Psalm 63:1-6 “Praise and Worship”

Psalm 63:1-6 “Praise and Worship”

 

Introduction: Jill was about a week away from her rotation to lead worship at Hillsong church, they would be recording a new song written by her friend Brooke. Suddenly she went into premature labor and her first child died. The time came for her to lead worship and sing. She got up on stage and sang.

 

This is my prayer in the desert
And all that's within me feels dry
This is my prayer in my hunger and need
My God is the God who provides

Verse 2:
And this is my prayer in the fire
In weakness or trial or pain
There is a faith proved
Of more worth than gold
So refine me Lord through the flames

 

The desert of life comes to us in many places and times in life and this psalm is a song of praise and worship in the midst of such a time. It is broken up into 5 sections. The first section tells how David feels and in truth is. The second is about where he has been with God, in the sanctuary. The third is what he will do now. The forth is the victory that God will bring. The fifth is what his response will be. In this psalm we find the art of praise and worship.

 

1. in the desert

            a. David is actually in the desert, on the run for his life from his son.

            b. read vs 1

            c. David hungers and thirst for God

            d. True praise and worship starts with a desire to experience the presence of God.

            e. not just in the sanctuary but in the midst of life when we feel broken and dry.

            f. Some say being broken in life is unspiritual

            g. being broken often is the first step to experiencing the presence and love of God.

 

2. in the sanctuary

            a. read vs 2-5

            b. He tells God how he has seen God and where.

            c. how he felt the presence of God in the sanctuary

            d. our experience of God in the sanctuary

 

3. what he will do now

            a. he will trust during the long watches of the night.

            b. when things are keeping you up at night

            c. He sings in the shadow of God’s wings

            d. His soul clings to God.

            e. like the arms of a loved one wrapped around you. Your safe, nothing can hurt you tonight. Cry if you need to let it all out for I have you.

 

Conclusion: The end of Jill’s song says.

This is my prayer in the harvest
When favor and providence flow
I know I'm filled to be emptied again
The seed I've received I will sow

True praise and worship starts with a hunger and thirst for God, to have Jesus wrapped around us like a spiritual blanket that renews our spirit, heals our hearts and warms our souls.

Psalm 51:1-13 “The Way to Verse 13”

Psalm 51:1-13 “The Way to Verse 13”

 

INTRODUCTION: Jesus told His disciples and us, through them, to go into all the world and preach the Gospel, Matthew 28:16-20 and Acts 1:8.  The meaning of the word Evangelical is to help people come to know Jesus.  David had the same desire in his heart, which we find in verse 13.

All people who truly believe what the Bible says about heaven and hell, want to tell someone about Jesus. A neighbor, a family member, a spouse, coworker, or a fellow student.  But how? How do you get the right? What empowers the things you will say? Verse 13 starts with the word “then” denoting a conditional clause, something that only happens after the things that precede it. To reach verse 13 we must experience vs. 1-12.

 

1. FAITH IN THE FORGIVING NATURE OF GOD

            A. VS. 1&2 DAVID PROCLAIMS GOD’S MERCY AND FORGIVENESS

            B. WE MUST BELIEVE THAT GOD’S DESIRE IS TO FORGIVE NO PUNISH

            C. MATTHEW 18:14, LUKE  15:7, LUKE 19:10, 2 PETER 3:9

            D. JESUS DID NOT COME TO BEAT YOU UP

            E. STARTING WITH YOURSELF AND EVERY OTHER PERSON ON EARTH.

2. OWNING UP

            A. DAVID ACKNOWLEDGED HIS SIN

            B. WRITE A SONG ABOUT YOUR SIN AND HAVE IT SUNG IN THE TEMPLE

            C. VS. 3

            D. VS. 4 SIN IS A GOD THING, GOD DEFINED IT, GOD PUNISHES IT.

            E. IT IS NO BASED ON SOCIAL NORMS, OR POPULAR OPINION.

            F. VS 6 GOD DESIRES TRUTH IN RELATIONSHIP.

3. THEN YOU WILL TEACH

            A. MATTHEW 7:3-5

            B. LUKE 6:39

            C. NOW YOU CAN LIVE VS 13

CONCLUSION: Do you believe people are lost? Do you want them to be found? Then you need to get honest with God. He knows it already, He is just waiting for you to own up, and be honest.

Sing with me vs 10-12

Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me.

Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from your presence o Lord and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

Cast me not away from your presence o Lord and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and renew a right spirit within me.

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and renew a right spirit within me.

Now put it together

Create in me a clean heart O God and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from your presence o Lord and take not your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation and renew a right spirit within me.

Now go tell your world!

