But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.o        Matthew 22:32  I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is notpruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am stro·        But with all the powerful things that praise can do, there is one thing that it CANNOT do.  Your praise will never replace your PRAYER!·        Ephesians 6:11-18 (Amplified Version)·        Ephesians 6:18 (AMP)  Pray at all times (on every occasion, in every season) in the Spirit, with all [manner of] prayer and entreaty. To that end keep alert and watch with strong purpose and perseverance, interceding in behalf of all the saints (God’s consecrated people).·        There are some things that prayer can do that praise cannot do (and vice versa).·        Prayer and praise are not meant to compete with each other, but to complement each other.·        But while we have made great strides in the realm of worship, PRAYER IS A DYING ART IN THE CHURCH!·        We can talk all day on the phone  or spend hours counseling with someone who can’t do anything about our problem, but we have a hard time praying for five minutes to the One who can fix it!·        We can survive without many things in life, but we CANNOT survive spiritually without prayer!·        Here’s why your praise will never replace your prayer: PRAYER EMPTIES THE HEART OF ITS BURDENS, ITS BONDAGE AND ITS BAGGAGE.·        Matthew 5:8  Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.o       KATHAROS – from this word we get catharsis and catheter (to clean out the heart)·        Here’s why your praise will never replace your prayer: Prayer acknowledges that the answer is beyond your ability. I don’t have to fix everything! I don’t have to know everything! .  But I can POINT you to the Answer!·        Here’s why your praise will never replace your prayer:·        Matthew 6:10  Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.·        God’s will is ALWAYS done in heaven, but SELDOM done in earth. Why? Because that depends on PRAYER! Prayer is the umbilical cord that connects Heaven to earth and births the will of God in your life. Prayer brings what is happening in God’s house to YOUR house!·        But I know someone who prayed and still walked through a terrible trial. Here’s the difference: IF GOD GOES WITH YOU  IN TROUBLE, HE’S  THERE  TO GET YOU OUT!·        Here’s why your praise will never replace your prayer: Worship is a one-way street (God doesn’t worship US!), but prayer is a two-way street!·        The reason many people don’t get an answer in prayer is because they never LISTEN in prayer. Don’t call God up and dump on Him, then walk out! LISTEN!·        Some people have lived a lifetime manipulating others – BUT THAT DOESN’T WORK WITH GOD! (That’s why they pout!)·        Many modern Christians only perceive God through their church. What happens when you’re ON YOUR OWN?·        Here’s a final reason why your praise will never replace your prayer: PRAYER CHANGES ME!·        God never changes, because He’s perfect! Prayer doesn’t change God – it changes my attitude, my opinion, my perception, my decision, my perspective – ME!