Praise Break
Theme: Sometimes we need to stop in the middle of our pandemic and storm and have a praise and worship break unto the Lord.
Text: Jeremiah 32:17-19
Jeremiah 32:17 'Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You. 18 'You show lovingkindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them; the Great, the Mighty God, whose name is the LORD of hosts. 19 'You are great in counsel and mighty in work, for your eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, to give everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings.
Introduction
Have you ever had an “ah, ha” moment? It is like when you finally get something.
This is what happened to Jeremiah. Notice this is how he begins his prayer unto the Lord. “Ah, Lord God”. This word Ah is as to say, “alas or oh”. It is as a surprise. Let me give you a brief history so you can better understand where I am coming from.
You can’t help but to say, “ah ha” when you read this passage. It seems to wake something up inside of you that reminds you of who you really serve.
Most of you have heard of Jeremiah and you have heard him called the “weeping prophet”. He is the author of a book called Lamentations. The reason he picked up this nickname was because he was broken hearted over the destruction of Jerusalem. You see God had called him to be a prophet but it seemed he was only the prophet of doom. I mean in this book alone he was “threatened in his hometown, tried for his life by the priests and prophets of Jerusalem, put in stocks, forced to flee from King Jehoiakim, publicly humiliated by the false prophet Hananiah, thrown into a cistern and finally jailed by the king”. Prophesying to a nation that full of vile sin and idolatry worship.
Jeremiah was not a very popular man and all he was doing was what God had told him. Prophesy to Jerusalem about the coming destruction of the Babylonians. Not only that but God told Jeremiah to tell the king not to fight the Babylonians but to just surrender. This was against national pride.
By the time we get to chapter 32 Jerusalem is being sieged or surrounded by the Babylonians. The city is cut off. The Israelites are resisting and Jeremiah is in jail. Sounds like an exciting live?
Yet truly chapters 31-32 is the highlight of the book of Jeremiah not just because God’s prophetic word is coming true but also because God gives Jeremiah another prophecy but this time it is about the return of the Jews to the city.
God tells Jeremiah that his cousin will soon come to him and will ask him to redeem his father’s property. This was very common to keep the land in the family line. So Jeremiah does. He pays the money to buy the land.
Now you got to understand. The Babylonians are at war. They have already captured the land that Jeremiah is buying so the question is what value is it to Jeremiah. How could he own the land?
Yet God gives him a promise and Jeremiah steps out by faith and believes the Lord by purchasing the land. He did not understand how but he believed the Lord.
Reminds me of Joseph as he he looked to the future of God delivering the Jews out of Egypt and he said, “when you go, don’t forget to take my bones with you”.
Jeremiah is acting on faith.
For me it really makes Hebrews 11:1 come to life:
Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Abraham
Hebrews 11:8-13 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. (9) By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; (10) for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. (11) By faith Sarah herself also received strength to conceive seed, and she bore a child [51] when she was past the age, because she judged Him faithful who had promised. (12) Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born as many as the stars of the sky in multitude--innumerable as the sand which is by the seashore. (13) These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off were assured of them, [52] embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.
Jeremiah’s A’ha moment
Then finally it hits him. He has been prophesying. He has been talking about God. And to be honest he probably got a little depressed. All he has been preaching was doom and gloom you preach that, and you will get depressed. But it seems his spirit is lifted, and he has a new revelation of God.
Listen again as I read the beginning of his prayer.
Jeremiah 32:17 'Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You. 18 'You show lovingkindness to thousands, and repay the iniquity of the fathers into the bosom of their children after them; the Great, the Mighty God, whose name is the LORD of hosts. 19 'You are great in counsel and mighty in work, for your eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, to give everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings.
I think this morning we need to have an “a ha moment of the Lord”. (In the middle of this “pandemic”, this storm, when things seem out of control.) We are so used to a preacher standing behind this sacred desk and delivering a message about how to meet our needs. We are so used to us waiting on someone to speak a word about us and we look to our selves. I believe this morning God wants to remind you that you serve a mighty God. God wants to give you an “a ha moment”. Remind you of who he is. He wants to remind us of truly “What a might God we serve”
Jehoshaphat (while facing insurmountable odds)
1 Chronicles 20:12 O our God, will You not judge them? For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You."
Our eyes are fixed on you!
Isaiah 61:1-3 "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, Because the Lord has anointed Me To preach good tidings to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives, And the opening of the prison to those who are bound; (2) To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, And the day of vengeance of our God; To comfort all who mourn, (3) To console those who mourn in Zion, To give them beauty for ashes, The oil of joy for mourning, The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; That they may be called trees of righteousness, The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified."
Four points.
I. He is the mighty Creator “Is there anything too difficult for the Lord”
'Ah, Lord GOD! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You.
That is the God we serve the one who created the universe. As we read a few weeks ago.
Hebrews 11:3 Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.
