Expectation of Praise

Sunday Evening Sermons

The Expectation of Praise

Pastor Don Carpenter

Based on:

Holy Roar: 7 Words That Will Change The Way You Worship BEHIND THE MUSIC

Darren Whitehead and Chris Tomlin

 Psalm 56:11–12 (KJV)

 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid What man can do unto me. 

 Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee.

Tôwdâh, to-daw´: An extension of the hand. Thanksgiving. A confession. A sacrifice of praise. Thanksgiving for things not yet received. A choir of worshippers.

Pastor David Whitehead tells the following story in the book Holy Roar:

 A few years ago, I was invited to speak at Salem Baptist Church, the largest African-American church in Chicagoland. The church boasts twenty thousand members and is pastored by Reverend James Meeks. They meet in Chicago’s South Side, an area with a high concentration of crime. It’s an area known for its violence and gangs, and shootings taking place in the neighborhoods around the church often make their way into national headlines.I was nervous about visiting Salem Baptist Church. First, I’d never preached at a predominately black church. Perhaps more daunting, though, was the task of preaching in a community surrounded by such spiritual resistance. I thought the church must feel that resistance, that they must be weighed down by all the violence. I wondered if the tension would be palpable.I sat on the front row on the Sunday morning I was scheduled to preach, and I waited for the service to begin. The choir filed in, and even before they took the stage, they began belting out their song.“The Lord made a way when there was no way,” they sang.“Rise up, church!”“God is not done yet.”“My Deliverer is coming.”They continued to their places, singing over the church, asking them to rise up in song with them.

 The choir continued lifting praise for what seemed like an hour. They declared that their story, the story of the community, was not over yet, that they would rise up and stand in faith. They declared that they would hold to that faith, the faith that the Lord would come through. They sang for things they hadn’t yet experienced, the coming of peace and perfect freedom. They didn’t hold back. It was, maybe, the most stirring worship experience I’d ever had, and as I listened to those songs I was overtaken. I began to sing with them; and as if swept into the current of their praise, I sensed the outpouring of fresh faith filling the room, filling me.It came time for me to preach, and I didn’t walk to the pulpit; I floated up to it. There was something about this congregation’s declaration of faith. I sensed their strength. Despite all the darkness in their community, all the violence and gang activity, they would not back down. They rejoiced in the light of God, holding to his promises in expectation that he would move. In that expectation, God saw fit to pour out his blessing, his presence. He inhabited that room.This was my most vivid recollection of experiencing the power of expectant praise. This was an experience of tôwdâh.  Tôwdâh is a Hebrew word that means an extension of the hand in thanksgiving for what God has done. But it also means a sacrifice of praise for things not yet received. It is praising God with expectation. The psalmist used tôwdâh as an expression of confession, a way to convey trust in the goodness of God.

The Expectation of Praise Depends Upon Faith in God, Not Man.

1 Corinthians 2:5 KJV

That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

2 Corinthians 5:7 KJV

(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)

Psalm 121:1–2 KJV

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, From whence cometh my help. 

My help cometh from the LORD, Which made heaven and earth.

Psalm 20:7 KJV

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: But we will remember the name of the LORD our God.

Expectation of Praise Rests Thanksgiving in the Presence of God.

 Psalm 50:14 (KJV)

 Offer unto God thanksgiving; And pay thy vows unto the most High:

 Psalm 69:30 (KJV)

 I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify him with thanksgiving.

 Psalm 100:4 (KJV)

 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, And into his courts with praise: Be thankful unto him, and bless his name.

Expectation of Praise Rests is God’s Track Record

 Psalm 26:7 (KJV)

 That I may publish with the voice of thanksgiving, And tell of all thy wondrous works.

 Psalm 107:22 (KJV)

 And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, And declare his works with rejoicing.

 Psalm 42:4 (KJV)

 When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: For I had gone with the multitude, I went with them to the house of God, With the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday.

The Expectation of Praise is for Deliverance Yet to Come.

 Psalm 50:22–23 (KJV)

 Now consider this, ye that forget God, Lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver. 

 Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me: And to him that ordereth his conversation aright Will I shew the salvation of God.

 In Psalm 50, the psalmist Asaph recorded a stanza for the wicked, for those who’d forgotten their God. The stanza culminated with a promise for those who practiced tôwdâh:

 Asaph’s psalm makes it plain: Sometimes the sacrifice of praise, the act of showing God honor and praise even before the realization of his promises, precedes salvation.In most Bibles, Psalm 56 is preceded by a notation indicating it was written by David after he was seized by the Philistines at Gath. Despite his capture, despite the direst of circumstances, David wrote:

 Psalm 56:11–12 (KJV)

 In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid What man can do unto me. 

 Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee.

Holy Roar: 7 Words That Will Change The Way You Worship BEHIND THE MUSIC

David, captured by the enemy and facing an unknown future, praised the Lord for the promise of deliverance he’d not yet received. He knew he’d be delivered, so in his imprisonment, he praised God in earnest expectation.

 Isaiah 51:3 (KJV)

 For the LORD shall comfort Zion: He will comfort all her waste places; And he will make her wilderness like Eden, And her desert like the garden of the LORD; Joy and gladness shall be found therein, Thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.

 Jonah 2:9 (KJV)

 But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.

