At All Times

AT ALL TIMES

Psalms 34:1-10 I will bless the Lord at all times;

his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

2 My soul makes its boast in the Lord;

let the humble hear and be glad.

3 Oh, magnify the Lord with me,

and let us exalt his name together!

4 I sought the Lord, and he answered me

and delivered me from all my fears.

5 Those who look to him are radiant,

and their faces shall never be ashamed.

6 This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him

and saved him out of all his troubles.

7 The angel of the Lord encamps

around those who fear him, and delivers them.

8 Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!

Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

9 Oh, fear the Lord, you his saints,

for those who fear him have no lack!

10 The young lions suffer want and hunger;

but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

An elderly pastor was searching his closet for his collar before church one Sunday morning. In the back of the closet, he found a small box containing three eggs and 100 $1 bills.

He called his wife into the closet to ask her about the box and its contents. Embarrassed, she admitted having hidden the box there for their entire 30 years of marriage. Disappointed and hurt, the pastor asked her, "Why?"

The wife replied that she hadn't wanted to hurt his feelings. He asked her how the box could have hurt his feelings. She said that every time during their marriage that he had delivered a poor sermon, she had placed an egg in the box.

The pastor felt that three poor sermons in 30 years was certainly nothing to feel bad about, so he asked her what the $100 was for.

She replied, "Each time I got a dozen eggs, I sold them to the neighbors for $1."

I often begin a sermon with humor and include humor in the sermon.

1. I do this for a very good reason, or at least, I hope it is a good reason.

2. It is good for me to stay focused, but also to stay loose.

3. It is good for you because it creates a mood that ought to allow us together to explore the seriousness of the word with the joy of the word.

1. The writer of Psalm 34 declares that his spiritual health and well-being are evidenced by two aspects of his religious life.

2. He "will bless the Lord at all times!"

3. He also writes: "His praise shall continually be in my mouth!"

4. The question is "How are you going to do that?"

5. What processes do you need to apply?

6. I will bless the Lord at all times! His praise shall continually be in my mouth!

7. In all the circumstances of life

8. In all the conditions of life.

9. In all trials of life.

10. In the midst of the persecution.

11. In the midst of misunderstandings.

There is an old European story about a traveler who came upon a barn where the devil had stored seeds which he planned to sow in the hearts of people.

There were bags of seeds variously marked "Hatred," "Fear," "Doubt," Despair," "Unforgiveness," "Pride," "Greed," etc.

The devil appeared and struck up a conversation with the traveler. He gleefully told the traveler how easily the seeds he sowed sprouted in the hearts of men and women.

"Are there any hearts in which these seeds will not sprout?" the traveler asked.

A melancholy look appeared on the devil's face. "These seeds will not sprout in the heart of a thankful and joyful person," he confessed

.There are three important elements in this Psalm that ought to be emphasized.

1. The first is faith.

2. I sought the Lord

3. Look to him

4. This poor soul cried

5. O taste and see that the Lord is good.

6. The second is courage.

7. My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad.

8. O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt his name together.

9. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.

10. The third is humor.

11. I will bless the LORD at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.

12. O taste and see that the LORD is good; happy are those who take refuge in him.

13. At all times, I should bless the Lord, and Praise the Lord