Psalm 41:5-9 Pictures of Jesus

Psalm 41:5-9 Pictures of Jesus

Ethan kaufman, Dale Tobison, Christopher G, The Bauer family, herrel family, Jerry ries family

Psalm 41:5-9

We have learned that the Psalms are songs, prayers, and readings to be used by the congregation. Some of them ask for deliverance, others healing, some proclaim trust and others commitment to follow God. Some are confessions. Now we will see that in the midst of talking about one thing God reveals the life of Jesus. Not the Jesus the Jews pictured or wanted, but the Jesus they needed.

 1. pictures of Jesus

            a. vs 5  and luke 23:35&36
            b. vs 6 and Matthew 22:15,23,34&35
            c. 41:7&8 and Mathew 12:24   Matthew 12:14
            d. 41:9 and Matthew 26:23

2.The Jesus they wanted

            a. powerful king to defeat Rome
            b. Someone to restore the power of Israel
            c. Someone who would deliver from famine, disease, taxes and give them prosperity
            d. some one who would restore their faith

3. the Jesus we need

            a. the Jesus who forgives our sin vs 4
            b. vs 12 Jesus who’s plan is not to deliver you for just a moment, but to deliver you for eternity.
            c. not a jesus who is king for a time but Jesus who is king for all time vs 13.
            d. This is the Jesus they needed
            e. this is the Jesus you need

 conclusion: Jesus came to save not just from the sin you know but also from the bondage and brokenness you don’t know about. It is only through years of walking with Jesus that we can look back and see how He saved us when we never even saw that we were lost or in danger or in need.  Ask Jesus to forgive you, to guide you through this life. Then you can say.

 

 

^{Ps 41:10} But you, O LORD, have mercy ^x  on me; raise me up, ^y  that I may repay ^z  them.

^{Ps 41:11} I know that you are pleased with me, ^a  for my enemy does not triumph over me. ^b  

^{Ps 41:12} In my integrity ^c  you uphold me ^d  and set me in your presence forever. ^e  

^{Ps 41:13} Praise ^f  be to the LORD, the God of Israel, ^g  from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen. ^h  

Psalm 32 “A Call To Confession”

Psalm 32  “A Call To Confession”

 

Early in my ministry a woman stopped me after church with a question. When she was in high School she stole her friend’s boy friend, NOW SHE WANTS TO GIVE HIM BACK. No her question was that it had bothered her. Should she go and confess to her friend what she had done? Yes with prayer, fasting, humbleness and a good setup. Her lack of being honest with her friend, with God and with herself was tearing her apart. This is the story of what David experienced through confession. We of course do not practice confession to the minister or priest like Catholics do, because they cannot absolve sins. Yet we often do not practice confession at all.

 

1. WHEN DAVID KEPT SILENT

            A. WAS NOT HONEST WITH GOD

                        A. THE ADULTERY HE COMMITTED

                        B. THE MURDER TO COVER IT UP

            B. HIS GUILT WAS TEARING HIM APART

                        A. BONES WASTED AWAY – COULD NOT EAT

                        B. GROANING ALL DAY LONG

                        C. THE HEAVINESS OF GUILT LIKE A WEIGHT

            C. THEN NATHAN CONFRONTS DAVID, 2 SAM 12

                        A. HE DOES NOT CONFESS TO NATHAN

                        B. HE GOES TO THE TEMPLE AND CONFESSES TO GOD

2. WHEN DAVID CONFESSED VS5

            A. GOD FORGAVE HIS SIN

            B. GOD REMOVED THE GUILT

            C.         A. VS. 1 TRANSGRESSIONS ARE FORGIVEN

                        B. SINS ARE COVERED

                        C. NOT COUNTED AGAINST HIM

            D. 1 JOHN 1:8&9 BEING HONEST WITH GOD AND OUR SELVES

            E. JAMES 5:13 – 16 CONFESSION TO OTHERS

            F. MARK 1:4  BAPTISM OF REPENTANCE FOR FORGIVENESS

3. THE BLESSED MAN OR WOMAN

            A. FREEDOM FROM GUILT AND SHAME

            B. PROTECTION FROM GOD

            C. HEALING FROM GOD

            D. VS 8 “YOU ARE MY HIDING PLACE, YOU FILL MY HEART…

            E. SONGS OF DELIVERANCE

            F. VS. 8. GOD WILL GUIDE AND INSTRUCT

 

Conclusion: In the garden we started hiding from God, and the effects of guilt and shame tear at the human heart to this day. It’s time to stop hiding, pretending. It’s time to get honest with God. If we confess our sin He is faithful and just to forgive our sin and cleanses us from all unrighteousness. “Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.”

Psalm 23

Psalm 23

This is one of the most well known parts of the Bible. Even people who know nothing of the Bible know this Psalm. It is read in time of distress and need, it’s read at funerals. Yet there things we generally miss when looking at it.

