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Tom Goka Praise and Worship as Instructed by Psalms 105

I. Psalms 105: 1-5
A. These are imperative sentences
1. Commands, demands, directive
2. Unless identifed, the commands are directed at the reader/hearer – that be us
3. As we shall see, each of these are givings ways to worship and praise our GOD
B. Psalms = Praise
1. Lyrical and melodic
2. Expressions of emotions; actions of body
3. Hebrew ‘mizmor’ means with pluck of string is translated psalms
C. Beneficial commands
1. When you don’t feel like praising
2. When your environment is difficult
3. When alone and distracted
4. When emotioally or mentally distracted
5. When you want to focus on God and His presence
D. A way we can give our Father the glory for His wisdom, power, goodness, and faithfulness,

II. Dissecting the commands – since these are commands, perhaps we should look more closely at each with the intent to understand so that we can obey the command
A. OH – many ways to speak this word with feeling and emotion.
1. Speak it aloud as you would state it with the statement ‘Give thanks to the LORD’
2. Sometimes to worship, you merely need to remember how you stated the ‘Oh’
3 Give Him thanks for where you are at this moment
B. Call
1. upon His Name
2. What Name for God comes to your mind at this moment.
3. Speak out that name, calling Him by that name, trying to understand what that name means to you right now
C. Make Known to others
1. Recall something God has done and tell someone.
2. What a neat way to praise someone when you tell others what that someone has done, especially for your benefit.
D. Sing
1. to Him….not for us…not the song we want to hear but one we want Him to hear
2. Sing psalms (praises)
E. Talk
1. to other, though this works well to talk to ourselves.
2. Implication here is that this is vocal, aloud, not merely think about it
3. Talk not about what you want or what is wrong, but talk about things He has done that makes you wonder…like how he turned back the shadow on sundial for Hezekiah or met a need you didn’t even realize you had.
F. Glory – exult, feel and show jubilation
1. Get your body involved with a leap, a skip, a whoop with arm raised
2. This is in response to you knowing His identity revealed in His name
3. Imagine the lame begger healed by Jesus as he leaped giving praise to God
G. Those of you who seek the LORD, Let your hearts rejoice
1. Often we don’t realize that we must let our hearts rejoice
2. Understand we don’t let our hearts rejoice because of fear, unforgiveness in our heart, jealousy, lust and many other wickedness of heart
3. If we are seekers of the LORD, we need to learn to Let our Hearts Rejoice
H. And speaking of seekers, we need to Seek
1. Picture a young child who suddenly desires a parent.
a. Child’s heart (emotion, desire) is for parent
b. Child’s mind is focused on single task, find parent
c. Child’s body is put into motion to move to find parent
d. Child uses eyes and hears to search for parent
e. Generally, Child will try to return to last place that the Child remembers being with parent
2. To seek, we need to
a. know whom it is we seek
b. desire and focus
c. put our flesh in motion
d. use our senses to aid us
e. recall last place we were aware of God (prayer, worship, Scripture, fellowship)
3. Seek the Lord and His strength (Eph 3: 16)
4. Seek His face
a. Here face represents both His presence and His attentiveness
b. Like a child that cups your face to be sure you are looking at her
c. Evermore, implies a continued action, rather than a one time event.
I. Remember
1. This is a deliberate choice – decide to remember and then do it
2. Three things to remember
a. His Marvelous Works which He has done – for you directly or indirectly; many things recorded in the bible are marvelous indeed. You can tie this back to making it know among people (verse 1)
b. His Wonders – try to remember the things about Him or His actions that make you wonder. Talk about them aloud (even if only to yourself) verse 2
c.Judgement of His mouth – while we often think of judgements as being against us, He has much more judgements in our favor. He counts our faith in Him unto righteousness; He gives rest to those who labor and come to Him; He gives peace and abundant life. Don’t you remember?

