How To Worship God

"How To Worship God"

(Psalm 65)

The old song goes, "I don't know what you came to do; but I came to praise the Lord." How appropriate it is for us to think about the ways we can lift up God’s name and honor Him. He's shown His love for us by sending Christ Jesus into the world to deliver us from the very brink of doom. None of us has done anything to be worthy of salvation. In fact each of us is have walked in sin, and the appropriate reward for sin is eternal damnation. How are we to respond to the mercy of our Lord? We are to respond with praise for He is worthy of praise. We are to respond by our fruitfulness as we learn to exercise our faith. We are to respond by glorifying Him when we experience joy as well as adversity. We are to glorify Him in all that we do and say, doing good for the sake of doing good, living our lives in service to mankind in His name and for His Glory.

1. Rely on the grace of God (Psalm 65:1-4). Will you agree with the Psalmist to keep the promise you made to God when you

were despondent and hurting ?

A. The songwriter wrote, "Amazing grace! how sweet the sound! That saved a wretch like me!" Forgiveness and cleansing

cannot be purchased or earned. They are free gifts of God's love by grace (see Titus 3:7). Don’t you know that God loves

you?

B. God doesn't always give us an easy way, but Jesus said, "My grace is sufficient." The apostle Paul received enough favor

from God to overcome the "thorn in the flesh" (2Corinthians 12:9,8). Don’t you know that God disciplines those whom He

loves? Don’t you know that God loves you?

2. Recognize the greatness of God (Psalms 65:5-8). The song, "My God Is An Awesome God" declares His glory. How

awesome it is for the righteous to view the wonder of creation. Are you awestruck at the wonder of creation?

A. Many of us fail to recognize the greatness of God. God's natural attributes include:

1. Omniscience - God has perfect knowledge and understanding of all things. There is nothing He doesn’t know or hasn’t

seen.

2. Omnipresence - God's presence is everywhere. He is always with us, and will never forsake us.

3. Omnipotence - God can do all things because He is all-powerful. He can complete what He starts.

B. God has great compassion and offers us His love. Do you love Him back? He lives within those who love and

trust Him. "My God shall supply all our need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).

Have you praised God today for giving you what you need?

3. Rejoice in the goodness of God (Psalms 65:9-13). God sends the rain so that in its season there will be a harvest. "And we

know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose"

(Romans 8:28). We are good in God's sight only when we come to know and accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.

Do you know that when you conform and live according to God's will, you are called according to His purpose?

A. Failure to praise the Lord and rejoice in His goodness, indicates that we are still living sinful, and self serving lives. Are

you selfish and self serving? If you are still selfish and self serving, ask Him to strengthen your resolve to surrender. Now!

B. God forgives and cleanses those who come to Him. He heals the afflicted, comforts the bereaved, lifts the fallen, and

loves the un-loveable. Do you still need to be forgiven for anything at all in your life? If you do; ask Him to help you to

clean up your life, right now!

C. God so greatly loved us that He sent His only begotten Son into the world to die for our sins. He deserves our praise and

we glorify Him when we rejoice in His goodness and represent Him in the world.

Are you the one who's been trying to figure this life out for yourself? You are the one who needs to ask Jesus into your life today? Get over your pride now. Won't you join with us right now as we come together in the front of the sanctuary to lift up the name of God in praise. Let us glorify our God, for His Grace toward us, and all of creation; for His greatness; for His goodness; and for His love. Hurry! Come forward, now