2024-05-15- When Worship is Real

The speaker is expressing gratitude for God's love and sanctification. They discuss the importance of genuine worship and praise, emphasizing that it should not be routine or tradition, but a heartfelt devotion to God. They highlight examples of biblical figures who praised God wholeheartedly. The speaker encourages the audience to worship God passionately and reminds them that God is pleased with their praise. They contrast the worthiness of God with the idols of the world and urge listeners to prioritize their worship of God. The speaker concludes by emphasizing the importance of personal commitment to prayer and worship rather than doing it to please others. Well, I'm glad He loves me like I was His only child. I'm glad He loves me, oh, He loves me. He loved me on the cross, but He loves me right now on the throne. I love Him and I appreciate Him. I want to say again, as Pop was saying about Blue Canyon's message Sunday evening, it was tremendous, tremendous, and I appreciate it. I went home and did some searching myself, and I praise God that God still sanctifies those who are willing to be sanctified. You've got to be willing to be purged if God cleans you up. Aren't you glad He still does it? How about you? Aren't you glad He still sanctifies? Aren't you glad He still pulls out and works on you a little bit? I'm not done yet. I haven't reached a certain plateau of greatness that God can't work on me anymore. I think God's got a lot more to do with me. Now, I wonder if the church can say, I want God to work on me a little bit more. I like God to work on me a little bit more. Well, let's get right into the Word of God tonight. Mark 11. I do ask that you all just please help me. Get in here with me. I feel God gave me this message, and I think I told Robbie when I came in, I said, you know, I'm always nervous. I said, but I'm just kind of really nervous tonight. So you all just kind of get in here and help me if you can. Mark 11, verse 4. They went their way and found a colt tied by the door, without and a place where two ways met. And they loosened. And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosen the colt? And they said unto them, even as Jesus had commanded. And they let them go. And they brought the colt to Jesus and cast their garments on him, and he sat upon him. And many spread their garments in the way, and others cut down branches of the trees and strawed them in the way. And they that went before and they that followed cried, saying, Hosanna, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Blessed be the kingdom of our Father David that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. I want to preach on when my worship is real. When my worship is real. Let's raise our hands and ask God to help us tonight. Jesus, I'm asking God tonight, You please stand beside me, Jesus, as I try to deliver this message, God. I would give You all the glory, all the praise, all the honor goes back to You, Jesus. I pray, God, let us be a people that can hear the Word of God. I pray, Jesus, let us be recipients of what You are trying to tell us. I pray we can be worshipers tonight. We can lift up our hands and give God some praise. And lift Him up, Jesus, when my worship is real. I pray, God, You stand beside me, anoint me, as I try to get them to an altar tonight. And I won't fail to give You all the glory. Oh, let us have ears to hear, God. I pray in all these things in Jesus' name. As you're seated, give God a handclap of praise in the house. I believe He's worthy of a praise. Hallelujah. Thank You, Jesus. The Pentecostal holiness denomination has always been known for their praise and their worship. It seems like if somebody asks you, You go to church? Yes, I do. What are you? What denomination? Pentecostal holiness. Oh, I know you. I know them. Yes, I do know them. The title, Holy Rollers, as it's been going on for years, does go with what we are known to be. It isn't very long at a camp meeting or a revival somewhere that somebody begins to praise God. And before you know it, they're rolling, they're shouting, and they're giving God praise. We are known for praising God in this movement. And I believe I'm in a church tonight that believes in praising God. I believe it. I believe it. We can read continuously in the book of Psalms, of Psalms of praise and of worship. Incidentally, that book is the largest book in the Bible. The word worship is mentioned in the Bible over 182 times. We're known for worship. We're known for praising God. God blesses those who praise Him. How many know that God blesses those who worship Him? Praise God. But as the church is known for worship, do we have dedication? Because if our worship has become only routine, we have been worshiping for the wrong reason. Jesus Himself is looking for worshipers. John 4 and 23 says, But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth. For the Father seeketh, notice that word, seeketh such to worship Him. He's looking for a generation to worship Him in spirit and in truth. He goes on to say, God is a spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth. So I've come to tell you, if our worship has only become a tradition, we must become a people that can realize it's much more than tradition. It's a truth. It's a truth that we must be based upon and worship Him, our King and risen Savior. We must realize that worship is much more than a routine or a ritual. It's much more than that. It is what I'm giving myself to Him and say, I thank You for what You have done in my life. I want to go through real quickly, just bear with me, of some men and women who praise God. We read when the ark of God was brought back into the house of God. David danced before the Lord with all his might. He was worshiping a King above all kings. He was giving God some praise and some glory. We can also read John the Revelator in the fourth, fifth chapter, verse 12. And he said he saw a lamb, and he was worthy, he was slain, to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and glory. We