III. Doing these commands places our worship and praise on our Father, our LORD, our Savior, our Redeemer, our Healer, our Righteousness, our Peace, our Strength, our Hope and Comfort…

IV We do this because we are the offspring of Abraham, we are the manipulative sinner whose debts were paid by Jesus before we knew Him, we are the chosen (verse 5)

V. Having done all these steps, how now would you say OH?

Am I an Offense to God Tom Goka

 

 

Am I an Offense to God?

I. Offense, in a biblical sense, is a stumbling block, an hinderance, interference, opposition, in the way.
A. Speaking in terms of believers getting in the way of God
B. Can be seen as an adversary or opposition to God’s will
C. Not talking about the heathen or unbeliever or enemy of God

II. Solomon became an offense
A. What do we think about when we think about King Solomon?
1. David’s son and choice for his throne;
2. God visited twice, and first time offered Solomon anything
3. Solomon asked and received wisdom from God
4. Author of a psalms; most of Proverbs; Ecclesiastes; Song of Solomon
5. Built first Temple
6. Blessed and anointed by God
B. In Deut 17, God instructs Israel on requirements for their kings
1. Not to multiply the number of horses nor go to Egypt for horses
2. Not to multiply number of wives
3. Keep and read daily the word of God
C. Solomon failed to keep all 3 (1 King 10: 28 – 11: 10)
D. 1 Kings 11: married foreign wives from people God told Israelites to avoid; loved those wives; they turned his heart from the Lord to foreign gods
E. Got in way of God keeping the nation Israel as a single country
F. Opposed God by building temples for foreign gods
G. Contributed to shortcomings of his son, Rehoboam as king.

III. Interesting that Solomon wrote several verses of wisdom that address the very problem of being an offense to God
A. God made man righteous (upright, virtuous) but man sought out schemes, devious paths (Eccl 7: 28)
B. There is a way that seems right to a man, but it leads to death (Prov 14: 12)
C. The way of a fool is right in the fool’s eyes (Prov 12: 15)
D. Out of the heart comes the issues of life (Prov 4: 23) and with diligence, keep your heart

IV. In Matt 16, we find Peter being an offense to God
A. We learn in verses 16-19, that Peter has a revelation from the Father, receives praise from Jesus, and is blessed by Jesus.
B. Yet, when Jesus reveals God’s plan for His suffering, death, and resurrection, Peter rebukes Jesus (verses 21-22)
C. Jesus ‘s response (verses 23-28)
1. Get behind me satan (one who opposes, obstructs, interferes)
2. Not mindful of God; mindful of the things of man
3. fail to deny self (verse 24)
4. desire is to save your life/lifestyle (verse 25)

V. Many times, the words ‘heart’ and ‘mind’ are used in scriptures to refer to the inner self, the emotions or the rationale of man, i.e. soul
A. Soul (or mind of carnal man) is emnity (hostile opposition) with God (Rom 8:6-7; James 4:4)
B. Cares of the world choke the Word of God in our hearts, preventing it from being fruitful (Matt 13: 22)
C. Out of heart comes what defiles us (Mark 7: 20-23)
D. Out of our hearts springs issues of life (Prov 4: 23)
E. Our soulish response to the blessings, anointings, revelations, intimacy of God often serves to oppose or be an offense to God.

VI. So we could be an offense to God, even when (or especially after) we have had a revelation or blessing or anointing from God, if we fail to be diligent keeping our heart/mind (soul)
A. Take heed to yourself, less your heart be weighed down …cares of this life (Luke 21: 34)
B. Prov 4: 23 keep your heart with all diligence
C. Renew your mind (Rom 12: 2)
D. Set your mind on things above (Col 3: 2)
1. Be anxious for nothing (Phil 4: 6)
2. through prayer, supplications, thanksgiving commune with God
3. focus on the true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, (Phil 4: 8)
4. meditate on that part that has virute, is praiseworthy
E. understand the will of God (Eph 5: 17)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Touch of the Havenly Call

Roy Cypher  Isaiah 6
Touch of the Havenly Call
Isaiah 6 (AMP)
1 In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw [in a vision] the Lord sitting on a throne, high and exalted, with the train of His royal robe filling the [most holy part of the] temple.
Isaiah 6 (AMP)

2 Above Him seraphim (heavenly beings) stood; each one had six wings:
with two wings he covered his face, with two wings he covered his feet,
and with two wings he flew. 3 And one called out to another, saying,

“Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord of hosts;
The whole earth is filled with His glory.”
Isaiah 6 (AMP)
4 And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out,
and the temple was filling with smoke.

