Monthly Archives: January 2023

Whole-Hearted Praise: A Declaration of Intent

Sunday Morning Sermons

Pastor Don Carpenter

Praise Eruption / Psalm 138:1–2

 Praise is a natural and necessary response to fully enjoy the object that is praised. For example, when watching a football game on television, it is a natural response to praise a tremendous play. To shout WOW! after an acrobatic catch in the end zone is not only natural, but necessary to fully enjoy the spectacular play. If you do not believe that it is necessary, the next time you watch a football game try to not express yourself at all. You will quickly find that you do not enjoy the action nearly as much as you do when you have the freedom to express yourself in praise and excitement.

1 Michael P. Green. (2000). 1500 illustrations for biblical preaching (p. 270). Baker Books.

A healthy and passionate praise life is essential for a believer to live up to their potential as a Christ -follower. Jesus explains that to the woman at the well.  

John 4:24 KJV

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Today we start a four week series on Psalm 138 entitled “Praise Eruption”. In this passage, David gives us a clear path to having the right attitude directing praise back to God where it belongs.

It is interesting to note that David was responding to an onslaught of criticism, attacks and ridicule from unbelieving idol worshippers. We certainly know what it is like to try to serve God in a culture that is becoming more and more hostile to Bible truth. This morning we will see that our response does not need to be one of hostility toward unbelievers, or isolation from critics. We can follow the Sweet Psalmist’s example and embrace whole hearted praise.

In the first two verses of Psalm 138, David sets to music his declaration of intent.

I Will Praise Thee With My Whole Heart

 Psalm 138:1 (KJV)

 I will praise thee with my whole heart…

 • Praise is directed to none else but God

Psalm 95:3 KJV

For the LORD is a great God, And a great King above all gods.

Psalm 96:4 KJV

For the LORD is great, and greatly to be praised: He is to be feared above all gods.

Barnes Notes puts it this way:

 I will praise thee with my whole heart. Reserving nothing in my heart to give to idols or to other gods. All that constitutes praise to God as God, he would address to him alone. He would use no language, and cherish no feeling, which implied a belief that there was any other God; he would indulge in no attachment which would be inconsistent with supreme attachment to God, or which would tend to draw away his affections from him. See Notes on Ps. 9:1.1

1 Barnes, A. (1870–1872). Notes on the Old Testament: Psalms (Vol. 3, p. 287). Blackie & Son.

 • This praise must be without distraction

 • This praise must be with passion

John 4:24 KJV

God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

 • This praise must be with a clean heart

Hebrews 12:1 KJV

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

So when we approach worship in the church, the house of God, let us prepare ourselves for whole hearted worship so that we can tap into our own passion witnessed by the Holy Spirit that dwells within us so that everyone present will know that this is much more than a ritualistic rote experience.

I Will Sing Praise Unto Thee

 Psalm 138:1 (KJV)

 …Before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.

 • Before the gods

Psalm 97:7 KJV

Confounded be all they that serve graven images, That boast themselves of idols: Worship him, all ye gods.

Psalm 96:5 KJV

For all the gods of the nations are idols: But the LORD made the heavens.

Charles Spurgeon in his sermon “Open Praise and Public Confession” gives us this bit of wisdom on this passage:

 Sing with whole-hearted praise: “I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.” This seems a very singular thing to do; here is a man indignant with these false gods, one would suppose that he would begin to argue on behalf of the true God, that he would raise a controversy on behalf of Jehovah; but he does nothing of the kind. At least, this is not the first thing that he does; but he begins to praise God, and to sing that praise aloud: “I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.”

 This was a very singular method of procedure, yet a very wise one; for, first, his song would openly show his contempt for the false gods. What does it matter to him what these idols really are? Men call them gods; so, for the nonce, he calls them gods, too; and he begins to sing, not to them, but to his own God, the only living and true God. He pitches the tune, he lifts up the strain, he sings a psalm, and this is the theme of his music: “Glorious art thou, O Jehovah!” And he does this in the very presence of the idol gods and their worshippers; as much as to say, “I take so little notice of them all that I will not even be disturbed about them. I was singing the praises of Jehovah, and I shall go on singing them. I was full of holy joy, and I intend still to be so. These gods of the heathen are nothing, but our God made the heavens; therefore, I will not rob him of his glory, or deprive him of his full revenue of praise, by turning aside even for a single moment to pay any attention to these mere blocks of wood and stone.” It was a wise way of acting on the part of David, and it was also a generous way, because he did not in words pour contempt upon the idols, but he showed his contempt for them by presenting his praise to Jehovah alone.1

1 Spurgeon, C. H. (1899). Open Praise and Public Confession. In The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons (Vol. 45, pp. 13–14). Passmore & Alabaster.