Holy Roar: 7 Words That Will Change The Way You Worship BEHIND THE MUSIC

In tôwdâh, we lift our hands in the presence of God, not only for what he has done, but also for what we believe he will do. He will bring an end to all violence, so we lift our hands in praise. He will release us from bondage, so we lift our hands in praise. He will provide what we need, so we lift our hands in praise. He will heal us, both now and in eternity, so we lift our hands in praise.

Pastor Darren Whitehead writes:

I once knew a man, Ken, who had a way of pointing to the place of ultimate hope, even in times of deep anxiety. One day he called me into his office and told me his teenage daughter had been out partying. She had not come home, and no one could find her. As he told me the story, I interrupted and said, “You must be worried out of your mind.” His answer was quick and calm.

“I don’t worry. I worship.”

I’ve never forgotten those words. Instead of focusing on the things out of his control, he turned his attention to the One who is in control. He worshipped God, believing he’d respond. He moved his worry to worship. I’ve thought about Ken many times over the years in seasons of stress and anxiety. Ken was practicing the essence of tôwdâh.

Have you raised your hands in praise, believing in faith that God will fulfill his promises to you? Have you raised your hands for your wounded marriage, your troubled career, your wayward son or daughter? Have you raised your hands believing God will give you the guidance and the direction you so desperately need? Have you raised tôwdâh to God for healing?

Our praise should embody the notion of tôwdâh; it should become an expression of faith for salvation not yet received. My friends at Salem Baptist Church in Chicago know this full well. Would you let their story of tôwdâh wash over you and lead you into a fuller expression of praise?

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 5:48 PM November 4, 2021.

The Music of Praise

Sunday Morning Sermons

The Music of Praise

Pastor Don Carpenter

Holy Roar: 7 Words That Will Change The Way You Worship

 Zâmar, zaw-mar´: To make music. To celebrate in song and music. To touch the strings or parts of a musical instrument.

 Psalm 144:9 (KJV)

 I will sing a new song unto thee, O God: Upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee.

Pastor Darren Whitehead tells the following story:

I stood over Brandy, looking into her eyes, giving her chips of ice, holding her hand, doing whatever she needed. She was deep into labor with our third daughter, Violet, and as was the tradition in the Whitehead family, music filled the hospital room.

In the weeks before delivery, Brandy and I made a worship playlist. We’d done the same thing when our first two daughters were born. More than anything, we wanted the songs of the church to be the first sounds our daughters’ tiny ears ever heard; we wanted to bring them into the chorus of God’s family from the beginning.

The worship music we played during Brandy’s labor gave us a sort of hidden strength. This music wasn’t just for our new baby. It was for us too. The people of God singing the praises of God calmed us through the moments of anxiety, bolstering Brandy’s spirits even through the labor of childbirth. The music was a conduit of God’s grace, and we felt it in that hospital room.

Praise and worship music can be a powerful tool to draw us into a personal experience with God. And this effect can be felt in the privacy of a hospital room or in the gathering of the church. Haven’t you experienced this? Consider that time you walked into church, frustrated with a friend, anxious about your finances, perhaps concerned about a new health challenge. Remember how you stood in the liminal space before the worship music began and made small talk as best you could, the things of eternity far from your mind. Recall how the chords began to fill the room, how the attention of the crowd was turned toward the praise of God. In that moment, didn’t the stuff of earth, the anxieties of life, seem to melt into the melody? As the cares rolled away, didn’t you encounter the very presence of God? 

Music is more powerful than we even understand. It can soften our hearts, soothe our troubled souls. It opens a door to the spiritual world. It paves the road for the Spirit’s coming. The patriarchs, psalmists, and prophets of the scriptures understood the power of music especially.

Zâmar is used throughout the psalms to connote the making of music, celebrating in song and music, and plucking the strings of a musical instrument. It’s a word that appears in the scriptures forty-one times, both in narrative form and in the poetry of the psalms.

n prepares the heart for the reality of an important message. This reality is captured by the third Hebrew word that’s so often translated as praise—the word zâmar.

This morning, as we continue our look at seven words for Praise, let us discover ZAMAR – to praise through singing and playing music. We will discover that this musical praise prepares the Heart.

Praise that Prepares the Heart to Hear the Word

2 Kings 3:15–17 KJV

But now bring me a minstrel. And it came to pass, when the minstrel played, that the hand of the LORD came upon him. 

And he said, Thus saith the LORD, Make this valley full of ditches. 

For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.

 Psalm 47:7 (KJV)

 For God is the King of all the earth: Sing ye praises with understanding.

Colossians 3:16 KJV

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Praise That Prepares The Heart to Trust

1 Samuel 16:23 KJV

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.

While David was hiding from Saul in a cave.

 Psalm 57:7 (KJV)

 My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise.

 Psalm 108:1 (KJV)

 O God, my heart is fixed; I will sing and give praise, Even with my glory.

Praise That Prepares The Heart to Stand

 2 Samuel 22:50 (KJV)

 Therefore I will give thanks unto thee, O LORD, among the heathen, And I will sing praises unto thy name.

 Psalm 27:6 (KJV)

 And now shall mine head be lifted up above mine enemies round about me: Therefore will I offer in his tabernacle sacrifices of joy; I will sing, yea, I will sing praises unto the LORD.

 Psalm 57:9 (KJV)

 I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations.