Job said, “ He stretches out the north over the empty place, and hangs the earth upon nothing.” (Job 26:7)
“ He tells the number of the stars; he calls them all by their names.” (Ps 147:4)
Just think he carved out the canyons and scooped up the mountains.
How did he do all this? “by his voice and by his arm”
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
8 times in Genesis 1 you read “And God said.”
God spoke it and it was done.
Difference between praise and worship
Praise is the joyful recounting of all God has done for us. It is closely intertwined with thanksgiving as we offer back to God appreciation for His mighty works on our behalf. Praise is universal and can be applied to other relationships as well. We can praise our family, friends, boss, or paperboy. Praise does not require anything of us. It is merely the truthful acknowledgment of the righteous acts of another. Since God has done many wonderful deeds, He is worthy of praise (Psalm 18:3).
Worship, however, comes from a different place within our spirits. Worship should be reserved for God alone (Luke 4:8). Worship is the art of losing self in the adoration of another. Praise can be a part of worship, but worship goes beyond praise. Praise is easy; worship is not. Worship gets to the heart of who we are. To truly worship God, we must let go of our self-worship. We must be willing to humble ourselves before God, surrender every part of our lives to His control, and adore Him for who He is, not just what He has done. Worship is a lifestyle, not just an occasional activity. Jesus said the Father is seeking those who will worship Him "in spirit and in truth" (John 4:23).
From: https://www.gotquestions.org/difference-praise-worship.html
When we go through trouble and lean on the Lord people think we “lose control of reality”. They say we get disconnected to what is real. Yet we know that we are going to the one who is in control. We are getting connected to the source.
II. He is mighty in Compassion
18 'You show lovingkindness to thousands,
The word here “lovingkindness” means “mercy, merciful, good, goodness and even favor”.
This speaks of God’s mercy-that which we do not earn or deserve yet God has given to us.
Jeremiah quoted from: Numbers 14:18 tells us The LORD is longsuffering, and of great mercy, forgiving iniquity and transgression, and by no means clearing the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation.
This is an area that we all struggle with. We struggle with compassion. We struggle with how or when to be compassionate. We are afraid of being taken advantage of.
Yet God is taken advantage of a lot. But he still is compassionate. He still is loving kindness.
I had a friend call me one evening. I was going through a rough spot. He called out of the blue and said I feel like God wants me to give you these scriptures.
Lamentations (Jeremiah is the author) 3:21-26 NKJV This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. (22) Through the Lord's mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. (23) They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. (24) "The Lord is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I hope in Him!" (25) The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the soul who seeks Him. (26) It is good that one should hope and wait quietly For the salvation of the Lord.
Lamentations 3:21-26 MSG
21 But there's one other thing I remember,
and remembering, I keep a grip on hope:
22 God's loyal love couldn't have run out,
his merciful love couldn't have dried up.
23 They're created new every morning.
How great your faithfulness!
24 I'm sticking with God (I say it over and over).
He's all I've got left.
25 God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks.
26 It's a good thing to quietly hope,
quietly hope for help from God.
III. He is Mighty in Counsel
19 'You are great in counsel and mighty in work,
Jeremiah 29:11 NIV For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Counseling is a multi-million dollar business today. You can open up the phone book and find numerous people who want to give you counsel. These will tell you that they can fix your problems. Well let me tell you about one who is the Counselor.
Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace
Throughout his word we see God giving counsel to us. Whether it is counsel on relationships, counsel on finances, counsel on sickness, counsel on family matters, counsel on spiritual issues.
Too many times we go outside of the word of God looking for answers when all we need is in the Word of God.
Psalms 1:1 Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. 3 He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. 4 The ungodly are not so, But are like the chaff which the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, Nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. 6 For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, But the way of the ungodly shall perish.
God is mighty in counsel
God is willing to help those who are willing to listen and follow his counsel.
Acts 15:28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things:
IV. He is Mighty in Compensation
19 'You are great in counsel and mighty in work, for your eyes are open to all the ways of the sons of men, to give everyone according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings.
You can know that God is perfect and just and gives to every man what he truly deserves.
As the Prophet Hanani said to King Asa in 2 Chronicles 16:9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.
Notice what he does here. God is looking for people to reward. He is waiting on people to reward. God does. You know what I believe that there are some principles of the Word that a sinner can follow and God will reward them. I have seen it happening in tithing. I have seen it happen in respect.
Hebrews 11: 6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Conclusion
Why don’t we just take time to enjoy the Lord?
Act 17:22 Then Paul stood in the midst of the
Areopagus [ar-ee-op-uh-guh s] and said, "Men of Athens, I perceive that in all things you are very religious; 23 "for as I was passing through and considering the objects of your worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you: 24 "God, who made the world and everything in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands. 25 "Nor is He worshiped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, since He gives to all life, breath, and all things. 26 "And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, 27 "so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; 28 "for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your own poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.' 29 "Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's devising.
Song: What a mighty God we serve.