 • Others will hear

Psalm 40:3 KJV

And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: Many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

 “Before the gods [the elohim] will I sing praise unto Thee.” The word elohim in this context means the rulers, rather than “gods.” David had nearly always borne fearless testimony before rulers—before Saul, before Goliath. The only time David was ashamed to bear testimony for God was when he pretended to be mad before Ahimelech, king of Gath—but David was in a backslidden condition at that time or he would not have gone to Gath in the first place1

1 Phillips, J. (2012). Exploring Psalms 89–150: An Expository Commentary (Vol. 2, Ps 138:1b). Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp.

I Will Worship

 Psalm 138:2 (KJV)

 I will worship toward thy holy temple…

 • Toward thy holy temple

In verse 2a toward thy holy Temple may indicate, as Dahood thinks, that the psalmist is not in Jerusalem but in some foreign country, and is bowing in the direction of Jerusalem. But verse 1a seems to indicate that he is in Jerusalem (see also comments on 5:7).1

1 Bratcher, R. G., & Reyburn, W. D. (1991). A translator’s handbook on the book of Psalms (p. 1119). United Bible Societies.

 • Worship is directed somewhere specific…. where God is, not where God is not.

Zechariah 1:3 KJV

Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, And I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.

 • Worship does not have to be in a place, but directed toward a place.

1 Corinthians 3:17 KJV

If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

I Will Praise Thy Name

 Psalm 138:2 (KJV)

 … And praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: For thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

 • Not just any name

Acts 4:12 KJV

Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

Psalm 115:1 KJV

Not unto us, O LORD, not unto us, But unto thy name give glory, For thy mercy, and for thy truth’s sake.

Philippians 2:9 KJV

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

 • For thy lovingkindness

Psalm 63:3 KJV

Because thy lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise thee.

Micah 7:18–20 KJV

Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, And passeth by the transgression of the remnant of his heritage? He retaineth not his anger for ever, Because he delighteth in mercy. 

He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; And thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea. 

Thou wilt perform the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, Which thou hast sworn unto our fathers from the days of old.

 • For thy truth – the existence of absolute truth

John 1:17 KJV

For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.

 • For thy word which is magnified above all they name.

John 17:17 KJV

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Author and Christian Apologist C.S. Lewis said this:

“It is not out of compliment that lovers keep on telling one another how beautiful they are; the delight is incomplete till it is expressed. It is frustrating to have discovered a new author and not to be able to tell anyone how good he is; to come suddenly, at the turn of the road, upon some mountain valley of unexpected grandeur and then to have to keep silent because the people with you care for it no more than for a tin can in the ditch; to hear a good joke and find no one to share it with” (C. S. Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms [New York: Walker & Co., 1985], p. 95).9991

1 Michael P. Green. (2000). 1500 illustrations for biblical preaching (p. 270). Baker Books.

Conclusion:

We live in a world full of sinners and skeptics, people who hate the name and message of Jesus Christ. This darkness and oppression can start to quench the fire in a believer’s heart. We must be like David and make a declaration of intent…

 • I will praise thee!

 • I will sing praise before the false gods and doubters!

 • I will direct my worship toward the house of God!

 • I will praise the Name of Jesus – the only source of Salvation

And this is our intent… to serve notice to the world that we will not stop until we are fully involved in whole hearted praise.

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 2:28 PM January 31, 2023.

Prayer for Effect

Wednesday Evening Sermons

Prayer For Effect

Pastor Don Carpenter

Pray / Plan / Build / Nehemiah 1–11

1000 Illustrations for Preaching & Teaching Leave Your Prayer List

The sexton of a metropolitan church noticed scraps of paper in a certain pew in the sanctuary after each Sunday service. One day he made bold to examine the crumpled pieces of paper. He found such notes as: “Mary—ill; Bob, needs job; her rent due; my needs …” After a few weeks of this, the faithful custodian shared the mystery with the pastor, who alerted several members who sat in the area where messages were found to please identify, if possible, the person who was leaving tidbits of information each Sunday. The quiet plan succeeded. In due time, the minister adroitly engaged the lady in conversation in his study conversation in his study about the intriguing practice of leaving notes addressed to various people in her pew.

Smiling, the gentle lady declared that the bits of paper had deep meaning for her. “You will think it silly, but sometime ago I read, ‘Take your troubles to church with you.’ So I write down my concerns, burdens, and needs on little pieces of paper, take them to church, pray about them, and leave them there. I feel God is taking care of them!”

Tonight we start a new series entitled “Pray/ Plan/ Build” focusing on the incredible story of Nehemiah as he rallied a beleaguered nation to rise up and rebuild after years of defeat and humiliation. In the next few weeks may God stir our hearts to be like this hero of the faith, moved to do great things for our great God. It all starts with the urgency of prayer. and what kind of prayer taps into the most power of God. Following his example, let us learn how to pray for affect!

We Need to be Intellectually Affected

Psalm 37:4–5 KJV

Delight thyself also in the LORD; And he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 

Commit thy way unto the LORD; Trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.

A. ASK about the state of God’s work!

Nehemiah 1:1–2 KJV

THE words of Nehemiah the son of Hachaliah. And it came to pass in the month Chisleu, in the twentieth year, as I was in Shushan the palace, 

That Hanani, one of my brethren, came, he and certain men of Judah; and I asked them concerning the Jews that had escaped, which were left of the captivity, and concerning Jerusalem.

