Sermon Excerpt: Stepping Out With Authentic Praise!

By: Min. Angela Lee Price

The women of St. Stephen East at Dosker Manor here in Louisville, Kentucky culminated Women's Month on Palm Sunday, March 29th waving palm branches in celebration and praise to our triumphant King Jesus Christ. Dosker Manor hosts off-campus services just east of downtown Louisville weekly for St. Stephen Church. This was my very first Palm Sunday invitation and so deeply humbled to bring the morning message, "Stepping Out With Authentic Praise," based on John Chapter 12:1-19. Shout out to Rev. Josie Gilbert, Campus Pastor and team for a job well done. Rev. Dr. Kevin Cosby, Sr. Pastor

Here is an excerpt from the message, "Stepping Out With Authentic Praise!":

It was Palm Sunday; the people with the palm branches shouted, "Hosanna, Hosanna," meaning, "save us, save us."  They were singing praises to Jesus, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!  Blessed is the King of Israel!”  But not all were stepping out with authentic praise.  Authentic praise happens when we step in the Spirit and put our faith in Jesus Christ.  Authentic praise happens when we think and when we thank.  When I think about his goodness and all that He has done for me, my soul shout, “Hallelujah! Thank God for saving me!!!”
This is a sad thing about these inauthentic people because there is power in authentic praise.  We say all the time there is power is prayer, but praise is potent. Your faith is not complete without your praise. Praise combined with prayer and an attitude of gratitude gives you access to God!  Praise wins battles!  Praise defeats the enemy!  Praise encourages the miraculous!  Praise heals the soul and calms the troubled spirit!Some of those same fickle people, who praised on Sunday shouted, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!" at the end of the week. Not all who praised Jesus, praised Him authentically.  Can I tell you who was in the crowd?   There were agitators, perpetrators and instigators in the crowd - those who hated Jesus and attempted to stop his ministry. Also, there were imitators in the crowd -  those who placed their faith in Jesus and sincerely desired to be like Himl  Those were the people with Lazarus and believed Jesus because of his witness.
Let me ask you, "If you had been present on Palm Sunday 2,000 years ago, where would you be standing in the crowd?  Would you have been standing with Lazarus, and the imitators of Christ, with the saved crowd?  The Bible says, "Because of him, many believed on Jesus."  Or, would you be standing among the various spectators and haters, those who refused to believe in Jesus?If you are not where you need to be, then press through the crowd!  Touch the hem of His garment.  He will give you a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. Accept Jesus as Lord and Savior.  Then, step out with authentic praise! We should be stepping out with authentic praise because Jesus came riding in 1) as the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the world, 2) to fulfill prophecy, and 3) to give us abundant life through the Holy Spirit.

Join us as we celebrate Jesus as all that He has done in our lives on the Jesus Saves Social Network!  Let's step out with authentic praise today and every day telling the world, "Jesus saves!" 

Jesus Saves Ministries celebrating 10 years of lifting up Jesus Christ!

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The Dean of African American Preachers, Dr. Gardner Calvin Taylor Goes Home to Be With the Lord

BCNN -The Homegoing of Dr. Gardner Calvin Taylor

The Progressive National Baptist Convention (PNBC) Inc. mourns the passing and celebrates the life of the Rev. Dr. Gardner Calvin Taylor.
Dr. Taylor, who passed on Sunday, April 5, Resurrection Sunday, was Pastor Emeritus of the Concord Baptist Church of Christ, Brooklyn, New York, President Emeritus of the Progressive National Baptist Convention, Inc., and widely known as “the Prince of Preachers.” He was also one of Time Magazine’s most influential pastors and the dean of the African American prophetic preaching tradition.
PNBC President Dr. James C. Perkins said, “The world has lost a giant of man, who transformed America and the world for the better. How appropriate it is that God called Dr. Taylor home on Resurrection Sunday. In both life and death Dr. Taylor gave a clarion call to the transformative power of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Dr. Perry A. Smith, III a longtime friend and former PNBC pastor said, “We’ve lost a legend. One of the world’s greatest preachers, the last of a kind.” Dr. Smith also said that Dr. Taylor was a living embodiment of PNBC’s core principles of Fellowship, Service, Progress, and Peace, but he was that and much more.
Dr. Tyrone S. Pitts, former PNBC General Secretary said, “Dr. Taylor was the greatest preacher of the 21st Century. He was really was one of the people who helped to frame the Civil Rights movement and he was the soul of PNBC. He also was key in helping us to understand and appreciate the transformative and prophetic art of Black preaching.”
Source: BCNN