Isaiah 6 (AMP)
5 Then I said,
“Woe is me! For I am ruined,
Because I am a man of [ceremonially] unclean lips,
And I live among a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts.”

Isaiah 6 (AMP)
6 Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs.
7 He touched my mouth with it and said, “Listen carefully, this has touched your lips; your wickedness [your sin, your injustice, your wrongdoing] is taken away and your sin atoned for and forgiven.”

Isaiah 6 (AMP)
8 Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” Then I said, “Here am I. Send me!”

Isaiah 6 (AMP)
9 And He said, “Go, and tell this people:
‘Keep on listening, but do not understand;
Keep on looking, but do not comprehend.’
10
“Make the heart of this people insensitive,
Their ears dull,
And their eyes dim,
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,
Understand with their hearts,
And return and be healed.”

11 Then I said, “Lord, how long?” And He answered,

“Until cities are devastated and without inhabitant,
And houses are without people
And the land is utterly desolate,
12
The Lord has removed [His] people far away,
And there are many deserted places in the midst of the land.
13
“And though a tenth [of the people] remain in the land,
It will again be subject to destruction [consumed and burned],
Like a massive terebinth tree or like an oak
Whose stump remains when it is chopped down.
The holy seed [the elect remnant] is its stump [the substance of Israel].”

John 12:41 (AMP)
Isaiah said these things because he saw His glory and spoke about Him.

Matthew 13:14-15 ( NASB)
14 And in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says,
‘You shall keep on listening, but shall not understand;
And you shall keep on looking, but shall not perceive;
15 For the heart of this people has become dull,
With their ears they scarcely hear,
And they have closed their eyes,
Otherwise they might see with their eyes,
Hear with their ears,
Understand with their heart, and return,
And I would heal them.’

Luke 8:10 (NKJV)
And He said, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God,
but to the rest it is given in parables, that
‘Seeing they may not see,
And hearing they may not understand.’

John 12:40(NKJV)
New King James Version
“He has blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts,
Lest they should see with their eyes,
Lest they should understand with their hearts and turn,
So that I should heal them.”

Isaiah 52:1(NKJV)
52 Awake, awake!
Put on your strength, O Zion;
Put on your beautiful garments,
O Jerusalem, the holy city!
For the uncircumcised and the unclean
Shall no longer come to you.

Psalms With Tom Goka

I. Introduction
A. Abe Abrams once shared that there is an arrogance to believe current praise and worship songs were more spiritual than earlier songs. The same Holy Spirit has directed song writers through the ages whether it be classical music, hymns, contemporary praise. We should see the evidence found with Psalms.
B. The word Psalms is from the Greek translation of the Hebrew word ‘mizmor,’ which orignally meant to recite along with plucking of string(s). This led to the idea of words being spoken with change in pitch and rhythm or in melodic voice. Thus, mizmor became a word for song or melody.
C. The Hebrew book of mizmor (psalms) is entitled ‘tehillim,’ meaning book of praise.
D. Unlike the other books in the Bible, Psalms is not divided into chapters. It is, rather, divided by songs (mizmors or psalms) and is indicated as such.
E. There is a collection of 150 psalms, written by 7 known authors, with 50 songs with unknown authors. David wrote over 70 of the Psalms. Moses wrote one (90).
F. Since we will sing in this teaching, we’ll start our praise and worship with recitation and enactment of Psalms 100…make a joyful noise.