 Psalm 59:17 (KJV)

 Unto thee, O my strength, will I sing: For God is my defence, and the God of my mercy.

Praise That Prepares The Heart to Give Thanks

 Psalm 147:7 (KJV)

 Sing unto the LORD with thanksgiving; Sing praise upon the harp unto our God:

Ephesians 5:19–20 KJV

Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; 

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ;

Praise That Prepares The Heart To Proclaim

 1 Chronicles 16:9 (KJV)

 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, Talk ye of all his wondrous works.

 Psalm 105:2 (KJV)

 Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him: Talk ye of all his wondrous works.

 Psalm 101:1 (KJV)

 I will sing of mercy and judgment: unto thee, O LORD, will I sing.

Praise That Prepares The Heart To Rejoice

 Psalm 71:23 (KJV)

 My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing unto thee; And my soul, which thou hast redeemed.

The following is a testimony from Chris Tomlin:

Holy Roar: 7 Words That Will Change The Way You Worship BEHIND THE MUSIC

In the earliest days of leading worship, I read the story of the famous composer, Johann Sebastian Bach. It’s said that as Bach composed and played music, it was as if he were praising God, even in his instrumental arrangements. “I play the notes as they are written,” Bach is oft quoted as saying, “but it is God who makes the music.” Bach was so convinced of this truth, in fact, that he penned the initials S.D.G. on many of his pieces, his shorthand for Soli Deo gloria—glory to God alone.

Bach’s commitment to creating music to the glory of God was inspirational and formative, and it put language to my practice of prayer before leading worship. Even before reading about Bach’s commitment, I’d prayed that God would be in the music that I played, that I’d simply reflect the melodies God put on my heart, whether or not those songs included words.

Over the years, I’ve had the privilege to play with some of the most incredible musicians, people truly gifted to lead the church in worship. There are times, though, when we gather for the purpose of simply playing. We’ll come together to play impromptu instrumental pieces without singing a word. In these moments, rare though they may be, we try our best to pay attention to each other, to the rhythms, to the melodies, and to the harmonies God puts on our hearts. As best as we can, we try to play those songs to the glory of God alone. 

There’s something about those times of instrumental worship, times when we pluck the string. They’ve been some of the most powerful times of personal worship for me. And though it’s hard to explain, they are the times I’ve most felt that I was playing the soundtrack of God. In such times I felt Bach’s truth most.

Yes, I play the notes as they come, but God makes the music. I’m his instrument, a reflection of his music, and before I step onto any stage, I ask that the touch of his presence would be on the music I play. I ask that no matter the crowd size, no matter the songs we play, no matter the time of day, may we play every song for the glory of God alone. Isn’t this the greatest privilege?

ZAMAR – Musical Praise that prepares the heart. Are you prepared?

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 12:10 PM November 4, 2021.

Disinterested Goodness

Wednesday Evening Sermons

Disinterested Goodness

Pastor Don Carpenter

2021 Bible Reading Challenge / Luke 14:12–14

Brad and Libby Birky opened a restaurant in Denver, Colorado. It is a 40 seat restaurant that has one thing conspicuously absent, a cash register. They serve healthy food to people in need. The Birky’s do not charge for their meals telling people “Pay whatever you can afford.” Some do not pay anything but most pay a dollar or donate an hour of work. The name of the restaurant: SAME- So All May Eat.

This kind of selfless virtue is all too rare today. In our passage today Jesus also offers a radical motivation check to help us follow in our Savior’s footsteps rather than just making soft choices that mimic virtue.

Luke 14:12–14 KJV

Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee. 

But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind: 

And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

Jesus’s third word is addressed ‘to the man who had invited him’. It is unlikely to be a personal accusation, since his host can hardly have had a return invitation in mind when he invited the poor preacher to his house, but again it is a general principle which could apply to anyone—the danger of calculating possible rewards. Real disinterested goodness is rare indeed; so much of what we do is coloured by the hope, if not the intention, that it may in some way work out to our own benefit.

Such a concern for personal advantage is another thing that will have to go if one is to get in through the narrow door. There, more than anywhere, self-interest is inadmissible. The humble aim of the would-be entrant should rather be, in the words of the old Latin hymn-writer, 

to seek his God

not for the hope of winning heaven,

Nor of escaping hell;

Not with the hope of gaining aught,

Not seeking a reward;

But as thyself hast lovèd me,

O ever-loving Lord.

1 Michael Wilcock, The Savior of the World: The Message of Luke’s Gospel, The Bible Speaks Today (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1979), 145–146.

Self Interest Limits Your Reward

Luke 14:12 KJV

Then said he also to him that bade him, When thou makest a dinner or a supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours; lest they also bid thee again, and a recompence be made thee.

Luke 6:32–35 KJV

For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. 

And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same. 

And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again. 

But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.

Matthew 6:5 KJV

And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

Here is a searching passage, because it demands that we should examine the motives behind all our generosity.

(1) Some people may give from a sense of duty.

He dropped a penny in the plate

And meekly raised his eyes,

Glad the week’s rent was duly paid

For mansions in the skies.

We may give to God and to others much in the same way as we pay our income tax—as the satisfaction of a grim duty which we cannot escape.

(2) Some people may give purely from motives of self-interest. Consciously or unconsciously they may regard their giving as an investment. They may regard each gift as an entry on the credit side of their account in the ledger of God. Such giving, so far from being generosity, is rationalized selfishness.

