Opening song of worship: I Speak Jesus
Announcements and Offering: Brennan
Thanksgiving Video of Testimonies from CHC!
Sermon: A Thanksgiving Psalm - Pastor MM
Thesis: The Psalms are filled with the art of saying thankyou to God for His mighty works! We need to know and remember the works of God in our lives and regain a heart of thanks to God for all He has done for us. Even in the middle of the hardship and challenges of this year.
Introduction to Psalm 145 from https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/gills-exposition-of-the-bible/psalms-145-introduction.html:
“It seems to have been a psalm David took great delight in, and it may be that he often repeated and sung it, as it was made by him with great care and contrivance, in a very curious manner, as well as he was assisted in it by divine inspiration; for it is wrote in an alphabetical order, each verse: beginning with the letter of the alphabet in course, and goes through the whole, excepting one letter; and very probably it was composed in this form that it might be the more easily committed to memory, and retained in it.”
Hebrew Alphabet: Reference the Song – video!
See Psalm 119 – Honorable mention today to read this week for Thanksgiving – This Psalm has Titles of the
Hebrew Alphabet in your Bible
“The Jews have a very high opinion of it; their Rabbis say, that whoever says this psalm three times every day may be sure of being a child of the world to come ( A child of Heaven). This is mentioned by Arama and Kimchi; and which the latter explains thus, not he that says it any way, but with his mouth, and with his heart, and with his tongue. It seems to have been written by David after the Lord had granted him all his requests put up in the preceding psalms, and had given him rest from all his enemies; and when he turned his prayers into praises; for this psalm is wholly praise from one end to the other; and so are all the five following ones; they begin and end with "hallelujah"
David wrote this song after his huge breakthrough – Remember our theme this year is Breakthrough 2020 – I came across this thought in my devotions this week from red Rock Worship and their song Breakthrough on You version; “When we sing of breakthrough, we are referring to God’s mysterious and powerful way of taking us from one place to another: from a place of brokenness to wholeness, from confusion to trust, from bondage to freedom. Sometimes our need for breakthrough seems desperate and dire; if we don’t see the provision and presence of God show up soon, we will feel crushed under the weight of our circumstance. Sometimes breakthrough comes as a revelation; the Spirit of God illuminates in such way that what was foggy now becomes clear, and we are able to move forward in confidence. Sometimes a breakthrough is long-awaited; our need for God’s answer, his movement, or his deliverance feels like it’s late in coming-a desired reality that is being delayed another day. Whatever our situation may be, we know breakthrough is something we cannot procure on our own-it’s timing is determined by the sovereign Spirit of God.” Devotion day 1 from Red Rocks Worship
Many call this Psalm David’s theme song! His best song ever written! His number one hit of all times – praising and thanking God for His Blessings and the breakthrough in his life!
Psalms 145:1-7 (NIV)
1I will exalt you, my God the King; I will praise your name for ever and ever.
2Every day I will praise you and extol your name for ever and ever.
3Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.
4One generation will commend your works to another; they will tell of your mighty acts.
5They will speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty, and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
6They will tell of the power of your awesome works, and I will proclaim your great deeds.
7They will celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.
Message pt. 1 – We need to be thankful to the Lord for our testimonies, which declare God’s works.
1. The power of our testimony for God: Telling of His wonderful works in our lives.
a. Matthew 7:8 “For everyone who asks receives, he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.”
b. Revelation 12:11 “They overcame Him by the blood of the Lamb and the word of their testimony.”
i. These two verses remind why I need to share my testimony over and over. I always prefaced my testimony with this statement, “I do not share it to glorify my past before Christ but glorify my Lord who set me from the bondage of sin!” Many today feel it’s important to have a testimony that is dramatic and full of sin.
1. I honestly wish I could say that “I grew up in a Christian environment where life was filled with the Lord and not sin because it’s hurts and leaves scars!” I did not. But the greatest testimony out there is one where you can say, “ I grew up in a Christian home and I have lived with the Lord my whole life- never backsliding or falling deep in sin.” That’s the testimony I wish I had!
ii. God has given each of us testimonies which we are to share and be thankful for. Our testimonies are given to us by God so others can hear about the awesome work of the Lord in our lives.