II. Evidence Pslams are Songs to be sung
A. Psalms are formated in lyrica and poetic fashion
B. Many of the psalms are obviously rhythmical when recited.
C. There are musical terms included in many of the psalms
1. To the music or choir director – a phrase used in superscript of many psalms
2. Shaggaion – Psalms 7 (also found in Habakkuk) instructs that lyrics are to be sung or spoken with impassionate style
3. Gittith or of Gath – Pslams 8 for example; an instrument or a style associated with Gath. Not unlike the idea of Latin music or sounds of the orient
4. Haggaion – Psalms 9: 16 or 92: 4, for example. An instrumental or humming interlude, solemn sounding
5. Maschil – Psalms 32, for example. an understanding or receiving of message necessary to recite
6. Alamoth – Psalms 46, implying for high voices, i.e. women’s or children’s choir
7. Selah – uncertain what it means but understood to be a common musical directive…some thought to mean to pause, meditate or reflect over what has been said before proceeding.
8. Michtam – Psalms 16, 50-60. Only in these Psalms by David. Unknown meaning. Possible root words could suggest it refers to a writing or an engraving.
D. Some superscripts direct the leader to a melody known by other title (Psalms 9, 22)
E. Some superscripts identify instruments to be played with Psalms (Psalms 4, 5, 6)
F. Sadly, the original melody used in the Psalms were lost to us.
G. We have many songs written from verses in Psalms sung today to our melodies

III. Superscripts
A. Most but not all the Psalms have superscripts
B. Some give musical direction and are directed at the music director as noted above. Includes identifying another song for the melody.
C. Some identify authorship (Psalm 15)
D. Some give historical information or explanation for when Psalm written (Psalm 7, 18)

IV. Psalms is really 5 books
A. There is nearly 1000 years between the earliest psalm and the last psalm.
B. At sometime in the last half of that interval, psalms were collated into a group. This was not done by date, author, topic, or any known criteria. It is speculated that this occurred shortly after King David’s reign (book 1) and between Hezekiah’s and Josiah’s reigns (book 2 and maybe book 3).
C. The latter two books appear to have been organized during or after the return of the exiles in Babylon, during or after the time of Ezra and Nehemiah.
D. All end with a doxology

V. Book 1 (Psalms 1-41)
A. These Psalms are mostly David’s, speaking of his interactions with God.
B. Sort of a collection of songs dealing God’s relationship as individuals.
C. Some Hebrew scholars believe these songs go along stories of Genesis as God relates to individuals.
D. Interesting to note that most places refer to God as Jehovah (YWHW)
E. Singing Psalms 18: 3, 8 – The Lord Liveth
F. Doxology Psalms 41: 13

VI. Book 2 (Psalms 42-72)
A. Mostly authored by sons of Korah
B. God interaction with people through eyes of 2nd and 3rd person.
C. Thought to been assembled into book during Hezekiah or his sons reign
D. Some believe it corresponds to Book of Exodus
E. Singing Psalms 46: 1-3 – God is my Refuge and God is my Strength
F. Doxology Psalms 72: 18-19. Verse 20, an interesting statement to close Book 2

VII. Book 3 (Psalms 73-89)
A. A variety of authors, including David
B. God’s desire for peoples and their shortcomings
C. Thought that these 17 books put together in latter years of Judah Kingdom
D. Associated with Leviticus because worship (expectations & failures) often addressed
E. Singing Psalms 4 – How Lovely is Your Dwelling Place
F. Doxology Psalms 89: 62

VIII. Book 4 (Psalms 90-106)
A. A variety of authors; Moses wrote Psalms 90, the oldest Psalms in the Book of Psalms.
B. God is put forth as the King, Judge, Priest for His people
C. It is thought that these psalms were collated after Babylonian exile…perhas beginning during time of Ezra and Nehemiah.
D. Historically associated with Book of Numbers of the Torah
E. Singing Psalms 97: 1,3,5,6 – The Lord Reigns
F. Doxology Psalms 106: 48 It is worth noting that though the word Hallelujah has become an accepted expression of praise, . . here in this doxology, it is intended to be an imperative (command) to go forth and praise God.