(3) Some people may give in order to feel superior. Such giving can be a cruel thing. It can hurt the recipient much more than a blunt refusal. To give like that is to look down on others. Some people may even throw in a short and smug lecture. It would be better not to give at all than to give merely to gratify one’s own vanity and one’s own desire for power. The Rabbis had a saying that the best kind of giving was when the giver did not know to whom he was giving, and when the receiver did not know from whom he was receiving.

(4) Some people may give because they cannot help it. That is the only real way to give. The law of the kingdom is this—that if we give to gain reward we will receive no reward; but if we give with no thought of reward our reward is certain. The only real giving is that which is the uncontrollable outflow of love. Once Dr Johnson cynically described gratitude as ‘a lively sense of favours to come’. The same definition could equally apply to certain forms of giving. God gave because he so loved the world—and so must we.1

1 William Barclay, The Gospel of Luke, The New Daily Study Bible (Louisville, KY; London: Westminster John Knox Press, 2001), 226–227.

 Living by the Law of Reciprocity

 Now you would think Jesus has ruffled enough feathers at one dinner: exposing the legalist’s ability to twist the law in order to protect their selfish convenience, and exposing the pride of those who crave the praise of men. You would think the party is over. But he is not done yet.

 He said also to the man who had invited him, “Whenever you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers, or your relatives or your rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and it be a repayment for you. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For it will be repaid to you in the resurrection of the just.” (Luke 14:12–14)

 Up till now Jesus has talked to the guests. Now he turns to the host. “Don’t touch that snake, lest it bite you and you die.” “Don’t climb that rope, lest it break and you fall.” “Don’t invite your friends and brothers and relatives and rich neighbors to dinner, lest you be repaid in kind.” What an unearthly argument! “Danger! Repayment ahead!” “Warning! This repayment may be dangerous to your health!” Who on earth would talk like that? Probably somebody whose kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36); somebody who knows that 1,000 years on this earth are like yesterday when it is gone (Psalm 90:4); somebody who knows that our life is but a mist that appears and in a moment vanishes away (James 4:14); who knows that he who saves his life now will lose it later, and he who loses it now in love will save it later (Mark 8:35); and who knows that there will be a resurrection unto eternal life, a resurrection of the just to live with God a million millennia of eons, if indeed he was our God on this earth. Jesus is the man. No man ever spoke like this man. And the people who call him Lord ought not to be like any other people.

 Take heed how you hear. There are some whose first and only reaction to Jesus’ words will be: “Well, he can’t mean that, because then we would have no more church suppers, no more Sunday School socials, no more family reunions, and even the Lord’s Supper would have been wrong.” Then, having thus defused the text and bent the sword of the Spirit, they move on to the next passage and right on through the New Testament justifying themselves and, just like the Pharisees, manipulating the law of Christ to preserve their unruffled tradition and convenience.1

1 John Piper, Sermons from John Piper (1980–1989) (Minneapolis, MN: Desiring God, 2007).

Selfless Motivation Reflects Christ in You

Luke 14:13 KJV

But when thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind:

Luke 4:18–19 KJV

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 

To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

John 9:2 KJV

And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?

Well-to-do persons in the Greco-Roman world usually invited people of somewhat lower social status in return for receiving honor, but these invitees would still be relatively respectable, not absolute dependents or beggars, as crippled, lame and blind people would be in that society, or peasants (although many Jewish teachers might regard inviting beggars and peasants as an act of piety). The crippled, lame and blind were not permitted on the premises of the probably Essene community at Qumran.1

1 Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), Lk 14:13.

Call the poor

 In our Lord’s time, it was not considered proper to ask poor people and handicapped people to public banquets. (The women were not invited either!) But Jesus commanded us to put these needy people at the top of our guest list because they cannot pay us back. If our hearts are right, God will see to it that we are properly rewarded, though getting a reward must not be the motive for our generosity. When we serve others from unselfish hearts, we are laying up treasures in heaven (Matt. 6:20) and becoming “rich toward God” (Luke 12:21).1

1 Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 230.

Selfless Motivation Enhances Eternal Reward

Luke 14:14 KJV

And thou shalt be blessed; for they cannot recompense thee: for thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just.

Proverbs 3:9 KJV

Honour the LORD with thy substance, And with the firstfruits of all thine increase:

 Our modern world is very competitive, and it is easy for God’s people to become more concerned about profit and loss than they are about sacrifice and service. “What will I get out of it?” may easily become life’s most important question (Matt. 19:27ff). We must strive to maintain the unselfish attitude that Jesus had and share what we have with others.1

1 Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 230.

 Our motive for sharing must be the praise of God and not the applause of men, the eternal reward in heaven and not the temporary recognition on earth. A pastor friend of mine used to remind me, “You can’t get your reward twice!” and he was right (see Matt. 6:1–18). On the day of judgment, many who today are first in the eyes of men will be last in God’s eyes, and many who are last in the eyes of men will be first in the eyes of God (Luke 13:30).1

1 Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 1 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1996), 230.

Years ago, late on a stormy night in Philadelphia, an elderly couple walked wearily into a hotel. They approached the night clerk at the desk and practically begged him for a room. Apparently there were three conventions in town, and every hotel was filled to capacity. “Are there any rooms left anywhere?” the old man inquired.