Shepherding was important to Israel and of God revealed things by talking about shepherds.  Some of the great passages about them are; Isaiah 40:11, Ezek 34:1-31 and John 10:1-18. The angels of heaven are sent to shepherds to announce the birth of Jesus and not to kings. 

 

1. the Lord is my shepherd

            A. it is the writer not God who states this

            B. My shepherd,

                        a. a choice has been made to be one of Gods sheep

                        b. there are other shepherds that people follow

                        c. political parties, TV and radio personalities, the stock market

                        d. famous personalities, philosophy, science, even family

                        e. whatever you follow is your shepherd.

 

2. I shall not be in want

            A. a statement of trust and a statement of acceptance

            B. Not only will God provide all I need but what God provides is all I need

            C. Paul tells us in Phil 4:11-12

 

3. He makes me

            A. a statement of submission to God

            B. follow through green pastures, beside quite waters, in righteousness

            C. through the valley of the shadow of death

            D. prepare a table in the presence of my enemies

            E. you are with me

            F. Matthew 1:20  “Immanuel, God with us.”

 

4. the rod and staff

            a. Tools used to lead and guide.

            b. comfort in the discipline of God.

 

Because of this relationship, choosing to be God’s sheep, goodness and mercy will follow you and you will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.  But it all starts with choosing who your shepherd will be. Whatever you follow in life, whatever you base your decisions on, that is your shepherd. We are all sheep the only question is who will your shepherd be?

Psalm 12:1-8 "Faith in the Face of "

Psalm 12:1-8

Faith in the Face of

            The desert is hot and the sun blinding but the parched and dying man sees water just ahead.  He laughs, he cries out in joy, he even turns his stumbling into a sort of dance.  He cries I’ve made it to water, it’s just ahead, I see it.  Yet it cruelly stays just ahead and he finally crashes to the ground.

            From corporate CEOs to over extended home owners, people who seem to have made it, suddenly find they have no water and their dreams are sand.

            David, who writes this Psalm is using his faith and what he knows is true to deal with the mirage of life in the world.

1. The mirage of life

            A. all the faithful are gone, “Vanished” from the human race.

            B. they all speak lying and deceitful tongues.

            C. boastful tongues, flattering lips, they are above God.

            D. the wicked strut around and things that are vile are honored by men.

2. David reminds himself of the promises of God.

            a. God will protect us.

            b. God hears us.

            c. God’s word is true and pure like silver and gold

            d. David has faith not in what he can see but in spite of it.

3. Living in faith

            a. God wants people of faith.

            b. Hebrews 11:1,  2 Cor 2:18.

            C. focus on the reality of God’s love and not the mirage of life.

            E. encourage those around you not to give up walking in faith.

Conclusion: Soon enough the world will find out that it has been drinking the sand.  Soon enough their failure to trust in Jesus will crash down upon them.  But you know that this world is a fake one, temporary one, and the real eternal world is going to last.  By faith you can start living in that world today, just as David did.

Psalm 3:7-8

Psalm 3:7-8

            We have come to Psalms, one of the most loved books of the Bible.  Psalms is a book of songs, poems, prayers and responsive readings used for worship.  It is often thought of as a book of comfort, but it is much more than that.  It is the one book in the Bible where the words are directed up to God, in contrast to Proverbs which is directed down to people.  In psalms, we see how people with real lives express the range of emotions and feelings to God.  There are psalms of joy, sorrow, strength, fear, despair, hope, faith, and questioning.  There are cries for justice, and cries for mercy.  Many people read psalms and just skip parts.  There are parts of psalms that just do not fit our Jesus ideas.  I have tried to pick psalms that would give us a range of view trusting that as you read you will pick up on the usual things

1. A PRAYER FOR DELIVERANCE

            A. 1-2 DAVID’S SITUATION

            B. 3-6 A STATEMENT OF TRUST, CONFIDENCE IN GOD

            C.  7-8 THE UNEXPECTED.

2.  JESUS

            A. FORGIVE, PRAY FOR AND BLESS WHO PERSECUTE YOU.

            B. OPENLY FOUGHT WITH THE TEMPLE LEADERS

            C. WHIPPED THE MONEY CHANGERS TWICE.

            D. YET FORGAVE THEM FROM THE CROSS

3. TAKING ON THE ENEMY

            A. THOSE WHO ATTACK YOUR FAITH

            B. THOSE WHO ATTACK GOD

            C. SINFULNESS IN YOUR LIFE

            D. THE SIN THAT DEFEATS THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU

            E. GOVERNMENT, HOMELESSNESS, JOBLESSNESS, PERVERSION AND ABUSE

            F. CANCER AND OTHER DISEASE

Perhaps the greatest enemy we have is that part of us that wants to live in rebellion to God.  That sinful nature that wants to defeat us on a personal level.  It is time to ask God to punch your sin in the jaw, knock out its teeth, and give you deliverance and victory.