 1. Be alert as to how we are perceived in the community

 2. Understand that our impact depends upon our perceived health

B. Note AFFLICTION– distress/misery because of the enemy’s victory

Nehemiah 1:3 KJV

And they said unto me, The remnant that are left of the captivity there in the province are in great affliction and reproach: the wall of Jerusalem also is broken down, and the gates thereof are burned with fire.

Acts 4:18–23 KJV

And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. 

But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye. 

For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard. 

So when they had further threatened them, they let them go, finding nothing how they might punish them, because of the people: for all men glorified God for that which was done. 

For the man was above forty years old, on whom this miracle of healing was shewed. 

And being let go, they went to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them.

C. Note REPROACH

 1. Disgrace

 2. Because of lack of victory

 3. God gets glory when we produce fruit, not when we are barren.

D. Note the condition of the ministries of God now – Jerusalem’s walls were burned

We Need To Be Emotionally Affected

Nehemiah 1:4 KJV

And it came to pass, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned certain days, and fasted, and prayed before the God of heaven,

James 4:7–10 KJV

Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 

Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. 

Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. 

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

A. Sit down – in amazement

B. Weep – let it affect you!

C. Mourn – as you would lose a loved one

D. Fast – to distressed to eat!

E. Pray – driven to action

Abraham Lincoln:

“I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go. My own wisdom and that of those about me seemed insufficient for the day.”

We Need To Be Personally Affected – Driven to prayer

A. Acknowledge God’s greatness

Nehemiah 1:5 KJV

And said, I beseech thee, O LORD God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth covenant and mercy for them that love him and observe his commandments:

 1. The God of Heaven

 2. Creator

 3. Great… in scope and dimension

 4. Terrible – One to be feared

 5. Covenant Keeper – you are going to hold Him to it!

B. Acknowledge our total dependence upon God

Nehemiah 1:6 KJV

Let thine ear now be attentive, and thine eyes open, that thou mayest hear the prayer of thy servant, which I pray before thee now, day and night, for the children of Israel thy servants, and confess the sins of the children of Israel, which we have sinned against thee: both I and my father’s house have sinned.

 1. Listen to me!

 2. Look at this!

 3. Pray day and night

Luke 11:6–8 KJV

For a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him? 

And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee. 

I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.

C. Pray with a penitent heart

Nehemiah 1:7 KJV

We have dealt very corruptly against thee, and have not kept the commandments, nor the statutes, nor the judgments, which thou commandedst thy servant Moses.

1. Repentance follows when you get a clear vision of who God is.

Isaiah 6:5 KJV

Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

2. Effective prayer comes from the righteous.

James 5:16 KJV

Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

D. Remind God of His promises – Pray Biblically

Nehemiah 1:8–9 KJV

Remember, I beseech thee, the word that thou commandedst thy servant Moses, saying, If ye transgress, I will scatter you abroad among the nations: 

But if ye turn unto me, and keep my commandments, and do them; though there were of you cast out unto the uttermost part of the heaven, yet will I gather them from thence, and will bring them unto the place that I have chosen to set my name there.

E. Make it personal

Nehemiah 1:10–11 KJV

Now these are thy servants and thy people, whom thou hast redeemed by thy great power, and by thy strong hand. 

O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer.

1. Your church

2. Your soul winning

3. Specific requests that line up with God’s will and work.

Acts 4:29–31 KJV

And now, Lord, behold their threatenings: and grant unto thy servants, that with all boldness they may speak thy word, 

By stretching forth thine hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done by the name of thy holy child Jesus. 

And when they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were assembled together; and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness.

George Mueller was known for his powerful prayer. In the course of his ministry to the orphans of England, he never asked for financial assistance from men – only God… and he constantly received what was needed to the penny.

Once while on his way to speak in Quebec for a engagement. On the deck of the ship that was to carry him to his destination, he informed the captain that he needed to be in Quebec by Saturday afternoon.

As the captain related the story, he said “’It is impossible,’ I said. ’Do you know how dense this fog is?’”

“’No,’ he replied, ’my eye is not on the density of the fog, but on the living God who controls every circumstance of life. I have never broken an engagement in 57 years; let us go down into the chart room and pray.’

He knelt down and he prayed one of the most simple prayers. When he had finished I was going to pray, but he put his hand on my shoulder and told me not to pray. ’As you do not believe He will answer, and as I believe He has, there is no need for you whatever for you to pray about it.’

“I looked at him and George Mueller said, ’Captain, I have known my Lord for 57 yrs. and there has never been a single day when I have failed to get an audience with the King. Get up, Captain, and open the door and you will find that the fog has gone.’

“I got up and the fog indeed was gone, and on that Saturday afternoon George Mueller kept his promised engagement.”

SOURCE: Jeff Strite in “The Power of Persistent Prayer” on www.sermoncentral.com.

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 11:51 AM January 4, 2023.