“I’m sorry. All of our rooms are taken,” the clerk said. “But I can’t send a nice couple like you out into the street and in the rain at one o’clock in the morning. Would you perhaps be willing to sleep in my room? It may not be what you’re used to, but it will be good enough to make you folks comfortable for the night.”

When the couple declined, the young man pressed it. “Don’t worry about me; I’ll be just fine,” the clerk said. “Just take my room.” So the couple agreed.

As he paid his bill the next morning, the older man said to the clerk, “You know what? You are the kind of man who should be the boss of the best hotel in the United States. Maybe someday I’ll build one for you.”

The clerk didn’t think much about that, and two years passed.

The clerk had almost forgotten the incident when he received a letter from the old man. It recalled that stormy night and enclosed a round-trip ticket to New York, asking the young man to pay them a visit.

The old man met him in New York, and led him to the corner of Fifth Avenue and 34th Street. He then pointed to a great new building there, a palace of reddish stone, with turrets and watchtowers thrusting up to the sky.

“That,” said the older man, “is the hotel I have just built for you to manage.”

“You must be joking,” the young man said.

“I can assure you that I am not,” said the older man, a sly smile playing around his mouth. The old man’s name was William Waldorf Astor, and the magnificent structure was the original Waldorf-Astoria Hotel.

You see, when we give without worrying about being repaid, we can’t foresee the rewards of our kindnesses. But Jesus guarantees they will be repaid in countless blessings at the resurrection of the righteous — at the end of the world, when he comes to take his faithful people home with him to heaven.

Because that’s where the way of grace leads us: heaven.

SOURCE: Pastor Jeff Samelson in “The Way of Grace Is Clearly Different” on www.sermoncentral.com.

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 4:09 PM November 3, 2021.

The Fools of Praise

Sunday Evening Sermons

The Fools of Praise

Pastor Don Carpenter

Holy Roar: 7 Words That Will Change The Way You Worship

Psalm 149:3 KJV
Let them praise his name in the dance: Let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.

Pastor Darren Whitehead tells the following story:

Holy Roar: 7 Words That Will Change The Way You Worship BEHIND THE MUSIC
A couple of years ago my wife and I were invited to a Jewish wedding. I’d never been to one before and had no idea what I was getting into. There were differences in the ceremony—that much is true—but the culmination of the wedding was just like any other. There were vows, a kiss, and a pronouncement. There was a new union—husband and wife.
After the ceremony, we made our way to the reception where the real fun and games began. A huge banquet awaited us—a spread of food and drinks as impressive as any I’d ever seen at a wedding. There was grand music and dancing, and everyone shouted and laughed in celebration. And though I was the Gentile of Gentiles in the room (how else would you describe a Christian preacher at a Jewish wedding?), I quickly found that participation in this party was not optional.
I was watching the rowdy festivities when, without warning, two yarmulke-wearing men in their mid-sixties sandwiched me between them. Seconds later, I was swept into a dance with these two strangers, and after a few moments, as if on cue, both men threw their heads back and laughed with such energy that it seemed to come from their very souls. These guys knew how to have fun, but even more importantly, they knew how to draw others into their party. They knew that the cosmic union of souls, the coming together of two people in holy matrimony, was a thing worthy of foolish, near-nonsensical celebration. The celebration was for everyone, Jew and Gentile alike.
The wedding was an amazing experience, and those men personified a word I’d read in the Hebrew text of the Old Testament. It was a word of praise, a word used again and again throughout the book of Psalms—hâlal.
Hâlal is the primary Hebrew word for praise. It’s the word from which we derive the biblical word hallelujah. It’s an exuberant expression of celebration, a word that connotes boasting, raving, or celebrating. It carries with it the notion of acting in a way that is “clamorously foolish.” True hâlal contemplates laying aside your inhibitions and killing your self-consciousness.

Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words To Praise
The Hebrew name for the Book of Psalms is simply the equivalent for the word “praises” and is a bit more appropriate than “Psalms,” which comes from the Greek and has to do with the accompaniment of singing with a stringed instrument of some sort. It is little wonder that the Book of Psalms contains more than half the occurrences of halal in its various forms. Psalms 113–118 are traditionally referred to as the “Hallel Psalms,” because they have to do with praise to God for deliverance from Egyptian bondage under Moses. Because of this, they are an important part of the traditional Passover service. There is no reason to doubt that these were the hymns sung by Jesus and His disciples on Maundy Thursday when He instituted the Lord’s Supper (Matt. 26:30).
The word halal is the source of “Hallelujah,” a Hebrew expression of “praise” to God which has been taken over into virtually every language of mankind. The Hebrew “Hallelujah” is generally translated “Praise the Lord!” The Hebrew term is more technically translated “Let us praise Yah,” the term “Yah” being a shortened form of “Yahweh,” the unique Israelite name for God. The term “Yah” is found in the KJV rendering of Ps. 68:4, reflecting the Hebrew text; however, the Jerusalem Bible (JB) translates it with “Yahweh.”

Holy Roar: 7 Words That Will Change The Way You Worship


It’s an exuberant expression of celebration, a word that connotes boasting, raving, or celebrating.