1. My salvation – which is a great work of the Lord!
2. How I got saved – learning to hear God’s voice and see Him touch others and telling the God story.
3. My call to ministry was a miraculous work of the Lord others also can testify to God’s call on their lives.
4. The original call to Liberty Chapel and God’s confirmation and financial provision.
5. The call to come return to ministry – The appearance of Jesus in dining room window at Sand Hill Lake Bible Camp.
6. My physical miracles – the ear healed at a Holy Spirit conference with John Wimber and older ladies.
7. The directional miracles:
a. The ring and word for marriage then the 2nd word for marriage.
c. I know it has been a rough year! 2020 is going to be the year of years!
i. As a result of the pandemic, political climate, racial riots, and financial hardships Epoch News reports that the mental health of the people of the United States has suffered greatly>
1. In the United States, according to the center for Disease Control and Prevention:
a. 40 percent of people have experienced a mental or behavioral health condition related to the pandemic.
b. 1 in 4 have experienced symptoms of depression – four times higher than previous years.
c. 1 in 10 had considered suicide at some point during the last 30 days – an increase of 100 percent from previous years.
d. 13.3 percent of Americans have begun or increased substance use to cope with stress related to the pandemic.
i. (The Epoch Times article, November: A month for Gratitude (gratitude is a potent practice that can uplift our spirit. November 11-17, 2020 pg C8).
2. It’s an understatement to say our mental health has suffered and we need to do something about it – the truth is we need to right the ship
‘s direction in our minds and hearts. We need to choose the path of Gratitude – because gratitude offers several mental, spiritual and physical health benefits – no seriously here what Joshua Becker says from Epoch Times page C8:
a. Gratitude reduces stress and makes us more resilient
b. Gratitude helps us feel more positive.
c. Gratitude unshackles us from toxic emotions and thinking,
d. Gratitude improves our self-esteem
e. Gratitude decreases the symptoms of depression
f. Gratitude helps us sleep better
g. Gratitude improves our interpersonal relationships.
h. Gratitude enhances optimism.
i. Gratitude can help us lower blood pressure, stop smoking, or lose weight!
i. The bottom line on Gratitude – Becker states, “One important key to remember is that the benefits of gratitude are most experienced when we intentionally choose to practice it regardless of our circumstances, rather than waiting for more positive circumstances.”
2. Practical to do for this Thanksgiving: Do you want to say thank you to God this Thanksgiving? Then have everyone around the Thanksgiving table share a testimony of what God has done for them this year – a testimony of His great works in our lives. This is a great way to give thanks to the Lord this Thanksgiving! A great way to release the healing powers of Gratitude in your family unit form a very tough year.
Song: Great Are you Lord
Psalm 145: 8-12
8The LORD is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.
9The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.
10All you have made will praise you, O LORD; your saints will extol you.
11They will tell of the glory of your kingdom and speak of your might,
12so that all men may know of your mighty acts and the glorious splendor of your kingdom.
Message part 2: We need to be thankful to the Lord because He is good, and He showers us with His goodness.
1. The truth is God is good!
a. Let’s say it God is good! Do you believe that?
i. I believe we need to be thankful that He is good to us! Could you imagine if God was not good – no seriously – think of the horror of that thought!
b. So, I am thankful God is good and not evil!
2. What does it mean that God is good?
a. It points to the mighty acts He does for His people.
i. He is gracious – He has given us the gift of Grace – many I think don’t understand grace today – even if they call themselves Christians – the problem with grace today as I have observed from an interview of people on the street – they were asking people to define grace on the street: Most had no clue what is was or where it originated. I started pondering the following questions about Grace and Christianity in America:
1. Is grace a forgotten act of God?
2. Is grace confused with saying grace before a meal?
3. Is grace only related to my neighbor, whose name is Grace?
4. Is grace real or a myth for most people?
5. Is grace just someone who is eloquent?
6. Is grace recognizable?
7. Is grace being modeled or mishandled?
8. Has grace been erased from our minds?
9. Has grace been redefined?
10. Has grace lost its meaning?
11. Has grace been replaced?
12. Has grace been misplaced?
13. Has grace lost the race?
14. What ever happened to talking about grace as Christians?
15. What ever happened to knowing what grace is?
16. How did this Christian nation of ours misplace grace?
17. Who aced out grace from the human race?
a. Wow my head was spinning! So many misconceptions about Grace!