IX. Book 5 (Psalms 107-150)
A. Contains the shortest (117) and longest (119) ‘chapters’ of the Bible as measured by verses (2) and (176), respectively
B. Theme could be God is with us, as been with us, and will be with us.
C. Put together after Babylonian exile
D. Tradition associates this book of psalms with Deuteronomy
E. Singing Psalms 147: 2-3 – The Lord is building Jerusalem
F. Doxology is thought by some to be the last 5 psalms (146-150) or all of Psalms 150 or Psalms 150: 6 Againg we end the Book with the imperative “Hallelujah”

X. In Conclusion
A. You will find Psalms to be lyrical, poetic, full of praise and worship
B. Also it gives history, wisdom, and understanding
C. It is prophetic
D. It is messianic
E. You may have also discovered that it is strategic and weaponary for spiritual warfare
F. It is also imprecatory – Invoking God to act against enemy (e.g. Psalms 35: 4-8)
G. Most believers can give a testimony based on a psalm.

The Fear Of The Lord

Psalm 100
1.Lift up a great shout of joy to the lord!
Go ahead and do it, everyone, everywhere! 2. As you serve him, be glad and worship him.
Sing your way into his presence with joy! 3. And realize what this really means-we have the
the privilege of worshiping the Lord our God. For he is our Creator and we belong to him. We are the people of his pleasure. 4. You can pass through his open gates with the password of praise. Come right into his presence with thanksgiving. Come bring your thank offering to him. And affectionately bless his beautiful name! 5. For the Lord is always good and ready to receive you. He’s so loving that it will amaze you-so kind that it will astound you! And he is famous for his faithfulness toward all. Everyone knows our God can be trusted, for he keeps his promises to every generation!

 

WHY FEAR THE LORD
The reasons for fearing God are·found in the different meaning of the “fear of the Lord” as I have just
described. A1though there are different types of fear,
part of our respect and awe is in the knowledge of his wrath and power. It’s al1 connected.
How will fearing God affect our lives? The fear of the
Lord is far more than Bib-Ucal teaching, principle, or idea. It is ref·evant to our daily lives in many ways.
WE BECOME OBEDIENT {Ps 112:1) Ps 119:63, Ecc12:13 Ps 36:1-4
WE TEACH OUR CHILDREN Dt 4:10; 6:1-2, 6-9, Ps 1:1-6
WE GROW IN SANCTl”FICTION Jn 17:17, Pr 3:7; 8:13;
16:6, Pr 10:19, EccS:2, 6-7 Ps 19:9
WE WORSHIP WHOLE-HEARTEDLY Ps 22:23, Ps 22:25,
Rev 14:6-7
THERE IS A PROMISED REWARD Pr 22:4, Pr 14:26-27, Ps 34:9; 111:5, Pr 10: 27, fee 8:12-13
WE GAIN A HUMBLE CONFIDENCE Act 9:31, Ps 33:18-19, 1John 4:18