Holy Roar: 7 Words That Will Change The Way You Worship


In the Old Testament, the word hilul (which comes from the same root word) is used in two places outside the psalms. In both the book of Judges and the book of Leviticus, it is used to describe the way the people might celebrate a harvest festival. There, they’d dance on the grapes, expressing the harvest’s juices for use in wine making. Imagine their enthusiasm as they danced and danced, as the hems of their robes were dyed purple. This dance carries with it the idea of hâlal.

High Energy Praise

Psalm 69:30 KJV
I will praise the name of God with a song, And will magnify him with thanksgiving.

Psalm 22:22 KJV
I will declare thy name unto my brethren: In the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.

Psalm 109:30 KJV
I will greatly praise the LORD with my mouth; Yea, I will praise him among the multitude.

Psalm 18:3 KJV
I will call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised: So shall I be saved from mine enemies.

Psalm 56:10 KJV
In God will I praise his word: In the LORD will I praise his word.

Psalm 84:4 KJV
Blessed are they that dwell in thy house: They will be still praising thee. Selah.

Corporate Celebration

Psalm 149:3 KJV
Let them praise his name in the dance: Let them sing praises unto him with the timbrel and harp.

Holy Roar: 7 Words That Will Change The Way You Worship BEHIND THE MUSIC
Imagine the Hebrew people gathered together. There, tens of thousands of Levites and musicians faced the Israelites, and together, they formed a sort of praise pit. The Levites and musicians played, and as their songs rose, a combustible energy built and built and built until some spark of God ignited the praises of the people. In that moment, the worshippers began to shout, laugh, and dance. They jumped around, hands raised. To the outside observer, they might have appeared drunk or foolish, but they were most sober in their celebration of God; they were incarnating hâlal.

2 Chronicles 5:13 KJV
It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;

2 Chronicles 20:21 KJV
And 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.

Ezra 3:11 KJV
And they sang together by course in praising and giving thanks unto the LORD; because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever toward Israel. And all the people shouted with a great shout, when they praised the LORD, because the foundation of the house of the LORD was laid.

Psalm 35:18 KJV
I will give thee thanks in the great congregation: I will praise thee among much people.

Triumphant Conclusion of Psalms

Psalm 150:6 KJV
Let every thing that hath breath praise the LORD. Praise ye the LORD.

Holy Roar: 7 Words That Will Change The Way You Worship BEHIND THE MUSIC
The God of the universe made us to praise him with abandon, like foolish but fun-loving children. Sometimes I wonder if God looks down on North America, if he sees our dignified, carefully orchestrated worship experiences, and wishes we’d cut loose. I wonder if he wishes we’d celebrate him the way those two Jewish gentlemen celebrated at that wedding I attended. I wonder if he wishes we’d join the party, that we’d step out onto his great dance floor and risk being undignified.

At this point some may wonder… is Pastor Carpenter turning Pentecostal or Charismatic? ABSOLUTELY NOT! I have always rejected the teaching of tongues, continued prophetic revelation, or prosperity gospel. I believe that the Bible still teaches that things must be done decently and in order.

1 Corinthians 14:40 KJV
Let all things be done decently and in order.

But the same Bible that gives us this warning, also gives us this direction.

John 4:24 KJV
God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

We learned this morning that Praise involves shooting up one’s hands. Tonight we see that praise can be loud and celebratory from time to time. This is not Charismatic, it is Bible. So, if the Holy Ghost stirs you to shout Hallelujah! It’s okay. If you feel an AMEN coming on… let it go. If you are overwhelmed and your hand shoots into the air, I believe you are in good company because the unseen angels that have been with us have been doing that with us all along.

Jesus our Savior is worthy of passionate praise! Hallelujah!

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 6:36 PM October 28, 2021.

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The Lukewarm Church

Sunday Morning Sermons

The Lukewarm Church

Pastor Don Carpenter

The Jesus Letters / Revelation 3:14–22

PASTORAL SEARCH COMMITTEE OF THE FIRST LUKEWARM CHURCH

I was recently contacted by a pulpit committee that was interested in my ministry. I met with Chairman of the Disenchanted, Bro Tepid. He described his church; First Lukewarm Church of the Apathetic. “Nothing too boring, nothing too exciting. We want it to fit into our American Culture Christianity. No songs too slow, no songs too fast. Nothing from the ancient songs and nothing after the 70’s.” Nothing ever challenging. We want encouragement and comfort.”

He sang to me the Churches Theme Song.

“Sitting on the premises of Christ our friend.

Through eternal ages let the service end.

Glutted to the highest we will moan and sing.

Sitting on the premises and dead.

Sitting on the premises, sitting on the premises,

Sitting on the premises of Christ our servant.

Sitting on the premises, sitting on the premises,

We’re sitting on the premises and dead.”

He proudly described the Church as irresolute and uncommitted. He introduced to me the other committee members; Bobby Bored, Connie Cool. He described the great teachings the women received who participated in the Church’s The Women’s Indifference Society. There seemed to be great growth in one class; The Mellow Sunday School Class. They were excited about an upcoming event; The Men’s Worldly and Wise Conference. An upcoming revival was going to be led by The Reverend Marvin Mundane. The church had started the Spiritless Seniors group who were going to focus on traveling to entertainment locations like Branson Missouri and Las Vegas. This would bring the Church back into balance because of the growing the Unresponsive Youth Program.

They were looking for a pastor who could scratch their ears, stir their emotions, help their self-esteem, complement their current spiritual condition and validate their unchanging ministries and priorities. On the bright side, they were going to pay well and the benefits were killer.