18. What is grace? Where did it come from? Good questions to ask ourselves today at Thanksgiving.
a. John 1:14-18: 14The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’” 16From the fullness of his grace we have all received one blessing after another. 17For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18No one has ever seen God, but God the One and Only, who is at the Father’s side, has made him known.
b. In John’s text above we discovered that grace came to us by the life of Jesus Christ - the Word of God in the flesh. This grace is defined as one that gives unmerited favor to one who does not deserve it. It’s a gift given to the person who places their life in Christ - this gift is salvation – good standing with God - eternal life even though they don’t deserve it. It comes to them because Jesus paid their price for their sins on the cross. Grace is directly related to the cross. When you speak of the cross you speak and relate about grace. Grace came as a result of the cross, grace was birthed on the cross by Christ’s death. Prior to Jesus arrival to earth you never heard of the word grace. Jesus birthed the word and gave it meaning. He never used the word he just role modeled it to a fallen a world and this new word was created.
19. Charles Swindoll has this to say about this gift called grace that came from Jesus:
a. To show grace is to extend favor or kindness to one who doesn’t deserve it and can never earn it. Receiving God’s acceptance by grace always stands in sharp contrast to earning it on the basis of works. Every time the thought of grace appears, there is the idea of its being undeserved. In no way is the recipient getting what he or she deserves. Favor is being extended simply out of the goodness of the heart of the giver (9).
b. He also notes: But when “grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ,” a long-awaited revolution of the heart began to set religious captives free. Fear-full bondage motivated by guilt was replaced with a fresh motivation to follow Him in truth simply out of deep devotion and delight. Rather than focusing on the accomplishments of the flesh, He spoke of the heart. Instead of demanding that the sinner fulfill a long list of requirements, he emphasized faith, if only the size of a mustard seed. The change spelled freedom, as the Lord himself taught, “…you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). Rigid, barren religion was, at last, replaced by a grace-orientated, relationship-liberating grace. His followers loved it. His enemies hated it… and Him. Without a doubt, the earliest grace killers were the Pharisees (10).
ii. He is compassionate – He understands our struggles and pain and has empathy and compassion on us.
1. How is He compassionate? Just look at Jesus because when you see Jesus you see God in the flesh!
a. A Man With Leprosy: Mark 1:40-42: 40A man with leprosy came to him and begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.” 41Filled with compassion, Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!” 42Immediately the leprosy left him and he was cured.
i. Do you see it? Mark is displaying for us what Jesus says, “He looked on them with compassion because they were like sheep without a shepherd” Mark has been painting the portrait of Jesus as the son of God, but this picture would be incomplete if he didn’t highlight Jesus as the compassionate God.
ii. What we find in Mark (and the Bible) is a compassionate God on display.
iii. Mark paints a picture of the compassionate God in the flesh healing those rejected by society and suffering horrible sicknesses.
b. Matthew 9:35-38: 35Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. 36When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
i. God shows compassion by providing workers for the Kingdom and leaders for the Kingdom to help the people who are lost and hurting – we need to thank the Lord this Thanksgiving for all the helpers here at CHC – the leaders who give of their time and resources to help the ones lost in this world.
ii. Workers for the Kingdom are a symbol of the compassion of God on a lost and hurting generation.
iii. He is slow to anger because of his mercy. God is good because he is slow to anger!
1. Slow to anger – this is a big one in my book – lets look at the sign of the rainbow from the OT in Genesis.
a. If I was God - we all would have been consumed by His fire! Are you not glad I am not God!
i. Are you with me? Can you relate to what I just said?
ii. We lack grace – mercy – compassion – many just allow their anger to go unchecked – but I am glad God is not like that!