When Praises Go Up, Blessings Come Down!

In the post "Stepping Out with Authentic Praise," I said praise wins battles and praise defeats the enemy...

Herein is the rest of the story...Praise does more than that because when you praise sometimes you won't have to fight the battle at all! Isn't God good! So while you're at work, why not offer up a sacrifice of praise.  While you're on your lunch break, lift holy hands during Holy week.  Offer up authentic praise, praise that is heart-felt, consistent and genuine.  Hebrews 13: 15-16 state, "Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name. 16 And do not neglect doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.…"

In 2 Chronicles 20, the text says beginning at verse 21, "After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the Lord and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the Lord, for his love endures forever."

God loves it when you fast, pray, and seek His face, and He loves it when you praise Him. Jehoshaphat takes the people's advice and he orders men to sing to the Lord. When they did that, God set ambushes against the three nations and they turned on each other, and destroyed each other!

This is almost identical to what happened in the war Gideon's army did not have to fight in Judges Chapter 7. God sent 300 men against a vast army of 30,000 Midianites. God confused the enemy with trumpets, torches, and timing! The army prepared for war, processed to the battlefield, and positioned themselves, but they did not fight! And God got the glory! When praises go up, blessings come down!
Share with us how you are stepping out with authentic praise during Holy Week. Log on to jesussavesministries.ning.com and post a comment! 

A Thankful Life!
By:  Maurice Jackson, Kansas City, MO
Consistent with words of thankfulness is a lifestyle that reflects the same.
Our LIVES should exhibit appreciation to our Lord Jesus Christ who is the one who SAVED our LIVES.  We can say 'Thank You, Lord' with our lips while in our living, we actually dismiss Him.  Jesus said in Matthew 15:8 that some come near to me with their words but their hearts or very distant from me.
Jesus also said that IF we love Him, we WILL keep His commandments.  Our conduct and HOLY lifestyle tells our HOLY GOD that we are grateful to be His children.  Our entire Christian existence should be a constant praise and thanks to God!
  

Our natural children make us proud parents when they have followed the precepts and directions that we have given them throughout the years.  And once they have put these things into practice and they become upstanding, productive and respectful citizens, it reflects upon their adherence to the teaching and training they received from us.  This is to the praise of the parents themselves.  The implementation of these precepts demonstrates gratitude towards the source from which they were received.  

And we as children of God, in the very same manner, conduct our lives to the honor and praise of our Heavenly Father,  showing our gratitude through obedience to Him.

  

The Word tells us in Ephesians 5:1 to be imitators of God as dear children!

Notice that is says "DEAR" children.  Now some offspring don't quite turn out to be DEAR children because of their constant disobedience.  Though, as parents, we still absolutely love them unconditionally,  they may not always follow in the way we presented to them and often take an opposite path.  It is our hope that they eventually turn toward the right path.

Conversely, as DEAR children, we are to imitate our Heavenly Father and reflect His holiness in our thoughts, behaviors and character.  Consistent with words of thankfulness is a lifestyle that reflects the same.  Obedience to The Father should be our gratitudinal priority.

Share with us how you are stepping out with authentic praise during Holy Week. Log on to jesussavesministries.ning.com and post a comment!