In this last of the Jesus letters, He addresses the church of Laodicea, a church famous for their tepid spirituality. The Author’s credentials deserve a little explanation.

 Revelation 3:14 (KJV)

 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

The Greek word used here to describe Christ can mean “ruler” or “originator.” Compare John 1:1–5; Col 1:15–18.1

1 John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016)

John 1:1–3 KJV

IN the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

The same was in the beginning with God. 

All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

Lukewarm Christians Make Jesus Sick

Revelation 3:15–16 KJV

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 

So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

This imagery may allude to the water system at Laodicea. The city had no water supply of its own; it had cold water piped in from Colossae or hot water piped in from the springs at Hierapolis. When the water arrived in the city, it had become lukewarm. Like the water, the church at Laodicea was neither refreshing (like cold water) nor healing (like hot spring water).1

1 John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Re 3:15.

A. This lukewarm state comes from their works

  • Indifferent

  • Neutral

  • Not real aggressive

  • Not against Jesus either

  • Chameleon Christians – seeking to blend in and please everyone

B. Jesus wants you to make a choice, not sit on the fence

“Were you hot [i.e., for bathing] or cold [i.e., for drinking], you would be useful; but as it is, I feel toward you the way you feel toward your water supply—you make me sick.”1

1 Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), Re 3:15–16.

C. Jesus cannot stand the taste of a lukewarm Christian

Lukewarm Christians Are Unaware Of Their Condition

Revelation 3:17 KJV

Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

Laodicea was a prosperous banking center; proud of its wealth, it refused Roman disaster relief after the earthquake of a.d. 60, rebuilding from its own resources. It was also known for its textiles (especially wool) and for its medical school and production of ear medicine and undoubtedly the highly reputed Phrygian eye salve. Everything in which Laodicea could have confidence outwardly, its church, which reflected its culture, lacked spiritually.1

1 Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), Re 3:17–18.

1. Wretched = distressed

Romans 7:24–25 KJV

O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 

I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

2. Miserable = pitiable

3. Poor = a beggar

4. Blind = unable to see the truth

5. Naked = shamed in sin like Adam and Eve

Lukewarm Christians must take action

Revelation 3:18–19 KJV

I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 

As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

A. Buy gold from Jesus – the truth of God’s Word

Psalm 19:7–11 KJV

The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. 

The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. 

The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. 

More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. 

Moreover by them is thy servant warned: And in keeping of them there is great reward.

Psalm 119:9–11 KJV

BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed thereto according to thy word. 

With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. 

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, That I might not sin against thee.

John 17:17 KJV

Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

B. Buy a white robe = righteousness

Revelation 19:8 KJV

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.

C. Anoint your eyes = spiritual discernment

1 Corinthians 2:14 KJV

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

The Laodicean medical school was known for producing eye salve. Christ prescribes His salve as the cure for spiritual blindness.1

1 John D. Barry et al., Faithlife Study Bible (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2012, 2016), Re 3:18.

D. Open The Door!

Revelation 3:20–22 KJV

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 

To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Table fellowship was a sign of intimacy and committed the guest and host to friendly relations. Jesus here invites the Laodicean Christians to dine (cf. Rev 2:7; contrast 2:14, 20) in the present at the messianic banquet (see comment on 19:9); it is an invitation to a genuinely lavish banquet, implying again their spiritual poverty (cf. 3:17–18). But the door to fellowship is presently closed—from their side (contrast 3:7–8).1

1 Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press,

Despite their self-sufficiency, and despite their self-deception and despite their lukewarmness, Jesus is patiently knocking on the door of the Laodicean church anyway–knocking on a door of people who made Him sick! Isn’t that amazing?

I remember a lady in our church in Durham, NC who had trusted Christ and wanted me to tell the Gospel to her son and daughter-in-law. She made the mistake of telling them I was coming and when. I knocked on the door several times, but no one would come to the door. I could hear a TV on in the living room and a radio on in another room. At first I heard talking, but the more I knocked, I noticed it got quieter, and I could hear people whispering…so I knew they knew I was there. So I just kept knocking louder until finally they opened the door. I was able to share the Gospel with them and the daughter-in-law trusted in Christ in her home and he came to Christ as few weeks later at church.

I think that’s the picture you have in this passage—a picture of RESOLUTION. You may feel you don’t need the Lord, but Jesus knows you do, and He seeks communion with you and me, despite our waywardness and sinfulness

And if just that fact alone doesn’t set you on fire for Jesus, I don’t know what will!

Are you a lukewarm, tepid, middle of the road Christian. Jesus loves you but is disappointed with what you have become. He is knocking at the door, not for salvation, but for inclusion and for intimacy. If you have trusted Him as Savior, the you have removed the barrier of sin. He now wants you to be all in. He is knocking, will you let Him in?

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 4:34 PM October 21, 2021.

Jesus Is In The House!

Wednesday Evening Sermons

Jesus Is In The House!

Pastor Don Carpenter

2021 Bible Reading Challenge

In his book, Building a Contagious Church, Mark Mittleberg asks us to join him in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. As you walk up to the large arena, you see a mass of young people in line for a concert. The headline act is shock-rockeer Marilyn Manson (named after Marilyn Monroe and mass murderer Charles Manson and bills himself as the “Anti-Christ Superstar”). The crowd is noisy and energetic, ready to see a show that most, if not all of us would not even consider attending, to say the least.