1. Share of some you tube videos you have seen – the rage of anger!
2. Smith’s Bible Dictionary – The meaning of the Biblical Rainbow
a. “The rainbow is the symbol of the covenant which God made with Noah when he came forth from the ark that the waters should no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. The right interpretation of ( Genesis 9:13 ) seems to be that God took the rainbow, which had hitherto been but a beautiful object shining in the heavens when the suns rays fell on falling rain, and consecrated it as the sign of his love and the witness of his promise. The rainbow is a symbol of Gods faithfulness and mercy. In the "rainbow around the throne," ( Revelation 4:3 ) is seen the symbol of hope and the bright emblem of mercy and love, all the more true as a symbol because it is reflected from the storm itself.”
b. The rainbow is a sign and symbol of How God is slow to anger and merciful!
Song: Goodness of God
Psalm 145: 13-21
13Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and your dominion endures through all generations. The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.
14The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down.
15The eyes of all look to you, and you give them their food at the proper time.
16You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.
17The LORD is righteous in all his ways and loving toward all he has made.
18The LORD is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.
19He fulfills the desires of those who fear him; he hears their cry and saves them.
20The LORD watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy.
21My mouth will speak in praise of the LORD. Let every creature praise his holy name for ever and ever.
Message part 3: We need to be thankful to the Lord for His faithfulness, and His love to us.
1. How is He faithful? According to our Psalm of thanks he does the following faithful works for us:
a. He keeps His promises!
b. He pours His love on us!
c. He picks up all who fall!
d. He honors all who bow to Him.
e. He feeds us the food we need both physically and spiritually!
f. He satisfies our desires – the pure ones!
g. He is near to all that call on Him in truth and humility.
h. He helps deliver us from fear and always hears our cries for help.
i. He watches over those who love Him.
2. God’s faithfulness – have you thanked Him for it lately?
a. The following thoughts on the Faithfulness of God are from https://www.allaboutgod.com/faithfulness-of-god.htm
i. Faithfulness of God – We need to re-discover His Faithfulness and thank Him for it!
1. “The faithfulness of God is true and has been proven many times. In the Holy Scriptures, we can see that God is faithful and His Word is true. Hebrews 6:18 says God cannot lie, nor can He break an unconditional promise that He says He will fulfill. Every covenant He made is kept. Every promise or foretelling has or will come true. Testimony after testimony of God’s faithfulness is certainly found throughout the Bible and is still given in testimonies by people today.”
2. “In fact, accounts of covenants between God and His people can be found approximately 277 times in the Bible. Deuteronomy 7:9 says “Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments."
3. “God is so faithful that anyone who seeks Him can find Him. Faith is a gift, but even a gift must be opened to be enjoyed. As we implement our faith, we begin to realize more and more about God’s faithfulness to us.”
a. 1 Corinthians 1:9 - “God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.”
b. 1 Corinthians 10:13 - “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so you can stand up under it.”
c. 2 Thessalonians 3:3 - “The Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one.”
Conclusion:
What do we need to know about Psalm 145?
Answer: We need to know how awesome God is and How he interacts in our lives through personal and intimate ways. We need to praise and thank Him for all His great works in our lives. For His grace, compassion, mercy and lack of anger and faithfulness.
Why do we need to know this truth about God?
Answer: Because it’s easy to forget about all the things God has done for us in our life – it’s easy to stop telling our testimonies in the hard times of life – like we have faced in 2020. We need to remind ourselves and others of How wonderful God is and praise Him and thank Him. We need to tell others what he has done!
What do we need to do?
Answer: We need to take the time this Thanksgiving to thank God for his great works in our lives. We really need to share our personal God stories with others this Thanksgiving to help them see how wonderful God is. We need to speak of his grace, his compassion, His love, His faithfulness through tough times. Why so people see God in a different light and perspective. So, they see God and get a fresh revelation of His goodness, faithfulness and mercy!
Why do we need to do this?
Answer: So that others can experience the goodness of God and the grace of God. So that others can see and meet with God even in hard times and crazy times. So that love triumphs over chaos and hate. So that the truth of God would be sung about -spoke about and testified of to those who don’t know God. God’s Word has the power to change heavy hearts to joy filled hearts. God’s Word and stories have the ability to change peoples lives and even nations lives.
Closing song: Graves into Gardens