Psalm 100
1.Lift up a great shout of joy to the lord!
Go ahead and do it-everyone, everywhere! 2.
As you serve him, be glad and worship him.
Sing your way into his presence with joy! 3. And
realize what this really means- we have the
privilege of worshiping the Lord our God. For he
is our Creator and we belong to him. We are
the people of his pleasure. 4. You can pass
through his open gates with the password of
praise. Come right into his presence with
thanksgiving. Come bring your thank offering to
him. And affectionately bless his beautiful
name! 5. For the Lord is always good and ready
to receive you. He’s so loving that it will amaze
you- so kind that it will astound you! And he is
famous for his faithfulness toward all. Everyone
knows our God can be trusted, for he keeps his
promises to every generation!
WHY FEAR THE LORD
The reasons for fearing God are·found in the different
meaning of the “fear of the Lord” as I have just
described. A1though there are different types of fear,
part of our respect and awe is in the knowledge of his
wrath and power. It’s al1 connected.
How will fearing God affect our lives? The fear of the
Lord is far more than a Bib-Ucal teaching, principle or idea.
It is ref·evant to our daily lives in many ways.
WE BECOME OBEDIENT {Ps 112:1) Ps 119:63, Ecc12:13 Ps
36:1-4
WE TEACH OUR CH.ILDREN Dt 4:10; 6:1-2, 6-9, Ps 1:1-6
WE GROW IN SANCTl”FICATION Jn 17:17, Pr 3:7; 8:13;
16:6, Pr 10:19, EccS:2, 6-7 Ps 19:9
WE WORSHIP WHOLE-HEARTEDLY Ps 22:23, Ps 22:25,
Rev 14:6-7
THERE IS A PROMISED REWARD
WE GAIN A HUMBLE CONFIDENCE Act 9:31, Ps 33:18-19,
1John 4:18
What does it mean to fear the Lord?
1. God is loving & just: We must recognize that God is loving,
merciful and forgiving; but He also is holy, just and
righteous. Knowing God and understanding His character.
READ Pr 2:1-5 Passion. So in this sense, fearing the Lord is
to appreciate His character .So I see this as a personal
awareness of the awesome and majestic sovere·ignty of
God.
2. Fear of the lord can produce awe:
Fearing the Lord means to be in reverent AWE of His
holiness(the meaning of AWE= amazement, astonishment, or
wonder and also being dumbfounded this word only appears 3
times in the NT Luke 4:31-35􀂘 Luke 5:1-11 and Acts 3: 9-10􀂙
3. The Fear of the Lord can produce faith: True fear of the
Lord causes be.lievers to place their ta·ith and trust ·in Him
alone for salvation. (Ps 115:11) Lk 1:50 Ps 103:11; 130:4,
and spiritual salvation (Ps 85:9}
Here fearing God means to be moved to belief and trust.
4. God IS ANGRY ABOUT SIN:
This type of fear is to be afraid, especially if you are caught on
the wrong side of God’s justice. (Ps 76:7-8) Ge 3:8-10, Dt 9:19,
Heb 10:31

 

Jesus On the Mainline (GVB)

Now, Jesus is on the mainline
Tell him what you want.
Jesus is on the mainline
Tell him what you want.
Jesus is on the mainline
Tell him what you want.
You can call him up and tell him what you want.
Well, the line ain’t never busy
Tell him what you want.
Wo, that line ain’t never busy
Tell him what you want.
The line ain’t never busy
Tell him what you want.
You can call him up
And tell him what you want.
Now, if you’re sick and wanna get well
Tell him what you want.
Oo, if you’re sick and you wanna get well
Tell him what you want.
If you’re sick and you wanna get well
Tell him what you want.
You can call him up and tell him what you want.
Well, if you want your soul converted
Tell him what you want.
If you want your soul converted
Tell him what you want.
You can call him up and tell him what you want.
Now, if your soul’s in danger
Tell him what you want.
If your soul’s in danger
Tell him what you want.
If your soul’s in danger
Tell him what you want.
You can call him up and tell him what you want.
Now, Jesus is on the mainline
Tell him what you want.
Jesus is on the mainline
Tell him what you want.
Jesus is on the mainline
Tell him what you want.
You can call him up and tell him what you want.

I Just Feel Like Something Good Is About To Happen (GVB)

I just feel like something good is about to happen
I just feel like something good is on its way
He has promised that he’d open all of heaven
And brother, it could happen any day
When God’s people humble themselves and call on Jesus
And they look to heaven expecting as they pray
I just feel like something good is about to happen
And brother, this could be that very day
I have learned in all that happens just to praise Him
For I know He’s working all things for my good
Every tear I shed is worth all the investment
For I know He’ll see me through, He said He would
He has promised eye nor ear can hardly fathom
All the things He has in store for those who pray
I just feel like something good is about to happen
And brother, this could be that very day
Yes, I’ve noticed all the bad news in the paper
And it seems like things get bleaker every day
But for this child of God it makes no difference
For it’s bound to get much better either way
I have never been more thrilled about tomorrow
Sunshine’s always bursting through the skies of gray
I just feel like something good is about to happen
And brother, this could be that very day