As you get closer, you notice a group of people engaging the concertgoers in lively discussion. The protesters are Christians with signs expressing their disapproval of Marilyn Manson and all those who would attend the concert. These zealous protesters are yelling at the crowd, and the Manson fans are shouting back with equal intensity. Though no physical blows are exchanged across the battle lines, a steady barrage of verbal missiles and assaults are launched back and forth. Obviously there is a significant disconnect between the two groups.

Soon another group of Christians enter the mix. It’s a band of 19-29 year olds from a ministry called “the gro-ups”, sponsored by Corinth Reformed Church in Byron Center, Michigan. They unload bags of ice, coolers, and cases of Mountain Dew. They walk up to the pulsating crowd of anxious rockers and begin giving away soft drinks. No signs condemning anyone, no strings attached—just free drinks, a smile and a sincere, “Have a good evening.”

Some of the people going to the concert simply accepted the free drink and moved on. Others say thank you and asked “Why are you doing this?”

The answer was simple with not shame or guilt attached, “We love God and we love you!”

Some snickered and walked away. Others lingered and talked a bit. One young man begins to interact more deeply and even decides to throw away his ticket and help the members of “gro-ups” hand out more drinks! Out of this simple act of service, lives were touched and the love of Jesus was communicated to people who might have no other positive contact with Christians. There was an obvious connection between the two groups.

___

There are all kinds of ideas of what it means to stand up for Jesus. I know of quite a few folks in the “turn or burn” crowd. These folks hand out tracts to Catholics about the eucharist being a “Cookie God”. When most folks turn and shun them, they congratulate themselves for standing for the truth.

In passage tonight we find a powerful spiritual encounter with the Savior. There was a huge crowd, God’s power was on display, sins were forgiven, false doctrine was exposed and God was worshipped. What drew these folks? How was the city prepared? It was simple, word spread that Jesus was in the House!

Think about that for a minute. What if when you came into church tonight, you saw Jesus sitting a few pews back, chatting with the folks who came in early? What would you do differently? Would you sing differently? Would you pray differently? Would you still pass notes and joke with those near you in the pew during worship? Would you tell anyone about our little prayer meeting? What if Jesus, on the way out told us He would see us Sunday morning? Would you do anything different leading up to church? Would you pack the place out because Jesus was in the house? Would you make sure you got to bed Saturday night and got everyone up on time because Jesus was going to show up? Would you make sure your sins were confessed and your soul was ready for whatever spiritual thing God was going to do because Jesus was going to be in the house? Oh if I knew Jesus was going to show up in person things would be way different…. ummmm

Matthew 18:20 KJV

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

Tonight we are going to look at what can happen when we take God at His word and really believe that Jesus is in the house. This is what we must do with the fact that Jesus is in the house.

Noise It

Mark 2:1 KJV

And again he entered into Capernaum, after some days; and it was noised that he was in the house.

Mark 1:43–45 KJV

And he straitly charged him, and forthwith sent him away; 

And saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing those things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. 

But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to blaze abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into the city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.

John 9:25 KJV

He answered and said, Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.

Attend It

 Mark 2:2 (KJV)

 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.

Hebrews 10:25 KJV

Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

Hear It

 Mark 2:2 (KJV)

 And straightway many were gathered together, insomuch that there was no room to receive them, no, not so much as about the door: and he preached the word unto them.

Matthew 5:2 KJV

And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

Luke 8:1 KJV

And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and shewing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,

1 Corinthians 1:18 KJV

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.

Romans 10:17 KJV

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Uncover It

Mark 2:3–4 KJV

And they come unto him, bringing one sick of the palsy, which was borne of four. 

And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.

 • Don’t let anything get in your way.

 • We will do what it takes to show up when we really believe that Jesus is in the house!

 • We will not let personal preferences, or differences of opinion keep us away if we really believe that Jesus is in the house!

Believe It!

 Mark 2:5 (KJV)

 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.

 • Belief accesses Grace for forgiveness

 • Belief accesses Grace for healing

Witness It!

Mark 2:6–10 KJV

But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, 

Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? 

And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? 

Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? 

But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,)

 • Skepticism melts when exposed to the manifested presence of Jesus!

 • Not sure if its true? COME AND SEE…. JESUS IS IN THE HOUSE

Experience It

Mark 2:11–12 KJV

I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. 

And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.

 • Experience Deliverance

 • Experience Forgiveness

 • Experience Healing

 • Experience Life Changing Power

Be Amazed By It!

 Mark 2:12 (KJV)

 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion.

Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament

???????? ????????: cause someone to be so astounded as to be practically overwhelmed

Become so absolutely overwhelmed by the manifest presence of Jesus Christ, you cannot help but burst forth in praise and worship.

John 4:24 KJV

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

My dear friends, if our eyes of faith would be enlightened a bit, the power of God would be unleashed in a way we have not seen! Jesus promised it.

Matthew 18:20 KJV

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

So since Jesus is in the house: Let us 

 • Noise it!

 • Attend it!

 • Hear it!

 • Uncover it!

 • Believe it!

 • Witness it!

 • Experience it!

 • And Be Amazed By It – driven to passionate worship!

After All…. Jesus is in the House!

Exported from Logos Bible Software, 7:22 PM October 19, 2021.