Sermon Reflection: True Outward Praise

Luke 2:21-28c
The story of Simeon rejoicing that he was not going to die until he saw the SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST! We ended the year with a bold sermon that challenged our "conservative congregation:". We talked about outwardly praising GOD! We should be expressing our love for GOD because of all that he did for us. The shear thought and mention of JESUS name should spark praise and feelings of emotion. We was called to reflect on the blessings of the past year and even the blessings of this morning. Ultimately thinking about the blessing of being redeemed even though we don't deserve anything but hell. I PRAISE GOD FOR HIS MERCY IN JESUS NAME!
This hit home to me because I too find myself bottling up praise at times for the sake of being in control of my emotions, what a joke! I found myself weeping out to GOD in the mist of the sermon asking for forgiveness for my lack of humility. So what if it might be embarrassing. I remember laughing at the people "catching the HOLY SPIRIT" as a child and imitated the jerks and pulls and yells. Now as a child of GOD I rejoice thinking about the fortune of being overcome with emotion. The feeling of forgetting where you are and crying out to GOD in indescribable joy! Money , sex and alchohol cant give you that joy. Only GOD in the HOLY SPIRIT can give you that joy! We cant let our flesh get in the way of that praise!
I was reflecting on my past year. I grow in emotion with each press of the keys, I lost my maternal grandfather, but I found so much in him in myself. I felt belonging and connected like I never did before. His love for technology inspired me to become dedicated to this blog. ONLY GOD can bring his death to a blessing..I seen my mom reach a whole other level of spiritual maturity as she continued to share the GOSPEL with him through his last days and be a rock for both him and his loved ones! His death brought pain that created understanding needed as I dealt with my wife loosing her father! At the funeral she met a family she didint know she had. She learned so much about who her father really is and help her understand the complexity of parenthood that helped her and I future. We had a false positive of a blood illness for my son that gave me persepcetive of my love for him and we praised GOD when we found out he was ok! The list goes on and on, I chose the seemingly bad things that the world looks at as bad but made me rejoice! Simeon knew death was aproaching and the road ahead of JESUS but he rejoiced because he knew GODS grace! I rejoice for I know GOD is perfecting us and always showing grace for us whom he loves!
I conciensouly praise GOD around others , online , in person, etc.. I want people to see me smiling about my GOD! I habitualy follow every slip of a sinful complaint with a holy praise!
The pastor brought up how easy it will be for us to go to work and talk about the NFL playoffs, lets bring up when GOD caught that lonely soul that got saved sunday instead of continuing a life of sin. Lets spread the news about that last minute salvation people like my grandfather recieved before death. Im going to work monday to brag about how long GOD delievered me from drinking rather than how many times I lifted my weights. .. If I feel like Shouting in Church Im going to SHOUT ! THANK YOU JESUS ! AMEN!