can go on and on of men and women who praise God with all their hearts. Worship to our God must be more than just a duty. It must be a delight to worship Him. How many delights in worshiping Jesus? I delight in it. I worship Him. But I am afraid that our churches have become accustomed to half-hearted worship and praise. My friend, I must inform you that if you can't praise God here below, what makes you think we're going to think you'll be praising God in heaven? Oh, come on now. He is looking for some worshipers in this hour that aren't afraid to give God some glory and some praise and some honor, because He's worthy of all the glory and all the praise. He went to a cross, and He spilled His blood so that you might live. He's worthy of your praise. Yes, He is. I was saying, I'm trying to figure out this here, okay? And please bear with me. I hear people say, I'm going to heaven. I'm going. I've made up my mind. And I plan on going too. But I must ask you, if you can't worship down here, what makes you think you'll worship up there? A.W. Tozer said, Any man or woman on this earth who is turned off or bored by praise is not ready for heaven. My brothers and my sisters, if you don't like praising Him, then you won't like heaven. You won't like it because He's worthy of all the glory and praise. Yes, He is. My praise, in all honesty, should not be an option. It shouldn't be an option. I don't read the Bible. It says, Praise the Lord if you feel like it. The Bible simply says, Praise ye the Lord. Praise ye the Lord. It's not an option. It must be a commandment. My praise must be packed up by devotion to His commandments. He must be my main attraction in my life. And I must be willing to worship Him alone. He is the great King. And He's high. And He's lifted up. Yes, He is. Worship, here's what Gogol said worship is. Worship is when we give our deepest affections and highest praise to something. Well, I've never, I've been blessed. I've never been to a ball game in my life. I've never been to a basketball game. I don't intend on ever going either, praise God. I've never been to any game of some sort like that. But I've drove by before my family at these football stadiums of just little kids playing. And, man, you hear those parents. They're screaming loud. Oh, go, go, go. And they get loud. And I can't help but think this. The world is loud over sports gods. But I've got a God who conquered death. He conquered hell. And I want to get loud for Him. He's worthy. Somebody give Him praise in the house tonight. Oh, come on, lift Him up, yes. Praise God. Bear with me, please. Hebrews 13 and 15 says, But to do good and to communicate, forget not. Here's what I like this. Not for with such sacrifices God is well pleased. By Him, therefore, let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually. That is the fruit of our lips. Give Him thanks to His name. It is not in vain to bless His name. It is not in vain. Hallelujah. It is not in vain to say, Glory be to God. Oh, I want to tell you something. I know I didn't get to meet her very long. I was about two or three when she died. But when my mamaw was laying on a deathbed, ate up with cancer, she would say, Thank God, for every breath, every breath she took. And here we are, sitting back, all melancholy and mundane. We have healthy lungs, a healthy heart. Praise God. Yes, praise God. God is pleased with your praise. It might sometimes look funny, this world. But remember, I'm serving a King who's the same today, yesterday, and forever. Yes, He is. I like this here. Why would I serve this world and worship the idols of it when I've got Jesus? Did you hear that? Why would I worship some basketball star who can trip and fall any time? He's a failure, ultimately. He will fail. But I serve a God who's never changing. He's all the same. And He's worthy of our praise. How about you think that? How many think He's worthy of our praise? Yes, He is. Yes, He is. I want to say this here, and let's cover this real quickly. If you pray, I don't mean this with disrespect. I'm just going to say it. If you pray because the pastor says you need to, something's wrong inside. I'm not trying to throw stones at anybody. But if you pray because that man who preaches it, which I 100% agree with, but if you pray just to please Him, there's something wrong inside. You need to give commitment. That says, I'm going to pray. I'm going to seek the face of God and draw nigh unto Him. If you worship, that's because I say you need to. Something's wrong. Something's wrong. We need some worshipers who will really worship God. Really worship. Yes, yes. I will shout Hosanna to God in the highest. The word Hosanna means to express joy or adoration or simply praise. I want to cover this real quick. When I give God my adoration, there becomes an acceptance in me. Did you get that? When I give God my adoration, there suddenly becomes this acceptance of who He is. Do you understand what I mean, church? When I begin to worship Him and I begin to adore His name, these commandments that He asks us to follow don't seem really hard. I begin to accept Him as He is. There is power in praise. You wonder why you don't live holiness? You might not be praising Him enough. Because when I praise His name, I begin to adore Him. And then I begin to accept Him as He is. Yes, praise God. Jesus did not settle for anything less than a complete sacrifice for our sins. How many would agree with that? He did not settle for anything less. Jesus did not say, I'll be whipped. That's as far as I'm going to go. Don't mock me. That's as far as I'm going to go. I'll hang on a cross for two hours maximum. That's it. No. He went all the way. And what makes us feel like to accept half-hearted worship and half-hearted praise? He went all the way. All the way. And you want to give Him? Oh, you want praise. One more time. Raise your hands. I won't preach very much longer. They will come, please. I won't preach very much longer. Come on. Oh, come on here, churches. A little bit more. Let's give Him praise. He's worthy. He's worthy. Yes, He is. Yes, He is. I want to quickly run through these things. We'll get to an altar. He told the scribes and the scoffers, and they told Jesus to make these calm down. Make them be quiet. Look at all this. And Jesus said this. If I make them be quiet, the stones will immediately cry out. Notice what it says. Immediately. He is looking for somebody to worship Him. And church, if you want, He'll find something to worship Him. He is worthy of all praise and glory. How much is He worth to you? How much is He worth to you? Yes. Spurgeon said this. It is well to praise the Lord for His mercy when you are in health. But make sure to praise Him when you're sick. It is then when our worship is really genuine. Hallelujah. Did you hear that? Is my worship genuine? Is my worship true worship? Is it real? Is it something that's inside here that wants to worship God? Hallelujah. Deuteronomy 6 and 4 says this. And they shall love the Lord their God with all their heart and with all their soul and with all their might. Praise God. I want to go through some stories real quickly. We can read of a lady named Mary who lived in the town of Bethany where Jesus did oftentimes lodge. It was there that we find Jesus sitting. And she, being the woman, came unto Him. And she broke the box. And washed her feet. Washed His feet with her tears. And dried them with her... Oh, come on, church. Oh, come on. There was another woman we read about who had a daughter who was possessed by the devil. And she came unto Jesus crying, Have mercy on me! Well, Jesus looked at her and said nothing. He didn't say a word to her. He was silent. It was then we read she began to praise and to worship God. And she got her healing for her daughter. Praise God. There was another one we can read about. The children of Israel who crossed over the Red Sea. Praise God. They got over there. And look behind them. And Egypt's army was drowning in the Red Sea. Now, I can also read this. Miriam picked up a timbrel. And she began to dance. And praise God. Oh, you ought to lift Him up for a moment. You ought to praise Him in the house. Oh, yes. Oh, yes. Oh, yes. Oh, God, we need Your help right now. Now, lastly, we read of two brothers in the book of Acts. Named Paul and Silas. Beaten and thrown to stalks in a Roman jail cell. That sounds like a pretty rough scenario right there, doesn't it? Sounds pretty rough, doesn't it? But in the midnight hour, what did they do? They began to sing and praise God in a jail cell. And then all of a sudden, the walls shook and the doors swung open wide. I'm looking for somebody to praise Him in the house and lift Him up. Oh, come on here now. You ought to praise Him in the house. Yes. I wonder if Paul and Silas could have sang a song kind of like this. Give me F real quickly. I want to sing this. Well, once like a bird in prison I dwelt. No freedom from my sorrow. Oh, you want to praise Him at night? You want to lift Him up? You want to step out right now and come to this altar and give God some praise? Oh, come on, church. Let's fill these altars. I believe He's worthy of our praise. I'm glorified by Jesus to see. Glory to God, He shall be free. Yes. How many believe that God wants to help us tonight? How many believe that God wants to help us tonight? Well, if you want help and you really love Him, you ought to step out right now. I'm looking for somebody to step out right now and to give God some praise. Up here in front, come on. I'm looking for somebody. I'm glorified by Jesus to see. You ought to praise Him. You ought to lift Him up. He's worthy of your praise and your glory. He's worthy. My worship must be real. It must be real worship. I'm glorified by Jesus to see. Glory to God, He shall be free. Dead and things I've confound. None of this world shall turn me around. Daily I'm working, I'm praying too. Glory to God, I'm going through. He set me free, yes, He set me free. He broke the bonds of prison for me. I'm glorified by Jesus to see. Glory to God, He set me free. Go ahead and praise Him. Go ahead and worship Him. You ain't got to be afraid to worship Him. You ain't got to be afraid to give God praise. He's worthy. He's worthy. Yes, He is. Go ahead and keep singing. Yes, He set me free. He broke the bonds of prison for me. I'm glorified by Jesus to see. Glory to God, He set me free. Yes, He set me free. Yes, He set me free. He broke the bonds of prison for me. I'm glorified by Jesus to see. Glory to God, He set me free. Well, goodbye to sin and things I couldn't bound. None of this world shall turn me around. Daily I'm working, I'm praying too. Glory to God, I'm going through. He set me free. He set me free. He broke the bonds of prison for me. I'm glorified by Jesus to see. Glory to God, He set me free. He set me free. Yes, He set me free. He broke the bonds of prison for me. I'm glorified by Jesus to see. Praise God in His sanctuary. Praise Him in the firmament of His power. Praise Him for His mighty acts. Praise Him according to His excellent greatness. Praise Him with the sound of the trumpet. Praise Him with the psaltery and harp. Praise Him with the timbrel and dance. Praise Him with the stringed instruments and organs. Praise Him from the loud-sounding cymbals. Praise Him from the high-sounding cymbals. Here's what it says. Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord. You ought to lift Him up. He's got some breath. Praise Him. Hallelujah. Praise Him tonight. He shall turn me around. Daily I'm working. I'm praying too. Glory to God, I'm going through. He set me free. Yes, He set me free. He broke the bonds of prison for me. I'm glorified by Jesus to see. Glory to God, He set me free. Yes, He set me free. Yes, He set me free. He broke the bonds of prison for me. I'm glorified by Jesus to see. Glory to God, He set me free. He set me free. Yes, He set me free. He broke the bonds of prison for me. I'm glorified by Jesus to see. Glory to God, He set me free. He set me free. Yes, He set me free. He broke the bonds of prison for me. Yes, He's worthy. Yes, He's worthy. He's worthy.